COLLECTION POLICY STATEMENT
Subject:
American History
Fund
Codes: usamo, usabl, usasr, usans
Written
By: Michael E. Unsworth
Date:
July 10, 2003
I.
Purpose or Scope of the Collection.
A. Curricular/Research/Programmatic Needs:
This
collection serves a wide variety of users. In pride of place are the
Americanists in the History Department and their students. Next come the
students in American Thought and Language and in American Studies. Students in
a wide variety of projects also use the collection.
Faculty
and graduate researchers in the History Department use the collection for all
time periods with emphasis on the twentieth century. Scholars in the
Comparative Black History Ph.D. Program and American Studies graduate students
are also heavy users. Researchers in other disciplines make use of the
collection when it intersects their interests.
As
far as programmatic needs go, there are the graduate programs in History and
American Studies as well as the research conducted by the MSU Museum.
Finally,
there are a number of outside users: faculty from other institutions, local
elementary/secondary teachers, history buffs, independent researchers,
genealogists/family historians, and historical preservationists.
B. History of the Collection/Existing
Strengths and Emphases
1. History:
Development of the
collection to support graduate and advanced research began with the Hannah era
after World War II. The Library was able to purchase substantial print
resources that were available on the used book market. It also got in on the
ground floor of the microfilming boom. We purchased a number of major sets of
published materials as well as primary sources. Since the economic downturns
beginning with the early 1970s, purchases became more focused and were related
to current teaching and research needs. Beginning in the 1990s, electronic
resources were added, following focused guidelines.
2. Existing
Strengths:
Colonial Period,
American Revolution, Early Republic, Civil War, Twentieth Century,
African-American History, American Radicalism, Popular Culture, Radical
Movements, Native American History, and Diplomatic History.
3. Current
emphases:
Colonial
Period/Atlantic World, American Revolution, Twentieth Century African-American
History, Diplomatic History, American Radicalism, and Women, Native American
History, Gender & Sexuality.
II.
Factors Influencing Collection Policy
A. Anticipated Future Trends
There
will be a continuing interest with the study of race, gender, and social
history with less emphasis on political and diplomatic history. Thus, there
will be a tension in maintaining purchases for a balanced collection with the
demands for current teaching and research
There
appears to be no stop in the production of electronic resources both by
for-profit and non-profit bodies. Given the price tags of many of these
resources, the ultimate decision will not rest with the American History
selector but at higher levels. The task of the selector will be to provide
timely input. Moreover, the selector should selectively publicize free Internet
resources. Also the selector will have to decide on the appropriate mix of
formats.
B. Relationship with Other Resources:
1. On Campus:
a. Electronic
resources -- see previous section
b.
Microforms -- There will be continued purchase of selected microforms plus the
need to provide publicity, interpretation, and renewal.
c.
Special Collections, especially the American Radicalism & Popular Culture
collections.
d.
Vincent Voice Library - -at the present time undetermined
e.
Government Documents especially the U.S. and Canadian Documents
f.
H-Net -- stay abreast of developments and cooperate when appropriate
2. Regional or Network Resources:
a. Archives
of the State of Michigan -- primary sources in Michigan History
b. Library
of Michigan -- Michigan History and Genealogy
c. Detroit
Public Library -- Michigan History and Genealogy
d. University
of Michigan:
i.
Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library -- American history.
ii.
Bentley Library -- Source materials for Michigan History, Philippine
Insurrection.
iii.
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library -- 20th Century U.S. politics
iv.
Clements Library -- Incunabula and manuscripts on New World discovery and
exploration.
v.
Special Collections -- American radicalism, Popular Culture
e. National
Archives and Records Administration. Chicago Regional Depository
f. Center
for Research Libraries
g. Michigan
Research Library Triangle
C. Relationships to Resources Treated in
Other Policy Statements:
1. US
Government Documents
2. Special
Collections
3. Ethnic
Studies
4. Political
Science
5. International
Relations
6. Gender
Studies
7. Area
Studies
III. Analysis of the Subject Field:
A.
Chronological emphasis:
1.
Comprehensive Level -- Revolutionary/Early Republic eras, the Slavery era, the
Civil War, and the Twentieth Century.
2.
Research Level -- Washington's administration, Post-1880 foreign relations with
China, Germany, and Great Britain. Post-1910 with the Soviet Union, Japan, and
Mexico.
3.
Advanced Study Level -- John Adams', Jefferson's, Jackson's administrations.
4.
Undergraduate Study Level -- Confederation, Madison's, Monroe's, J.Q. Adams',
Van Buren's, Harrison's, Tyler's, Polk's, Taylor's, Fillmore’s, Pierce's and
Buchanan's administrations, War of 1812 and the Mexican War, post-Civil War
administrations.
B. Languages Included/Excluded:
Overall English is the
preferred language. Seminal works in other Western languages will be
considered. Spanish and French works dealing with the discovery and exploration
of the Americas will be added. In foreign relations between the United States
and another country, important works in the vernacular of the country will be
obtained. Non-English manuscript materials on microfilm will be obtained only
after need has been convincingly demonstrated by researchers.
C.
Geographic Emphasis/Restrictions:
Strong emphasis on Midwest,
Middle Atlantic States, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and California.
Increased emphasis on the South and the Trans-Mississippi West. Less emphasis
on the remaining New England States and the Pacific Northwest.
D. Format
of the resources collected and treatment of the subject:
1.
Materials included--Books, microform pamphlet collections (when dealing with
areas of Levels D-F), serials, manuscript and newspaper collections on
microform, online and spoken-word sound recordings. Pamphlets only for Level 4.
Basic works on US genealogy.
2.
Materials excluded--Dissertations (with exceptions), photo-images or
reproductions (with exceptions), and pamphlets (with exceptions). Extensive
genealogical materials.
E.
Date of Publication--No restrictions.
IV. Levels
of Collection Intensity:
|
LC CLASS. |
SUBJECT |
LEVELS |
|
|
**** |
Western Hemisphere |
*** |
|
|
E11-29 |
General |
2b |
|
|
E31-45 |
North America
|
2b |
|
|
E51-74 |
Pre-Columbian America. Indians |
3c |
|
|
E75-99 |
Indians of North America |
4 |
|
|
E101-135 |
Discovery & Early Exploration |
2b |
|
|
E141-143 |
Descriptive Accounts |
2b |
|
|
**** |
United States |
**** |
|
|
E151-183
|
General |
4 |
|
|
E160
|
National & State Parks |
3c |
|
|
E169.1-169.5 |
Civilization/Popular Culture |
4 |
|
|
E171-183 |
History
|
4 |
|
|
E171 |
Periodicals |
4 |
|
|
E172 |
Societies |
4 |
|
|
E173 |
Sources & Documents |
4 |
|
|
E175 |
Historiography |
4 |
|
|
E181-182 |
Military/Naval History |
3c |
|
|
E183 |
Political History |
4 |
|
|
E183.7 |
Diplomatic History |
4 |
|
|
E183.8 |
Relations with: |
3-4 |
|
|
.C2 |
Canada |
4 |
|
|
.C5 |
China |
4 |
|
|
.F8 |
France
|
3a |
|
|
.G3 |
Germany |
4 |
|
|
.G7 |
Great Britain |
4 |
|
|
.J3 |
Japan |
4 |
|
|
.M6 |
Mexico |
4 |
|
|
.R9 |
Russia/Soviet Union |
4 |
|
|
E184.A1 |
Elements in the Population |
2-4 |
|
|
.F8 |
French |
3a |
|
|
.G3 |
Germans |
3c |
|
|
.J3 |
Japanese |
3c |
|
|
.J5 |
Jews |
4 |
|
|
.M5 |
Mexicans |
4 |
|
|
.S2 |
Norwegians
|
2a |
|
|
.S23 |
Swedes |
2a |
|
|
E185 |
African-Americans |
4 |
|
|
E185.5-615 |
Post-Emancipation Status |
4 |
|
|
**** |
By Time Period |
**** |
|
|
E186-199 |
Colonial History |
3c |
|
|
E201-298 |
Revolution |
3c |
|
|
E301-440 |
1775-1861 |
3c |
|
|
E303-310
|
Confederation |
3a |
|
|
E311-337
|
Washington through Jefferson |
4 |
|
|
E371-440
|
Monroe through Buchanan
|
3c |
|
|
E441-453 |
Slavery in the U.S. |
4 |
|
|
E457-459 |
Lincoln |
4 |
|
|
E461-655 |
Civil War |
4 |
|
|
E660-738 |
1865-1900 |
4 |
|
|
E740-889
|
20th Century |
4 |
|
|
E902- |
21st Century |
4 |
|
|
**** |
United States Local History |
**** |
|
|
F1-15 |
New England |
3c |
|
|
F16-30 |
Maine |
3a |
|
|
F31-45 |
New Hampshire |
2a |
|
|
F46-60 |
Vermont |
2a |
|
|
F61-75 |
Massachusetts |
3c |
|
|
F76-90 |
Rhode Island |
2a |
|
|
F91-105 |
Connecticut |
3a |
|
|
F106 |
Atlantic Coast/Mid-Atlantic States |
3a |
|
|
F116-130 |
New York |
3c |
|
|
F131-145 |
New Jersey |
3a |
|
|
F146-169 |
Pennsylvania |
3c |
|
|
F161-175 |
Delaware |
2a |
|
|
F176-190 |
Maryland |
2a |
|
|
F191-205 |
District of Columbia |
3c |
|
|
F206-220 |
The South/South Atlantic States |
4 |
|
|
F221-235 |
Virginia | ||