Programs and Clientele Supported

The Psychology Department of Princeton University offers both undergraduate (B.A.) and graduate level (Ph.D.) studies and supports research being conducted by faculty, post-docs and research staff in the fields of psychology and neuroscience. The graduate program prepares students for scientific and scholarly research and teaching. Four programs/laboratories which the library supports as well as the needs of the psychology department are: the Neuroscience Program, the Center for the Study of Brain Mind and Behavior, the Cutaneous Laboratory and the Cognitive Sciences Laboratory.

There are currently 27 faculty members with primary appointments in the department, 4 emeritus professors, 1 associated faculty and 11 visiting faculty and lecturers.

It is important to note here that Princeton University does not have a medical school, a law school, a business school, a department of education, nor does it offer the "clinical" degree in psychology.

Although the primary users of the psychology collections are concentrated in the Department of Psychology, the collection serves many related disciplines, and individual users as well as the McCosh Health Center Counseling Offices. Areas with strong overlap include: sociology, biology, molecular biology, gender studies, philosophy, economics, music, linguistics, politics, engineering, physics, and history of science.

Major fields of study are: personality, social, developmental, educational and experimental psychology, learning, perception, cognition (memory, language, thought, and linguistic development), child studies, physiological psychology, psychopharmacology, neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, and artificial intelligence.

I. General Collecting Guidelines

A. General Purpose

To support teaching and research through the doctoral level and beyond in the following areas of specialization: personality, social, developmental, educational and experimental psychology, learning, perception, cognition (memory, language, thought, and linguistic development), child studies, physiological psychology, health psychology, psychopharmacology, neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. To support teaching and independent study through the undergraduate level in almost all areas of psychology, including the above areas and clinical psychology.

While interest in these fields are centered in the Department of Psychology, the Center for the Study of Brain Mind and   Behavior, the Cognitive Sciences Laboratory, and the Neuroscience Program, library resources are of interest to faculty and students in a number of other areas including: Afro-American Studies, Anthropology, Architecture and Urban Planning, Biology, Engineering, Philosophy, Physics, Religion, Sociology, Economics, Politics, and Women's Studies.
Our goal is to limit duplication with other libraries on campus, especially with the Biology Library, Engineering Library, and   Firestone. Monograph and series duplications are closely monitored. Since it is the nature of Psychology to be so diverse,   collection levels and subjects change as areas of teaching, research, and interests change.

B. Subjects Excluded

Popular psychology, self-help materials, and parapsychology (extremely limited selection).
 

C. Languages collected and excluded

English is the primary language of the monograph and serials collection. No foreign language publications are considered.
 

D. Geographical limits

Not applicable.
 

E. Chronological limits

Emphasis on current research, teaching, and developments.
 

F. Retrospective acquisition

Very little retrospective acquisition is required, but some purchases may be needed to support new areas in teaching or research.
 

G. Types of material collected and excluded

Collected: monographs; serials; microfiche; psychological tests; CD-ROM and other electronic databases, e-journals, reference tools, DVD and VHS. Excluded: rare books; manuscripts; juveniles; pamphlets; patents; standards; trade and textbooks.
 

H. Other factors

All of the subjects mentioned in the following list are collected at the level indicated for the Psychology Library in Green Hall. Psychology materials are being added to other collections through the activity of other selectors, such as bibliographers for regional studies programs. Previously all materials by or about Freud, Jung and Piaget were collected by the Education Bibliographer for Firestone Library. Currently, all of this material, when clearly psychologically oriented, will be collected by the Psychology Library.

It should be noted that, although desirable, due to funds and space restrictions, it is impossible for the Psychology Library to collect any subject at the "Research Level" (4) or the "Comprehensive Level" (5).

1. Minimal Level

A selection of very few works, usually materials for reference use or to serve occasional general needs.

2. Basic Information Level

A collection to serve merely as an introduction to subject in which there are no instructional or research programs and which is not closely related to such programs. Includes only the most important reference works, and a few highly selected journals.

3. Instructional Level

A collection adequate to support all instructional needs. Includes a wide range of reference works, fundamental bibliographical tools, significant monographs, and representative journals.

4. Research Level

A comprehensive collection adequate to support the independent research of both students and faculty. Requires current and, where necessary, retrospective acquisition of most monographs and serials of research value. Where appropriate, includes microform reproductions of important manuscript and archival material and an exhaustive collection of catalogues of such material.

5. Comprehensive Level

A collection in great depth which includes, so far as possible, all relevant material in all appropriate forms. Such a collection will be undertaken only for small subdivisions or highly specialized aspects of broad subjects or for materials by and about a single literary or historical personage, such as the Woodrow Wilson and F. Scott Fitzgerald Collections.

III. Descriptive Areas of Overlap

Mary Chaikin
Psychology Librarian
5/07

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