Collection Development Policies:

Theatre

Introduction: WSU’s Department of Theatre and Dance will no longer be in existence after the 2012/2013 academic year. In the interim the Libraries will continue to support the collection needs of student coursework and research at the bachelor's level. This collection development policy may be revised when the department is closed, however there will continue to be a need to support a theatre and dance collection due to the artistic and interdisciplinary nature of theatre; in addition the undergraduate student theatre organization STAGE will continue to put on theatrical productions on the WSU campus.

The theatre program offers a bachelor of arts and a minor in theatre arts and drama, providing opportunities for study through studio work in the performing arts, courses in appreciation, history and criticism, technical and theoretical training, and teacher preparation. Students, professionals and critics of the performing disciplines are unusual in their need for information resources beyond traditional textual materials, including musical scores, sound recordings and video formats. The collections in theatre support student coursework and research at the bachelor's level.

Purpose: To support teaching and research in theatre and to provide material on applied aspects of play production at the Bachelor's level in drama education, drama production, theatrical design, and theatre history and criticism, and to support faculty research. Interdisciplinary programs such as American Studies are also supported by the theatre collection, as are General Education Requirements courses such as World Civilizations and English Composition.

This policy covers technical stagecraft, history and criticism of theatre. Texts of English-language plays are discussed in the English and American Literature statement. Texts of foreign-language plays, both in the original and in English translation, are discussed in the statements for those languages. Production techniques for radio, television, and film are covered by the statement for Communication.

General Collection Guidelines:

  1. Languages: English is the primary language, but works in other languages, such as French, German, Classical Greek, Italian, Spanish and Russian, are acquired on a limited basis, especially for critical, historical, and theoretical treatments. Where essentially visual presentations are concerned, as in collections of stage set designs, pictures of costumes, etc., language is of lesser importance.
  2. Chronological Guidelines: Historical studies of drama and stagecraft are acquired regardless of chronological period, beginning with ancient theatre and continuing to the present time.
  3. Geographical Guidelines: American and European theatre are areas of special interest. Works concerned with dramatic traditions of other areas are more selectively purchased.
  4. Treatment of the Subject: Except where such treatments might be of value in drama education, juvenile materials are excluded. Biographies of actors, producers, playwrights, dancers, etc., are acquired; they may be scholarly or popular in treatment. Textbooks beyond the elementary level are often desirable, especially in applied areas such as costuming, lighting, etc. Histories, criticisms, and techniques of the dramatic arts are widely acquired. Published materials dealing with particular companies or theatres are collected as are histories of a more general type.
  5. Types of Material: In addition to monographic and periodical literature, these types are acquired: dictionaries, directories, selected dissertations, encyclopedias, library catalogs, article databases, media, proceedings of societies, etc. Scenarios and prompt-books are excluded except when of historical interest or when no more suitable version is available. Resources may be in print or electronic formats.
  6. Date of Publication: Current material is most heavily acquired, particularly in applied areas, but retrospective titles, especially as they show historical development, are occasionally purchased.
    7. The Libraries' membership in the Orbis-Cascade Alliance allows WSU students, faculty and staff to borrow books from over 35 other academic libraries in Washington and Oregon through the Summit online catalog; the broader WorldCat system allows easy discovery and interlibrary loan of items not available through WSU or Summit.

Observations and Qualifications by Subject with Collection Level:

Drama History and Criticism: C(2) Primary emphasis on American, British, other Western European, and Russian drama, Classical Greek and Roman theatre, Elizabethan theatre, German baroque and modern period, Twentieth Century American drama. Close secondary emphasis on discussions of dramatic expression in non-western cultures.

Technical Theatre, Production and Management:

Costume Design: C(2) Current manuals of the "how to" variety. For history of dress include materials without limitations as to chronology, date, or geography. Lighting, Scenery, Set Design: C(2) Current manuals. Illustrated historical treatments. Halls of Theatrical Performances: C(2) Emphasis on history and design theory. Specifically architectural considerations are considered in Architecture. Acting: C(2) TTheory, principles, techniques and traditions of the craft. English language preferred, in original or as translation. Directing: C(2) Theory, principles, techniques and traditions of the craft. English language preferred, in original or as translation. Playwriting: C(2) Theory, principles, techniques and traditions of the craft. Theatre Management: C(2) Includes programming, advertising, financial aspects. Primarily English language, American practices. Drama Therapy, Educational Theatre: D Materials in these areas are often in psychology and education. Specific items are purchased specifically to support teaching and research in theatre per faculty request and/or at the discretion of the selector. Lorena O’English
Spring 2011