Collection Policies

Old Dominion University's Department of Political Science and Geography offers Bachelor of Arts (B.A) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in political science. The department also offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in political science with teaching licensure in government. The political science program is designed to give students an essential core of basic knowledge and analytical skills, while providing an opportunity to specialize in one of two emphasis areas: American politics and public law, or international relations and comparative politics. One general minor and two minors in areas of specialization (international relations and public law) are also offered in political science. The political science program administers the university's pre-law advising program directed at undergraduate students interested in pursuing graduate legal education.

Although the Department of Political Science and Geography does not offer graduate degrees, faculty members Frances Adams, Jie Chen and Steven Yetiv are affiliated with the Graduate Program in International Studies (GPIS). Their research emphases are Middle East politics, Latin American politics, Asian politics, American foreign policy and international relations. Political science faculty not affiliated with GPIS conduct research in the areas of state and local government, gender and politics, urban and minority politics, southern politics, redistricting, and presidential studies. Hampton Roads’ status as a base for United States military operations means that military studies related materials are in particularly high demand among participants in political science, history and international studies programs.

Because the political science collection has application to faculty and graduate level research in the GPIS, history and public administration programs, it must reach high collecting levels in selected areas. It must also support teaching and undergraduate research across a broader range of disciplinary areas.

Language Guidelines:

English is the primary language for the political science collection. Foreign language materials may be selectively purchased if recommended by faculty, but are more likely to stem from the GPIS program.

Chronological Treatment of Subject Guidelines:

Research in the political science program focuses on both contemporary and historical subject matter. Areas of collection focus for both contemporary and historical studies are Virginia politics, southern politics, urban politics, African-American and minority affairs, American government, American presidency, international relations, foreign policy, military affairs and comparative politics.

Geographical Guidelines:

The political science program offers tracks focusing on American government and international relations / comparative government. The collection should aim for comprehensive collecting of materials relating to Virginia politics and minority politics in the southern United States. It should include enough material on all regions of the world to support general undergraduate work. Morecomprehensive international coverage should be targeted toward regions that are the focus of faculty research: Europe (including Eastern Europe), Asia (particularly China), Russia, the Middle East and Latin America.

Treatment of Subject:

The library acquires new secondary source scholarship and primary source document collections related to political science. Primary source document collections are usually selected with an eye toward supporting specific faculty and student research areas. The library usually does not purchase popular non-scholarly works or textbooks.

Types of Material:

The focus of the library's political science collection is on scholarly monographs and professional journals in both print and electronic formats. The library purchases materials published by intergovernmental organizations, audio-visual materials, reference works, datasets, and primary source document collections on a selective basis.

Date of Publication:

The library's collecting emphasis is on newly published materials. The library also selectively acquires collections of primary historical source documents in consultation with faculty. Older monographs may be purchased on a selective basis to meet changing research interests and fill collection gaps.

Other General Considerations:

• Interdisciplinary Relationships / Related Policy Statements:
  The library's political science collection is closely tied to many other areas/programs including: International studies, history, public administration, military science, communications, economics, sociology, criminal justice, women’s studies, African-American studies and geography. In addition, the Perry Library’s special collections unit includes archival material related to politics in the Hampton Roads region.
• Local/Regional/Consortial Resources:
  The Armed Forces Staff College Library, Norfolk State University Library and the College of William & Mary's Swem Library include relevant political science materials, including archival collections related to political history in Virginia. The law libraries at Regent University and College of William & Mary provide access to legal materials relevant to study in some political science areas.
• Virtual Library of Virginia:
  Current VIVA collections include Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO), LexisNexis Congressional, ABC-CLIO’s America: History & Life and Historical Abstracts, InfoTrac, and PAIS. Additional VIVA fulltext journal collections include many political science periodicals.
• Government Publications:
  Government publications in print and electronic form are crucial to the political science collection, serving student and faculty needs for primary source documents. Among the most important sources of materials are the Office of the President, Department of State, Department of Defense and Congress. The Marcive online bibliographic database provides searchable access to materials distributed through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). Specialized government search engines like firstgov.gov facilitate access to government information on the Web. The Virginia Depository Library Program provides the library with print and electronic access relevant to the study of Virginia politics.
• Distance Education:
  Political science degree programs are campus-based. However, selected political science courses have been periodically offered through TELETECHNET and/or video streaming. In the last two years these have included undergraduate courses on state and local government, the civil rights movement, Virginia politics and government, and international politics.
• Research Centers and Institutes:
  Institute for the Study of Minority Issues: The mandate of the Institute for the Study of Minority Issues is to create a greater consciousness in the knowledge and appreciation for the minority population in America. The Institute's activities include promoting cultural diversity in both the curriculum and University environment, conducting research on issues of concern to the African-American and Filipino-American communities in Hampton Roads and serving the minority population through its community outreach programs. The institute maintains its own small library collection in the Batten Arts and Letters building.

Summary of Collection Strengths and Weaknesses:

The Library's collection of secondary source materials is adequate to support undergraduate program needs. The library needs to continue to work with faculty to identify and purchase primary and secondary source materials needed to support their research interests. It is also important to review both primary and secondary source political science materials in light of the graduate programs they help support in international studies, history and public administration

Collecting Codes

Discipline: Political Science
Bibliographer: Stuart Frazer
Date: 06/04

LC Class	Subject Descriptors	Collection Code	Comments
E183 - E183.3	United States – political history	4	Faculty research area
E185.2 – E185.98	African Americans – politics & government	4	Faculty research area
F206 – F220	Southern states – politics & government	4	Faculty research area
F221 – F235	Virginia – politics & government	4	Faculty research area
HQ1236 – HQ1426	Women in politics	4	Faculty research area
J1 – J981	General legislative and executive papers	3b	Emphasis on US (J10 – J98)
JA71 – JA80.2	Theory of political science	3b
JA81 – JA84	History of political science	3
JA86 – JA88	Political science study & teaching	3b
JC11 – JC607	Theories of the state	4 (except as noted below)
JC51 – JC93	Ancient State	3
JC109 – JC121	Medieval State	3a
JF20 – JF2112	Political Institutions and Public Administration	3b (except as noted below)
JF251 – JF289	Executive Branch	4	Faculty research area
JF441 – JF619	Legislative Process	4	Faculty research area
JJ1000 – JJ1019	Political Institutions and Public Administration (North America)	3b
JK501 – JK901	Executive Branch	4	Faculty research area. Emphasis on presidential studies, executive power & leadership
JK1001 – JK1443	Congress	4
JK1756 – JK1761	Citizenship	3a
JK1846 – JK1936	Suffrage	3a
JK1961 – JK2248	Electoral System	4
JK2255 – JK2391	Political Parties	3b
JK2403 – JK9993	State Government	4	Faculty research area
JK9663 – JK9993	Confederate States of America	4	Regional historical interest
JL1 – JL3899	Political Institutions and Public Administration (the Americas)	3b
JN1 – JN9689	Political Institutions and Public Administration (Europe & Eurasia)	3b (except as noted below)
JN1 – JN97	Europe	4	Faculty & graduate student research area
JN101 – JN1197	Great Britain	4	Faculty & graduate student research area
JN2301 – JN3007	France	4	Faculty & graduate student research area
JN6500 – JN6598	Soviet Union. Russia. Former Soviet Republics	4	Faculty & graduate student research area
JQ1 – JQ6651	Political Institutions and Public Administration (Asia, Middle East, Africa)	3b (except as noted below)
JQ1449 – JQ1749	East Asia	4	Faculty research area
JQ1758 – JQ1852	Middle East	4	Faculty research area
JQ1850	Arab Countries	4	Faculty research area
JQ1852	Islamic Countries	4	Faculty research area
JS3 – JS8500	Local & Municipal Government	3a (except as noted below)
JS300 – JS1583	Local & Municipal Government – United States	4	Faculty research area
JV1 – JV9480	International Migration	3b (except as noted below)
JV8490 – JV8758	Emigration and Immigration - Asia	4	Faculty research area
JX1305 – JX1598	Foreign Relations	4	Faculty & graduate student research area
JX1621 – JX1896	Diplomacy	4	Faculty & graduate student research area
JZ2 – JZ6530	International Relations	4	Faculty & graduate student research area
K1 – K7720	Law in General	3 (except as noted below)
K524 – K525	Treaties & Other International Agreements	4
K3169	State	3b
K3201	Foreign Relations Administration	4
KBM	Jewish Law	2
KBP	Islamic Law	2
KBR	Canon Law	1
KBU	Roman Catholic Law	1
KD	Law of the UK	2
KDZ	America	2
KE	Law of Canada	1
KF	Law of the United States	3
KFV2401 – KF2999	Virginia	3a	Regional interest
KG	Latin America	2
KH	South America	2
KJ - KK	Europe	2
KL - KW	Asia & Eurasia, Middle East, Africa	2
KZ2 – KZ6785	Law of Nations	3b (except as noted below)
KZ4850 – KZ5490	Intergovernmental Organizations	4
KZ5510 – KZ6299	International Law of Peace and Peace Enforcement	4
U1 – U900	Military Science	3b	Regional interest that crosses across history and political science programs
UA	Armies	3
UB	Military Administration	3
UC	Maintenance & Transportation	2
UD	Infantry	2
UE	Armor	2
UF	Artillery	2
V	Naval Science	3a	Regional interest
VA	Navies: Organization	3a	Regional interest
VB	Naval Administration	3a	Regional interest