Collection Policies

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY

PHILOSOPHY/RELIGIOUS STUDIES

PURPOSE

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, Philosophy with an emphasis in religious studies and Philosophy with an emphasis in political and legal studies. The program is designed to give the student a solid grounding in the historical development of philosophy and an ability to analyze the validity and soundness of arguments proposed in serious discussions of any subject. The emphasis in religious studies is designed to assist the student in understanding the role of religion in human culture. The emphasis in political and legal studies is desinged for students planning to go to law school and students generally interested in social and political philosophy. (Quoted from the ODU Catalog 1998-2000)

The purpose of the collection in the area of Philosophy is to support teaching and research through the baccalaureate level in the following fields: ethics, modern philosophy, history of philosophy, logic, philosophy of art, philosophy of law, philosophy of education, philosophy of science, philosophy of technology, and political and social philosophy.

For the baccalaureate degree in Philosophy with an emphasis in Religious Studies, the purpose of the collection is to support teaching and research through the baccalaureate level in the following fields: Asian religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, comparative religion, and philosophy of religion.

To the extent possible, the collection will support the joint ODU—American University M.A. programs in Philosophy, the History of Religion (Hinduism) and Religious Studies.

Language Guidelines:
English will be the primary language of collection. Materials in other languages may be collected when the works in question are deemed of vital importance to the discipline, e.g. major works by major philosophers in the original language, works of major importance not in translation. For important religious works, texts originating in other languages will be collected in translation

Chronological Treatment of Subject Guidelines:
No limitations. The Library will collect materials relevant to the study of the progression of philosophic thought from its ancient beginnings to the present and the progression of religious thought from its ancient beginnings to the present.

Geographical Guidelines:
Schools and traditions have more importance to philosophy than geographical boundaries. Materials on philosophy and religion in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia will be the main focus of collecting, while some materials on world philosophy and religion may be collected where appropriate. The Library will collect mainly materials printed in the United States and Europe.

Treatment of Subject:
Emphases will be on primary works by major philosophers, historical and critical works relating to major philosophers, schools, and/or concepts. Important anthologies may be collected. Generally, textbooks will not be collected. For religious texts, emphasis will be on primary texts, critical biographies of major religious figures, historical works, and some theoretical works. Practical theology, textbooks, and "popular" works will not be collected save in rare instances when the material is deemed important.

Types of Material:
Supplementing standard monographic and serial publications in philosophy will be the following: encyclopedias and dictionaries of philosophy, reports of philosophical institutes, proceedings and transactions of philosophical congresses and conferences, symposia, directories of philosophers, indices, abstracts, and bibliographies.

For religious texts, supplementing standard monographic and serial publications will be the following: encyclopedias and dictionaries of religion, concordances and commentaries relating to the sacred books of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, atlases, indices, abstracts, proceedings and transactions of important conferences, symposia, and bibliographies.

Publications in non-paper formats (e.g. microform, electronic, etc.) will be considered using the same criteria as is used for publications in paper formats.

Date of Publication:
Emphasis will be on current publications. If the budget allows, some necessary retrospective purchasing will be done.

COLLECTING CODES

(key to collecting codes)

Discipline: Philosophy/Religious Studies
Bibliographer: Sandra Beehler (sbeehler@odu.edu)
Date: 11/00