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Collection Development for German Studies in the Boston College Libraries

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Additional Criteria

Format Selection

Format decisions follow the General Collection Development Policy and allow for considerations of requester preference, curricular needs, and other factors.

  • Journals are purchased in electronic format when possible. 
  • Books are chiefly purchased in print format.  Exceptions are edited volumes, Festschriften, conference proceedings, etc., where the expected use is a single chapter (rather than cover-to-cover), and authoritative critical editions of the works of major authors.  These are purchased in electronic format when possible.
  • Databases for research in Germanic literatures include the Modern Languages Association International Bibliography, and Kindlers Literatur Lexikon

Language, Currency

Literature is purchased in German, along with some English translations of major authors with international appeal. Literary history, theory, criticism, language learning materials and Germanic culture titles are purchased in German and in English.

The collection focuses on recent imprints.  Retrospective purchasing of older materials is considered upon faculty request.