Middle East Studies
FUND
MIDE-UP-MN-1001
PRINCIPAL SELECTOR
Eric Novotny
Humanities Librarian
W321 Pattee Library
814-865-1014
ecn1@psu.edu
Library Liaison (2003): Nina Safran
PURPOSE AND PROGRAMMATIC INFORMATION
The Middle East Studies collection supports the current and anticipated
future instructional and research needs of the University faculty and
students, with an emphasis on undergraduate courses offered for the Middle
East Studies Minor; the teaching and research needs for faculty in all
disciplines relating to the Middle East; and a lesser extent, the general and
popular interests of students and the public at large.
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES
a. Subjects Covered
Purchases on the Middle East Studies fund generally cover interdisciplinary
or general topics that do not fit easily into a specific subject area. Particular
emphasis is placed on purchases in the area of History, Religion, Arabic
Literature, and Political Science.
b. Overlap With Other Subjects/Collections
The Middle East Studies minor cuts across many departmental lines. Courses
have been taught in Anthropology, Art History, Literature, Arabic, Hebrew,
Geography, History, Political Science, Philosophy, and Religious Studies.
The Middle East Studies subject specialist works closely with other subject
specialists and selectors in the University Libraries to ensure that all needed
materials are purchases. Middle East Studies funds can be used to
supplement other subject funds to jointly acquire expensive items and/or
initiate new subscriptions. Most frequently the Middle East Studies selector
will work with subject specialists in history, political science, arts, and
religion.
c. Languages Collected
To meet the needs of the undergraduate Middle East Studies minors, an
emphasis is placed on English language materials. Materials in Arabic and
other languages will generally only be acquired on this fund to support
specific faculty interests.
d. Geographical Limits
The Middle East Studies minor encompasses the area including Afghanistan,
Turkey, Iran, and the Arabic-speaking countries of southwestern Asia and
northern Africa.
e. Chronological Limits
Emphasis is placed on obtaining current materials, but core works will be
collected regardless of age. Older materials will also be collected to fill gaps
in the collection. All time periods are collected, with an emphasis on the
Islamic period, i.e. from the 6th century A.D. onward.
f. Types of Materials Collected and Excluded
The library routinely acquires academic and trade publications focusing on
the Middle East via our U.S., U.K. and German approval plans. Additional
monographs and other materials are acquired by selectors for their subject
areas. U.S. and international Government documents are currently selected
by subject specialists in the Social Sciences Library. Legal materials are
primarily acquired by the law school at Dickinson College.
The Middle East Studies finds supplement the acquisitions efforts described
above. An emphasis is on interdisciplinary treatments that may fall outside
the scope of any single subject selector. Works collected include
monographs, serials, reference works, and audiovisual materials. Most works
are acquired in paper, although electronic, A-V, or microformats may by
appropriate for specific acquisitions. Dissertations, textbooks; juvenile
material, pamphlets, music, popular periodicals and newspapers are typically
not collected.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
The Middle East Studies specialist works closely with other library faculty and
teaching faculty to assure that most current and appropriate materials are
purchased.
Several sources are monitored for ongoing collection development including
relevant discussion list, and review sources such as Choice, MELA Notes,
Middle Eastern Studies, and the Middle East Journal. Suggestions from
students and the general public are also taken into consideration. Finally,
formal collection assessment is done to assure that the collections are
meeting the needs of all researchers, faculty and students. This includes
surveying faculty, comparing PSU holdings with core collection lists, and
monitoring interlibrary loan trends.
Submitted by Carolyn Jamison, August 1985
Updated by Eric Novotny, February 2003