Housing, interior design, and resource management

Statement of programs and library needs

Library acquisitions in housing, interior design and resource management reflect present and future needs of those programs within the Near Environments Department in the College of Human Resources, which offers programs leading to the B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Students concentrate on the following fields: residential property management, interior design, consumer affairs, family financial management, and household equipment. Courses are offered in accounting, business, consumer issues, financial counseling, resource management, house planning, property management, design issues and techniques, and interior and furniture design. Of special interest are issues of barrier free design, housing, interior design and equipment design for special classes of people, such as, the elderly. This area of interest is shared with the architecture programs. The Interior Design Program is accredited by the Foundation of Interior Design Education Research (FIDER).

The department has wide interests and has intellectual connections with other disciplines including family and child development, clothing and textiles, human nutrition and foods, education, art, architecture, industrial design, business, economics, sociology, political science, urban affairs and planning, and gerontology.

I. Collection areas

A. Area: Housing, Interior Design, and Resource Management

 

B. Classes and Level

HC 110          Consumer Studies            Research
HD 7285-7390    Housing                     Research
HT 101-485      Urban Groups. The City
                  Urban Sociology           Research
NK 1700-3505    Interior Decoration         Research
TT 387-410      Soft Home Furnishings       Research
TX 301-339      Home Economics The House    Research
TX 955-1105     Building Operation Mobile
                  Home Living               Research

C. Chronology

Emphasis is on current materials, although a historical and theoretical perspective is vital for the study of housing issues, consumer studies and interior design.

D. Geographic Guidelines

Materials published in the United States and Europe receive highest priority, but the program, especially areas related to housing and interior design, is international in scope.

E. Languages

English is the primary language of the collection.

F. Treatment

The collection consists of academic and scholarly monographs, research and technical studies, exhibition catalogs, professional practice materials (specifications, office practice), conferences and professional publications. Illustrated books are of special interest to interior design. Government and legal publications provide information in consumer issues, consumer protection, and housing. Reference materials include bibliographies and indexes, directories, statistical sources, codes, and specifications. The periodical collection consists of major journals indexed in the field's bibliographies or published by major professional associations. Interior design maintains a balance between the research oriented journal and the illustrated trade journal.

G. Formats

Primarily print for monographs and most journals, though electronic full-text is also of growing importance for journals. Bibliographic databases are available through the Internet. Video and disks are purchased through faculty request.

H. Multiple copies

Multiple copies are selectively purchased for heavily used titles; however, duplication is usually limited to two copies.

II. Acquisition Strategy

Materials are selected by the Near Environments bibiographer in collaboration with the Art and Architecture Librarian. Faculty and students are encouraged to suggest materials and review the collection. Criteria for purchase include relevance, demand, need, availability, price, reputation of author and publisher, and quality of illustrative matter. University press books and major exhibition catalogs come on blanket order. Government publications are added by deposit.

Journals routed to librarian for review include the Journal of Interior Design and Design Book Review.

III. Collection Notes

The department has a broad focus subject coverage and materials are not confined to the branch location.

Textbooks, theses and dissertations from other universities, and popular works are not ordinarily purchased; upper division textbooks are purchased selectively.

EDRA (Environmental Design Research Association) and IDEC (Interior Design Educator's Council) and the International Association for Financial Planning publications should be monitored for acquisitions. The majority of consumer related publications come through the actions of the business bibliographer, but "consumer studies" -- which is housed in Newman Library -- is monitored by the art and architecture librarian.

Revised 11/2000