Ground Rules for the Study and Teaching of Subject Literatures

Abstract

Published studies concerning the characteristics of subject literatures reveal that there is no eommon basis for determining what constitutes the literature of a subject. Although con siderable knowledge exists on the bibliometric and documentation characteristics of many subjects, library schools continue to teach essentially basic reference sources in large groesps of subject areas. Four criteria for determining the scope of subject literatures are stiggested and a Curriculum for the Literature of Geography is proposed as example of how education for librarianship must reflect both established and controversial knowledge.