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History

Policy Last Updated: August 23, 2022

Subject: History

Purpose

The Collection Development policy is used as a guide to shape relevant collections and to ensure consistency in collection development. The decision to purchase library materials is primarily the responsibility of the Collections Librarian in consultation with faculty in the Department.

This policy has been developed by Greg Sennema in consultation with various History faculty members.

Focus

To support teaching, study and research up to the Honours B.A. level, and, as part of a joint program with Waterloo and Guelph, to the M.A. and Ph.D. levels. As program offerings generally reflect faculty areas of competence, the collection also supports faculty research interests.

Scope

  • Language: Generally all modern languages studied at Laurier, with emphasis on English for secondary literature
  • Place of Publication: No limitations.
  • Dates of Publication: Emphasis of ongoing purchases is on current publications.
  • Chronological Periods: Coverage is from the Middle Ages onwards.
  • Geographical Areas: Generally worldwide, with emphasis on Canadian, European, American, and Military history, and the history of International Relations. The histories of Africa, China and the Middle East have been recently introduced.
  • Publishers: works from scholarly and academic publishers are emphasized

Types, formats, and readership of materials collected

  • Materials with academic-level readership are selected, as well as primary source materials, at least in facsimile, are purchased
  • Web-based formats for reference sources, journals and indexing sources are preferred. Print and microform are considered for reason of cost, availability, expected use or long term access.
  • Single copies of books in print formats are generally selected. Web-based formats are selected on a title by title basis, especially if the title is of interest to users at multiple Laurier campuses. Duplication of print across Laurier campuses is generally avoided.
  • Excluded types include textbooks, abridgements, study aids, limited editions, juvenile works, works by vanity presses, reprints and partial contents (eg. single issues of journals, electronic versions of single chapters of books).

Subjects collected and collecting priorities

Collecting priorities are categorized into 3 levels:

A - highest emphasis

The collection includes major published materials required to support the core teaching and research at the highest degree level offered by the Department.

B - secondary emphasis

The collection includes a selection of materials to complement the discipline as a whole, although it may not be a primary focus for courses.

C - selective emphasis

Materials, including reference materials and basic journals and indexes are collected to introduce and define an area.

Subjects collected

Classification

Collecting priority

Intellectual and social history (Canada, US, Europe)

AZ502 - AZ516; AZ600 - AZ607

A

Religion: period to 1914; post-1914

BL98 - BL99

A

Social and cultural history

CB

A

Diplomatics, archives

CD

C

History (general), world wars, Europe (general)

D1 - D34; D95 - D2009

A

Historiography, research, methodology / aids

 

A

Philosophy of history

 

B

Political history, including diplomatics

 

A

Fascism, Holocaust

D726.5; D804.3; D810.J4

A

Great Britain (England & Wales)

DA1 - DA745

A

Scotland

DA750 - DA890

C

Ireland

DA900 - DA945

B

Liechtenstein

DB891 - DB894

C

Hungary

DB921 - 926; DB931 - 958.6

A

Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, Slovakia

DB2000 - DB3150

A

France (1450 to present)

DC35 - DC559

A

Germany (1450 to present)

DD84 - DD89; DD175 - DD454

A

Greece, modern

DF701 - DF951

C

Italy, modern

DG401 - DG825

A

Belgium

DH503 - DH692

B

Russia (Russian empire [1450-1914])

DK70 - DK264.8

B

Soviet period

DK265 - DK293

A

Poland

DK4010 - DK4800

A

Sweden

DL701 - DL829

B

Spain

DP56 - DP66; DP160.9 - DP272.4

B

Portugal

DP535 - DP557; DP620 - DP682

B

Switzerland

DQ51 - DQ210

C

Romania

DR215 - DR269.6

A

Yugoslavia

DR1231 - DR1258; DR1266 - DR1313.8

A

Middle East (generally, post - 1914)

DS62.8 - DS62.9

A

Afghanistan

DS354.9 - DS357.6; DS359 - DS371.3

A

India

DS401 - DS486.8

A

Burma

DS527 - DS530.9; DS541 - DS553.7

A

Indochina

DS554 - DS55; DS556.487 - DS559.916

A

Malay Peninsula

DS595.8 - DS595.9

C

East Indies

DS634 - DS644

A

China

DS701 - DS799.9

A

Japan

DS801 - DS897

A

Korea

DS901 - DS937

A

Africa, Egypt

DT17 - DT154

A

Southern Africa

DT1001 - DT3415

B

West Africa

DT470 - DT671

A

Australia, New Zealand, Oceania

DU

C

United States

E11 - E905

A

United States: state, regional history

F1 - F975

C

Latin America (general)

F1409.6 - F1419

B

West Indies

FC1601 - FC1623

A

Canada

FC

A

Economic history, modern

HC51 - HC60.5

A

Social history, social movements

HN13 - HN19

A

Social movements - 20th century

HM881

A

Political extremism - 20th century

HN49.R33 - 981

A

Social history - Great Britain (1760 - 1945)

HN385; HT653.G7

A

Gender history

HQ1121 - HQ1123; HQ1150 - HQ1155

A

Terrorism

HV6430 - HV6433

A

Socialism - Europe

HX236 - HX375.7

A

Fascism

JC481

A

International relations

JX1315 - JX1395; JZ; KZ

A

Science and technology, 19th and 20th centuries

Q125 - Q143

A

Wars, military history

U1 - U102

A

Naval science history

V1 - V103

A

Bibliography of bibliography

Z6201 - Z6209

C

Related programs and support

Consortial purchases with the Ontario Council of University Libraries, and on a national level, are pursued.

The library’s Archives and Special Collections section houses various fonds and collections, including some items relating to Sir Wilfrid Laurier and William Lyon Mackenzie King. The library is also the caretaker of the archives of the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.