Subject Area: History
The History collection at the Robert W. Woodruff Library supports the curricula of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) schools. Morehouse College (MC), Clark Atlanta University (CAU), and Spelman College (SC) award Bachelor of Arts degrees with an option to major in History. History majors at CAU, SC, and MC acquire skills for graduate study, law school, as well as careers in library and museum work, politics, teaching, journalism, government service, the ministry, and business.
Areas of concentration within History for majors are: Africa; African American; United States; Asia; the Caribbean; Europe; Latin America; and World. History majors at SC are equipped to define, explore, and explain major historical problems; develop research skills required to investigate historical problems; employ critical methods to analyze historical problems; develop and defend independent theses; etc.
MC puts great emphasis on character development by teaching “courses such as Great Men and Women of American and Modern American Social and Intellectual History, while the History of the United States, African American History, History of the Ancient World, and Topics in World History provide students a broad background upon which to build knowledge from other disciplines.”
In addition to its B.A. programs, CAU prepares students to the award of Master of Arts and Doctor of Arts (in the Humanities with a concentration in History) degrees. The areas of concentration for the Masters and Doctorate degrees are United States History; African History; African American History; or European History.
Languages
Library resources written in English are collected, both original works and those in translation. International students who need resources in other languages have access to the resources of other libraries through interlibrary loan services or interlibrary-use cards.
Chronological Coverage
Based on the curricula, the coverage of the History collection is very broad. Therefore, all time periods are collected. For example, the Survey of African Civilization covers ancient to present time periods; the History of the United States covers colonial times to the present, while the History of Early Modern Europe surveys European history from 1500 to 1815.
Geographical Coverage
Geographical coverage is focused on the United States and other parts of the world though greatest emphasis is placed on the United States.
Scope
The collection attempts to cover all aspects of the History curricula in AUC schools. However, resources on the United States and those relating to the black experience tend to dominate the collection. The History librarian works collaboratively with other subject librarians to acquire titles in areas such as African American Studies, Africana Women’s Studies, Business, Art, Literature, Theology, etc.
Types of materials collected include monographs, encyclopedias, dictionaries, biographies, bibliographies, monographic serials, almanacs, serials, and audiovisual materials. Resources that are accessible online are preferred.
Online databases such as African American Newspapers: 1827-1998; America: History & Life; Historical Abstracts; and JSTOR are popular among History students and faculty members.
The collection is noted for its strength in the African American Library of Congress subclass. Primary source materials are available and accessible in the main collection and in the Archives Research Center of the Library. History students and faculty members also use the resources in the Philosophy, Theology, Literature, African Studies, and Women’s Studies collections.
RWWL does not buy course textbooks – print, electronic, or teacher’s editions. However, the subject librarian will work with teaching faculty and students to identify resources that meet the needs of their classes.
The Library acquires monographic works authored by the AUC History faculties preferably through donation. This includes works in all media normally collected by the Library.
