Collection Policies

The purpose of the theater arts and dance collection is to support faculty research and the instruction program. Instructional support is for the Bachelor of Arts in theatre/dance with emphasis in either theatre or dance. Minors are offered in theatre/dance with a theatre specialization or a dance specialization. Emphasis is on the following subfields: acting, directing, stage costume, scene design, makeup, theatre history/theory/criticism, avant-garde theatre, women in theatre, dance history, anatomy/kinesiology, composition, teaching principles, improvisation, choreography, ballet, jazz, and modern dance technique. Instructional support is also given to graduate level courses in theatre arts as part of the Master of Arts in Humanities degree. In addition, the library seeks to emphasize areas which support the special research interests of the faculty. There is overlapping interest with other departments, which include: English, History, Psychology, Education, Therapy, Music, and Art.

Language: English will be the primary language of the collection. Translations into English from other languages will only be selected if they are seminal works or of major importance to the profession. Generally, non-English materials will not be selected.

Chronological Guidelines: Contemporary as well as classic works will be acquired in order to balance the collection.

Geographical Guidelines: Domestic and international materials will be collected to insure that diverse cultures are represented.

Treatment of Subject: Materials on both the theoretical and applied approaches to the study of the field of theatre and dance are broadly collected. Textbooks will not be purchased, with preference given instead to professional monographs emphasizing varying aspects of the discipline. However, textbooks will be considered for addition to the collection as gift items. Personal biographies that cover great dancers, directors, actors and choreographers etc. and their contribution will be collected.

Types of Materials:

Materials selected should include general monographs in all subject areas of emphasis. A core collection of scholarly journals is critical to the faculty and students. Periodical indexes and abstracts are also necessary.

Formats of Materials: Formats should include both print, video, and electronic resources.

Date of Publication: Current materials published within the past three to five years will receive priority. In most cases, older material will be selected to add depth to the collection.

Other considerations:

• Special needs: The library needs to build a solid, core collection of video material, including plays and dances, to support the course work of the theatre and dance curriculum.