Every semester I work with a research class, RES104. You've probably heard about it before. We take a look at a different region of the world through 3 different disciplinary lenses each semester. Being the Social Sciences liaison, I'm in charge of prepping and purchasing books for the first unit. I'm in the throes of that right now. I don't know about the rest of you library peoples, but book ordering is not a short process. And for me, this class takes even longer.
Because I'm sure you're all totally excited to hear about my process, I'm gonna explain it :)
First, I do some background research about the region which usually includes reading wikipedia articles, scouring my own mind for anything I already know about those countries, taking hand-written notes and typed notes.
Then I dig through the last few months worth of Choice Reviews to see what topics people are writing books about. I throw those in an online cart if they pass the 3-point test: right reading level (low level undergrad or general), usable table of contents (actually tells you what's in the book, not just cutesy titles), and a decent review.
Next, I wander through the section in D's that corresponds with the region to see what we have on the shelf. Then I hit the catalog to do something similar. I search the country names first as a subject search then keyword to see what's there. I throw stuff on a list that looks useful. I note any major holes I see. If I came up with a topic off my head but can't find anything about it in the catalog it gets an asterisk or a highlight on my list.
Then I go back to that online shopping cart to see what books exist on the countries. Then I do more searching on YouTube, PBS, BBC, JourneyMan Pictures, and my RSS reader for articles about topics. Those topics get added to my original lists. (They become the backbone of my first-day presentation, as do any interesting videos I find.) Then I go do some catalog searching to see if we've got anything on the topic that doesn't kick back on the country name. Same deal in the online shopping place.
Then once I've got that whole process done. I look at the cart. I weed out the obvious...what was I thinking titles right away. Look at the prices of books, eliminating anything restrictively expensive. And write the titles and prices out by hand in a list. And then I total it up. And cry. Then I yank stuff that is a little too expensive. And too out there. Then I go back and look at covers. Anything I wouldn't take off the shelf gets a second strike. I prioritize by topics I think the students would like, and usually I default to more books rather than less. If I'm really stuck I'll go searching in the databases to see if there is anything else about the topic. (I tend to think if I can find books on it, articles probably exist, rather than the reverse.) Usually by then, I'm close to my target price.
I know that this sounds like a ridiculous process, but it's my process. And in doing it, I learn so much about the region. And what resources exist, and boy do I know which books I've bought and put on reserve. I know it's not how everyone (or anyone) else does it here, but I like to think that it works. It's being put to the test this time because I've got a much more cramped time frame in which to get it done so the books can get on the shelf in time. We'll see how I survive. Usually I spread this out because to be fair most of the social sciences are a bit depressing and dark. We study what goes wrong, not what goes right. So if I sound a little touchy or overwhelmed in the next week or so, this is why. Wish me luck!
Because I'm sure you're all totally excited to hear about my process, I'm gonna explain it :)
First, I do some background research about the region which usually includes reading wikipedia articles, scouring my own mind for anything I already know about those countries, taking hand-written notes and typed notes.
Then I dig through the last few months worth of Choice Reviews to see what topics people are writing books about. I throw those in an online cart if they pass the 3-point test: right reading level (low level undergrad or general), usable table of contents (actually tells you what's in the book, not just cutesy titles), and a decent review.
Next, I wander through the section in D's that corresponds with the region to see what we have on the shelf. Then I hit the catalog to do something similar. I search the country names first as a subject search then keyword to see what's there. I throw stuff on a list that looks useful. I note any major holes I see. If I came up with a topic off my head but can't find anything about it in the catalog it gets an asterisk or a highlight on my list.
Then I go back to that online shopping cart to see what books exist on the countries. Then I do more searching on YouTube, PBS, BBC, JourneyMan Pictures, and my RSS reader for articles about topics. Those topics get added to my original lists. (They become the backbone of my first-day presentation, as do any interesting videos I find.) Then I go do some catalog searching to see if we've got anything on the topic that doesn't kick back on the country name. Same deal in the online shopping place.
Then once I've got that whole process done. I look at the cart. I weed out the obvious...what was I thinking titles right away. Look at the prices of books, eliminating anything restrictively expensive. And write the titles and prices out by hand in a list. And then I total it up. And cry. Then I yank stuff that is a little too expensive. And too out there. Then I go back and look at covers. Anything I wouldn't take off the shelf gets a second strike. I prioritize by topics I think the students would like, and usually I default to more books rather than less. If I'm really stuck I'll go searching in the databases to see if there is anything else about the topic. (I tend to think if I can find books on it, articles probably exist, rather than the reverse.) Usually by then, I'm close to my target price.
I know that this sounds like a ridiculous process, but it's my process. And in doing it, I learn so much about the region. And what resources exist, and boy do I know which books I've bought and put on reserve. I know it's not how everyone (or anyone) else does it here, but I like to think that it works. It's being put to the test this time because I've got a much more cramped time frame in which to get it done so the books can get on the shelf in time. We'll see how I survive. Usually I spread this out because to be fair most of the social sciences are a bit depressing and dark. We study what goes wrong, not what goes right. So if I sound a little touchy or overwhelmed in the next week or so, this is why. Wish me luck!
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