Monographs
This collection is growing yearly. Print (cloth) is preferred when related to Georgia and the South, e-book is preferred in other cases. All newly acquired monographs should be related to the following:
- Curriculum trends
- Faculty specializations
- Faculty requests
- Hot-topic research
- “Keywords” series texts related to curriculum
Monographs that fall within subject areas no taught at Oxford, or rarely taught at Oxford, will not be acquired unless they also fit within the above guidelines.
Retention: Monographs on historic topics, critical-theory, literary criticism, music, and similar topics can be kept indefinitely. These will rarely be replaced in the event of lost, missing, or damaged status, unless they hold deep critical value or are required for classes. Monographs related to timely issues, such as the ones listed below and more, will be withdrawn between 3-5 years:
- Climate change
- Sustainable techniques
- Computer science
- How to use software or programs
Teaching & Learning
This collection is growing through yearly acquisitions. Selections should normally be published within the past two years. Print (cloth) is preferred for purchase. Topics include:
- First-year college experience
- First-two-years liberal arts education
- Pre-med and pre-law undergraduates
- Instructing students from China and other Asian countries
- Flipped classrooms and other interactive pedagogy techniques
- New methods of teaching basic writing
- Information literacy instruction
- Social justice-oriented instruction
- Sustainable campus initiatives
Retention: These materials are kept through relevancy. Texts on topics such as sustainability or using something timely in the classroom, such as an app, will have a shorter lifetime of approximately 4 years. Texts on topics such as pedagogical theory may be retained indefinitely (depending on circulation and critical importance) and may possibly be replaced in the event of lost, missing, or damaged status.
Fiction & Poetry
This collection is growing ad hoc. Fiction that falls outside of the NYT best sellers can be purchased to develop our literary collection. Selections should be published in the past two years, excepting better version of classic or high-demand texts (such as a new annotated Faulkner edition). These texts can be purchased in print (cloth). The following is a guideline on selection:
- Single-author collections preferred, anthologies discouraged (the materials are less findable in anthologies)
- Southern authors, old and new, encouraged
- Authors of color encouraged
Reference
This collection is not growing. Most basic reference questions can be answered using our database subscriptions, so no purchases will be made, excepting important citation guides or requested encyclopedias. Electronic versions are preferred.
Serials
This collection is not growing in print, and e-journals provides a wide variety of electronic serials. Upon request from faculty, new magazines, journals, or newspapers may be purchased in electronic or print format.
Reserves
This collection grows twice a year in accordance with required texts in every course at Oxford. The priorities with reserve are the speed of acquisition, so print and cloth are acceptable, depending on the quickest delivery. Generally, one copy of a book should be purchased per 15 students enrolled. Any materials may be purchased, including those outside of the scope of our collection otherwise, such as anthologies and textbooks.
Retention: These texts are retained until a new version of them is released (such as a textbook that is frequently updated). After reserves, they are transferred to the stacks for keeping, as they may be taught again. They can be weeded within other retention policies, especially secondary copies, if they have not been taught within 6 years of original reserve purchase.
Best Sellers
This collection is growing on a constant basis with the trends of the New York Times ratings. Selections will only reflect the current year. New and old authors should be acquired within various genres, including:
- Novels
- Memoirs
- Lifestyle
- Mystery
- YA that bleeds into adult fiction
- Biographies or histories of popular topics
These texts can be purchased as Overdrive copies or print (paper or cloth) copies.
Retention: These texts are reviewed on an individual basis. Literature that follows formulaic narratives are most likely weeded from the collection after 3-5 months in the NYT collection. Texts that are both popular and critically acclaimed may be retained (such as a biography of an important figure that saw commercial success on NYT ). The retained texts will be moved to the stacks, and are unlikely to be replaced in the event of lost, missing, or damaged status.
Graphic Novels
This collection is growing through yearly acquisitions. Selection publication dates can vary. Because this collection is unique to Oxford and already strong, we can continue to invest in it. The following specifications should be considered when choosing graphic novels for the collection:
- Preference for cloth-bound over paper
- Preference for memoirs, adaptations of classics, and other non-superhero topics
- These can be acquired from indie press and big press
- Female and minority authors
- Supports readings assigned in a class
Retention: These materials are kept indefinitely and may possibly be replaced in the event of lost, missing, or damaged status.
Emory Authors
This collection is growing with each new faculty member or each new existing faculty publication. When the Oxford faculty has released a new publication, two cloth (when available) copies will be purchased so that one can be signed and archived in Special Collections and one can circulate in the Emory Authors stacks area.
Retention: These materials are kept indefinitely and may possibly be replaced in the event of lost, missing, or damaged status.
Films
Currently we have access through Kanopy Streaming (our main supplier), Alexander Street Press, Ambrose Video (Shakespeare BBC) and Docuseek2.
Kanopy Streaming includes (but is not limited to) California Newsreel, PBS, BBC, Anthropology Subject Collections, Criterion, California Newsreel, Kino, and the Media Education Foundation. You may peruse the menu of available titles through the links above or search for specific titles through Library Search by searching the title and the word Kanopy (ex. "[movie title] AND Kanopy"). You will be asked to provide your Emory ID and Password for access.
Overdrive
Emory's OverDrive collection was designed to provide leisure ebook and audiobook content to all Emory library users. The Oxford College library initiated Emory's account with OverDrive, but responsibility for developing content is now shared between the Woodruff library and the Oxford library. The Business library is responsible for purchasing their own audio content. Fiction and non-fiction titles are selected based on bestseller lists, Kirkus Reviews, NPR Book reviews, and patron suggestion.
Physical Collection Areas
Emory Authors are adorned with "EA" stickers and are in our Nook area.
Teaching & Learning are adorned with "Teaching & Learning" stickers and are in our Nook area.
Graphic Novels are adorned with "Pow!" stickers and are in our Nook area.
Newly acquired books are adorned with "New" stickers and are in our Nook area.
New York Times bestersllers are adorned with "New" and "NYT" stickers and are in our Nook area.
Oversize books feature "OVER" on their spine label and are on the 2nd floor of the library, on the back of the compact shelves.
Special Collections books are in our locked compact shelves and can be accessed by request.