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International Relations
Introduction Collection development policy review for International Relations IntroductionThe general policy for International Relations 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 International Relations 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 Government, Economic History, International History. Back to the top Selection criteriaGeneral scopeAn outline is given below, but in general terms the Library collects material on the history of international relations (diplomatic, political and economic) from the end of the eighteenth century to the present day, and the theory and analysis of international relations. The following is an outline of the subject scope and coverage of collecting policy for International Relations:
International political system: nature, origins, institutions and development. Back to the top Historical periodCollection focuses particularly on the history of international relations from the end of the eighteenth century to the present day. Material on earlier periods is collected more selectively. For broad coverage of those periods the Library would rely on the collections at Senate House. Back to the top Geographical area and languageGeographical scope is world wide, with particular focus on Britain and Europe. Other areas of major interest include the United States, the Former Soviet Union, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia and the Far East. 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. Back to the top FormatNo distinction is made regarding format of material. The Library will therefore collect relevant material in print, microform, video, electronic format (eg CD-ROM, on-line services). Back to the top Collection strengthsOfficial publicationsOfficial publications are 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. Coverage of United Kingdom official publications is of paramount importance. An exchange agreement with the United States ensures an extensive collection of federal government publications. The Library therefore holds many important collections of official documents on the internal and foreign affairs of individual nations. Publications of intergovernmental organisations are collected on the same principles as governmental publications. The history and development of international co-operation and organisation are very well covered. Starting with the League of Nations, for example, there is an almost complete set of documents from 1919 to 1946; and for the United Nations, the Library has been a depository library since 1946, providing a comprehensive collection of UN publications and documents. Since 1964 the Library has been an official depository library for EDC material; the collections of EC material predate this official status, however, going back to the early 1950's, when the first of the three communities was established. Back to the top MicroformsIn its commitment to collect primary source material the Library has acquired many important microform sets relating to international history and relations. Further acquisitions will be made as resources allow. Some examples: Confidential files from the U.S. State Department monitoring the internal and foreign affairs of other nations; Document collections produced by the National Security Archive (US), covering major international crises, eg. Berlin (1958-62), Cuba (1962), the Iran-Contra Affair, and US policy toward other states; Comintern Archive: documents relating to Comintern congresses and Plenums of the Executive Committee. Two major collections relating to the Spanish Civil War (Blodgett and Southworth) Back to the top Special collectionsRussian Collection The Russian Collection covers all aspects of Soviet social, economic and political life. Following the break up of the Soviet Union the Library continues to collect Russian publications in its core areas of interest (politics, economics, and social studies), both from the Russian Federation and the former Soviet Republics. Schapiro Collection The Schapiro Collection contains books and periodicals principally covering Soviet and East European affairs of the Khrushchev and Brezhnev eras. Its particular strengths are the history of communism, the dissident movement in the USSR, and the publications of external monitoring services, such as Radio Liberty and Radio Free Europe. While no monographs are added to the Collection, there are a number of current serial titles, including Russian newspapers. Back to the top Collection development policy review for International RelationsThis 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 co-operation with the Department of International Relations. Reviewed 02/05 Back to the top |
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