Globalization of area studies: an analysis of collection development resources
| Published date | 02 July 2018 |
| Pages | 97-110 |
| Date | 02 July 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/CC-08-2017-0039 |
| Author | Izabella Taler |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Collection building & management |
Globalization of area studies: an analysis
of collection development resources
Izabella Taler
Library, Queens College, Flushing, New York, USA
Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to report on the findings of a detailed analysis of the collection development tools of use to subject bibliographers in
meeting the challenges of the ongoing changes within the broad discipline of area studies.
Design/methodology/approach – Select online and print resources are examined for their treatment of specific area studies subjects.
Findings – This study identifies the benefits of subject resources, points out inconsistencies with the use of the controlled vocabulary and notes
subject access limitations.
Practical implications – The analyzed resources will assist library professionals in identifying and selecting relevant sources.
Originality/value – The detailed analysis of how this subject is treated by numerous resources is unique to the field of library science.
Keywords Collection management, Academic libraries, Collection development, Area studies, Associations, Interdisciplinary studies
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The universities and colleges across the USA, along with
various organizations, are experiencing an expansion of
academic interest in the area studies subjects. On college
campuses, traditional college departments, such as sociology,
psychology and literature, are either redesigning area studies-
related courses or are partnering with other departments in
exploring interdisciplinary topics and how best to administer
them. These changes along with changing interests in majors
among college students are identied by The College Board Book
of Majors (2017). This source includes only US colleges
accredited by an association approved by the USA Department
of Education and it describes itself as an “all-in-one source for
what students exploring majors need to know: what the majors
are about, and where they can be studied.” It covers the eld of
area studies majors in great detail with over 20 pages of college
majors listed under the category of “area, ethnic, and gender
studies,” including African-American studies, American
studies, Asian studies, Chicano studies, European studies,
Latin American studies, Native American studies, Near and
Middle Eastern studies and Women’s studies. The book
includes a section on “multi/interdisciplinary” studies, which
covers global studies, medieval and renaissance studies and
peace and conict studies. In addition, over 40 more area
studies subjects, including such familiar subjects as Holocaust
studies, Judaic studies, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender studies, media studies and Slavic studies, are
dispersed throughout the volume, and detailed information
about them is accessible via the book’s index.
The notable dispersion of area studies majors noted in this
source, along with the extensive listing of colleges which allow
students to create their own majors, points to the changes in the
area studies’ disciplines. Improving and expanding area studies
majors require development of new cross department courses
which in turn must face stringent accreditation demands. King
(2010) noted that academic departments are exploring new and
improved relationships between faculty, institutional centers,
grants and development ofces, and services to students such
as specialized study scholarships and study abroad
opportunities. Similarly, the consolidation of area studies
divisions, as was the case with the formation of University of
Oxford’s School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies, is yet
another approach.
The academic libraries throughout the USA are expected to
address and respond to the needs of its constituents composed
of students, faculty and administration, but responding to
academic changes is not always easy for librarians who are often
faced with decreasing or at best, stagnating library material
budgets. Nonetheless, subject librarians must turn their
attention to how to maximize available budgetary resources to
address and support the changes affecting area studies services
and collections. Some librarians are now actively involved in
this process. MacPherson (2015) reported that instructional
librarians are now establishing cross department liaison
relations and that in some cases, librarians are also involved in
co-teaching interdisciplinary courses.
This study aims at assisting bibliographers with meeting
some of these challenges. This paper examines select area
studies sources, explores the benets and identies unique
problems in using select online and print bibliographic
resources. The overall aim is to offer a practical approach to
building and improving interdisciplinary studies’ collections
and services.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/2514-9326.htm
Collection and Curation
37/3 (2018) 97–110
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 2514-9326]
[DOI 10.1108/CC-08-2017-0039]
Received 22 August 2017
Revised 16 October 2017
Accepted 17 October 2017
97
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