Purpose and Program Description

The Libraries seek to support research in all aspects of the earth sciences in the broad sense: seismology, tectonophysics, marine geology, geophysics, paleomagnetics, physical oceanography, biostratigraphy, climatology, geochemistry, petrology, terrestrial geology, marine biology and dendrochronology. It supports the needs of undergraduate and Ph.D. students, the teaching faculty, post-docs, and research staff members.

The following changes in the user population were observed during the first half of the 1990’s: a new undergraduate major in environmental science, a new undergraduate class on dinosaurs, increased interest in soil science among geochemists, and a new foreign- climate group at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

New courses included a new undergraduate major in environmental science, new undergraduate class on dinosaurs, increased interest in soil science among geochemists, and new foreign climate group at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

Areas of established specialization are seismology, tectonophysics, marine geology, geophysics, paleomagnetics, physical oceanography, biostratigraphy, climatology, geochemistry, petrology, terrestrial geology, marine biology and dendrochronology.

General Selection Guidelines (See classed analysis for further details)

Overall, the Libraries’ existing collection, its current acquisitions commitment, based upon available resources, and its collecting goal for Geology and Geoscience are all at the research level.

Specific Delimitations

1. Formats collected: We collect reference tools, periodicals, monographs, and scholarly series extensively, annuals, audio-visual, CD-Roms and dissertations, and maps selectively, and newspapers very selectively.

2. Imprint Dates Collected: We collect current publications extensively. Older materials are not collected.

3. Languages Collected: Geology collects selectively in all languages while Geoscience collects extensively in English only.

4. Place of Publication: We collect North American and Western European materials extensively. All other areas are collected selectively.