Collection Development Statement
Department: Social Sciences -- Anthropology
Drafted by: Denise A. Forro
Date Drafted: November 20, 1998
Date Revised: March 3, 2005
Anthropology, in the narrowest sense of the word, is the science of man. In the current sense of the word, it brings together many disciplines: cultural (social) anthropology, physical anthropology, archaeology and linguistics. In addition, each sub-discipline has numerous subdivisions, of which folklore is one. The Department offers a BA or BS undergraduate degree and two graduate degrees, an MA and a Ph.D. The department offers a new master’s degree, Professional Applications of Anthropology, and new materials for this program may be needed. Special program emphases include: "agriculture and the environment; social inequality and social institutions; public policy and cultural impact assessment; systems of communication and meaning; and medical and legal issues". A particular program of importance is the Culture/Resources/Power Concentration in Sociocultural Anthropology. In addition, the Department offers field course work in archaeology. Finally, there is a strong connection between the Anthropology Department and the MSU Museum, with many Anthropology faculty holding adjunct positions on the Museum staff.
To support instruction, teaching, and research for undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate programs in cultural (social) anthropology, physical anthropology, linguistics, and archaeology. Major areas of interest are Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the North America. Specific subjects areas include: medical anthropology, cultural change, and language. Archaeology and folklore continue to be areas of research interest.
Changes in curriculum, changes in faculty, and new interests in the development of the many subdivisions as a strength will influence the Collection. For example, physical anthropology has been subdivided into specialized areas of study, such as, biological anthropology, skeletal biology, and forensic anthropology. Of special note, the development of the Culture/Resources/Power Concentration in Sociocultural Anthopology program will need to be closely monitored for future needs.
Anthropology is an interdisciplinary field of study. New and developing fields within other disciplines will require a new method for identifying appropriate tools for selection and evaluation. Working with other related campus resources will ensure strong support for MSU programs. The Anthropology Department currently has links with the following programs and departments: Latin American and Caribbean Studies Center, the African Studies Center, the Center for Women in Development, the Center for Advanced Studies in International Development, the School of Criminal Justice, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. In particular, a close tie exists between the Department and the MSU Museum.
The MSU Museum with its excellent collections in Folk Art enriches the program. The Anthropology Department's reading room offers students and researchers an in-house resource of materials. Since many of the faculty of the Anthropology Department are adjunct faculty at the Museum, many of the resources selected with Anthropology are valuable tools for the Museum.
Classical Studies purchases materials on Old World archaeology. Anthropology funds will handle New World archaeology.
Anthropology
Any materials on medical anthropology must be purchased through
Anthropology funds.
Folklore
Coordinate activities with the bibliographer for Ethnic Studies as necessary.
Coordinate activities with the bibliographer for Religion on a title-by-title basis.
America, Near East and South Pacific
There are no limitations – all periods are selected. However emphasis is on recent studies and revisions of older theories (e.g., revised editions of older works). In certain cases, reprint or microfilm editions can replace classical works.
English and major Western European languages are preferred. Significant publications in Slavic and non-European languages should be acquired by the specialists in these languages. Materials in vernacular languages from Africa, Latin America, Asia and other areas will be selected by appropriate bibliographers, or by faculty with competence in these areas or languages. For works where an English translation is or becomes available, the English language edition will be favored or acquired as an additional copy. It should be noted that most of the current English language materials are acquired on approval plans using an appropriate profile.
All regions of the world will be considered, and all materials of major importance selected, e.g., general works of various regions in the entire field of Anthropology, as outlined in above. Since Anthropology is interdisciplinary – concerned with all aspects of man – and in view of the division of selection responsibilities, coordination is of utmost importance. Traditional methods of selection may not be adequate to provide adequate inclusion of possible pieces published by other disciplines that may apply. Special consideration should be given for the acquisition of such publications.
Books and monographs published by major publishing houses, research institutes, university presses, and departments – including such publications as ethnographic reports, theoretical development reports, major site (digging) reports, symposia and proceedings of scholarly societies, biographies and correspondence of famous anthropologists, archaeologists, linguists, etc. Purchase of scholarly reference works and encyclopedias should be coordinated with the selector for the reference collection.
Subscriptions for newspapers and periodicals should be carefully considered and purchased if appropriate funding is available.
Electronic or Online databases will be considered and purchased as appropriate and if adequate funds are available.
Theses, dissertations, textbooks, workbooks, pamphlets (of less than 50 pages), records, tapes, films or slides are not collected. In case of need, such materials could be acquired, if requests and support come from faculty or specific researchers and if funds are available.
Emphases should be on current publications. See also III, C and D.
Levels: 0) Not collected 1)Basic layperson 2)Undergraduate 3)Research 4)Comprehensive
Conspectus Subject Level Note
Call # Ranges
GN Anthropology (General) 4
GN 37 History and Theory 4
GN 54 Methodology (general) 3
Special Methods
Cultural (Social) Anthropology
GN 307-686 Ethnography & Ethnology 3
GR Folklore & Ethnology 3
GT, (D-F) Manners & Customs (general) 1,2
GN 370-391 Migration of Races 3
GN 1-295 Physical Anthropology:
Somatology
GN 17, GN 783 History, New World 3
Prehistoric
GN 51-59 Methodology 3
QH 359-470 Evolution See Science,
General
QH 359-470 Human Genetics See Science,
General
GN 221-265 Anthropology Physiology 3
GN 296 Medical Anthropology 4
GN 27 Applied Anthropology 3
GF Anthropo Geography 3
HM 107 Anthropological Sociology 3
GN 489 Economic Anthropology 3
LB 45 Education Anthropology 3
GF Human Ecology/Cultural 3
Ecology
GN 493 Legal Anthropology 3
(primitive law/indigenous law)
BD 450 Philosophical Anthropology 2
GN 492-498 Political Anthropology 3
GN 270-279
GN 478-492 Social Organization 3
(groups)
HM 73
BT 700-745 Theological Anthropology See Religion
GN 395 Urban Anthropology 4
CC, DA-DU Archaeology See also Classical
E-F, GN Studies
GN 270 History 3
CC 73-75 Methodology and Theory 3 See also Classical
(New World) Studies
GN 743 Popular Works 1, 2
GN 700-875 Prehistoric Archaeology 3
P Linguistics (currently most of
Linguistics are selected by
Humanities bibliographers) See Linguistics and Literature
P 35 Linguistics as it relates to
Anthropology and culture See Linguistics
and Literature
GN 783-875 General works of region or 3
County
GN 720 History 3
CC 73-75 Theory and Methods 3 See also Classical
(New World) Studies
P 121 Linguistic Research See Linguistics and
Literature
P 35 Anthropological Linguistics See Linguistics and
Literature
BV 2082 Missionary Work and Mass Media See Religion
P 306 and
Others Summer Institute of Linguistics
(Missionaries) See Linguistics
and Religion
GR 1-975 Folklore 2
GT 1-7070 Manner & Customs 2
Specific policies, if any on replacement, deselection, out of print acquisition, preservation, etc.
A. Replace items that have been lost or stolen if still available. Especially if the item is necessary for one of the fields of study offered by the department.
B. Duplicates should not be retained. Determine the usage of the piece and then deselect items that are the most worn.
C: My Documents/Collection Development Statement.doc