42 · Survey Results: Survey Questions and Responses
Two administrative units (Area Studies and the C.V. Starr East Asian Library) collect most materials published outside of
the US. Western European and British materials are collected by several subject specialists throughout the library system
(Western European history and philosophy librarian, Anglo-American history and literature librarian, social sciences
librarian, fine arts and architecture librarians, music librarian, etc.) For decades we have followed this structure.
Two previously independent Area Studies libraries (Latin America, Judaica) and two other independent bibliographers
(African Studies and Asian Studies) were joined to the Department of Special Collections in about 1997. Other selectors
involved with European, Slavic, and Arabic studies remained as part of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library. Main
goals were to assign some areas/individuals previously reporting to a director level to report through a department
chair. Impetus for change was within. Not sure if outreach and/or access has improved, but there are some issues the
different area studies librarians have had in common that have benefited from shared discussions.
We have an East Asian reading room, but there are no plans for other units.
We reorganized collection development in 1996 (impetus from within) moving from mostly geographically based
selection to subject-based selection, which fit our curriculum and subject branch structure better. The Collection
Development Department was disbanded. Sometime between then and now we developed a cohort of subject
specialists from among interested librarians and support staff who are responsible for selection, reference, outreach
to their departments, and some library instruction. That is all ancient history for us. We are currently undergoing a
reorganization of the entire library structure, not just collection development.
14. How many years of professional experience do the librarians who collect global resources have?
For each span of time, enter the number of librarians who have that many years of experience.
N=60
Number of Librarians with fewer than 5 years experience
Minimum Maximum Mean Median Std Dev
0 13 1.03 0 2.12
#of Librarians Responses
0 36
1 11
2 4
3 6
4 1
5+ 2
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