Pan-African Studies Collection Development Guidelines
General Department Information
Curricular Focus:
The Pan-African Studies curriculum includes courses which cover a broad spectrum of the Pan-African experience. The Department of Pan-African Studies, therefore, offers a major and minor, and minor course sequences structured to provide an in-depth study of history, language, philosophy, education, literature, sociology, art, music, and other subjects as they relate to people of African descent throughout the world. It also exposes students to the theoretical, practical, and domestic and national issues facing African Americans.
Departmental Goals:
The primary purpose of the curriculum is to provide students with basic information and questions which will lead to further research, study and analysis. The curriculum also seeks to investigate the African connection and/or influence among other ethnic groups, particularly Native Americans and Latin Americans, and the extent to which this influence may have been reciprocal. The Pan-African Studies curriculum is committed to informing students about society's affect on their lives individually and collectively. Essential to the department's goals is the need to explore the fallacy of race as propounded in the fifteenth century and used to support the political and cultural primacy of Europeans at the expense of peoples of color.
Departmental Areas of Concentration:
· Foundations in Pan-African Studies
· African Diaspora
· Pan-African Literature, Arts and Culture
· Theoretical and Applied Research
Degrees Offered:
B.A. in Pan African Studies
Special Programs within the School
Center of Pan-African Culture - provides an array of cultural programs involving theatre, dancing, poetry readings and other instances of the performing arts.
Institute for African American Affairs - pursues the research and scholarly objectives of the Department.
Scope of Coverage
The following subject areas are collected at the research level:
· African Diaspora
· History of Africa, Egypt
· African Languages and Literature
· African-Americans (History, Culture, Education, Politics, Race Relations)
· World Slavery
· Religion and Philosophy of Africa
· Native American and Latino Cultures
Apply the Following Parameters to the Above Scope of Coverage Areas
Language
Primary focus is on material in English or in English translation; however, selected publications are purchased in a variety of languages, most notably in Spanish and selected African languages???
Date of Publication
Recent publications are emphasized, however, retrospective collections and older publications are occasionally acquired to further support current research and instructional needs as well as to support new initiatives.
Geographical guidelines
Materials are acquired to support research and work on a global level.
Multiple copies
Acquired only when warranted by high demand.
Material Types
Monographs
Books
Research Level Collection of scholarly works in defined subject areas.
Audio Visual Material
Purchased upon request from departmental faculty.
Theses and dissertations
Selectively acquired in support of faculty research.
Microform reproductions
Acquired only if absolutely necessary.
Serials
Periodical holdings are not classified but are arranged alphabetically in the Periodicals Department. They are available to students in several formats including print, microform and electronic.
Back issues and full runs of selected scholarly journals focusing on African-American and African studies are also available online through Kent State University's subscription to JSTOR.
Government Documents
The Government Documents collections support research in the Department of Pan-African Studies. The collection is particularly strong for federal documents and publications from 1962 to the present and for state documents and publications from 1958 to the present; however, many earlier documents are acquired through gifts and purchases. Most documents are cataloged and are accessible through KentLINK.
Methods of acquisition
As a member of the Federal Depository Library Program, Kent State University receives federal documents at no cost. Kent State University is also a State of Ohio Depository Library, and acquires many free state documents and publications as a result.
Federal government publications and information
Many agencies publish and distribute information in support of the various research and instructional interests of the Department of Pan-African Studies. The Department of State provides a vast and varied amount of research material. In addition, the Library of Congress and the Civil Rights Commission provide research materials that support the department.
Online Services and Electronic Resources
Academic Search Premier
African-American Poetry Database
Historical Abstracts
International Index to Black Periodicals Full Text
Interdisciplinary Relations
Communication Skills and Arts - This departmental division represents a joint effort on behalf of the department of Pan-African Studies and the English Department to teach College English--ENG 10000, 10001 and 10002--in an innovative manner.
