National Library of Australia


State Library of Queenland collection assessment
Anthropology

[1998]

Division report comments

A total of 3207 monographs are held in this division. This represents 0.81% of the 397,000 monographs quoted for State Reference Library and Special Collections in the 1995/96 annual report of the State Library of Queensland.

This division overlaps with the division of Biological Sciences in the area of Dewey 572 and 573.

In determining the levels for this division, State Library's holdings as compared with the standard bibliographies checked and with the publishing output in the area were taken into account. As a result, overall levels are higher than the levels of the individual categories would suggest.

Overall collecting level is 2b - Basic Information: Augmented.

47% of monographic holdings have been published since 1985.

Collection strength is in culture and institutions. There is good even coverage in this area with some emphasis on Australian Aboriginal culture. The area of Costume and Personal Appearance, particularly history of costume, is another area of strength.

There are good holdings also relating to culture and sociology of specific institutions and specific aspects of culture, etiquette and manners, folklore, proverbs and sayings. Current works on human origins and human genetics are well represented.

The collection is augmented by a small but good collection of videos mainly on Culture and Institutions and Folklore.

It is State Library collection development policy not to collect any juvenile literature, school or tertiary textbooks or advanced academic research material.

Holdings in the John Oxley Library have not been considered in this assessment. With its focus on Queensland history and its role as Legal Deposit Library, this library collects works relative to and/or published in Queensland in all subject areas.

Relevant sections of the following major standard bibliographies have been checked against our monographic holdings:

Title

Total checked SRL holdings % held
Australian National Bibliography 1992-1996 455 134 29.5
Reader's Adviser 335 163 49
Walford's Guide to Reference Material 143 51 36
Man on Earth 184 78 42
Creating Culture 396 149 38
The Public Culture: an argument with the future 121 55 45

An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture

189 93 49
The Face of Fashion: cultural studies in fashion 130 75 58

Serials:

There are 11 open and 20 closed serial subscriptions in this division.

Relevant sections of the following bibliographies have been checked against State Library's holdings:

Title Total checked SRL holdings % held
Magazines for Libraries 8th ed 99 11 11
Serials in Print: Australia 49 3 6
NZ Anthropology Journals and Serials 198 20 10

Last modified: August 18 2004.