University of Michigan - Flint

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 Sciences CL=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