Development studies

Introduction
Selection criteria

• General scope
• Geographical area and language
• Format

Collection strengths

• Official publications - Statistics
• International organisations 

Collection development policy review for Development studies
 

Introduction

The general policy for development studies is to collect to research level in those areas that have a main bearing on the subject :  economics, sociology, social policy, and politics, with the intention of as comprehensive a coverage as resources allow. Research level is defined as one where independent research with the published sources can be pursued. Exclusions and qualifications to this policy are mentioned below and in the General Policy Statement: see Principles of collection policy and Criteria for selection.

The policy for developing the collections in development studies therefore needs to be seen within the context of the complete acquisitions policy. The interdisciplinary nature of the social sciences and its publications means that subject boundaries cannot always be easily determined and described in isolation. Please refer particularly to the Anthropology ,  Economics , Sociology , Social policy and Government collection policies.

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Selection criteria

General scope

An outline is given below, but in general terms the Library collects material on developmental economics and theory; economic conditions and economic policy in developing countries; international economics, both theoretical and descriptive works; the working of economic and financial institutions. The collection of statistical data is a central aim.

The following is an outline of the subject scope and coverage of collecting policy for development studies:

Agricultural policy; agrarian reform.
Commerce.
(Including international trade; trade policy as regards developing countries).
Conflict, crisis states.
Development aid.; development banks.
Development economics.
(Including sustainable development).
Development plans.
(Material on development projects will not normally be collected).
Development theory.
Environmental economics.
Environment and development.
Finance.
(Including money; monetary policy; financial institutions; banking; international finance; debt; investment)
Gender and development.
Globalisation.
Governance, democratisation.
HIV/AIDS.
Intellectual property.
International and regional economic integration.
Population; migration.
Poverty.
Transport economics.
Urban/regional economics.
(Including urban land economics).
Urbanisation.
War-torn societies/cities.

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Geographical area and language

Geographical scope is world wide, with particular focus on Britain, Europe, the United States and Latin America. For Europe, both Eastern and Western, and also for Latin America, material is acquired in the languages of those areas . Works in non-European languages are not normally acquired.

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Format

No distinction is made regarding format of material. The Library will therefore collect relevant material in print, microform, video, electronic format (eg CD-ROM), and provide access to remotely held datasets.

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Collection strengths

Official publications - Statistics

The collection of statistical publications from national governments, international organisations, and other bodies is a central aim of collecting policy.

Collection of national statistics has focused principally on annual abstracts; population censuses; trade statistics; and national accounts. In addition, for major countries the Library has also sought to collect data on industrial production, agriculture, social affairs, income and expenditure, finance and various other topics. The broad subject scope is matched by the availability of long time series.

Collection of statistical data from intergovernmental organisations in printed format is supplemented by electronic data supplied by the ESDS International service and from other services such as SourceOECD.

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International organisations

The International Organisations collections as far as the discipline of development studies is concerned cover four main areas:

a) General economic and regional organisations
b) Commodity organisations
c) Economic development organisations
d) Organisations on particular economic subjects

a) General economic and regional organisations

The Library concentrates on obtaining all publications from the IMF, World Bank, World Trade Organization, the OECD, the European Union, the United Nations (including the Economic Commissions for Europe, Africa, etc.), the Asian Development Bank, the Organization of American States. It is selective in obtaining publications from organisations such as the Arab Monetary Fund, BENELUX, CARICOM, Latin American Economic System, Latin American Integration Association, ECOWAS, South Pacific Commission, West African Economic Community, Arab League, etc.

b) Commodity organisations

The Library concentrates on commodity information (largely statistical) from the UN and the World Trade Organisation (previously GATT); and is selective in its acquisition of publications from other organisations dealing with particular commodities such as the International Coffee Organisation, International Sugar Organisation, etc.

c) Economic development organisations

The Library concentrates on trying to obtain everything from some development organisations - in particular the World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Inter American Development Bank, European Investment Bank, UNDP; and is selective in obtaining material from smaller development organisations such as the Islamic Development Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank, and other regionally orientated organisations.

d) Organisations on particular economic subjects

Trade. The World Trade Organisation is covered fully and UNCTAD publications and documents are taken. Individual countries trading positions are covered in the WTO trade reviews; selectively, organisations such as EFTA, International Customs Tariff Bureau are of interest.

Banking. Apart from the development banks cited above, we have a good collection from the Bank for International Settlements (the national banks' bank);

Agricultural economics. The Library is depository library for Food and Agriculture Organisation publications (but not documents): these include the economic aspects of fisheries; selective acquisitions from organisations such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development;

Labour economics/production. We have standing orders for most of the series from the International Labour Organisation; we receive all publications of the Asian Productivity Organization - to do with Japanese/Asian management techniques;

Material is also collected if it contains economic statistics (see above) or substantial economic information on other topics such as transport (OECD), telecommunications (ITU) civil aviation (ICAO), health (WHO) and many others. Economic theory and econometric models are dealt with in many of the publications mentioned above - mainly the working papers from organisations such as the IMF and World Bank, and descriptions of the economic conditions of particular countries or regions are obtained as comprehensively as possible from the same and many other organisations.

For more detail see collection policy statement for Official Publications

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Collection development policy review for Development studies

This collection development policy will be reviewed on a regular basis in the light of the following: developments in teaching, the interests of the Institute and other departments in the School, and relationships with other libraries with whom collaborative arrangements exist. Such reviews will be conducted in cooperation with the Development Studies Institute.

Created 10/06

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