Women's studies
Statement of program and library needs
The Women's Studies Program, a component of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, offers an undergraduate concentration complementing all majors. Women's Studies offers several courses, while other courses required for the concentration are cross-listed with various departments.
Scholars and students in Women's Studies draw on the traditions of history, literature, sociology, political science, fine arts, and other disciplines, but bring to their work a special focus concerned primarily with the past and present experience of women worldwide and secondarily with the meaning and role of gender as a determinant of rights, attributes, and roles.
It is expected that many materials of importance in Women's Studies will be selected by the bibliographers responsible for history, literature, and other disciplines. Feminist literature and criticism in particular is important to many scholars at Virginia Tech and is the responsibility of bibliographers for literature. There is a distinct body of research which clearly reflects the traditions and values of Women's Studies more than the perspective of any paradigmatic discipline, and the Women's Studies bibliographer is expected to acquire these materials.
Because Women's Studies draws so broadly on other disciplines, the following section, and in particular its description of collecting practices within subject classes, is not intended to be comprehensive.
I. Collection areas
A. Area: Women's Studies
B. Classes and Levels
HQ1101-2030.7 Women. Feminism. Research
C. Chronology
Selection efforts emphasize current materials, though deficiencies in classic works are addressed as they are detected.
D. Geographic Guidelines
Primary emphasis is on materials published in the United States. International publications are also of interest however, especially as they relate to women and economic or social development.
E. Languages
English language materials predominate heavily.
F. Treatment
Scholarly materials are emphasized. Primary materials, including statements expressing the political or social beliefs of women, are also acquired. Both scholarly and more popular journals are maintained. Materials on women's studies as a discipline are collected intensively.
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.This is an area in which many quality videos are produced and in recent years a fair number have been acquired upon faculty request.
H. Multiple copies
Multiple copies of heavily used titles, especially those of a more serious nature, are acquired as funds permit.
II. Acquisition Strategy
The libraries maintain an approval plan for books from many university press and significant trade publishers, and standing orders for many important serials. The women's studies bibliographer attempts to maintain an awareness of relevant materials acquired in related disciplines and to acquire complementary materials which will directly support the program. Materials in law and medicine, areas in which the libraries do not otherwise collect intensively, are bought where relevant to women's concerns.
III. Collection Notes
Textbooks and books of readings are occasionally acquired. The interdisciplinary nature of the program requires close coordination among librarians (including those in Special Collections, where there are strong supporting collections) and an openness to communication from library patrons.
Revised 11/2000
