Information Services

Collection Development Policy

Education

Purpose

The goal of the teacher education program is to produce critical educators who understand that one of the consequences of living in a pluralistic society is the existence of a variety of conflicting views of what it means to be educated. As such, it works to instill in students a sense of responsibility to participate in the political process by which educational policies are initiated, employed and resisted. [Conceptual Framework. Education Department Program Goal. Revised 2005]   The complete text of the Department's Conceptual Framework is available at http://www.conncoll.edu/academics/departments/education/cf.html .

The Education Department prepares students for state certification in three categories: Nursery through Grade Three, Elementary and Secondary. Certification at the secondary level is in the following subject areas: English, history-social studies, French, German, Latin, Russian, Spanish, Italian, mathematics, biology, chemistry, general science, earth science and physics.   Connecticut College is also accredited to prepare music teachers, K-12. In addition, the Department issues a Private School Certificate that indicates that a student has had some preparation for teaching without acquiring the full number of credits required by the State of Connecticut .  

General Guidelines

The Library's collection will reflect the department's focus on education's central role in the shaping of American society. The collection will support the concept of critical thinking and action in education within the context of relevant social, economic and environmental issues in a post-modern age and global community. The collection will also reflect the topical and geographical specialties of the faculty to include: ethnic and racial diversity, historical and contemporary education theory, PK-12 social justice curriculum, teaching methodology within a social context and assessment.     

Faculty research needs will be accommodated within the scope of the general guidelines and limits of the materials budget. In general, the library does not collect textbooks or multiple copies of materials.

Faculty are invited to submit purchase requests and make recommendations to the departmental liaison.   The liaison, in consultation with the Director of Information Resources, will make the final purchasing decision.

The periodic removal (weeding or deselection) of extraneous or obsolete materials form the collection will be conducted using the criteria outlined in the Collection Development and Information Access Policy in consultation with the faculty.

Types of Materials Collected

The primary types of materials that support undergraduate research and teaching include monographs, journals, electronic databases and indexes relevant to education and its associated fields. Monographs will provide the bulk of the research collection. General reference works, audiovisual materials, and government documents will also be collected. The library will maintain its collection of journals that support education and coordinate with other departments to maintain interdisciplinary titles where relevant. The library will provide full text electronic journal access when feasible. For all types of materials, the emphasis will be on current materials published in English.

Format of Materials Collected

Monographs and general works will be acquired in print format.   Generally, the library will subscribe to journals in one format only, and preference will be given to electronic format when available with the exceptions listed in the Collection Development and Information Access Policy.

Preference will be given to electronic indexes with full text access to journal articles when coverage is comparable.  

Languages

Most materials, regardless of format, should be in English to facilitate use by the majority of undergraduate students. Materials in other languages will be collected on a case-by-case basis.

Geographical Areas

The primary focus of interest is on acquiring materials from English-speaking countries, primarily the United States . Materials shall emphasize the cross-cultural nature of education emphasizing regions of the States that reflect ethnic and racially diverse populations. Comparative texts reflecting socio-economic and cultural diversity will be actively incorporated into the collection.

Chronological Guidelines

Primary emphasis will be on acquiring current materials, with selective acquisitions of historic materials reflecting the interdisciplinary and theoretical foundations of the field.

Special Collections and Manuscripts

The library maintains a small collection of juvenile books and teaching materials with an emphasis on the teaching of social values to children in grades K through 8.   This collection is funded by a gift from Elizabeth Reiley Armington, Class of 1931, and is administered by the Armington Social Values Committee.   Award books and materials requested by the Committee and faculty in the Human Development and Education Departments make up the bulk of new acquisitions each year.  

The Special Collections Librarian is responsible for acquiring new titles for the Helen O. Gildersleeve Collection, a collection of rare children's books found in the Library's Special Collections.

Other Resources Available

Faculty, students and staff, as well as community members of Southeastern Connecticut, have access to LEARN's Multicultural Resource Center (MRC) located in Bolles House on the Connecticut College campus. The Center provides a wide variety of K-12 multicultural teaching resources.

Creation Date and Revision

Draft document created March 2005 by Beth Hansen, Library Liaison to the Education Department.

LC Classification

Collection Development and Information Access Policy

The Connecticut College Libraries' Collection Development and Information Access Policy can be viewed at: http://www.conncoll.edu/info-resources/colldevpolicy.html

Ordering Library Materials

Recommendations and requests for the purchase of education materials may sent to  
Beth Hansen, Box Library or e-mail - beth.hansen@conncoll.edu , phone - x2681

Liaison

Beth Hansen, Director of Research Support & Instruction
Shain Library – Connecticut College
270 Mohegan Ave. , New London , CT   06320-4196
Phone 439-2681; Fax (860) 439-2871
e-mail beth.hansen@conncoll.edu