Geography
Statement of programs and library needs
The Department of Geography offers programs leading to the B. A. and M. S. degrees in geography.
On the undergraduate level the department's objective is to provide a sound and flexible generalists degree, though advanced undergraduates are encouraged to select an area of concentration such as urban, historical, economic, medical, or physical geography and resource analysis, or thematic cartography, and remote sensing, quantitative applications, and field methods.
The M. S. in geography is designed to prepare a student for a variety of careers as a geographer in business, government, research and planning organization, teaching, or for doctoral studies.
I. Collection areas
A. Area: Geography
B. Classes and Levels
D,E,F Descriptive Geography (Scattered through
the classifications)
G 1-148 Geography - General Research
G 149-570 Voyages and Travel Basic
G 575-890 Polar Regions Study
G 1001-3122 Atlases Research
G 3160-9980 Maps (see separate policy of
cartographic materials) Research
GA 1-87 Mathematical Geography Research
GA 100-1999 Cartography Research
GB Physical Geography Study
GF Human Ecology. Anthropogeography Research
Z 6001-6028 Geography and Travels--Bibliography Study
C. Chronology
Emphasis is on current materials. Works dealing with all time periods are considered for purchase.
D. Geographic Guidelines
The primary emphasis of the department is on North America, Latin America, the Caribbean area, Europe, Africa, and Australia and the Pacific. Continued expansion of the collection in these areas is actively pursued. Materials on other world areas are also selected.
E. Languages
English, French, German, and Spanish materials are collected most heavily, with selective acquisition of materials in other languages according to merit and availability. Collection emphasis is on English language materials and English translations.
F. Treatment
Regional studies, works on geographic thought, history, and method, and works on cartographic and remote sensing methodologies are selected for purchase.
G. Formats
Printed materials (books, periodicals, and maps) are preferred, though electronic full-text is also of growing importance for journals. Bibliographic databases are available through the Internet. Few microforms are acquired in this area. Map selection policies are outlined in a separate statement.
H. Multiple copies
Duplicate copies are rarely acquired. A binding copy subscription is maintained only for National Geographic.
II. Acquisition Strategy
The geography bibliographer selects materials for purchase, with priority given to faculty requests. The library maintains an approval plan for books from many university press and significant trade publishers and standing orders for numerous monograph series and reports from geographic societies and departments. Subscriptions are maintained for geographical serials published in North America, many of the English language serials published internationally, and a selective group of serials published in Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Australia and the Pacific. The library holds memberships in the American Geographical Society, the Association of American Geographers, and the Alaska Geographic Society.
Relevant documents from federal and state agencies are received on deposit from the Government Printing Office and the Virginia State Library.
III. Collection Notes
Theses and dissertations from other universities are usually purchased only on faculty recommendation. College textbooks and popular treatments of geographical topics are selectively acquired.
Materials in regional science, geology, demography and a variety of other disciplines are also of interest to geography students. Economic, cultural, urban, political, medical, regional, and historical geography are major collection interests. Remote sensing is of significant interest in the collection.
Revised 11/2000
