|
1. Purpose of the collection
The Library collects to support the teaching and research needs of the School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics. Resources in this areas are also used to a varying extent by other schools in the University.
2. Primary user group served
The teaching and research staff of the School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students uses the collection.
As well as taking responsibility for the training of graduates in the skills of history research, members of the school have a commitment to the production of original scholarship particularly in the fields of Australian, European, North American and South, Southeast, and East Asian history.
3. Description of the collection
Collection has broadly covered Australian, European, North American and Asian history in modern times. These are studied from Undergraduate to postgraduate level. The emphasis has been on political and social history with some cultural history. Existing policy is not to automatically buy multiple copies of textbook material. However, demand for some texts is high. They may also be applicable to more than one course. Where possible multiple copies are bought and loan periods adjusted. Indexing tools such as The Humanities Index, The Social Sciences Index and Historical Abstracts are held in database format, though Historical Abstracts is not up to date.
The trend in undergraduate teaching tends to be away from the geographical focus of the past to broader thematic studies. Already courses are taught on the history of the future, key events in world history, the history of ideas, comparative popular culture, sex and sexuality, the history of science and medicine . In the near future courses will be taught on warfare, nationalism and crime. In terms of Australia, studies in the history of the built and natural environments are on the upturn, as is community history and historical methodology. There will be increasing overlap between specific subjects and the rise of thematic approaches (cultural studies, women's studies etc.) elsewhere in the social sciences and humanities curriculum. This implies that material bought for sociology, literature, government, and cultural studies courses will increasingly be used by historians who will also be buying more resources, which will be used in other disciplines. Impending staff changes mean that Japanese studies within the school are likely to decline in importance.
The collection is held in the Social Sciences and Humanities Library and in the Fryer Library. However materials of interest for scientific, engineering, agricultural and medical topics are held in other Branch libraries.
Microform material, particular newspapers and copies of archival documents, also support the collection.
4. Interdisciplinary relationships
History shares common areas of interest with other subject areas such as government, anthropology, philosophy, area and language studies.
The resources of the Oxley Library at the State Library of Queensland are reviewed when expensive research collections are being considered.
5. Scope of current collecting
1. Languages collected
The bulk of the collection is in English, though no languages are excluded. Primary material is collected in original languages for area studies.
2. Geographical areas collected
Australia: There is a detailed coverage of Australian history both pre and post European incursion. In the 1995 Collection Assessment for University of Queensland libraries most classes were rated at 3b (Intermediate Augmented) or 4 (Research Level). Particular areas of strength include books, periodicals, videos and source material on race (particularly Aboriginal history) and gender relations and Australian social history generally. Political history, foreign policy, sport history and labour history are also well represented. Source material is generally weaker though than secondary material. Coverage of Queensland history, while lacking some regional material, is nonetheless extensive. Collection is strongest for the Eastern states including Tasmania (prior to 1900). The reference collection contains the major available reference publications and the foremost indexing service APAIS is available as a networked database.
There is considerable source material on U.S. involvement in Central and South West Pacific (predominantly nineteenth century). Papua New Guinea material is also extensive though other parts of Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia and New Zealand are less well represented.
Special collections of particular significance include the Fryer Library. This library is a major repository of manuscripts and personal papers. It also has extensive holdings of Australian monographs and periodicals. Fryer collections of significance for historians include the Trades and Labor Council records, The Hume photographic collection, the Queensland Architectural Archive, and papers relating to the Australian administration in Papua New Guinea.
Newspaper collections on microfilm include complete runs of The Australian (from 1964) ; The Sydney Morning Herald ; The Age ; The Courier Mail and its precursors The Moreton Bay Courier, The Brisbane Courier and The Daily Mail. There are also extensive runs of The Bulletin and Smith's Weekly. Other regional newspapers are less well represented.
The Library holds extensive records (parliamentary papers and debates) for the following parliaments: Australia (federal), Queensland, and New South Wales. We are lacking some twentieth century Victorian parliamentary papers and have patchy holdings for South Australia and Western Australia. There are virtually no historical Tasmanian parliamentary records.
Other source material includes some British Colonial and Foreign Office records, though the library does not hold the complete output of the Australian Joint Copying Project. Other source documents are available through such published collections as Historical Records of Australia (33 volumes) and The Documentary History of Australia (5 volumes). There are detailed statistical registers for all the states (and the preceding colonies) except Victoria.
Europe: The emphasis in coursework has been on medieval and early modern history. Some teaching focuses on specific countries eg. Britain, the former Soviet Union, Germany. These countries will be analysed in more detail below. Other survey courses discuss religious, cultural, economic, political and social themes in western Europe predominantly, though Russian studies and medieval studies include topics relating to eastern Europe. European history generally rated 2bf in the 1993 collection assessment. There is some strength in recent European history especially as it relates to the European Union. There is a weakness in material in languages other than English. The collection is strongest, in particular in cultural history, in countries where the language and literature are also taught e.g. France to a lesser extent Spain. Diplomatic history of the World Wars is stronger than campaign literature.
Great Britain: This is the strongest part of the European collection, in particular the history of England. The histories of Ireland, Scotland and Wales are comparatively less well represented. Most classes in English history rated between 3a and 4 in the 1993 Conspectus. The major bibliographic and indexing tools – British Humanities Index, Annual Bibliography of British and Irish History, Annual Bibliography of Victorian Studies, Historical Abstracts and Humanities Index are held along with Dictionary of National Biography and Who's Who. A complete run of The Times and its index are held along with significant runs of other newspapers. Chief deficiencies in the period to 1066 were in archaeological and local history. The early and late middle ages are probably stronger than the 12th-14th centuries. There is a particular strength in materials for the reign of Elizabeth I and a fair strength for the early Tudors. Source materials for this period include Early English Books I & II and several microfilmed series of state papers. 19th century material is generally much stronger than 18th century material. Sources include The Nineteenth Century collection on microfilm (with an index on CDRom) and substantial holdings of 19th century periodicals and indexes. Hansard is held for the House of Commons (1803-1987) and the House of Lords (1909-1987). Other parliamentary material is, unfortunately, in microprint, though much Irish University Press reprint material is also held. Twentieth century material is also strong, particularly in cultural history. We hold the Annual Register from 1758-1953. There is a substantial amount of source material reprinted e.g. English Historical Documents and Rerum Britannicarum medii aevi scriptores. Much material is published too under the auspices of the following organisations – Camden Society, Royal Historical Society, Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts and Navy Records Society. There is also substantial collection of source material on 20th century foreign relations - Documents on British Foreign Policy and its successor Documents on British Policy Overseas.
Russia and the former Soviet Union: The scores range between 2a and 3a in the 1993 Conspectus, though collection strength is limited in the main to English language material . Most of the major English language indexing tools are held. There is greater strength in the literature of the Revolutionary period (1917-1921) and the subsequent Soviet regime. There are several blocks of sources including the Current Digest of the Post Soviet Press and its predecessor titles. There is considerable strength in samizdat literature.
Germany:The scores range between 2a and 3a in the 1993 Conspectus. Generally the collection is weaker for the period up to the 19th century, the Monumenta Germaniae Historica provides valuable source material for the early medieval period. The emphasis for the period 1850 to 1918 is on foreign and defence policy, colonial policy, trade unions and socialism. Literature concerning the period of the Weimar republic and the rule of Hitler is this part of the collection's greatest strength.
North America: Courses on North American history cover the period from the American War of Independence to modern times. There is a particular emphasis on international relations. Teaching focuses on political history and social history especially civil rights. The history of Canada is also taught. In general the collection scored between 2b and 3a in the 1993 Conspectus. There are, however, many titles characteristic of a 3b or 4 collection, particularly in primary sources. There are numerous sets of papers of notable 18th and 19th century political figures – Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Washington, Jackson, and Grant etc. The New York Times and its index are held. There is also newspaper material covering the Civil war period. Official documents are less strong though the Congressional Record is held for 1873-1979. There are also some important archival resources for international relations. There is a marked deterioration in collecting from the 1980's. The subscription for the foremost indexing tool America : History and Life was cancelled in 1987. Local history is, on the whole, weak.
Asia: There are a number of survey courses, which examine the cultural history of south-east Asia generally. There are more detailed courses taught on the history of Japan, Indonesia, India, China and Indochina. The major indexing sources held are Bibliography of Asian Studies (now BAS Online) and Asian Bibliography. Newspaper holdings are generally weak though the Asian Recorder, a digest of newspaper reports is held from 1955.
Japan: Survey courses have covered Japanese history from medieval to modern times. The collection in this area averaged 3a with many strengths characteristic of a 3b collection but with relatively few monographs in Japanese despite the fact that Japanese language and culture are taught in the School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies. The greatest research strength is in the period from 1930-1945. Sources include selections from the Archives of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs ; selected archives of the Japanese Army – Navy 1868-1945 ; court papers and judgements from the International Military Tribunal for the far east, records of the U.S. Dept of State relating to the internal affairs of Japan, 1910-1954 ; Great Britain Foreign Office Confidential prints ; Great Britain Foreign Office, F.O. 371 – General Correspondence Japan 1930-1945. The Japan Times (from 1897) is the only significant newspaper that is held.
Indonesia: This is an area of growing research strength in the School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies as well as History. Conspectus scores from 1993 were generally 3b. There is a fair strength in primary sources pre 1945 e.g. Memorie van overgave, selections from East India Co. archives, government annual reports and periodicals relating to colonial administration. The Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde is also held from 1852.
India: Generally Indian history rated 2b in the 1993 Conspectus. There was notable strength in primary sources for British rule and transfer of power – material from the Public and Judicial files, former India Office. There are papers of British viceroys, governors and Secretaries of State and legislative proceedings. We hold substantial runs of the works of Gandhi and Nehru. We hold the Times of India from 1964-1998. The Indian national Bibliography from 1957-1977 and Index India from 1967-1983. This subject area rated 3b, approaching 4 in the 1970's. There is a marked weakening of secondary material since the early 1970's.
China:A survey course on Chinese history from 1800 to the present is taught. Conspectus scores ranged from 2a to 2b in support of this. English language holdings approach 3b and are generally stronger in the period post 1949. There is little newspaper material. The People's Daily (overseas Edition) is kept for the current 2 weeks only. We also hold the Survey of the China Mainland Press 1950-1977. Research emphasis in recent times has been on twentieth century Chinese economic history though there are significant limitations on the resources in this field.
Indochina: There is some teaching done on the mainland south-east Asian states of Thailand, Burma & Malaysia but the relative strength of the collection (3a in the 1993 Conspectus) is in the Indochinese countries Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia. The teaching focuses on issues such as colonialism and nationalism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Primary resources, especially for Vietnam include CIA reports, National Security files, pentagon papers and some late 19th and 20th century French periodicals. There is also a substantial collection of video material on the Vietnam War.
3. Chronological periods collected
No chronological periods are specifically excluded.
4. Types (formats) of material collected
No types of material are excluded. The emphasis is on journals, monograph literature, video materials. Government and archival material is collected - often in microform format. A large collection of newspapers (usually on microform) supports research.
5. Publication dates
Publications are purchased to support study in all periods taught and researched.
6. Special considerations
None.
7. Conspectus
The Conspectus levels for various parts of the collection are included in the information for each Geographical area collected or excluded.
|
