FUND
HISTSCI-UP-MN-1001
PRINCIPAL SELECTOR
Eric Novotny
Humanities Librarian
W321 Pattee Library
814-865-1014 ecn1@psu.edu
PURPOSE AND PROGRAMMATIC INFORMATION
The History and Philosophy of Science fund was established in 2001/02 to further support the instructional and research activities of faculty and students in areas related to the history and philosophy of the sciences, mathematics, engineering, and medicine.
The Science, Medicine, and Technology in Culture group at Penn State includes faculty devoted to the transdisciplinary study of science and technology. Areas of emphasis include Gender and Science, History of
Medicine, Cultural Studies of Science, Literature, Science and Medicine, and
Rhetoric of Science.
The Science, Technology and Society program offers a minor focusing on understanding science and technology as social processes with aesthetic, ethical, philosophical, religious and other dimensions. Penn State offers a diverse list of graduate and undergraduate courses that center on the questions of science and technology in both contemporary and historical contexts. History of Science courses are offered throughout the curriculum, but departments/programs with active faculty interest include; History,
Philosophy, English, Biology, Mathematics, Physics, Science, Technology and
Society, Sociology, and Women's Studies.
Recent classes have included:
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The Construction of Science Concepts
The Cultural Studies of Science
Environmental Ethics
The History of Women's Science
Rhetoric of Science
Technoscience and its Deconstruction
Technical Writing: Current Theory and Practice

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES a. Subjects Covered
Purchases on the History and Philosophy of Science fund generally cover interdisciplinary or general topics that do not fit into a specific subject area.
Administrators of subject funds will continue to purchase relevant History and Philosophy of Science related material, as they deem appropriate. The fund may be used to assist in the purchase of expensive items that are beyond the resources of a single subject fund.
b. Overlap With Other Subjects/Collections
History and Philosophy of Science cuts across many departmental lines.
Courses have been taught in Anthropology, Astronomy, Biology, English,
Geography, History, Mathematics, hilosophy, Physics, Sociology, Women's
Studies.
The fund coordinator works closely with other subject specialists and selectors in the University Libraries to ensure that all needed materials are purchases. History and Philosophy of Science funds may be used to supplement other subject funds to jointly acquire expensive items and/or initiate new subscriptions.
c. Languages Collected
English is the primary language of materials acquired. Materials needed for advanced research are acquired in all languages.
d. Geographical Limits
No geographical limits. Materials about all science in all regions of the world are acquired as eeded.
e. Chronological Limits
Emphasis is placed on obtaining current materials, but core works and primary source documents will be collected regardless of age. Older materials will also be collected to fill gaps in the collection. All time periods are collected.
f. Types of Materials Collected and Excluded
The library routinely acquires academic and trade publications focusing on the History and Philosophy of Science 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 ibrary.
The History and Philosophy of Science fund supplements the acquisitions efforts described above. Works collected include monographs, serials, reference works, and audiovisual materials. Most works are acquired in paper, although electronic, A-V, or microformats may be appropriate for specific acquisitions. Popular, non-scholarly materials are typically not collected.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS & ASSESSMENT
The fund coordinator works closely with other library faculty and teaching faculty, particularly the members of the History and Philosophy of Science group, to assure that the current and appropriate materials are purchases.
The History and Philosophy of Science group includes epresentatives from the following areas:
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Classics and Philosophy
Physical Sciences
Life Sciences
Mathematics
Earth and Mineral Sciences
History
The members will periodically review and evaluate the fund and will make recommendations regarding the continuance, modifications, or abolishment of the fund. Continuing evaluations will include interviews with faculty, comparisons with peer institutions, and benchmarking collections against core bibliographies and resource lists.
Submitted by Eric Novotny
February 2003