Physical Sciences
The Physical Sciences division supports the curriculum of the Physics Department, which offer undergraduate degrees in physics. A few lower-division courses are offered in astronomy.
Monographs. The collection holds 3035 monographs, which is equivalent to a 2a, and is 98% of the number from the modified ACRL standard (3091). Most of the categories have a median age of more than 20 years old.
Acquisitions. The 1997/1998 monographs allocation for the Physics Department is $1384. Taking a proportional share of librarians' budgets, plus the reference allocation, yields a weighted total of $1677. This is sufficient to buy approximately 21 books at a discounted average price of $80.47 apiece. This amounts to about 1% of the total domestic publishing output for physics, for an AC rating of 2a. Acquiring 10% of the publishing output per year would require a monographs allocation of $12,714.
Periodicals. The Library does not have access to any periodical indexes dedicated primarily to physics. The Wilson Index, as well as some other general databases, provides some coverage to physics, astronomy, and science in general. Of 59 Wilson-indexed journals in this division, the Library subscribes to 19 (32%=2b), with 8 more titles available once web access is considered (46% total=2b).
Sources consulted: BCL3, ISST, STIS
Prepared by Dave Hart and Paul G. Streby, in consultation with Prof. Mary Cox.
Ratings for Physical SciencesCL=Current collection level; AC=Acquisitions commitment; GL=Goal level | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LC class | Line no. | Category | CL | AC | GL | Comments |
| CE | PHY 000.3 | Chronology | 2a |  |
3a | 6 titles |
| Q | PHY 000.5 | Science (General) | 3b | |
3b | 1000 titles; periodicals=3a |
| QA 801 - 939 | PHY 005 | Analytical Mechanics | 3b | |
3b | 87 titles |
| QB | PHY 050 | Astronomy | 3b | |
3a | 475 titles |
| QC 1 - 75 | PHY 078 | Physics (General) | 3b | |
3b | 395 titles; periodicals=2a |
| QC 81 - 119 | PHY 083 | Weights & Measures | 2a | |
3b | 12 titles |
| QC 120 - 168 | PHY 084 | Experimental Mechanics | 2a | |
3b | 35 titles |
| QC 170 - 220 | PHY 086.5 | Constitution & Properties of Matter | 3b | |
3b | 382 titles; median publication date in 1960s |
| QC 221 - 246 | PHY 094 | Acoustics (Sound) | 2b | |
3a | 20 titles |
| QC 251 - 338 | PHY 095 | Heat | 3a | |
3b | 80 titles; median publication date in 1960s |
| QC 350 - 496 | PHY 099 | Optics, Light, Radiation | 3b | |
3b | 190 titles; median publication date in 1960s |
| QC 501 - 798 | PHY 105.5 | Electricity, Magnetism, Nuclear Physics | 3b | |
3b | 362 titles; median publication date in 1960s |
| QC 811 - 849 | PHY 113 | Geomagnetism | 0 | |
1b | No titles |
| DIVISION AS A WHOLE | 2b | 2a | 3b | | ||
0 -- Out of scope
1 -- Minimal level
1a ---- Minimal level, uneven coverage
1b ---- Minimal level, even coverage
2 -- Basic information level
2a ---- Basic information level, Introductory
2b ---- Basic information level, Advanced (Appropriate
for community college students)
3 -- Study or instructional support level
3a ---- Basic study or instructional support level
(Adequate to support lower division undergraduate courses)
3b ---- Intermediate study or instructional support
level (Adequate to support upper division undergraduate courses; not
adequate for master's degree programs)
3c ---- Advanced study or instructional support level
(Adequate to support master's degree programs)
4 -- Research level (Adequate to support doctoral research)
5 -- Comprehensive level
| Division reports: | ||
