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I. General Description of the Collection and Its Users

The Philosophy collection is comprised of reference works, monographs, and serials which fall into Library of Congress classifications "B-BD, BH, and BJ" (philosophy, logic, aesthetics and ethics). The Religion collection falls into LC classifications "BL-BX" (all forms of religion and sects). In addition the collection includes materials on social philosophy and the philosophy of science, politics, law, and peace.

The primary users of the collection are the full-time and part-time Philosophy faculty members of the College of Liberal Arts, the Liberal Arts faulty teaching religion courses and all RIT students fulfilling their philosphy course option or taking a philosophy or religion concentration. Materials are also used by Campus Ministries.

II. Description of the Programs Served by the Collection

A. Undergraduate Programs - Non-Degree

1. College of Liberal Arts

The Philosophy faculty teach three introductory courses (Selected Issues in Philosophy, Ethics, and Critical Thinking) and offer one concentration (Philosophy). The Philosophy concentration includes courses on the philosophy of religion, the philosophy of law, the philosophy of science, great thinkers (American, Eastern, Medieval or European), logic, social and political philosophy, and the philosophy of peace. Courses on special philosophical topics such as: accounting ethics, pro- fessional ethics, ethics and social work, epistemology, philosophy and vision, and knowledge and power are also part of this concentration. In addition, the Philosophy faculty participate in two interdisciplinary concentrations: Peace Studies with their course on the philosophy of peace; and Perspectives on Religion with their course on the philosophy of religion.

The Perspectives on Religion concentration pulls faculty from Literature, Psychology, Anthropology, and History to teach courses on the literature of the Bible, literature and religion, an introduction to the New Testament, the Biblical tradition, social psychology of religion, the anthropology of religion, and Christianity in the West. Religious topics are also covered in such courses as the foundations of Asian civilization, the contemporary Middle East, and art and human values.

2. College of Continuing Education

Two philosophy courses are taught as part of the General Education AA degree program (Introduction to Philosophy and Contemporary Moral Problems).

III. Subject and Language Modifiers

A. Geographic Areas

The geographic focus of the collection is on American applications and interpretations of philosophical and religious thought. The collection also includes the philosophical and religious writings of the original worldwide thinkers.

B. Chronological Periods

Emphasis is on current analysis of philosophical and religious thought through all ages.

C. Languages

No restrictions. Emphasis is on English-language materials. Selected foreign language sources and multilingual dictionaries and encyclopedias are acquired where applicable.

IV. Date of Publication

General emphasis for acquisition of new titles is on current publications in all subject areas. Acquisition/retention of material older than ten years is based upon importance of the work to the discipline; usefulness for historical information/perspective; extent of current publishing in the discipline; curriculum needs for new program development; usage of existing material of same age; and physical condition of the material. Retrospective acquisition of serials to meet new program needs will be extremely selective and limited to the past five years. Document delivery will be utilized instead to meet these needs whenever feasible.

V. Treatment of Subject Matter

A. Level of Treatment

Emphasis is on a collection which supports curriculum driven needs of students (primarily undergraduate) and faculty. The special needs of the NTID students are considered where relevant. Major published source material appearing in core collection bibliographies or recommended lists will be included. Pertinent reference sources will also be acquired. Every effort is made to accommodate faculty requests for specific curriculum related titles.

B. Scholarly Works

Major scholarly works pertinent to curricula will be acquired, including the original writings of significant philosophers and religious thinkers studied in the curricula.

C. Textbooks

Textbooks are not routinely acquired unless useful as general surveys or handbooks for a particular area not otherwise represented.

D. Newspapers/Newsletters

Significant publications will be acquired.

E. Government Documents

Government publications are acquired when the content is appropriate to the subject scope of the collection; not maintained separately.

F. Maps/Atlases

Acquired selectively when appropriate for specific representations.

G. Serials

Serials are important for keeping abreast of new applications or interpretations of philosophical and religious thought.

H. Other

Pamphlets are selectively acquired if sufficiently important to warrant cataloging; no pamphlet/vertical file is maintained.

I. Multiple Copies

Multiple copies of monographic titles are acquired only when heavy use is anticipated or demonstrated or at the curriculum-based request of a faculty member.

VI. Cooperative Collection Development Arrangements

No contractual cooperative collection development agreements for this discipline have been made between RIT Library and any other library.

Where faculty and student research needs fall outside the primary undergraduate curriculum- based scope of the onsite collection, access to this information will be provided through traditional, as well as, commercial document delivery services.

VII. Publication Formats

A. Microforms

Journals are routinely retained in microfilm with the exception of titles containing substantial graphical material or mathematical notation. (See Bindery Policy/Procedure-Periodicals)

B. Non-Print Materials

Acquisition of traditional non-print materials (slides, videotapes, video discs, films, sound recordings, slide/tape programs) is very selective and made in consultation with the Media Resource Center Media Specialist, usually at the request of a faculty member. Non-print materials are generally housed in the Media Resource Center.

C. Software and CD-ROM

Indexing and abstracting services and other specialized sources will be acquired in these formats where they meet subject collection criteria, as well as, the Electronic Resources Policy criteria (in process).

VIII. Collection Maintenance

Continuous maintenance of the collection is based upon systematic evaluation of materials in all locations in relationship to curriculum shifts, use statistics, core bibliographies, physical space limitations and the availability of information in alternative formats. Current periodical titles will be reviewed annually prior to their renewal. All other areas of the collection should be reviewed every three to five years. The collection maintenance process includes weeding of materials no longer relevant to curriculum needs, elimination of superfluous titles where information is duplicated in more current or authoritative sources, and ordering replacement copies of damaged and heavily used items still relevant to curriculum needs.

A. Weeding

1. Duplicates Only Weeded
a. Monographs
At least one copy in good condition of standard and classic titles listed in major general bibliographies and special subject lists, such as Books for College Libraries, should be retained in the collection.
2. Selective Weeding
   a. Monographs
   In general, philosophical and religious materials should be reviewed every three to five years to remove materials no longer relevant to the curriculum, older materials where sufficient coverage is provided by more contemporary titles, and multiple copies of materials where high use is no longer a factor.
   b. Serials
   1. Indexing and Abstracting Services
      Indexing and abstracting publications need to be available to cover all curriculum-based topics and periods of study. Publications should only be discarded when equivalent or improved coverage is available through new sources, printed or electronic (i.e. covers approximately same or more pertinent journal titles in the field and/or provides enhanced search capabilities pertinent to our programs).
   2. Scholarly Journals
      Long runs of key scholarly journals in all aspects of philosophy and religion that meet the criteria given in the introduction to this section should be retained indefinitely. Priority for retention should be given to titles accessible through indexing and abstracting services available at RIT Library and titles not available in any other Rochester-area library. Short runs and broken runs should be scrutinized more carefully and retention decisions should be based on the collecting levels assigned in Section IX: Subject Divisions, usage statistics, importance of title to discipline, and alternative availability.
   3. Trade Journals
      Retention of trade journals should be carefully scrutinize. Those that provide, primarily, timely information (professional and organizational news, new products, etc.) should be discarded after a period of one to five years. Those that include articles of more lasting value should be considered for longer retention, particularly if they are accessible through indexing and abstracting services available at RIT Library.
   4. Annuals
      Annuals should be subjected to the criteria outlined in the introduction to this section and retained indefinitely where appropriate, particularly if they are accessible through indexing and abstracting services available at RIT Library.
3. Current Edition/Year Only Retained
   a. Monographs
   1. Textbooks
   2. Career materials
   b. Serials
   1. Newsletters, calendars, other current awareness services providing timely information about events and activities of organizations and institutions, and employment opportunities.
   2. Directories

B. Replacement of Materials

1. Lost or Mutilated

Every effort should be made to replace lost or heavily mutilated titles if they are judged to be of continuing relevance to the collection. When mutilation is confined to a few pages, replacement copies of these pages should be requested through the Information Delivery Service. (See Bindery Policy/Procedure-Periodicals & -Monographs)

2. Gifts

Gifts which duplicate existing holdings should be used to upgrade the condition of the collection by replacing worn circulating copies with more sound gift copies.

C. Stacks Maintenance

The condition of all materials should be monitored to ensure those in need of repair and rebinding are attended to before they are irreparably damaged.

IX. Subject Divisions

[rev. 7/94]

Maintained by Sheila Smokey