I'm beginning an exploration on how increased emphasis on interdiscplinary
research, especially in universities, affects librarians collecting
behaviors and cost structures for collecting.
For example, at Carnegie Mellon, subject librarians are allocated funds to
support the curriculums of their particular disciplines. However, we see
more and more that discplines are blurred and it is not as clear anymore
what "discipline" should purchase a particular title. We see this also
affecting book classification: (Dewey 709's or N's and NX's) and even how
we publish effective "subject guides" (see article quote below this
message).
I am interested in discovering how other libraries are dealing with this
issue:
For example:
Have any of you changed or redesigned how you purchase materials for
interdisciplinary works?
Increased collaboration with other librarians for purchasing materials?
Have a degreed Interdiscplinary Studies program at your school of
university?
Produced Interdiscplinary guides, on the web or otherwise?
Know of good articles on interdiscplinary collecting?
Other?
Please let me know your experiences and approaches.
If there is enough interest in this, I will compile for the list.
Mo
Mo Dawley
Art and Drama Librarian
Senior Librarian
Carnegie Mellon University
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http://www.library.cmu.edu/Research/Arts/Art/index.html
http://www.library.cmu.edu/Research/Arts/Drama/index.html
http://www.greenarts.org
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Here's the quote from Brenda Reeb and Susan Gibbons. Students, Librarians
and Subject Guides: Improving Poor Rate of Return in Portal Vol 4:1 2004
p125
"The university curriculum is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary as
evidenced
by such fields as visual and cultural studies, gender-based studies,
medieval
studies, sport studies, and artificial intelligence. Even the "traditional"
majors are more
interdisciplinary in their approach-for example, combining music, art, and
literature
into a history course. This blending of disciplines is not usually reflected
in the categorization
of subject guides, only adding to students' confusion about how to address
their information needs within the context of discipline-based subject
guides."
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