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Economic History
Introduction Collection development policy review for Economic History IntroductionThe general policy for this subject is to collect to research level, 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 economic history needs to be seen within the context of the complete acquisitions policy, especially the policy for 'core area' subjects. The interdisciplinary nature of the social sciences and its publications means that the boundaries of any particular subject or discipline cannot always be easily determined and described in isolation. Please refer particularly to Economics and International History. The criteria set out below apply equally to collecting policy for social history. Back to the top Selection criteriaGeneral scopeAn outline is given below, but in general terms the Library collects material on all aspects relating to the development and performance of past and contemporary economies, on a national and international scale. The following is an outline of the subject scope and coverage of collecting policy for Economic History.
Economic development. Historical processes and determinants of economic growth and development; economic history of developed and underdeveloped areas; development of the international economy. Back to the top Historical periodsIn theory there have been no restrictions for acquisitions according to period. We would hope to acquire a work wholly or largely on Medieval economic history, for example, or twentieth century economic history. However, as general historical works are collected only selectively for the periods before about 1800, the collections of books on earlier periods tend on the whole to be limited to the more specialised literature. Economic history of the ancient period is now collected to some extent, but this was not the case before the 1960's. Back to the top Geographical area and languageNo areas of the world have been excluded. However, selection of African and Asian history has been limited, and in some periods of the Library's history severely restricted or non-existent. Current policy is to collect specialist economic history monographs from and about these areas, also to collect works on economic conditions and statistics, but to rely on the Library of SOAS for general history and other subjects, particularly for the earlier periods. The economic history of Latin America has also not been collected to research level in the past but current policy is to collect as fully as possible. In practice the economic history of Western and Eastern Europe have been the areas for which the strongest coverage has been maintained. Material is acquired in the major European languages; works in non-European languages are not normally acquired. Back to the top FormatNo distinction is made regarding format of material. The Library will therefore collect relevent material in print, microform, electronic format (eg CD-ROM), and video. Back to the top Collection strengthsManuscriptsManuscript material has been collected for this subject when possible and it remains an active area where the Library wishes to add to its collection. Some notable collections relating to Economic History are:
Please see the Archives Division's collection policy. Back to the top Official publicationsThe Library's collections of governmental and intergovernmental publications are a major source of primary research material in this area. Official publications are therefore collected extensively for all countries of the world to the same depth as other source materials, and by subject on the same principles as commercially published books and periodicals. Special emphasis has always been given to publications of statistical data, and there are particularly strong collections of statistics in printed form for the countries of Western Europe, The United States and those produced by intergovernmental organisations. Current policy is to collect widely, with the vagaries of supply often determining success or otherwise especially in the case of the less developed areas. Back to the top PamphletsThe Library has a large collection of pamphlet material from the latter part of the nineteenth century onwards, containing many rare items. For economic history the collection is particularly strong in the areas of transport, free trade, and labour. Back to the top Business historyThe Library has not specialised in business publications in so far as these are distinct from general economic and historical works. Company, sector, and marketing reports have not been collected, nor works on marketing and other business matters aimed at the business community. The collection for research on this subject for primary and secondary sources is therefore limited. However, academic works on business economics have been collected and histories of particular firms in the United kingdom have always been collected to a certain extent; and to a lesser extent for other countries when the works are of an academic nature. Current policy on this subject is being reviewed because of the work of the Interdisciplinary Institute of Management. Back to the top Collection development policy review for Economic HistoryThis collection development policy will be reviewed on a regular basis in the light of the following: developments in teaching, the interests of the Department 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 Department of Economic History. Reviewed 02/05 Back to the top |
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