Collection Policies

WORLD LANGUAGES AND CULTURES

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Subjects covered. Arabic languages, literature and culture; Chinese language and culture; Japanese language, literature, and culture; Hebrew language, Russian language, and Swahili language

 

Departments and users served. Collection development is primarily directed toward students working on a Bachelor Degree in Africana Studies, Arabic Studies, and Asian Studies, certificates in African Studies, Arabic Language & Culture, Chinese Languages and Culture , Japanese Language & Culture, and Modern Hebrew, as well as students taking language and culture courses to satisfy their degree requirements. There is also some use of the collection by students and faculty of other departments. 

Quantitative information. Information about the degree and certificate programs as well as information about students and faculty research interests is available at the following pages:

http://www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/africana-studies/about.html

https://webapps.uc.edu/DegreePrograms/Program.aspx?ProgramQuickFactsID=1892&ProgramOutlineID=831 (Arabic Studies)

http://www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/interdisciplinary-studies/asian-studies.html

http://www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/judaic/undergrad/minor_cert/mhebcert_detail_ID_15.html (Hebrew)

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF COLLECTION

 

Location of collection. The Languages and Cultures collection is housed in Langsam Library.

 

Other collections supporting THE program. Various other collections, primarily Africana Studies, Asian Studies, History, Judaic Studies, and the DAAP Library collection are used by the faculty and students in the Languages and Cultures courses.  The collections of other OhioLINK libraries are available for use by University of Cincinnati staff and students. Students also make use of the resources available at the Language Resource Center (Room 612 of the Old Chemistry Building).

 

General level of collection. Language learning materials, dictionaries, textbooks, media, and most Literature and culture resources are collected to support instruction in undergraduate courses. Most literature sources are available in the original as well as in translation. Monographs and periodicals on teaching of foreign languages are available for faculty. Reference materials are used by both faculty and students.

SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF COLLECTION

 

Call numbers.  Books covering languages and literatures are classified as PG (Russian), PJ (Arabic and Hebrew), PL (Chinese, Japanese, and Swahili). Relevant materials can be found in the PN class.  Audio materials and films are primarily located in Langsam Media and are classified according to the medium, subject, and genre.

 

Current and retrospective collecting.  Most materials purchased are current imprints.  Because of the historical nature of the study of literature and related fields, non-current imprints are also collected, including out-of-print materials.  Older materials are occasionally purchased to replace missing items or to fill gaps in an author's work. 

 

Time period collected. Literature collections cover historic as well as current sources, Language teaching and learning materials are predominantly current.

 

Collection levels.  Most areas in languages, literatures, and cultures are collected to support instruction in undergraduate courses.  Areas in which faculty members have particular interests are collected at higher levels.  Hebrew, Russian, and Swahili languages are collected at a minimal level.  Literature is only taught in Japanese and Arabic Selected books in Chinese, Hebrew, and Russian are purchased, usually in translation and occasionally with parallel texts, to stimulate interest in language acquisition and greater understanding of cultures. Arabic and Japanese literature is purchased selectively to support relevant courses. Books are usually purchased in the English translation, but important classical sources are also acquired in the original.

 

Types of resources.  Materials on language, literature, and language learning are predominantly books and journals. Audio and video materials complement the print collection. Many resources, including books, reference materials, language courses, and films, are available online.

 

Endowed areas.  In addition to University funding, Departments offering languages and cultures courses are eligible to apply to the Taft A&S Fund.

 

 

ACQUISITION PROCESSES

 

Approval plans.  The Languages and Cultures collection participates in the approval plan supplied by GOBI.

 

Firm orders.  The majority of books and media for Languages and Cultures are acquired through firm orders.

 

Standing orders.  Standing orders are used to acquire journals, sets, and selected monograph series.

Document suppliers:  The Languages and Cultures collection relies on direct patron access through OhioLINK and the library's Interlibrary Loan Department for access to items that are not in our collections, are in circulation, or are missing from the collection.

 

Special vendors:  The Languages and Cultures collection relies on the Acquisition Department to determine if a special vendor is needed to acquire requested materials.

 

Olga Hart,

Languages and Cultures Bibliographer

July 14, 2014