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MSU » MSU Libraries » Research Help » Research Guides » Collection Development Policy Statement: Computer Science

Written By: Julia Perez,

Revised by Tom Volkening

Date Drafted: 2/1/89

Date Revised: 9/20/06

Purpose or Scope of Collection

Curricular/Research/Programmatic Needs:

The computer science collection supports the research and instruction needs of the Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Departments in the College of Engineering and to a lesser extent, the Mathematics Department and the Computer Game Design and Development program. The collection also serves the general information needs of faculty, staff, and students across the campus. The collection is divided between the Main Library and the Engineering Library. Historically the materials meeting the general broad information needs of campus users are housed in the Main Library and materials supporting the needs of CSE and ECE departments are located in the Engineering Library. The Engineering Librarian selects materials for both locations.

The CSE Department offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs

through the Ph.D. level. Required undergraduate courses for the CSE Department include courses in algorithms; computer organization and architecture; discrete structures; informatics; operating systems; programming; and software engineering. Graduate studies focus on artificial intelligence computer architectures, computer vision, evolutionary computing, advanced programming, pattern recognition, and software engineering. Research strengths include software engineering, formal methods, mobile computing, distributed systems, computer networking, biometrics, image processing, multimedia technologies, genetic algorithms, machine intelligence, and robotics. The CSE and ECE departments offer a joint degree program in computer engineering In Fall 2005 the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media launched an interdisciplinary program in Game Design and Development. This program draws on the resources of three departments including the Computer Science and Engineering.

History of the Collection/Existing Strengths and Emphases:

The establishment of Computer science as an academic discipline is a relatively recent development. The MSU Computer Science Department was organized in 1968 and is part of the College of Engineering. The department moved from Wells Hall to the Engineering Building in 1989. Shortly after the department's move, the publications of the Association for Computing Machinery were transferred to the Engineering Library from the Main Library. Collection development responsibilities for computer science materials were transferred to the Engineering Librarian in 2002. At that time, the Engineering Library focused on computer applications in engineering, computer architecture and design, computer engineering and software engineering. These subjects continue to be collected in the Engineering Library. The majority of the scholarly computer science materials now have their location as Engineering. This gives CSE and ECE faculty and students easier access to the print materials. Older scholarly materials remain in the Main Library. Materials dealing with topics of a more general nature including computer communications, computer languages, the Internet and the World Wide Web, programming, and software manuals continue to be purchased for the Main Library. Older materials in Main include materials covering algorithms, computer communications, computer languages, data structures, the Internet, operating systems, programming, software engineering, the theory of computing, virtual environment and the World Wide Web. Related topics included are artificial intelligence, computer graphics, cryptology and ciphers, and networks.

Factors Influencing Collection Development

Anticipated Future Trends:

Future areas of increased research emphasis may include information technology, computer security, network security, wireless communications, biometrics, cryptology, computer game design and development, and computational linguistics. E-books will be considered a viable alternative to print computer science materials that become outdated in a relatively short time, are frequently stolen, or have little long-term scholarly value. MSU currently subscribes to Safari Tech Books Online, a collection of approximately 100 electronic software manuals and general interest computer books. The trend towards more electronic-only resources, especially in a rapidly-changing discipline like computer science, will continue.

Relationships with Other Resources:

On campus branch or format collections, if any:

Engineering Library

Main Library

Mathematics Library

Software Collection.

Relationships to Resources Treated in Other Policy Statements:

The Engineering collection includes computer applications in engineering, computer architecture and design, computer engineering, and software engineering.

The Technology collection in the Main Library (T call numbers) covers hardware, graphics, and networks.

The Software collection collects supplementary material such as collections of data, software, and digital graphics.

Analysis of the Subject Field

Chronology of the subject: emphases/restrictions

The collection emphasizes scholarly computer science materials. The purchase of computer certification test guides/manuals is restricted.

Languages of resources collected: exclusions/emphases/translations

Materials are collected primarily in English.

Geography of the subject: emphases/restrictions

The collection emphasizes North American and Western Europe materials.

Format of the resources collected: restrictions if any.

While the primary format is still print many materials are received in print and electronic format with some materials in electronic-only format. Software and supplemental material in digital formats are sent to the Software Collection in the Main Library.

Date of publication of resources collected: emphases if any.

The bulk of the collection dates from the mid-1960's to the present. The emphasis is on recent materials. Maintaining an historical collection is not a priority. Older materials are deselected according to Library policies and procedure.

Levels of Collecting Intensity

Conspectus

Collection Management Issues

Specific policies, if any, on replacement, deselection, out of print acquisition, preservation, etc.

Missing materials or those damaged beyond repair will be replaced only if they have circulated frequently or are in demand. Titles are selectively preserved if there is available alternative funding. Preservation decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, following the general guidelines established by the Main Library.

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