Collection Development Statement
Economics
A. SYSTEM-WIDE SUBJECT OVERVIEW
1. Programs Supported at Each Campus
New Brunswick: PhD, MA, BA; academic year 1993/94: faculty--16 full professors, 6 associate professors, 10 assistant professors and 1 lecturer (instructor); courses--46 undergraduate courses and 19 graduate courses; students--424 undergraduate majors and 77 graduate majors; and degrees granted--328 BAs granted, 15 MAs granted and 3 PhDs granted.
Newark: MA, BA
Camden: BA
2. Selectors
New Brunswick:
Alexander Library: Economics Selector
Douglass Library:
Kilmer Library:
Newark:
Dana Library:
Camden:
Robeson Library:
3. Purpose
To support undergraduate and graduate instruction and faculty research in the fields of Economics on all three campuses. At Rutgers University, areas of focus include economic theory (macroeconomic theory and microeconomic theory), finance, monetary theory, public finance, comparative economics, international economics, monetary theory, econometrics, Marxian economics, economic development, public economics, comparative economics, labor and human resources, industrial organization, experimental economics and economic history.
Selectors of Economics materials for each library work independently of one another. Each selector selects according to the needs of faculty research and/or the programs of its campus and/or college; the selectors in Newark and Camden select for their BA and/or MA programs, the selectors for Douglass and Kilmer maintain collections for undergraduate programs, and the selector for the Alexander selects for a research collection supporting BA, MA and PhD programs and for faculty research. Duplication is unavoidable and is justifiable; important primary and secondary works are needed at all three campuses.
In support of instruction and faculty research, the Economics selector at the Alexander Library must communicate and coordinate with the Government Publications selector, for Economics greatly utilizes the Government Publications collection; the primary collections of Government Publications are located in the Alexander Library and the Library of Science and Medicine. Selectors for Economics in libraries other than the Alexander and LSM must select government publications on an individual basis. Unfortunately, the collections of Government Publications in the Alexander Library and LSM are not accessible through IRIS.
The Economics selectors in the Dana and Kilmer libraries communicate and coordinate with the Business selectors in their libraries. While the Economics selectors do not coordinate with selectors for the Mathematics Library, the Labor Relations collection of the Institute of Management and Labor Relations Library and the Psychology collection of the Library of Science and Medicine, faculty and students in Economics make use of those collections.
4. Resource Sharing Arrangements or Limitations
Standard Statement.
5. History
New Brunswick:
Newark:
Newark:
6. Location of Materials
New Brunswick:
Alexander Library--primary research level collection for New Brunswick and the RUL system. 1990 shelf list totals: 65,055 monographs.
Douglass Library--undergraduate collection in Economics. 1990 shelf list totals: 12,363 monographs.
Kilmer Library--undergraduate collection in Economics and Business. 1990 shelf list totals: 14,103 monographs.
Newark:
Dana Library--supports Master's level and undergraduate programs in Economics. 1990 shelf list toals: 44,636 monographs.
Newark:
Robeson Library--supports Master's level undergraduate programs in Economics. 1990 shelf list totals: 20,379 monographs.
B. COLLECTION GUIDELINES
1. Languages
New Brunswick:
Alexander Library--primarily, an English language collection. Western European language materials will be acquired very selectively; oftentimes, Western European language selectors will be consulted, and the Western European language selector will acquire Economics materials.
Kilmer Library--
Douglass Library--
Newark:
Dana Library--non-English language materials are seldom purchased.
Newark:
Robeson Library--
2. Chronological Guidelines
New Brunswick:
Alexander Library--primary emphasis is on the 19th and 20th centuries.
Douglass Library--
Kilmer Library--
Newark:
Dana Library--emphasis is 19th and 20th century
Newark:
Robeson Library--no restrictions
3. Geographical Guidelines
New Brunswick:
Alexander Library--no restrictions
Douglass Library--
Kilmer Library--
Newark:
Dana Library--no restrictions.
Newark:
Robeson Library--
4. Treatment of Subject
New Brunswick:
Alexander Library--seeks to acquire the major journals in Economics to support faculty and graduate student research. Seeks to be comprehensive in the acquisition of primary and secondary works published by university presses and major publishers; treatments from other publishers will be acquired very selectively. Popular treatments will acquired extremely selectively. Publications from "think tanks," organizations and associations will be pursued aggressively--but selectively.
Douglass Library--
Kilmer Library--
Newark:Dana Library--seeks to cover international economics (including trade, development and basic and specialized statistical sources), economic theory and econometrics. Seeks to also cover core journals in Economics and the related areas of finance, international business and quantitative studies.
Newark:Robeson Library--
5. Types of Materials
Standard Statement.
The acquisition of bibliographic tools (via networks--LAN or system-wide or national--or CD-ROMs or tapes) are important for accessing the Economics and Business literature and of data sets in a variety of media (including tapes, CD-ROMs, tapes or networks--LAN or system-wide or national) for conducting research. Given the geography of Rutgers University, the ability to network bibliographic tool or data sets is an important consideration; other considerations include cost, maintenance and ease of use.
6. Strengths and Weaknesses
New Brunswick:
Alexander Library--while there are no great areas of strength in the Economics collection, it is quite adequate to support instruction and the undergraduate and graduate programs. As a result of a recent infusion of newly acquired journals, the journal collection is now adequate for faculty research. Continued acquisition of new and more Economics journals are very important: especially, given the importance of the journal literature to Economists. Presently, the journal and monograph collection in Economics is an adequate research level collection, at best.
There are several areas of weakness. In the past, the journals list was inadequate for faculty research. However, in the past two years, a significant number of important journals have been added. It is now adequate to support faculty research. However, retrospective purchasing of the back issues of some of the recently acquired journals is needed. The journal list must continue to be strengthened. Cuts in the journal collection will, once again, make it inadequate for many areas of faculty research. Currently, the lack of funds for a working papers collection is a severe weakness; however, the availability of working papers on the internet may make this less of a problem in the future. The problem will not entirely be eliminated, for most major working paper series will only be available through purchase in whatever format. Government Publications not being in IRIS is an important weakness. Federal, New Jersey and International government publications are important to Economists and having them in IRIS would greatly facilitate their accessibility and use. EconLit not being available in the Alexander Library or available through a network is a weakness; the paper version of this index is a very poor substitute for the CD-ROM version. Not being able to purchase more data sets--crucial and primary research material for faculty and graduate students--in machine- readable form (in particular, CD-ROM) is a major weakness. Purchasing and the funding of machine- readable data sets must become more of an integral part of collection development in the future.
C. COLLECTION RESPONSIBILITIES BY SUBJECT SUBDIVISION
| SUBDIVISION | EXISTING | CURRENT | DESIRED | ASSIGNMENT |
| Economic Theory | 3 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Population | 3 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/Dana/RobeDemography; Vital |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Business Cycles | 3 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Economic History and Conditions; National Production | 2 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Production, Industrial Management | 2 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Land | 3 | 3 | 3 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Agricultural Economics | 2 | 2 | 3 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Industry | 3 | 3 | 4 | DANA/Alex/Robe |
| Corporations, Cartels, Trusts | 3 | 3 | 3 | DANA/Alex/Robe |
| Industrial Cooperation | 3 | 3 | 3 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| State and Industrial Organization | 3 | 3 | 3 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Labor | 2 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Special Industries and Trades | 2 | 2 | 3 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
 | ||||
| RELATED CLASSES (SEE ALSO STATEMENT FOR BUSINESS) | ||||
| Transportation and Communications | 3 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Commerce | 3 | 3 | 4 | DANA/Alex/Robe |
| Finance | 3 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/DANA/Robe |
| Public Finance | 3 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |
| Economics Bibliography | 3 | 3 | 4 | ALEX/Dana/Robe |