Philosophy

Statement of programs and library needs

The Department of Philosophy offers a program in philosophy leading to the B.A. and M.A. degree. Electives in philosophy are offered for all students at the University. The purpose of a university collection in philosophy is to support the curriculum as well as the teaching and research efforts of the faculty in the Philosophy Department. In addition, the collection should attempt to supplement the general research requirements of all university departments. The nature of the Philosophy Department has changed significantly from that of a service department to one of active research.

The philosophy collection is aimed at providing materials of general cultural interest in the principal areas with which philosophers deal. Courses in philosophy aim at critical understanding and rigorous evaluation of the concepts underlying our views concerning the nature of reality: what sorts of things there are, what can be known, what is of value, and what people ought to do and to aim at. Philosophy may be an area of concentration under the liberal arts and sciences degree program, or may be chosen as a minor.

I. Collection areas

A. Area: Philosophy

 

B. Classes and Levels

B 1-68        Philosophy:  Periodicals,Societies
                Congresses, etc.                    	Study
B 69-789      Philosophy:  History and Systems,
                Ancient through Renaissance         	Study
B 790-5739    Philosophy:  History and Systems
                Post-Renaissance Logic              	Study
BD            Speculative Philosophy                	Study
BH            Aesthetics    				Study
BJ 1-1800     Ethics        				Study
BJ 1801-2195  Social Usages: Etiquette              	Minimal

C. Chronology

Emphasis is on the history of philosophy, including the philosophy of science and technology, and the history of social and political philosophy and ethics, from classical Greece and Rome through the Renaissance, the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and to a lesser extent, the twentieth century. In general, works in all philosophical periods and genres are acquired as available.

D. Geographic Guidelines

Primary emphasis is on ancient Greece and Rome, Western Europe, the United States; secondary emphasis is on the Middle East and Asia.

E. Languages

English is the primary language of the collection. Some works in Latin, French and German are purchased, including original works of historically important philosophers.

F. Treatment

The history of philosophy, including the history of philosophic concepts and historical studies of the various subdivisions of the field, is collected extensively. Biographies of philosophers and critical interpretations of their works are collected selectively. Monographs and periodicals form the nucleus of the collection. The library collects basic indexes, abstracts, and encyclopedias relating to the field, and publications of professional organizations, including their conference proceedings, are also collected.

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. Videos are acquired upon faculty request, funds permitting.

H. Multiple copies

Multiple copies of heavily used works are acquired as funds permit.

II. Acquisition Strategy

The majority of the titles in the collection are selected by the bibliographer for philosophy. Criteria for selection include: need; demand (specific faculty requests); availability of item; price; and importance of the author or the work in the subject field. The libraries maintain an approval plan for university press books as well as those published by outstanding trade publishers. The serials collection is periodically reviewed for the purpose of canceling some subscriptions and adding several important basic subscriptions.

III. Collection Notes

Textbooks are not purchased. Popular treatments of philosophical subjects are acquired selectively. Theses and dissertations from other institutions are not collected unless specifically requested by a faculty member.

Many university disciplines are interested in philosophical publications. Researchers in disciplines such as political science, economics, business, and law are becoming increasingly aware of their need to study the ethical foundation of their discipline. The continued growth of the Humanities Program has increased the importance of the philosophy collection. Courses in business ethics and ethics for engineers serve the needs of a large percentage of the university population.

Revised 10/2000