Shopping Suggestions: Essential Items on Princeton's Buy List
The Princeton University Library system is more than just a collection of books and resources. It's a hub that encourages students to venture beyond the well-worn paths of the stacks and delve deeper into their academic pursuits.
With over six million unique titles at its disposal, the library system's services are designed to foster and support academic exploration. These services are not limited to the Princeton University Library system; they extend to various academic resources, ensuring that students have access to a wide range of academic resources.
For instance, if a student requires a book not in the library catalogue, they can request it to be purchased through the "Recommend a Purchase" service. This service is free and can be accessed on the Princeton University Library's home page or by clicking a direct link.
Recently, a student was in need of the book "Adivasidom" by Jaipal Singh for their coursework. Unfortunately, the book was not available in the Princeton University Library system. However, the student was not deterred. They approached Visiting Professor Sunil Khilnani, who recommended using the recently published collection of Jaipal Singh's speeches and writings.
The student asked Professor Khilnani if they could write their midterm paper on the Adivasi (Indian tribal societies) role in Independence. Professor Khilnani, seeing the student's determination, guided them through the process of recommending the purchase of "Adivasidom" from a single Indian publisher.
To recommend the purchase of a book not in the library catalogue, students can follow these steps:
- Verify the Book’s Availability: Double-check the library catalog and any inter-library loan or shared databases to confirm the book is indeed not available at Princeton.
- Identify the Publisher and Edition: Find the exact publisher, edition, ISBN, and other bibliographic details to provide precise information.
- Write a Purchase Recommendation Email or Form: Most university libraries have a purchase suggestion form on their website or an email contact for acquisitions or subject librarians. Your request should include the full bibliographic details of the book, the reason for recommendation, and the note that the publisher is located in India, to clarify the sourcing challenge.
- Contact the Relevant Subject Librarian: Identify the librarian who manages your subject area (e.g., South Asian studies, anthropology, history) and send them a polite, concise request.
- Highlight Urgency or Importance: If the book is needed by a certain date, mention your coursework deadlines.
In the student's case, Dr. Magier, the South Asia Librarian, responded to the purchase request quickly and informed them that "Adivasidom" is only available from a single publisher in India and can only be shipped from Bangalore. The book probably wouldn't arrive in time for the midterm, but Dr. Magier had rush-ordered it and would notify the student when it arrived.
Library services like "Recommend a Purchase" enable access to even the most eccentric of academic texts, demonstrating that the library system's collections aren't meant to limit our ideas, but to provide the foundation for our research. The Princeton University Library system supports each student with various services to facilitate research, ensuring that no academic pursuit is left unfulfilled.
When "Borrow Direct" isn't enough, students can utilize other resources such as the New York Public Library or the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library to obtain resources for their papers. The Princeton University Library system's services are essential for accessing a wide range of academic resources, making it an indispensable tool for every student's academic journey.
- To further their undergraduate research and learning, students can engage in the online-education opportunity provided by Princeton University Library's "Recommend a Purchase" service, which allows them to request books not available in the catalogue, contributing to their education-and-self-development.
- In the pursuit of knowledge, students can utilize various academic resources beyond the Princeton University Library system, such as online research platforms, seminars, and tutorials, as part of their ongoing learning process.
