Subject Librarian: Scott McLaren
Policy Written By: Tiit Kõdar
Description of Current Collection and Programmes Supported
The Libraries philosophy collections support the curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including studies leading to degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies, graduate studies in English, Social and Political Thought, as well as Graduate Philosophy offerings. At the undergraduate level, philosophy courses mounted or used by interdisciplinar y programmes and divisions such as those in practical ethics, Classical Studies, East Asian Studies, Fine Arts, Health and Society, Humanities, Law, Law and Society, Mass Communications, Natural Science, Religious Studies, and Women's Studies, as well as the faculty of Administrative Studies and the department of Social Work, are supported. In short, collecting in the discipline reflects the multidisciplinary and wide ranging nature of the teaching and to some extent the research undertaken at York.
Related Collections at York
Philosophy of science materials in general are bought by the Science Bibliographer, except when it would be advantageous to add a title to the Scott Library stacks (as in the case of copies on Steacie and/or Frost Reserve, or otherwise in demand at Scott), as well as when the author is a philosopher whom the library collects. Normally, philosophies of psychology and sociology normally are bought by the Social Sciences Bibliographer, philosophy of law by the Law Librarian, and history of science and technology by the Science Librarian.
The collections mainly concentrate on English language publications, though some material in other Western languages is collected--such as the work of an important thinker. French language tit les are purchased selectively, mostly for the graduate programmes, with the expectation that the Frost Library on the Glendon campus will collect the undergraduate material. Other languages are on occasion purchased, and on an even more selective basis.
Publications, in the main, cover Europe (including the UK and Ireland), Russia, India, Australasia, and North America.
The collections encompass all periods.
Date of Publications
The greater part of the book funds is spent on materials selected from among the current production. Retrospective buying is done as needed when funds allow.
An attempt is made to purchase duplicates of material much in demand or constantly in need of replacement. Copies of books put in Reserves are on occasion purchased when the title is important enough to warrant a copy being kept in the open stacks.
Rare editions in the open stacks are transferred to Archives and Special Collections when found . Weeding is limited to the discarding of perished books.
- Books -- Paperbacks are generally purchased unless a book is only available in hard cover.
- Journals -- The Libraries attempt to subscribe to the important publications, mostly in English. Generally rely on other institutions in the Metropolitan Toronto area and in Ontario for much of the foreign language serials.
- Microforms -- Microforms are used to supplement or replace the first two categories of material, such as those printed on acidic and deteriorating paper for which an archival reprint is not available.
- Theses and Dissertations -- Theses are bought very selectively.
- Ephemera -- Ephemera, such as published public lectures, bought or solicited selectively.
- Electronic Data Files, CD-ROM, Microcomputer Software -- These formats are becoming increasingly important.
- MSS and Archives -- MSS and Archives are normally solicited or received as donations, though catalogues of other archival collections are collected, either through solicitation or purchase.
- Rare Books -- Rare books are generally acquired through donations.
- Films and Videos -- Funds are sometimes contributed to the Film Library to enable it to purchase a title on a cost sharing basis.
Resources Elsewhere in the Toronto Region
Primarily the University of Toronto, and its colleges, mostly for retrospective titles, microform sets, and journals not held at York.
*How to do philosophy with a computer, the concept of computer "intelligence" and its philosophical ramifications.
Last updated 1994