1. Library Holdings Supporting a Graduate Program in Cognitive Science

Although the proposed program is the first of its kind at USL, a number of faculty in different departments and academic units have for years been actively engaged in cognitive science-related research and have taught courses relevant to the area. They have had the opportunity to order many relevant cognitive science books and journals for the Edith Dupré Library at USL (see Appendix D for a listing of journal holdings). There are now journals devoted primarily to cognitive science; the USL library subscribes to the major ones. Library holdings are sufficient for a working program.

Particularly well represented in the library’s holdings are periodicals focusing on the computer-cognition relationship. Journals not available in the Dupré Library may be obtained through inter-library loan or may be borrowed from faculty. The library also maintains a number of databases such as PsychLit that abstract the contents of relevant journals. All faculty and students have access to the on-line library resources of the Internet. Students and faculty obtain research papers via ftp or World Wide Web resources, and they have access to (and in some cases contribute to) an increasingly important source of information, on-line journals such as the Electronic Journal of Communication.
 

2. Projected Library Expenditures for a Graduate Program in Cognitive Science

Due to the rapid growth in cognitive science research, new journals are being founded, and many new books are being published. Obtaining new books has not been a major problem: Departmental library budgets have been used to acquire cognitive science-related books. For example, the library’s holdings include over 200 listings under the subject Cognition. However, journals represent a recurring expense, and thus libraries hesitate to commit major portions of their budgets for new journals. The budget presented in Part VIII includes $20,000 in library expenditures per year so that a total of $100,000 will have been budgeted over the first five years. These expenditures should support the acquisition of approximately 30 new journals, in addition to books and monographs. Among journals we would like to add to the library are Cognitive Neuropsychology; Neural Networks; Language and Cognitive Processes; International Journal of Primatology; Consciousness and Cognition; Journal of Cognitive Development; and Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Artificial Intelligence. Of course, we anticipate defraying some library expenditures via research grants.

While there are some lacunae in the current holdings (particularly in primatology), a library budget for the cognitive science program, in combination with departmental library budgets (some departments are specializing in cognitive science-related issues), will guarantee a satisfactory collection. We can readily support a Ph.D. program on the basis of current holdings, but we do plan for and look forward to continued improvements in library resources.