The Library collections for Portuguese and Brazilian Studies include an estimated 20,000 titles, of which some 42 are currently-received serials, all housed in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library. The interdisciplinary Department benefits from titles purchased in the areas of Latin American Studies, History, American Civilization, Political Science, History of Art and Architecture, and Women's Studies, among other fields of study. Also of primary importance to the Department is the John Carter Brown Library. The JCB Library amply supports research and investigation into Portugal's 15th and 16th centuries with its world class collections.
The table below shows the expenditures for the past three years:
| Library Support | 1994/95 | 1995/96 | 1996/97 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line item allocation | $6,000 | $6,000 | $8,000 |
| Approval support | 500 | 2,600 | 2,000 |
| Serial support | 1,611 | 1,909 | 1,543 |
| Special funds | 5,000 | ||
| Total Support | $8,111 | $10,509 | $16,543 |
According to the Collection Development Policy Statement, prepared for Portuguese and Brazilian Studies in 1983, the desired coverage in many aspects of the discipline is RESEARCH. A RESEARCH level collection is one which includes the major source materials required for dissertation and independent research, including primary sources and specialized journals. It also include all important reference works and a wide selection of specialized monographs, as well as the major indexing/abstract services. In other parts of the field, the Library seeks to maintain a STUDY level collection. A STUDY level collection is one which supports undergraduate and graduate course work, but which may not hold the specialized primary sources and journals necessary for graduate or faculty research. The Library has endeavored to maintain Portuguese and Brazilian collections at RESEARCH or STUDY levels, as indicated in the policy statement. This statement, however, needs revision to bring it up to date with current interests of the Department.
Three factors determine the overall character of the Portuguese and Brazilian collection at the Rockefeller Library. First, is the reality of funding by the Library. Second, is the difficulty in obtaining out of print Portuguese and Brazilian material. Lastly, there is the pressing need to meet the changing interests and scholarly directions taken by students and faculty. One relatively recent change is more interest in teaching history, in addition to the Department's original focus on language and literature. The Library has subsequently had to build its collections on the history of Portugal and all of its former colonies. Although some progress has been made, there is much more to do.
The strengths of the collection are in titles that date from the 15th through 18th centuries, located at the John Carter Brown Library (JCB), and modern titles that cover this time span, located at both the JCB and at the Rockefeller. Further strength is in 20th century Brazilian material, located at the Rockefeller. The creation of a Brazilian approval plan several years ago has significantly enhanced the 20th century Brazilian collection. Unfortunately, this level of strength is not currently found in Portuguese titles dating from the 19th and 20th centuries or for that matter, in Brazilian titles from the 19th century.
The Library and the Department have taken active steps to remedy such weaknesses. During the summer and fall of 1996, the Library and the Department cooperated in doing an assessment of the collection. The effort was led by Rita Gomes, a Portuguese historian and visiting professor. The Portuguese and Brazilian Department faculty are presently reviewing the lists generated by this project in order to prioritize future purchases.
A great aid in building the contemporary holdings of the collection has been the Department's strong record of donating books and serials to the Library. The Library now needs to focus energy on the older segments of the collection so it can match the vitality of the new.
Jenny Fierro Wallace and William S. Monroe
Department of Portuguese & Brazilian Studies
Graduate Program Review Home |
Discipline Groups Home |
Library Home