A. Chronology of the Subject: Emphases/Restrictions
Not past 1800; not prior to 476, topic wise. Medievalism is collected also, that is, writing about the Middle Ages, since then.
B. Language of Resources Collected:
Exclusions/Emphases/Translations
Materials are primarily in English. The Germanic, French, Italian, and Latin American/Iberian studies subject librarians collect works in these languages on this period. Translations into English are collected.
C. Geography of the Subject: Emphases/Restrictions
We emphasize collection of works about the Middle Ages and Renaissance/early modern period in Western Europe, in general, and material about medieval and Renaissance/early modern British Isles history and literature. Works about the medieval and Renaissance/early modern periods in what are today France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, etc. which are published in French, German, Italian, and Spanish, etc. are collected by the Germanic, French, Italian, and Latin American/Iberian, etc. studies subject librarians. We must keep an eye on campus' need for/demand for materials on Eastern Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, and Bzyantium, because these parts of the world are more studied than previously. Alice McMichael and Noah Kaye in the History department trend in these directions.
D. Format of the Resources collected: Restrictions, if Any:
None. Textbooks are purchased, in either paper or electronic format, or both, as requested by faculty. Funds would have to come from elsewhere to purchase data sets. So far, most of the bodies of digital primary sources on the medieval period we have acquired have been made possible by our participation in consortial deals or deals with vendors in which resources on other periods were being offered. Much work is needed to demonstrate the usefulness of, and need for, expensive digital resources on the medieval period here. In 2023, the MEMSO purchase (using about half humanities general funds and half British history/studies funds) was justified because it would enable us to put a great deal of lesser used print material in the Main stacks into Remote Storage. There are a great many medieval primary sources freely available on the internet and their websites are in our library guides. We do and have bought an abundance of Renaissance and early modern period primary, digital resources as the user community for this period is larger and has its tentacles in more disciplines. These have been afforded with end-of-year monies, not medieval studies monies.
E. Date of Publication of Resources Collected: Emphases, if Any
We emphasize collecting of current imprints of secondary sources. We collect new editions of primary sources of the periods, especially those with new, updated, scholarly introductions and bibliographical apparatus. We collect expensive, printed, manuscript facsimiles in a limited way. Faculty requests for older works are honored when we can find them and the prices are reasonable.
F. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We must be attentive to DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion in our collecting going forward, looking for publications from both mainstream and small independent publishers about racial minorities, religious minorities, LBGTQ+ persons, and other under represented peoples who lived during the medieval/Renaissance/early modern periods, their experiences and difficulties, both primary and secondary sources. Consider online, open access, as well as traditional paper formats. Finding this material, which might be outside what approval plans offer, takes more time for the selector to do.
G. Approval plans
Some books come on the GOBI shelf ready approval plans. GOBI slips are used a great deal, but also firm orders.