Purpose and Program Description

The Libraries seek to support research in journalism, mass media, and current events, and the needs of MS students and the teaching faculty, as well as the needs of Ph.D. candidates in the interdisciplinary Media Studies program established in 1998-99.

The following changes in the user population took place during the first half of the 1990’s: (1) an increase in the number of students specializing in broadcast, rather than print, journalism, (2) a growing demand for electronic full text sources (primarily newspapers, magazines, wire services and transcripts), (3) an expanding interest in computer-assisted reporting texts, (4) increased publication of investigative journalism monographs covering a wide array of subjects including education, business and government, and (5) an increased interest in new media technology, in conjunction with the School's establishment of a Center for New Media.

Areas of established specialization: journalism history, journalism ethics, and journalist biographies/autobiographies. We are in support of greater interest in media studies, and are collecting more materials in the areas of media criticism and the impact of media on society.

General Selection Guidelines (See classed analysis for further details)

The Libraries’ existing collection and acquisition commitment is at the study and teaching level. The collection goal for Journalism is a research level collection.

Given the interdisciplinary nature of the new Ph.D. program, other collections from throughout the University will be drawn upon to support the needs of the new Ph.D. students.

Specific Delimitations

1. Formats collected: We collect monographs, periodicals, series, and reference tools extensively, textbooks, electronic tools, and newspapers selectively, dissertations very selectively, and maps are excluded.

2. Imprint Dates Collected: We collect 20^th century publications extensively and earlier century publications selectively.

3. Chronological Focus: We collect materials focusing on the 20^th century extensively, and earlier century topics selectively.

4. Languages Collected: We collect English language materials extensively and other languages very selectively.

5. Place of Publication: We collect North American and Western European materials extensively and materials from other places selectively.