Designed to determine the usefulness of reviews of U.S. history books in scholarly journals in collection development, this study found that no one journal provided adequate coverage and that the reviews in all of the journals lacked currency. It is suggested that data collected on publisher representation might prove useful in establishing…

Examines the growing body of literature dealing with interdisciplinary academic research and discusses challenges that the erosion of subject-area boundaries presents to those selecting library materials. Reports on a case study that ascertained patterns of interdisciplinary research at Rutgers University's School of Communication, Information,…

This case study examines social influences in research libraries' collection development. It shows that individuals' ideologies and political agenda shape their impression of user needs and their decision making. The study also reveals how the institution's operating structures, campus politics of interdisciplinarity, personnel deployment, and…

Reviews the literature on library acquisitions allocations and the lack of agreement on effective policies. Discussion focuses on a process developed at Western Washington University, which combines mathematical formulations of equity with the reality of campus politics, while protecting collection integrity. (44 references) (Author/CLB)