General policies and principles for the Library's collections are stated in the General Collection Development Policy.  

Purpose of the Collection

The feminist studies collection primarily supports research and instructional activities within the Department of Feminist Studies.  Attention is also given to the research and instructional activities of affiliated departments, programs and faculty.

Academic Department/Program Description

Originally founded in 1988 as the Women’s Studies Program, the Program grew to include a doctoral emphasis program (1991-2009), the establishment of the only women’s studies endowed chair (2002, the Hull Chair in Women and Social Justice) in the UC system, an LGBTQ studies minor (2004). The Department of Feminist Studies and the PhD program was established in 2008.  The Feminist Studies PhD is offered in three concentrations: race and nation; genders and sexualities; and productive and reproductive labors. In addition, admission to an M.A. program is open to teachers and those seeking careers in public sector non-governmental organizations.  The department graduates about 60 students annually from the major and minors combined. 

Subject Parameters

Collection priorities include works related to women, feminism and gender, with special attention given to feminist social justice issues and issues concerning race and nation, genders and sexualities, and productive and reproductive labors. 

Scope

Subjects

Women writers and feminist literary criticism is primarily collected by the English literatures and area studies librarians.  Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) studies materials are covered under the LGBTQ studies policy.

Geographical Coverage

Geographic coverage is global with special attention given to the Americas (except Canada), Africa, and Asia

Language

Language materials are collected by area studies librarians for East Asian studies, French, German, Italian, Latin American studies, Middle Eastern studies, Slavic studies, and Spanish and Portuguese.

Chronological Limits/Period Coverage

Primary collecting areas include 19th century to present.  Earlier periods are primarily covered by the history and area studies librarians.

Publication Dates

Recent imprints are the prioritized.  Older imprints are selectively acquired.

Types of Materials Collected

University press research monographs are widely acquired.  Scholarly research from trade, small and alternative presses are selectively acquired.  Scholarly reference sources, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, and indexes are collected.  Other priorities are serials, DVDs, and digital archives.

Formats

Electronic is the preferred format for edited volumes, anthologies, reference books and serials. 

Systemwide and Other Resources

The collection benefits heavily from the systemwide licensing of serials, indexing and abstracting databases, and digital archives by the California Digital Library and UC Libraries.

Related Collection Development Policies

Policy Last Updated: March 2015