Education

General Purpose of the Collection

The Education collection is designed to support the curriculum and research needs of students and faculty in the Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. The great majority of education collections at Boston University are available digitally, and we welcome all suggestions for new print or electronic resources. The Education materials available in physical format at Boston University reside primarily at the Pickering Educational Resources Library, located in 2 Silber Way. Subject coverage is broad-based: it includes the social, political, physical, and psychological conditions that affect teaching and learning; equity, diversity and inclusion in education; related theories of human development; and specific branches of practice such as science education. 

Digitally available research on evidence-based practices, relevant to all levels of education, forms the core of our Education collections. The Pickering Library features current scholarly books on educational research and practice, reference books in specialty areas, educational assessments and scales, literature for children and young adults, and materials on sustainability. Also forming a significant part of the collection are: workbooks for pre-service and practicing teachers of subject areas; realia such as puppets, wooden blocks, and math manipulatives; documentary and teacher training DVDs; elementary and secondary textbooks; and a selection of other curricula. Students and researchers in many areas of the University use education materials, including those in psychology, social work, health sciences, and linguistics.

Wheelock offers advanced degree and certificate programs in many concentrations, and its faculty are experts in their fields. Among the Centers, Labs and Institutes affiliated with the college are the Wheelock Educational Policy Center, the Center for the Study of Communication and the Deaf, the Institute for Early Childhood Well-Being, the Earl Center for Learning and Innovation, the Social Learning Laboratory, the Center on the Ecology of Early Development, and many more. Outreach initiatives and community programs include College Access & Student Success, the Boston University Consortium of local school districts, and more. The college also publishes the Journal of Education, which is peer-reviewed and the oldest education journal in the United States.

Scope of Coverage

Languages collected (primary and selective) or excluded

The collection is primarily in English.

Geographical areas covered by the collections in terms of intellectual content, publication sources, or both, and specific areas excluded, as appropriate

The majority of material relates to educational research and practice in the U.S. and, secondarily, in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.Significant research and documented educational practices from other geographical areas are collected on a more selective basis. Trade and university presses in the U.S. and the U.K. constitute the major resource for publications; research materials from other countries are collected on a more selective basis.

Chronological periods covered by the collection in terms of intellectual content, movements or schools, and specific periods excluded, as appropriate

Emphasis is on educational theory and practice, including both contemporary and historical materials.

Chronological periods collected in terms of publication dates, and specific periods excluded, as appropriate

Recent publications which examine current developments, research findings and treatments of traditional educational theories and practice, including seminal works, are selected for representation and balance of the collection. Retrospective purchases for the reference and circulation collections, including historical treatments and primary sources, are made based on their merit and relevance to our curriculum.

The subject scope of this collection is primarily determined by the Library of Congress call number range L-LT (Education), particularly LB (Theory and Practice of Education) and LC (Specific Aspects of Education). A collection of older volumes on education are housed in Mugar, but the Pickering Library collections are the most up-to-date, and include resources intended to support the pedagogical methodology of teachers at all levels of schooling.

General Subject Boundaries and Library Locations

Collected:

• L : Education (General)
• LA : History of Education
• LB : Theory and Practice of Education
• LC : Special Aspects of Education

Collected Selectively:

• GV 1-1198 : Recreation and Leisure
  (especially in Human Movement, Physical Education and Training, and Coaching)
• P 40.8 : Philology. Linguistics. Relation to Education
• P 49-59.4 : Philology. Linguistics. Study and Teaching
• PZ 5-90 : Juvenile Belles Lettres
• Z 5811-5819 : Education Bibliography

Collected Very Selectively:

• LD : Individual Institutions: United States
• LE : Individual Institutions: America (except United States)
• LF : Individual Institutions: Europe
• LG : Individual Institutions: Asia, Africa, Oceania
• LH : College and School Magazines and Papers
• LJ : Student Fraternities and Societies, United States
• LT : Textbooks
• PE : English Philology and Language. Study and Teaching

The field of Education is related to a number of other subject areas:

Related subjects and Interdisciplinary Relationships

African Studies

The African Studies Selector collects materials on education in Africa.

Anthropology

There is consultation with the Anthropology Selector about works pertaining to the history of Native American education.

Art

The Art Selector is primarily responsible for materials on art education, but the selector for Education chooses materials appropriate for Pre-K through grade 12.

Biology

The selectors for Education and Biology may consult about materials in science education.

Computer Science

The Education Selector may consult with the selector for Computer Science about materials on computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and on the study and teaching of computing.

English

The selectors for English and Education may consult about materials on the study and teaching of English.

Government Documents

The Education Selector may consult with the Government Documents Selector about statistical sources in education and about educational policy materials.

Health Sciences

The Education and Health Sciences selectors consult about materials on health education programs, AIDS education in schools, students as AIDS victims, drug education in the schools, education regarding environmental effects on health, education of the physically disabled, and learning disabilities. Health Sciences selectively acquires materials on recreation for the handicapped and aged.

Linguistics

The Linguistics Selector is primarily responsible for materials on applied linguistics. There is consultation about materials on language acquisition.

Mathematics

There may be consultation with the selector for Mathematics about materials on the study and teaching of mathematics.

Modern Languages

The Education Selector may consult with the Modern Languages Selector about material on modern foreign language education.

Music

The Music Selector is primarily responsible for materials in music education, but the Education Selector chooses materials appropriate for Pre-K through grade 12.

Philosophy

The Education Selector is primarily responsible for materials on the philosophy of education, but may occasionally consult with the Philosophy Selector.

Psychology

The Education Selector is primarily responsible for materials on educational psychology, but may consult about materials on counseling and on testing.

Social Work

There is some overlap due to joint programs in Policy, Planning, and Administration/Social Work and Special Education/Social Work.

Sociology and History

The Education Selector is primarily responsible for materials in the history of education. She may, however, consult with the selectors for sociology or history on certain topics, e.g., desegregation, if the treatment of the material under review is more sociological or historical. There is also some overlap with the Sociology Selector about leisure studies materials.

Types of Materials

Collected

Books, periodicals, and reference materials, which include encyclopedias and handbooks, annuals, subject bibliographies, dictionaries, indexes and abstracts; audio-visual and electronic materials related to Pre-K through doctorate teaching and learning.

Collected Selectively

Microforms, conference proceedings, government documents, multi-media publications, and electronic resources. For Pickering the librarians collect books, periodicals, curriculum guides, workbooks, Pre-K through grade 12 textbooks, videos and CDs, tests and scales, literature for children and young adults, and web-based electronic resources.

Not Collected

Rare books, manuscripts and films.

Other On-Campus or Local Resources

The Instructional Materials Center in 2 Silber Way offers materials for the evaluation of educational software as well as the production and/or integration of interactive electronic materials and audio-visual materials with instruction.

Krasker Film/Video Services provides instructional media support to University classes. Faculty can find holdings in BU Libraries Search and reserve titles from the Krasker collection for classroom use. Krasker also has an onsite previewing room at Mugar Memorial Library, basement level 771 Commonwealth Avenue, equipped to screen all formats in the Krasker collection, including 16mm, VHS, Laser Disc, DVD, and Blu-ray. Resources on Educational Guidance and Counseling, the Philosophy of Education, Special Education, and Teacher Training/Teaching Skills are available.