Collection Management
INFO 665
Instructor Thomas Karel
Ewell Sale Stewart Library and Archives
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Collection Development Preparation Document
Regarding Materials on the Prehistoric Arctic
To complement the new discoveries by Academy member Ted Daeschler
Part Three: Selection of Resources
I certify that:



This paper/project/exam is entirely my own work.
I have not quoted the words of any other person from a printed source or a website
without indicating what has been quoted and providing an appropriate citation.
I have not submitted this paper/project to satisfy the requirements of any other course.
Signature: Robin Roggio
Date: Sunday, November 6, 2011
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Collection Management
INFO 665
Instructor Thomas Karel
INTRODUCTION
The Ewell Sale Stewart Library and Archives is housed in The Academy of Natural Sciences
Museum. The Library was created to advance the Academy members’ research and accomplish
its mission of scientific exploration and discovery (“Academy of Natural Sciences,” 2011). It
serves the Academy’s staff, scientists, and members as well as external researchers and
scientifically minded individuals of the international public.
Dr. Ted Daeschler, Vice President for Systematics and Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the
Academy of Natural Sciences, has made important discoveries in the field of Paleontology
(“Vertebrate Paleontology,” 2011). This selection of resources will complement his research on
the Prehistoric Arctic. Scientists the world over would benefit from this collection. The user
community would be the library’s clientele with specific groups such as researchers in the fields
of Biology, Geology, Archeology, and Paleontology. According to The Paleontological Society
website, members with an interest in the subject of Paleontology include “professional
paleontologists, academicians, explorationists, science editors, earth-science teachers, museum
specialists, land managers, students, amateurs, and hobbyists.”
The following criteria are felt to be applicable to the collection development of a Prehistoric
Arctic Collection: potential use, relation to the collection (relevancy), authority, currency, scope
and accuracy (“Selection of Library Resources,” 2011). The selection tools consulted were:
Choice, Books in Print, WorldCat, Science, H-Net Reviews, Abebooks, Alibris, and Book Review
Index. Google Scholar and databases such as GeoRef, GeoBase, and ProQuest Dissertations and
Theses, among others, were also consulted.
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Collection Management
INFO 665
Bibliographic &
ordering information
Format
#1 Halffman, C. (2009). Bone as
a biomarker of mercury
exposure in prehistoric Arctic
human populations: Initial
method validation using animal
models. Ph.D. dissertation,
University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Retrieved from ProQuest
Dissertations & Theses. (AAT
3374745).
Dissertation;
monograph.
#2 Meggers, B. J. (2010).
Prehistoric America: An
ecological perspective (3rd ed).
New Brunswick, NJ:
AldineTransaction. ISBN:
0202363368.
#3 Anderson, D. D., Anderson,
D. D., Anderson, D. D.,
Anderson, D. D., Dumond, D. E.,
Hamilton, T. D., Larsen, H.
Human Relations Area Files, inc.
(2010). Paleo-Arctic: ND60. New
Haven, Conn: Human Relations
Area Files. OCLC: 759117384.
Instructor Thomas Karel
Description
Selection
criteria
used
This dissertation
Relation to
discusses the analysis collection;
of fossilized
currency;
Prehistoric Arctic
accuracy;
human bones for
potential
mercury content
use.
from a diet of
preindustrial marine
mammals.
Selection aids
used
Narrative justification
Price
ProQuest
Dissertations
and Theses;
WorldCat;
AbeBooks.
The relevancy and currency match
selection criteria and the potential for
use of this material is high as it can be
used as a basis of comparison of
mercury content in present day diets.
$75.00
Book;
monograph.
This book looks at
Prehistoric culture in
relation to
paleoclimate
conditions.
Authority;
potential
use;
relevancy;
currency.
WorldCat;
Alibris; Books in
Print.
This expanded edition is current and
relevant to the collection. Its high
potential for use can be attributed to
current interest in global warming
and environmental impacts of man.
$29.95
Internet
resource;
computer
file.
This is a collection of
documents covering
topics of geology and
archeology of the
Prehistoric PaleoArctic.
Authority;
relevancy;
currency;
accuracy;
potential
use.
WorldCat; Yale
University
Library Catalog.
The currency of this material is key as
it is a continually updated resource.
The accuracy is assured because it is a
Yale University publication.
Free trial:
Email
hraf@yal
e.edu or
call 2037649401.
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Collection Management
INFO 665
Instructor Thomas Karel
#4 Senckenbergische
Naturforschende Gesellschaft.
(2009). Palaeobiodiversity and
palaeoenvironments.
Heidelberg, Germany: SpringerVerlag. ISSN: 1867-1594
Serial
publication;
print and
electronic.
This journal covers
the topics of fossil
remains in varied
paleoenvironments
including many
articles in the Arctic.
Scope;
relevancy;
authority.
WorldCat;
Springer.
Springer is a well-known publisher of
scholarly academic materials. The
scope of this journal spans the subject
of the Prehistoric Arctic and fits the
collection well.
$1200.00
#5 Mow, J., Schmidt, C., Berry,
R., Enoki, C., Sanders, J. O.,
Zerkalo, Inc., Big Island Pictures
(Firm), WGBH (Television station
: Boston, Mass.). (2009). Arctic
dinosaurs. Boston: WGBH. ISBN:
1593758669.
Visual
material;
DVD.
This DVD uses CGI to
learn about fossil
excavations of
dinosaurs in the
arctic.
Scope;
authority;
currency;
potential
use.
Books in Print;
Alibris;
WorldCat.
This fits nicely with the other juvenile
materials on similar subjects. The
potential of use is great for this type
of material and WGBH/NOVA is a
reputable producer of media.
$24.95
#6 Renouf, M. A. P. (2011).
Cultural landscapes of Port au
Choix: Precontact huntergatherers of Northwestern
Newfoundland. New York:
Springer. ISBN: 1441983236.
E-book;
monograph.
This book looks at
Scope;
the Paleo-culture of
currency;
the Arctic area
authority.
covering subjects of
geology, ecology, and
anthropology.
AbeBooks;
WorldCat
The scope of this book spans several
$200.00
areas of study in the prehistoric arctic.
It is a 2011 Springer publication which
makes it both current and accurate.
#7 International Council for
Archaeozoology., & Maltby, M.
(2006). Integrating
zooarchaeology: Proceedings of
the 9th Conference of the
International Council of
Archaeozoology, Durham,
August 2002. Oxford: Oxbow
Books. ISBN: 1842171232.
Conference
publication;
transactions;
proceedings.
The transactions
from this conference
include a report on
the archaeofaunas of
the arctic.
Alibris;
AbeBooks;
WorldCat.
Only one of the articles in this
proceedings is directly about the
prehistoric arctic, but the rest of the
material fits into the collection
development scope of the library.
Scope;
relevancy.
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$101.17
Collection Management
#8 Houghton, S. (2011)
Expedition Week: Death of a Sea
Monster. National Geographic.
[Washington, D.C] : Fox Cable
Networks Services. ASIN:
B0058EAT9U.
INFO 665
Visual
material;
DVD.
Instructor Thomas Karel
Fossils from Jurassic
marine animals are
uncovered on an
expedition to the
Arctic.
Currency;
accuracy;
scope;
relevancy;
authority.
IMDB; National
Geographic;
Amazon.
This recently released DVD fits
perfectly into the library. National
Geographic’s authority and accuracy
are trusted.
$19.95
#9 Michels, J., & American
Serial
Association for the
publication;
Advancement of Science. (1880). electronic.
Science. New York, N.Y. ISSN:
0036-8075.
A preliminary search
returned over 10,000
articles covering
prehistoric arctic
topics since 2006.
Currency;
accuracy;
scope;
relevancy;
authority.
WorldCat;
Science.
$1800/yr
#10 Quaternary science reviews.
(1982). Oxford: Pergamon Press.
ISSN: 0277-3791.
This journal contains
1000s of relative
articles covering the
topic of the
prehistoric Arctic.
Currency;
authority;
scope;
relevancy.
GeoRef;
WorldCat;
ScienceDirect.
This journal has thousands of articles
covering the scope and relevancy
desired. The currency, authority, and
accuracy are filled by this well
respected scholarly publisher. The
library has online access until 2003
and hardcopy to present, we are
adding online access 2006 to present.
Oxford is a well-known reputable
publisher. This journal fits into the
scope of the library collection.
Serial
publication;
print.
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$2677.00
Collection Management
INFO 665
Instructor Thomas Karel
SELECTION PROCESS FOR RETROSPECTIVE MATERIALS
The process for selecting retrospective materials covering the Prehistoric Arctic is similar to the
overall selection process. The subject area covers a wide geologic time frame therefore
retrospective materials carry much the same importance as recent materials. Searches were
performed in a number of the selection aids including WorldCat, GeoRef, AbeBooks, Alibris,
Books in Print, and others. Materials were selected based on the relevance of the subject
matter in relation to the Prehistoric Arctic. The online catalog of Ewell Sale Stewart Library and
Archives was also checked to ascertain whether these materials were already in the collection.
Materials, such as dissertations, were also chosen based on the lack of other libraries having
these items to loan. The thesis is only owned by a handful of other libraries and would
therefore be a harder item to borrow through Interlibrary Loan and was subsequently added to
the collection.
A variety of formats were chosen to add to the diversity of the collection. The formats include
several monographs, including the previously mentioned dissertation, as well as a free online
internet resource through the Canadian Museum of Civilization, and the serial Arctic
Anthropology. The internet resource was chosen because it not only provides links to several
informative pages, but also includes a mini-literature review which includes a number of further
readings that could be of interest to a patron.
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Collection Management
Bibliographic &
ordering information
#1 Gamble, C., & Porr, M. (2005).
The hominid individual in context:
Archaeological investigations of
Lower and Middle Palaeolithic
landscapes, locales and artefacts.
London: Routledge. ISBN:
0415284325.
#2 Darwent, Christyann Marie
(2001). High Arctic Paleoeskimo
fauna: Temporal changes and
regional differences. Ph.D.
dissertation, University of Missouri Columbia. (AAT 3036819).
#3 Peregrine, P. N., Ember, M., &
Human Relations Area Files, inc.
(2001). Encyclopedia of prehistory:
volume 2: Arctic and Subarctic. New
York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum
Publishers. ISBN: 0306462575.
#4 Canadian Museum of Civilization.
(1997). Civilization.ca: Life and art of
an ancient Arctic people. Gatineau,
Quebec. (http://www.civilization.
ca/cmc/exhibitions/archeo/
paleoesq/peexheng.shtml)
#5 Arctic anthropology. (1962).
Madison: University of Wisconsin
Press. ISSN: 0066-6939.
INFO 665
Format
Book;
monograph.
Instructor Thomas Karel
Description
Selection criteria
used
Paleolithic studies in a Authority;
variety of locations
relevancy;
including the
authority.
Prehistoric Arctic.
Selection aids Narrative justification
used
Books in Print; This book, published by
WorldCat.
Routledge, a well-respected
publisher of scholarly
materials covers relevant
materials that fit nicely into
the collection.
Price
WorldCat;
ProQuest
Dissertations
& Theses
Darwent’s thesis covers
material that is relevant to
the collection and includes
the subject at hand. It fits
well into the scope of the
collection.
Books in Print; Kluwer is a known publisher
WorldCat.
of academic materials. The
topic of this book fits
perfectly into the scope of
the collection.
$75.00
Free
online
access
Dissertation; This thesis uses
monograph. prehistoric animal
fossils from the Arctic
to study climate
change.
Relevancy; scope.
Book;
monograph
series.
This book covers the
prehistoric
archeology of the
Arctic and Subarctic.
Scope; accuracy;
authority.
Internet
resource.
This site links to a
number of pages
covering the
prehistoric Arctic. It
includes a list of
further readings.
This journal covers
archeology to
anthropology of the
prehistoric arctic and
much more.
Scope; relevancy.
WorldCat;
Canadian
Museum of
Civilization.
Relevancy; scope;
authority;
currency.
WorldCat;
University of
Wisconsin
Press.
Serial
publication;
print and
electronic.
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This site is a nice collection of
web pages organized by the
Canadian Museum of
Civilization. The material is
relevant and fits nicely into
the scope of the collection.
This journal is relevant
because its scope fits nicely
into the collection. As a serial
the material will be
continually added and goes
back to 1962.
$145.00
$265.00
$583.00/3
years
Collection Management
INFO 665
Instructor Thomas Karel
CONCLUSION
This assignment was one of the most informative and useful for me thus far. I will be
interviewing for a Geosciences Reference Librarian position upon graduation. This selection
process should prove very useful to prepare me for the position should I be chosen. One of the
hardest aspects of this exercise was finding a wide variety of formats. I considered adding a VHS
to the list because it fit all the criteria and I needed other formats besides monographs, but I
decided against that because many people would not use the item because of the outdated
format. Another issue I had was not being able to find any actual reviews of the items. Many
were listed in Alibris, Books in Print, and AbeBooks, but not one was in Choice. I ended up
removing it from my introduction paragraph because in the end I did not use it as a selection
aid.
One thing I learned is that the more popular, well-known journals will not disclose their prices.
While trying to find the institutional cost for Science I unintentionally signed up to be contacted
by a sales representative. I was able to find a print cost for Quaternary Science Reviews, but you
had to register to get the electronic version’s price and I couldn’t find any price for Springer’s
Palaeobiodiversity and palaeoenvironments and was forced to estimate.
In my search for varied formats I branched out and searched the National Geographic and
Amazon websites and in the end found a couple of very relevant DVDs to add to the collection. I
enjoyed the process and really learned a lot about the work a subject specialist puts into
selection.
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Collection Management
INFO 665
Instructor Thomas Karel
REFERENCES
AbeBooks (2011). Retrieved from http://www.abebooks.com/
Alibris (2011). Retrieved from http://www.alibris.com/
Amazon (2011). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (2011). The Academy of Natural Sciences
Website. Retrieved from http://www.ansp.org/
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (2011). The Ewell Sale Stewart Library
and Archives Website. Retrieved from http://www.ansp.org/library/index.php
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (2011). Governance Documents. Code of
Ethics and Conduct. Retrieved from http://www.ansp.org/about/governance.php
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (2011). Vertebrate Paleontology.
Retrieved from http://www.ansp.org/research/biodiv/vert_paleo/index.php
Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records (2011). Selection of Library Resources.
Retrieved from http://www.lib.az.us/cdt/selection.aspx
Bowker's Books In Print Professional (2011). Retrieved from http://www.booksinprint.com/bip/
Evans, G. E., & Saponaro, M. Z. (2005). Developing library and information center collections.
Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited.
GeoRef (2011). Retrieved from http://www.csa.com/e_products/databases-collections.php
IMDB The Internet Movie Database (2011). Expedition Week: Death of a Sea Monster.
Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1886972/
National Geographic (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
The Paleontological Society (2011). The Paleontological Society Website. Retrieved from
http://www.paleosoc.org/about.html
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.proquest.com/en-US/catalogs/databases/detail/pqdt.shtml.
Science (2011). Retrieved from http://0-www.sciencemag.org.library.uark.edu/
ScienceDirect (2011). Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/
Springer (2011). Retrieved from http://www.springer.com/
The University of Wisconsin Press (2011). 2012 Journal Subscription Rates. Retrieved from
http://uwpress.wisc.edu/journals/pdfs/agency_MultiYearRates.pdf
WorldCat (2011). Retrieved from http://www.worldcat.org/
Yale University Library (2011). Research Tools: Catalog. Retrieved from
http://www.library.yale.edu/
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