1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the Biological Sciences collection is to support the Department of Biological Sciences’ academic and research needs. Potential audience includes other departments offering courses or engaging in research related to biological sciences.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No limitations are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection. Foreign language titles will be considered only upon request if (i) they are indispensable towards teaching or research, and (ii) no similar titles are available in English.

• Format: Both print and electronic formats are acquired, though the latter is preferred. Publication types primarily include books and journals; others will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Where several book cover options are available, a cost-friendlier paperback version will be purchased.

• Time Period: Emphasis is placed on titles published in the past five years. Latest editions are preferred.

3. Subject Scope

Focus is given to the following classification numbers in Library of Congress Classification System:

Due to their relevance to the Biological Sciences curriculum, materials with these medical-related classification numbers are considered selectively:

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the Chemistry collection is to support the Department of Chemistry’s academic and research needs. Potential audience includes other departments offering courses or engaging in research related to Chemistry.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No limitations are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection. Foreign language titles will be considered only upon request if (i) they are indispensable towards teaching or research, and (ii) no similar titles are available in English.

• Format: Both print and electronic formats are acquired, though the latter is preferred. Publication types primarily include books and journals; others will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

• Time Period: Emphasis is placed on titles published in the past five years. Latest editions are preferred.

3. Subject Scope

Focus is given to the following classification numbers in Library of Congress Classification System:

The following classification numbers may be considered when necessary:

1. Purpose of the Collection

The Chinese Studies Collection supports educational and research needs in the Department of Chinese Studies. It also extends to related areas like history, philosophy, sociology, and Southeast Asian studies.  The collection is designed to provide access to multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary resources  and high-quality materials that support teaching and research.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: Priority is given to materials from China, but also focus on Singapore, Malaysia, and Southeast Asia.

• Languages: Most materials are in Chinese, but some are bilingual or translated into English.

• Format: Print and electronic formats should be acquired for content focused on Southeast Asia, Singapore and Malaysia. For all other titles, the preference is electronic format, unless unavailable. DVDs and multimedia CDs are acquired on demand, provided they are essential for the courses conducted by the Department of Chinese Studies.

• Time Period: Primarily recent publications from the past five years, including reprints of early Chinese works, will be acquired. Retrospective acquisitions are made if the materials fall within the Chinese Studies collection scope or are required to replace important books or journals which have deteriorated or gone missing. Specific earlier publications, especially with historical and cultural significance, as well as heritage value to Singapore and Malaysia, will be procured for teaching, research, and preservation purposes.

3. Subject Scope

The Library of Congress Classification subject areas as follows:

1. Purpose of the Collection

This collection aims to provide the Department of Communications & New Media with resources necessary for their learning, teaching, and research needs.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: The collection aims for broad international coverage to reflect the global nature of communication and media studies. At the same time, special emphasis is placed on Singapore, Southeast Asia, and the wider Asia-Pacific region, as scholarship and case studies from these areas support local research relevance.

• Languages: English is the primary language of acquisition, reflecting the language of instruction and research at NUS. Non-English materials may be included when they contribute significant insights.

• Format: The collection includes a range of formats to meet user needs, including print books, e-books, scholarly journals and electronic databases. Digital formats are preferred where available.

• Time Period: The collection prioritises current publications, typically within the last five to seven years. However, historical or seminal works remain essential and are retained or acquired as necessary. Older materials may also be included if they provide historical value or continue to be cited widely in scholarly literature.

3. Subject Scope

Focus is given to the following classification numbers in Library of Congress Classification System:

1. Purpose of the Collection

The Dentistry Collection aims to support teaching, learning and research activities pertaining to the Faculty of Dentistry and other departments offering dentistry-related courses.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No restrictions are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection. 

• Format: Materials are collected chiefly in print or digital format. Digital format is preferred. Streaming licences and DVDs are acquired on demand provided they are essential to the teaching of courses conducted by the Faculty.

• Time Period: Publications in the most recent 10 years should be prioritised. However, topics such as Law, Legal and Ethical Issues in Dentistry should not have any time limit, and it can be found under Law collection.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The Economics Collection aims to support the learning and research endeavours in the Department of Economics, College of Humanities and Sciences, and other departments offering economics-related courses.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No limitations are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage. However, a larger emphasis is placed on contemporary publications and publications related to Singapore, Asia Pacific and Southeast Asia.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection. Foreign language titles will be considered only upon request if they are indispensable towards teaching or research, and no similar titles are available in English. 

• Format: Electronic formats, cost friendlier options, and items prioritised in the economics community are preferred e.g. top journals and go-to references. Statistical sources may be obtained from national statistical agencies, publications from research institutions, online resources or subscribed resources, of which the major ones include.

• Time Period: Recent publications in the past 5 years (latest editions) are prioritised unless the subject area of concern warrants the selection of older publications. Older publications (even out-of-print titles) are selected to fill specific needs (e.g. course requirements and emerging research areas).

3. Subject Scope

The Economics collection is aligned to the Economics Department’s teaching and research activities and are based on the Course Listings and Research pages on the Department/Programme website(s). The following classification numbers in Library of Congress Classification System (LOCCS) outlines the broad spectrum of economic subject areas of the collection:

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the Environmental Studies collection is to support the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) Programme Office’s academic and research needs. Potential audience includes other departments offering courses or engaging in research related to Environmental Studies.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No limitations are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage, though priority is given to titles with focus on Asia.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection. Foreign language titles will be considered only upon request if (i) they are indispensable towards teaching or research, and (ii) no similar titles are available in English.

• Format: Both print and electronic formats are acquired, though the latter is preferred. Publication types primarily include books and journals; others will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Where several book cover options are available, a cost-friendlier paperback version is purchased.

• Time Period: Emphasis is placed on titles published in the past five years. Latest editions are preferred.

3. Subject Scope

Focus is given to the following classification numbers in Library of Congress Classification System:

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the collection is to build an exhaustive collection in both depth and breadth to support the teaching, learning, research, and reference needs of students and faculty of the Department of Food Science & Technology.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No limitations are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection unless advised by Faculty/researcher which it would be required for teaching and/or research.

• Format: Electronic publications are generally preferred over print as access is more readily available regardless of the location and number of copies held.

• Time Period: Publications of the most recent years (latest editions) are prioritised/generally preferred.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The purpose of the collection is to support the teaching, learning and research activities pertaining to the Department of Geography and other departments offering geography-related courses.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: Priority is given first to materials on Singapore, followed by Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia, and lastly, the rest of the world.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection.

• Format: The formats to learn and research on Geography include both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources may include raw data, field notes, original research and so on. Secondary sources may include books, journals and magazine articles, atlases and analysis of data.

• Time Period: Publications of the most recent 10 years are prioritised. For resources on climate change and environmental sustainability, there should not be any time limit and the collection should be updated with the latest editions.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The aim of the collection is to support teaching, learning and research activities pertaining to the Department of History at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Humanities and Sciences, and other departments offering history-related courses and facilitating research on histories

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: Priority is given to materials from Singapore and Malaysia, followed by Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Asia, and the Middle East. Materials from other parts of the world are also considered.

• Languages: The collection covers materials mainly in English, Chinese, Malay, and Japanese. Works in other languages can be requested, if they are relevant to course readings and research, on a case-by-case basis.

• Format: Serials and monographs are collected chiefly in print or digital format. Streaming licences, DVDs and multi-media CDs are acquired on demand provided they are essential to the teaching of courses conducted by the Faculty (i.e. General Selection Criteria (a) or (b)). Due to budget constraints, books in paperback are generally preferred to those in hardback (except heavily-used materials, e.g. books designated for the RBR collection).

• Time Period: There is no time limit for materials covering Singapore, Malaysia, Southeast East Asia, South Asia, and East Asia. Only Contemporary and Modern period materials will be collected for those that pertain to the rest of the world.

3. Subject Scope

The History collection is aligned with the Faculty’s teaching and research activities, and is based on the Course Listings and Research pages on its website. Some of these include but is not limited to business history, military history, overseas Chinese, topics encompassing the Nusantara, Cold War in Asia, South Asia history, empire history, East Asia history, environmental history, and modern European history.

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the Japanese Studies collection is to address both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary educational and research needs for the Department of Japanese Studies, and Japanese language studies modules at the Centre for Language Studies.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: Confined to Japan in principle.

• Languages: Restricted to materials exclusively in the Japanese language.

• Format: All formats are acquired, with a primary focus on printed books and journals.

• Time Period: No limitations, but with emphasis on the current imprint.

3. Subject Scope

• No limitations, with a strong emphasis on the modern period (1868 to the present).

• Japanese linguistics, business studies, sociology, anthropology, history, literature, religion, politics, and international relations.

• Materials on Singapore, Chinese overseas, Southeast Asian Studies, and Chinese religions are also acquired.

Covers a broad spectrum within the Library of Congress Classification System, with a primary focus on the following classification numbers:

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the Law Library is to build an exhaustive collection in both depth and breadth in order to:

• support the curriculum and research needs of the NUS Faculty of Law. This responsibility includes providing material for current teaching and research, as well as anticipating future needs, taking into account the introduction and development of new teaching programmes and areas of research interest
• enable the Faculty to maintain its title of “Asia’s Global Law School” and ranking as one of the world’s top law schools
• attract eminent visiting scholars and new academics to the Faculty

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: With respect to domestic jurisdictions on specific areas of law, emphasis is placed on common law jurisdictions, both within the region and further afield, and on Asian civil law jurisdictions, particularly those within the region. With respect to interjurisdictional subjects, collections on public international law, comparative law, and European Union law are acquired. All Singapore primary and secondary legal materials are collected, except for ephemera and overpriced services that involve duplication. Other than Singapore, the jurisdictions that are of primary concern to the Law Library are Australia and the United Kingdom. Coverage of materials from Canada, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the United States is slightly less prioritised. There is limited coverage of materials from other jurisdictions.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection. Sources in other languages are generally not collected, apart from Malaysian legislation in Malay and selected materials in Chinese. Books in the vernacular may be purchased if they are core readings.

• Format: Materials are collected chiefly in print or digital format. Streaming licenses and DVDs are acquired on demand, provided they are essential to the teaching of courses conducted by the Faculty.

• Time Period: Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of current and recent publications i.e. published within the last 3 years. Retrospective acquisitions are made if the materials fall within the Law Library’s collection scope, have historical value or are required to replace important books or journals which have deteriorated or gone missing.

3. Subject Scope

The Law Library collection is aligned to the Faculty of Law’s teaching and research activities, and acquisitions are based on the Course Listings and Research pages on the Faculty’s website. In addition, books on novel and emerging areas of law are acquired in order to ensure that the Law Library collection is kept up-to-date and relevant. For non-law subjects, only the monographs that are essential for the interdisciplinary courses will be selected.

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the collection is to support the teaching, learning and research activities pertaining to the NUS Business School’s Department of Marketing’s undergraduate and graduate divisions. It also supports teaching, study and research in marketing courses and marketing related research outside of NUS Business School.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: Priority is given first to marketing materials on Singapore, followed by those on Southeast Asia, Asia Pacific, and lastly, global.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection. A small selection of Chinese publications is included to support the needs of Chinese-language Executive MBA programmes.

• Format: Electronic formats, cost friendlier options, and items prioritised in the discipline are preferred e.g. high-impact marketing journals. Market Research Reports, Opinion and Consumer polling data, and case studies on marketing will be acquired from subscribed sources only. Harvard and Ivey case studies are excluded as the publishers do not allow purchases of case studies by libraries. Case studies from the Case Studies Centre are excluded. Market research reports that are not from subscribed resources are excluded, due to prohibitive costs and the authoritativeness of the publisher cannot be ascertained. Databases that have already been subscribed by the Business School’s Financial Database are also excluded.

• Time Period: Aside from a small collection of classic marketing titles, publications in the past 5 years should be prioritised. Textbooks for marketing courses should be updated with the latest editions.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the collection is to build an exhaustive collection in both depth and breadth in order to support the teaching, learning, research, and reference needs of students and faculty of the Department.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No limitations are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage. 

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection unless advised by Faculty/researcher for teaching and/or research.

• Format: Electronic publications are generally preferred over their print counterparts as access is more readily available regardless of the location and number of copies held. Nevertheless, format decisions are made based on content, optimal use, license agreements and costs for acquisitions.

• Time Period: Publications of the most recent years (latest editions) are prioritised/generally preferred.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the collection is to support the teaching, learning and research activities pertaining to the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and other departments offering medicine-related courses.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No limitations are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage. Selection is guided by the institution’s teaching, research, clinical partnerships and local healthcare context. 

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection.

• Format: Electronic formats are preferred for books, journals, point-of-care resources, textbooks, and other evidence-based content.

• Time Period: Publications in the most recent 10 years should be prioritised. However, topics such as Law, Legal and Ethical Issues in Medicine should not have any time limit, and it can be found under the Law collection.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the Music collection is to:

• support the teaching, learning, performing and research for the Faculty and Students of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YSTCM) to maintain and sustain academic and performing excellence.
• support the ‘Arts for All’ (AFA) Framework to enhance the student life experience at NUS. See https://cfa.nus.edu.sg/get-involved/for-students/arts-for-all-at-nus/.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: The collection includes music compositions and works by composers and authors from Singapore, Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Asia (including China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea), the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. The scope is inclusive and does not exclude materials from other regions.

• Languages: English is the primary language for books.  Music scores for operas in languages such as Italian, German and French would be purchased as these support YSTCM’s Vocal Studies curriculum.  Musical works by local composers or regional composers in Malay and Chinese language would also be obtained for the Music collection.

• Format:

For music scores:

• Print music scores are purchased even if they are available online as these are necessary for orchestral and choral performances, student examinations, faculty and student performances and music competitions.
• "Duplicate” titles are necessary as multiple copies of the same title are required for multiple performers due to copyright reasons, for example, chamber or choral music.
• "Duplicate” titles from different publishers are necessary as editorial interpretations of musical works are critical to researchers’ understanding of composers’ inspirations and aspirations so as to perform the works as intended by the composers.
• Electronic formats of music scores, if available, should also be acquired for archival purposes.

For sound recordings and video recordings:

• Sound and video recordings are procured when requested by teaching staff for courses conducted by YSTCM or interdisciplinary courses.
• Excluded are LPs or long-playing vinyl records of classical music as such music is available online and the sound quality of the music may have deteriorated due to the age of the LPs, or if there are scratches or mould on the LPs.
• Time Period:
• Contemporary 21st and 20th century music compositions and music titles  Collected works of composers for researchers.
• Retrospective acquisitions are made if the materials fall within the Music collection scope or are required to replace important books or journals which have deteriorated or reported as missing from the collection.
• Publications with historical and cultural significance, as well as having heritage value to Singapore and Malaysia, will be procured for teaching, research, and preservation purposes.

3. Subject Scope

• Music in the western art music tradition.
• Contemporary music of the 21st and 20th centuries.
• Music scores and books on Methods, Pedagogy, Teaching, Music Composition, Research and Performance.

The Library of Congress (LC) Classification System in the table below shows the classification numbers used for the broad spectrum of music:

LC Classification	Subject
Subclass M	Music
M1-3.3	Collections
M5-1480	Instrumental Music
M1495-2199 ► M1495 ► M1497-1998 ► M1999-2199	Vocal Music Collections Secular Vocal Music Sacred Vocal Music
Subclass M	Literature on Music
ML1-3930	Literature on Music
ML159-3785	History & Criticism
ML3797-3799.5	Musical Research
ML3800-3923	Philosophical & Societal Aspects of Music. Physics & Acoustics of Music. Physiological Aspects of Music
ML3928-3930	Literature for Children
Subclass MT	Instruction and Study
MT1-960	Instruction & Study
MT170-810	Instrumental Techniques
MT820-915	Singing & Vocal Technique
MT955-956	Musical Theater

1. Purpose of the Collection

This collection aims to support the teaching, learning and research activities pertaining to the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies and other departments offering medicine-related courses.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No limitations are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection.

• Format: Materials are collected chiefly in print and digital format, with the latter being preferred.

• Time Period: Publications in the recent 10 years will be prioritised. However, resources on topics such as Law, Legal and Ethical Issues in Nursing will not have any time limit. These can be found under the Law collection.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the collection is to build an exhaustive collection in both depth and breadth to support the teaching, learning, research, and reference needs of students and faculty of the Department.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: There are no restrictions on the geographical scope of the collection.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection unless advised by Faculty/researcher for teaching and/or research.

• Format: Electronic publications are generally preferred over print as access is more readily available regardless of the location and number of copies held. Nevertheless, format decisions are made based on content, optimal use, license agreements and costs for acquisitions.

• Time Period: Publications of the most recent years (latest editions) are prioritised/generally preferred.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the collection is to build an exhaustive collection in both depth and breadth in order to support the teaching, learning, research, and reference needs of students and faculty of the Department.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No limitations are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection unless advised by Faculty/researcher for teaching and/or research.

• Format: Electronic publications are generally preferred over their print counterparts as access is more readily available regardless of the location and number of copies held. Nevertheless, format decisions are made based on content, optimal use, license agreements and costs for acquisitions.

• Time Period: Publications of the most recent years (latest editions) are prioritised/generally preferred.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary aim is to enhance the Psychology collection in both depth and breadth. This would facilitate our goal to support the curriculum and research needs of psychology-related courses and programmes at NUS. This responsibility includes providing material for current teaching and research, including the introduction and development of new teaching programmes and areas of research interest.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: As this academic discipline may lead to practice-based profession, emphasis may be placed on countries that share similar practice/practical nuances, such as Australia, Asia and UK. However, global evolvement of this discipline requires faculty and researchers to also be aware of the teaching and research content, and also practices of other countries as well, namely US and Europe.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection. Sources in other languages are generally not collected, unless advised by Faculty/researcher for teaching and/or research.

• Format: Main formats would be books, journals and databases.

• Time Period: Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of current and recent publications (within 5-10 years). Where relevant, retrospective acquisitions may be considered.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

To support teaching, learning and research activities pertaining to the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: In order of priority, the following is a list of regions or countries.
  1. Singapore
  2. Malaysia
  3. Southeast Asia
  4. Asia
  5. The rest of the world

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection.

• Format: The formats to learn and research on Public Health include both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources may include original research, statistical resources, census data, disease registries, government public health databases, and hospital records. Secondary sources may include textbooks, books, theses, government agencies (The CDC, WHO, MOH) and media materials. Electronic formats are preferred, if available. 

• Time Period: Publications of the most recent 10 years will be prioritised. For resources on legal framework, ethical principal and law on public health, there should not be any time limit and the collection will be updated with the latest editions. Likewise for climate change and environmental sustainability.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the Public Policy collection is to:

• support the curriculum and research needs of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and related faculties.
• provide resources for current teaching and research, while anticipating future needs in emerging policy areas.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: The collection emphasises policy issues in Asia at national and regional levels, with selective coverage of other regions for comparative research.

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection. Works in other languages are acquired only if they are core readings or have significant research value.

• Format: Resources are collected in both print and electronic formats. 

• Time Period: Priority is given to current publications. Retrospective acquisitions are made for historical research or to replace essential works.

3. Subject Scope

The Library of Congress (LC) Classification System in the table below shows the classification numbers used for the broad spectrum of Public Policy and Law. Public policy subject headings can also be found in various other sections of LC system such as Social Sciences, Education, Science, Medicine, Technology.

LC Classification	Subject
Subclass J	General Legislative & Executive Papers
J100-981	General Legislative & Executive Papers
Subclass JA	Political Science (General)
JA1-92	Political Science (General)
Subclass JQ	Political Institutions & Public Administration (Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Area, etc.)
JQ21-1852	Asia
Subclass JS	Local Government
JS6950-7520	Asia
Subclass JV	Emigration & Immigration. International Migration
JV8490-8758	Asia
Subclass KP	Asia & Eurasia, Africa, Pacific Area, and Antarctica
KPP1-499	Singapore
Subclass K	Law in General. Comparative & Uniform Law. Jurisprudence
K201-487	Jurisprudence. Philosophy & Theory of Law
K(520)-5582	Comparative Law. International Uniform Law
K486-487	Relation of Law to Other Topics
K1700-1973	Social Legislation
K3150	Public Law
K3154-3370	Constitutional Law
K3400-3431	Administrative Law
K3566-3578	Public Health
K3581-(3598)	Environmental Law
K3601-3611	Medical Legislation
	e.t.c. e.t.c.
Subclass KZ	Law of Nations
KZ2-6795	Law of Nations

1. Purpose of the Collection

The collection’s primary purpose is to support teaching and research in Singapore Studies, in alignment with the research interests of the Singapore Studies Programmes. Materials collected pertaining to Singapore is part of the broader Singapore/Malaysia Collection within NUS Libraries.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: The collection focuses on materials related to Singapore, including historical resources on Colonial Malaya and the Straits Settlements, as well as their connections to Southeast Asia and other regions.

• Languages: Materials collected are primarily in English, Malay, Chinese and selectively in other language depending on the uniqueness of the publication.

• Format:
  • Academic books and e-books
  • Databases (scholarly journals and articles)
  • Primary sources (e.g., historical newspapers, archives related to colonial administration of Singapore, oral histories, current publications of Singapore institutions)
  • Streaming media
  • Private papers from local personalities (correspondences)
  • Dissertations, working papers, and conference papers
  • Research data, datasets, and case studies
  • Digital materials and online resources
  • Maps

• Time Period: The collection spans materials from the 18th century to the present, with greater emphasis on contemporary publications that also cover Singapore’s early history.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal is to build the Social Work collection in both depth and breadth, to support the curriculum and research needs of Social Work-related courses and programmes at NUS. This responsibility includes primarily providing material for current teaching and research, considering the introduction and development of new teaching programmes and areas of research interest.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: As this academic discipline leads to a practice-based profession, emphasis will be placed on countries that share similar practice/practical nuances, such as Australia, Asia and UK. However, global evolvement of this discipline requires faculty and researchers to also be aware of the teaching and research content, and also practices of other countries as well, namely US and Europe. 

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection. Sources in other languages are generally not collected, unless advised by faculty/researcher that it would be required for teaching and/or research.

• Format: Main format would be books, journals and databases.

• Time Period: Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of current and recent publications i.e. published, in the last 5-10 years, especially post-pandemic. Where relevant, retrospective acquisitions may be considered.

3. Subject Scope

1. Purpose of the Collection

The SEAS Collection is developed to support undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, learning, and advanced research relating to Southeast Asia. It provides resources on histories, societies, cultures, and contemporary issues of the region’s individual countries as well as cross-regional dynamics. The collection serves the needs of SEAS students and faculty, as well as scholars from related disciplines such as sociology, political science, literature, history, economics, geography, religious studies, and Asian studies. It also supports users with interests in area studies, heritage, ethnography, linguistics, and regional development.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: The collection focuses on the eleven countries traditionally included in Southeast Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. It also includes works on transnational Southeast Asian diasporas, the broader Malay world, and comparative studies involving Southeast Asia’s interactions with South Asia, East Asia, and the wider global community. 

• Languages: Southeast Asian Studies necessarily encompasses a multilingual collection. Materials are collected primarily in English as well as relevant regional languages, if it supports teaching and learning. English translations are acquired when available, especially for literary or archival works.

• Format: The collection includes monographs (print and electronic), scholarly journals, edited volumes, conference proceedings, databases, government publications, maps, archival materials, and selected audiovisual content. Digital formats are preferred when they improve access to rare or geographically dispersed materials, such as colonial records, manuscripts, ethnographic films, and regional newspapers.

• Time Period: While historical materials are essential for the study of Southeast Asia, the collection maintains a strong emphasis on current scholarship that reflects contemporary debates and developments. Primary sources, classical texts, and older works are included for their continued research value. For secondary sources, recent publications (within the last five to ten years) are preferred when covering fast-changing political, social, and cultural issues.

3. Subject Scope

The scope of Southeast Asian Studies encompasses a wide range of disciplinary perspectives focused on the region. Key areas include anthropology, ethnography, and cultural studies; history and historiography; religion and belief systems; literature and performing arts; political systems and governance; regional economies; environmental studies and geography; gender and sexuality; migration and diaspora studies; heritage and material culture; and colonial and postcolonial studies. The collection also supports the study of regional languages and the broader cultural and linguistic networks that shape the Malay world and mainland Southeast Asia.

1. Purpose of the Collection

The primary goal of the collection is to build an exhaustive collection in both depth and breadth in order to support the teaching, learning, research, and reference needs of students and faculty of the Department.

2. Collections Development Guidelines

• Geographical Coverage: No limitations are imposed on the collection’s geographical coverage. 

• Languages: English is the primary language of the collection unless advised by Faculty/researcher for teaching and/or research.

• Format: Electronic publications are generally preferred over their print counterparts as access is more readily available regardless of the location and number of copies held. Nevertheless, format decisions are made based on content, optimal use, license agreements and costs for acquisitions.

• Time Period: Publications of the most recent years (latest editions) are prioritised/generally preferred.

3. Subject Scope