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 updated by Joanne Oud, the Collections Librarian, in cooperation with Monica Stellin, the Faculty Library Liaison for Italian.
Focus
The primary focus of the collection is to support undergraduate study and research in Italian language, culture, and civilization. Currently, Italian is offered as a Minor in the Languages and Literatures Department, and courses in Italian language, film, and culture are taught on the Waterloo campus. Italian language courses are also offered on the Brantford Campus.
The collection also supports, on a selective basis, individual faculty research interests.
Scope
- Language: mainly English, with dual-language editions of major Italian literary classics. Italian language works are purchased for items of particular significance, mainly on faculty request.
- Chronological Period: No special limitations.
- Dates of Publication: Primarily recently published works.
- Geographical Areas: Primarily Italy and areas affected by the Italian diaspora, especially North America.
Types, formats, and readership of materials collected
- Readership: Materials with undergraduate-level academic readership, with preference given to surveys, introductions, and works of broader scope. More specialized research monographs or items with limited undergraduate use are usually only purchased if not available at the University of Guelph or Waterloo.
- Format: Web format is preferred for reference sources, language resources (e.g. dictionaries), journals and indexes
- Multiple copies: Single copies are normally purchased.
- Books: print formats are usually purchased. Web formats may also be selected, especially if the title is of interest to users at multiple Laurier campuses.
- Types of materials not purchased: films (videos/dvds), textbooks, abridgements, study aids, limited editions, works by vanity presses, partial contents (eg. single issues of journals, electronic versions of single chapters of books), juvenile works, and popular works. Reprints are purchased selectively.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Italian literature (all periods, emphasis on contemporary) | PQ4001 - PQ5999 | C |
| Italian literature (critical and dual language editions of major Italian classics) | A | |
| Italian language (history and linguistics) | PC1001 - PC1977 | B |
| Italian diaspora / migration | JV8130 - 8139 | A |
| Italians in America | E184.I8 | A |
| Italians in Canada | FC106.I8 | A |
| Art & architecture | N6911 - N6923.3 | B |
| Italian cinema | PN1993.5.I88 | A |
| Italian society & culture | DG441 - DG453 | A |
| Italian politics (contemporary) | B | |
| Italian mafia | HV6453 | A |
| Women & gender | B | |
| Italian food | A | |
| Italian history (all periods) | DG11 - DG975 | B |
| Italian history (contemporary) | DG576 - DG584 | A |
| Italian history (Fascism, 1919 - 1945) | DG571 - DG572 | A |
| Italian social history | HN471 - HN490 | B |
| Italian business & economics | HB109; HC301- HC310 | A |
| Italian arts & crafts | A | |
| Italian music | A | |
| Italian social sciences | A | |
| Marco Polo | A | |
| Italian explorers | A |