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Mathematics

Policy Last Updated:

Subject: Mathematics

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 Michael Skelton, the Collections Librarian, in cooperation with and endorsed by Kathleen Cameron, the Department Faculty Library Liaison and the Department Chair.

Focus

  • To support teaching, study and research up to the graduate level, as well as to support faculty research
  • Areas of special interest must include: algebra, analysis & topology, applied mathematics, computer science, financial mathematics, geometry, operations research, statistics & probability. Within each specific area individual faculty members may make recommendations for items to be included in the collection.

Scope

  • Language: Primarily English language materials are collected. Important publications primarily in French, German, Spanish and Russian will also be considered either in their original language or in translation if available.
  • Place of Publication: emphasis is placed on Canadian or American publishers first, then British and European
  • Dates of Publication: emphasis is placed on recently published works
  • Chronological Period: both contemporary and historical works are acquired
  • Geographical Areas: no restrictions
  • Publishers: works from scholarly and academic publishers are emphasized

Types, formats, and readership of materials collected

  • Materials with academic-level readership are selected
  • 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, works by vanity presses, juvenile, pamphlets, reprints and partial contents (eg. single issues of journals, electronic versions of single chapters of books). Titles already held by the Universities of Waterloo and Guelph may be excluded.
  • The following items, as they apply to Mathematics, will only be considered for inclusion in the collection upon the request of the Mathematics faculty:
    • Proceedings of conferences, symposia, international congresses, etc.
    • Selected Canadian and American theses
    • Reports of non-governmental organizations such as research centres, university departments, etc.
    • Numeric and/or spatial data

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 (Undergraduate)

Collecting priority (Graduate/Faculty)

Statistics

   

General

HA1 - HA28

  

Theory and method

HA29 - HA32

  

Time-series analysis

HA30.3

C

 

Economics

   

Risk management

HD61

C

 

Finance

   

Mathematical models

HG106

B

A

Mathematical models, mathematics of investment

HG4515.2 - HG4515.3

B

B

Future markets (general works)

HG6024.A3

A

A

Mathematics

   

General

QA1 - QA74

C

 

Applied mathematics (i.e. business and other disciplines)

QA39.2

A

A

Popular work, elementary education

QA77 - QA149

C

 

Algebra (general)

QA150 - QA272

A

B

Combinatorics, combinatorial analysis

QA164 - QA167.2

A

A

Group theory

QA174 - QA183

B

B

Number theory

QA241 - QA247.5

B

 

Commutative rings and algebras

QA251.3

  

Non-commutative rings and algebras

QA251.4

  

Associative rings and algebras

QA251.5

  

Nonassociative rings and algebras

QA252 - QA252.5

 

A

Game theory

QA269 - QA272.5

A

A

Probabilities

QA273 - QA273.67

A

B

Stochastic processes

QA274 - QA274.8

A

A

Theory of errors, least squares

QA275

A

A

Mathematical statistics

QA276 - QA280

A

A

Order statistics

QA278.7

 

A

Nonparametric methods

QA278.8

A

A

Decision theory

QA279.4 - QA279.7

B

B

Time series analysis

QA280

A

 

Interpolation, sequences, series

QA281 - QA296

  

Numerical analysis

QA299.5

B

 

Analysis (general)

QA299.6 - QA439

A

 

Calculus

QA303 - QA316

  

Functional analysis

QA319 - QA329.9

 

A

Theory of functions

QA331 - QA355

  

Differential equations

QA370 - QA380

A

A

Continuous groups (of transformations), infinitesimal transformations (topological groups)

QA385 - QA387

  

Analytical methods used in the solution of physical problems

QA401 - QA425

  

Nonlinear theories, nonlinearity

QA427

 

B

Difference equations & functional equations, integral equations, calculus of differences

QA431

B

A

Geometry (general)

QA440 - QA800

  

Elementary geometry

QA451 - QA469

B

 

Projective geometry

QA471

  

Modern geometry

QA473 - QA475

  

Trigonometry

QA531 - QA539

A

 

Algebraic geometry

QA564 - QA609

  

Topology, knot theory

QA611 - QA614

  

Infinitesimal geometry

QA615 - QA639

  

Differential geometry

QA641 - QA670

 

A

Non-Euclidean geometry

QA685

  

Analytic mechanics (general)

QA801 - QA939

 

A

Dynamics

QA843 - QA871

A

A

Fluid mechanics

QA901 - QA930

  

Elasticity, plasticity

QA931 - QA939

  

Technology

   

Applied mathematics, quantitative methods

T56.8 - 58.3

B

B

Consortial purchases with the TriUniversity Group of Libraries (Guelph, Waterloo, Laurier university libraries), with the Ontario Council of University Libraries, and on a national level, are pursued.

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