Those of the major Western European languages are collected next. Materials in other languages are obtained selectively with particular attention to areas where Penn has historical strength or research is ongoing. Vernacular language materials of Latin America, the Middle East, South and East Asia, and Russia and Eastern Europe are collected by area studies bibliographers. Publication Dates Emphasis is on current materials. This reflects both scholarly use patterns and budgetary constraints.
Retrospective collective is done selectively to fill in gaps or in response to requests.
Principal Sources of Supply and Major Selection Tools. The interdisciplinary character of sociology results in materials being acquired from widely diverse sources. Approval plans, standing orders, publisher notifications, user requests, and regular review of the scholarly literature account for most of the material purchased. Although many publications of university and domestic presses come primarily on the approval plans, faculty contact and review of the scholarly literature are crucial to obtaining all relevant materials in a timely manner. This is especially true for some types of reports, research institute publications, and the important secondary literature.