Library Policy Statements

I. PROGRAM INFORMATION

The Department of Communication, part of the School of Communication, offers both the BA and the MA (Plan A, thesis and Plan B, non-thesis) degrees in Communication. It is one of four academic departments that cooperate in an interdisciplinary doctoral program in Communication and Information Sciences (CIS). Additionally, the department offers a graduate level program leading to the Certificate in Telecommunications and Information Resource Management (TIRM).

The department offers courses on general communication theory, interpersonal communication, communication policy, telecommunication theory and practice, broadcasting, media research, organizational and management communication, and intercultural and international communication.

The undergraduate program provides students with a sound understanding of fundamental communication processes in contexts ranging from dyads and small groups to formal organizations, the community, and society at large. The program also provides students the opportunity to select courses that allow them to specialize in a variety of interest areas within the field, including interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, international communication, organizational and management communication, telecommunication, and multimedia production.

The graduate program areas of specialization in management communication, telecommunication, and global communication reflect the expertise of the graduate faculty in interpersonal, organizational, intercultural, and international communication; telecommunication; and communication policy and planning. Both individual faculty members and the program as a whole work within sociocultural and sociotechnical perspectives.

Areas of active faculty research include interpersonal and intercultural communication, management and international communication, and telecommunication. Department resources include both a state-of-the-art media lab and a computer communication lab.

II. COORDINATION OF COLLECTING RESPONSIBILITIES

Because of the interdisciplinary and applied research interests of the department, there is considerable reliance on business, education, engineering, psychology and sociology materials. The communication selector focuses on collecting materials on the social context of communication and telecommunication. The technical aspects of telecommunication are met by materials collected for the Science and Technology unit. The Asia, Hawaiian and Pacific collections acquire communications materials from and about their areas.

III. GUIDELINES TO MATERIALS COLLECTED OR EXCLUDED

Language:

Primarily English, but also some vernacular Asian and Pacific language materials.

Chronological:

Primarily 20th and 21st century, but there is a core collection of historical materials on communications law and policy.

Geographic:

Primarily the United States, Asia and the Pacific. There is some material on Europe, the Middle East and developing countries worldwide.

Date of Publication:

The emphasis is on current imprints; new programs and new faculty may require retrospective buying.

Types/Formats of Material Collected:

Books, annual reports, journals, dictionaries, encyclopedias, bibliographies, directories, case studies, proceedings, reports of societies and research organizations. Dissertations are acquired only on the specific request of the faculty. Electronic resources may be available in a number of formats, including online, CD-ROM, or other digital storage formats.

Treatment:

The primary emphasis is on theoretical and practical works on traditional communication and mass media studies. Historical materials for policy studies, political aspects of communication, and the role of the government on communication policies and regulations are also collected. The legal aspect of mass media and telecommunication are selectively acquired; legal compendiums are available in the Law Library. Organizational and management communication titles are in great demand. Basic materials on the techniques of broadcasting and the management of broadcasting facilities are acquired to meet instructional needs.

Date Compiled: 7/01 Compiler: Vicky Lebbin