"Some of the books in the library are from the 1800s. While they're interesting to look at, I usually can't use those for research."
Thanks for the feedback, and your topics of research might very well make books from the 1800s irrelevant to you. However, for other research topics, some books from the 1800s (and earlier!) may still be relevant and useful for research. They could be primary sources, for example, representing a particular time period. Or they might be landmark books (in literary studies, history, or classical studies, to use three frequent examples) that are as important today as when they were written.
We do deselect materials from our collection on a regular basis, to remove outdated books and books which are no longer needed at Hollins. However, because we have been collecting books for more than a century, and because some of those books have maintained their importance to our curriculum over that time period, our collection will always include a selection of historical materials.
Questions about the survey?
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