scientific disciplines. Science Citation Index is especially useful for retrieving articles which cite a known earlier article or a specific author.The emphasis of the Center for Environmental Studies is to support undergraduate and graduate instruction and research in the issues and problems of the natural and human environment. Primary emphasis is in 20th century, English-language materials. Geographical focus is on the United States with particular interest in Rhode Island and New England. Library support for these interests is found in a core collection of approximately 5,000 tiles, which include about 40 serials. In recent years, the library has begun to offer access to an increasing number of non-print electronic resources. Some of particular interest to Environmental Studies include:
Environment Library on CD . - Current; contains the full text of major US federal environmental laws and regulations, as well as those for all 50 states.
General Science Abstracts - 1984 to present; abstracts of articles in more than 100 leading science journals from the U.S. and Great Britain, covering such subjects as anthropology, astronomy, biology, computers, environmental issues, medicine and health.
Lexis/Nexis - Current; full-text online database containing more than 60 million full-text articles, citation abstracts, and documents. Emphasis on current news, legal, environmental, and business information.
PAIS International - 1972 to present; indexes the literature of public policy, social policy, and the general social sciences on the local, regional, national, and international level. Produced by the Public Affairs Information Service.
Science Citation Index - 1986 to present; references from 3,300 journals across 100
In addition to these a great many Environmental Studies resources may be found on the Internet via the World Wide Web.
The table below outlines Library expenditures in Environmental Studies:
| Library Support | 1993/94 | 1994/95 | 1995/96 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line item allocation | $453 | $636 | $733 |
| Approval Support | 2,000 | 3,000 | 3,863 |
| Serials | 5,737 | 6,744 | 7,283 |
| Total Support | $8,190 | $10,380 | $11,879 |
Selector for Environmental StudiesBecause of the interdisciplinary nature of Environmental Studies, additional library materials in the collections of Geological Sciences, Anthropology, Chemistry, Economics, Sociology, Urban Studies, and Community Health help support the curriculum.
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
According to Collection Development criteria developed in 1983, the desired level of coverage in most areas of the discipline is STUDY. This is defined as a collection adequate to support graduate course work or sustained independent study. These include a wide range of basic monographs, complete collections of the works of more important authors, a selection of representative journals, reference tools, and major indexing and abstracting tools. Special emphasis has been placed on collecting materials which cover recent developments, especially new regulations and new technology.
A major strength of the collection is its RESEARCH level collection in the areas of Environmental Policy, Ecology and Conservation, and Land Reform. This collection includes major source material required for independent research.
Lori Jargo, Reference Librarian and
Department of Environmental Studies
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