Collection Guidelines: Communication Studies: Scope & Location

Communication studies collection:

• Suzzallo & Allen Libraries are the major location for materials related to communication.  
  • Print collection including books, encyclopedias and other reference materials, journals, and newspapers.  
  • Media including documentaries, feature films, and television shows.  
  • Newspapers and other items on microforms are in the Government Publications, Maps, Microforms & Newspapers Collection. 
  • Local, state, federal, and international documents are in the Government Publications, Maps, Microforms & Newspapers Collection. 
  • Material related to the history of the University of Washington, Seattle, and the Pacific Northwest may also be found in the Special Collections. 
• Electronic resources, including books, journals, media, and newspapers, may be found through the Communication research guide, Cinema Studies research guide, and Video & Streaming Video research guide. 
• Video and audio sources are located in Suzzallo & Allen Libraries, Odegaard Undergraduate Library, and the Music Library.   
• Titles relevant to Communication research are also located in the Engineering Library, Foster Business Library, and Odegaard Undergraduate Library.
• The Gallagher Law Library collection supports the legal history and law of communication.
• The UW Bothell and UW Tacoma libraries have strong communication print and media collections.   

a. Chronological

Primary emphasis is on the twentieth century through today and on materials that support the study of the history of communications. 

b. Geographical

Emphasis on national and transnational media.

c. Language

Primary emphasis is on English language materials, but materials in other languages are purchased on a selective basis.

d. Format

Monographs and sets, serials, facsimiles, reprints, microforms, audio, video are included in the collection.  The purchase of newspapers is outlined in the newspaper collection development policy. 

e. Exclusions

Materials of a purely popular nature, workbooks, dissertations, and anthologies of primary works containing material already in the collection, are generally not collected. Textbooks may be purchased on a selective basis.