Library Policy Statements

I. PROGRAM INFORMATION

Agronomy and Soil Science is part of the Natural Resources and Environmental Management Department; the program is offered jointly with the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Science. Agronomy and soil science is the study of food, fiber, feed, and fuel crops, their physiology, interaction with the environment, and management from a systems perspective. Soil science is the study of natural land and soil resources, their effective management by applying the principles of basic scientific disciplines such as chemistry, physics and biology, and technologies derived from these studies. Agronomy and soil science are two interdependent subjects fundamental to implementing land use practices that are highly productive, sustainable, economically viable, and environmentally safe.

The Department offers BS, MS, and PhD degrees in agronomy and soil science. Graduate studies in agronomy and soil science have two areas of concentration: tropical agronomy and tropical soil science. The agronomy track specializes in tropical crop and pasture production, cropping systems, agrometeorology, agroforestry, crop physiology, plant breeding, and plant-soil relationships. The soil science track specializes in tropical soil genesis and classification, soil chemistry, soil physics, soil mineralogy, soil salinity, soil management, soil and water conservation, soil fertility, and soil microbiology.

II. COORDINATION OF COLLECTING RESPONSIBILITIES

Agronomy and soil science have their own literature, but they also draw on the literature chemistry, physics and biology, and on many of the other disciplines in the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). Selection is coordinated with the librarians responsible for these areas. Coordination is also required with the selectors for the Hawaiian and Pacific Collections. Government Documents provides many publications for this department. Duplication of these publications and those held in other collections in the Library is avoided.

III. GUIDELINES TO MATERIALS COLLECTED OR EXCLUDED

Language:

Material in English is preferred. Occasionally, French and German material concerning the tropical Pacific is acquired. Spanish and Portuguese publications on tropical areas are collected. Asian language is housed in both the Science and Technology area and the Asia Collection.

Chronological:

No limitations, but the emphasis is on current theories and research.

Geographic:

Worldwide areas in the tropics and semi-tropics, with an emphasis on the Pacific basin and Pacific rim regions. Materials concerning temperate areas are collected sparingly. Cold climate material is excluded. Interest in particular crops can determine geographical parameters.

Date of Publication:

Current materials are emphasized; gaps are filled as needed.

Types/Formats of Materials Collected:

Monographs on current research in the field; serials, including Web access when available; monographic series; handbooks, dictionaries, and encyclopedias; bibliographies; indexes and abstracts with a preference for Web access; conference proceedings; publications of soils and agronomy societies; selected United States and foreign dissertations.

Treatment:

All treatments are included, with the exception of popular works and textbooks. Both research and applied aspects are collected.

Date compiled: 7/01 Compiler: Eileen Herring