Sociology Collection Development Policy

Purpose
The collection supports present and anticipated teaching and research in the field of sociology and its subdisciplines. At present, the central focus of the department and the chief interests of the faculty are encompassed in the following areas of teaching and research: sociology and the environment, gender studies, criminology and deviance, the family, social groups, institutions and organizations, social change, social psychology and mental health, social stratification, methods and statistics, demographics, the sociology of aging and death, urban sociology, the sociology of religion, and migration studies.

The department offers a B.A. and an M.A. degree. Students in the graduate program have the option to select a specialization in the sociology of gender, environmental sociology, urban sociology, and social organization. The Sociology Department also participates in the Gerontology program and the Women's Studies program.

In addition to the support for the specific degree programs of the Sociology Department, the collection, especially in view of its broad interdisciplinary nature, also serves as a resource for undergraduate and graduate students in other disciplines. Related colleges, departments, and programs covering subjects of interest to sociology include Psychology, Education, Philosophy, Political Science, and Urban Studies.

Language
The primary language of acquisition is English. Materials in French and Spanish are acquired very selectively. Materials in other foreign languages are not normally acquired.

Chronological Guidelines
Material on contemporary topics (i.e., latter half of the 20th century) is the primary emphasis.

Geographical Guidelines
Emphasis is placed on the areas of North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Treatment of Subject
Primary emphasis is on the traditional approaches to the discipline of sociology: its history and its political and psychological aspects. More recent aspects, such as computer applications, statistical/mathematical analyses, and legal aspects of sociology, are also collected. Other important areas include the medical, economic, and business aspects of sociology. Less emphasis is placed on the practice, methodology, and teaching os sociology. Important scholarly biographies are selectively acquired. Textbooks are acquired very selectively.

Types of Materials
Monographs and serial publications form the basis for acquisitions in sociology. Reference materials, including bibliographies, dictionaries, handbooks, and encyclopedias are acquired. Abstracts and indexes covering the field of sociology are acquired. Government documents are acquired through the U.S. Federal Depository Program. Legislative materials, including digests, rulings and regulations, and constitutional materials are also acquired.

Date of Publication
The primary emphasis is on current materials. Because of the University of New Orleans' status as a relatively new academic institution, the collection is rather weak in representative works and classics published during the period from 1930 to 1960, and an effort is made to acquire these as time and money permit. Key and classic material prior to 1930, going back to 1880, the start of sociology as a serious academic discipline, has been largely acquired, and the period between 1960 and 1985 is well represented. Emphasis is placed on the time period from 1985 to the present.

Other Resources
Materials related to gender issues and the sociology of women can be found in the UNO Women's Center, located on the second floor of the library.

Related Policy Statements
Other information relating to sociology will be found in the following policy statements:

Anthropology: Social anthropology, urban anthropology
History: Social movements, labor history, demographics, the study of socioeconomic classes
Political science: voter behavior, political movements, ethnic minorities, bureaucracies
Psychology: Social psychology, child development, aging
Urban and public affairs: social and cultural change, urban history