collection analysis 1

8/9/2019 Collection Analysis 1

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Evaluating the History & Geography Reference Collection

Dottie Barrow

FRIT 7737, Practicum for School Library Media Specialist

I will be analyzing the High School history reference collection focusing on the 900s at

Frederica Academy. I chose this section because it is used most frequently at Frederica

Academy. I first focused on a use-centered evaluation to determine how often and by whom the

materials are used. Since reference materials are not circulated, collaboration records were used

to determine the use of these reference materials. There are 122 students in the high school at

Frederica Academy. These students do a variety of projects each year that require the use of the

history section of the reference collection at Frederica Academy. The primary subject areas with

research assignments are ancient civilizations, U.S. history, and U.S. government.

I next started a collection-centered evaluation to measure the size and depth of the

collection focusing on currency and coverage. The media center has a copy of the H.W. Wilson

Senior High School Library Catalog. I used this to get an idea of some recommended titles for

high school age students in the 900s Dewey range of titles. I compared this list to the catalog list

of titles in the 900s reference section. This was a useful starting point to get an idea of some

suggested titles for a high school media center. The H.W. Wilson reference book does not

separate reference from other non-fiction titles, but it was still useful as there were good

reference books mixed in with the other non-fiction titles. A catalog search result showed 168

titles in the 900s of the reference section.

I next went to the shelf to examine the collection directly and see the physical condition

and content of the books. My focus while evaluating the books was on the current required

history projects for Frederica Academy high school students. Because there are not a huge


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number of books in this section, it was easier to actually look at what was on the shelf and

actually pull them off the shelf to check copyright dates in the areas where this would matter.

One set that is used quite a bit is the Annals of America. The copyright date of this set is 1979.

Since we have access to this through GALILEO, I have not included a more current set in the

order. Websters New Geographical Dictionary is over four years old but I found it difficult to

find a newer geographical dictionary in print. This information is readily available online

through free sites such as CIA World Fact Book and subscription sites such as Country Reports

(we subscribe to this).

Next I focused on the coverage of this section of the reference materials. It seems that

there are gaps in the Ancient China (931), Ancient Egypt (932), Ancient India (934), Ancient

Near East (935), Ancient Rome (937), Ancient Greece (938), North American Indians (973),

Colonial and Revolutionary America (973.3), and Civil War (973.7). Having completed the

analysis, I began to search for titles that would support the curriculum and fill in the gaps in our

collection. The following list includes titles that I would recommend.


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Title Author(s) Publisher ISBN YearPublished

Review Value to thecollection

Cost

Dictionary ofHistoricDocuments

GeorgeChilds Kohn,editor

Facts on File 978-0-8160-4772-7

2003 WilsonsSenior HighSchool,

Booklist

Provides basicfactualinformation of

more than2,400documents inworld history

$84.96

Encyclopediaof the MiddleAges

AndreVauchez,editor

FitzroyDearborn

978-1-57958-282-1

2000 Choice Alphabetizedentries describethe events thatshaped themedieval

period

$658.80

A dictionaryofcontemporaryworld history :from 1900 to

the present day

JanPalmowski

OxfordUniversityPress

978-0-19-929567-8

2008 LibraryJournal,Booklist

Providesinformationabout peopleand events inthe history of

the world from1900 throughthe earlytwenty-firstcentury

$53.96

NationalGeographicAtlas of theWorld

NationalGeographicSociety

978-0-7922-7543-5

2005 WilsonsSenior HighSchool,LibraryJournal,Booklist

A majorcomprehensive,current atlas isa must forevery library

$140.25

Encyclopediaof the RomanEmpire

MatthewBrunson

Facts on File 978-0-8160-4562-4

2002 Choice,WilsonsSenior High

School

Providesinformationabout

significantpeople, places,events, andideas in thehistory of theRoman Empire

$84.96

Encyclopediaof the AncientGreek World

Lisa R.Brody, editor

Facts on File 978-0-8160-5722-1

2005 WilsonsSenior HighSchool,SchoolLibraryJournal,Booklist

Covers thehistory ofGreece fromthe Minoancivilization tothe Romanannexation ofmainlandGreece.

$84.96

Dictionary ofNorthAmericanIndians andotherindigenous

people

GilbertLegay

Barrons 978-0-7641-6043-1

2007 LibraryMediaConnection,SchoolLibraryJournal

Includes shortparagraphs orbullets ofinformationandillustrations.

$12.74


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EncyclopediaofRevolutionaryAmerica

Facts on File 978-0-8160-6505-9

2008 No reviews $249.96

Historical

dictionary ofthe Civil WarandReconstruction

William L.

Richter

Scarecrow

Press

978-0-8108-

4584-8

2004 Library

MediaConnection,Booklist

Contains over

800 entriesabout people,

places andevents.

$119.96

Ancientcivilizations

JudsonKnight

UXL 978-0-7876-3980-8

2000 Booklist Includesphotographs,maps, sidebars,a glossary,timeline,research andactivitysuggestions

$189.96

TheEncyclopediaof ancientcivilizations ofthe Near EastandMediterranean

SharpeReference

978-1-56324-799-6

1997 SchoolLibraryJournal

Profiles ancientcivilizations ofthe Near EastandMediterranean

$102.60