The Library BSS hosts the University of Groningen collection in the field of the behavioural and social sciences. This collection currently comprises about 73,000 book titles and over 5,200 journal subscriptions, of which over 2,000 are electronic.

In addition to the electronic journals, the Library BSS offers bibliographic databases, e-books, and other full-text documents. The library offers world-wide access to its electronic collection for University of Groningen staff and students.

The book collection at the Library BSS contains over 44,000 copies, 350 journal subscriptions, over 8,500 doctoral theses and research reports, and all the readers from the study guides. Each book has a classification number from the library’s classification system. The classification number and the serial number determine the book’s location in the bookcase.

The table below offers a systematic overview of the collection of the Library BSS, along with references to the University of Groningen catalogue.

Collection Development

Collection development is aimed at supporting all education and research in behavioural and social sciences as carried out within the faculty. This means that all literature needed for current education and ongoing research is available at the social sciences library, with the exception of works and documents of a very general or multidisciplinary nature; these are bought by the University Library. In principle, a book already available at one of the other Groningen libraries will not be bought by this library. Upon request, literature used for lectures can temporarily be made unavailable for borrowing. Staff members have to inform the library of their request in time.  

Acquisition Co-ordinators

Collection building is done by the acquisition co-ordinators and the librarian. Each department and each field of study has its own acquisition co-ordinator. Click on the list of acquisition co-ordinators to find out which co-ordinator you should turn to. If you wish to influence the collection development by making comments or acquisition suggestions, please use the Acquisition Suggestions Questionnaire.  

Faculty Library Committee

The Faculty Library Committee is responsible for the collection development by the Library BSS. The FBC can decide on the budgets of the Library BSS, which are granted by the Faculty BSS and the University of Groningen library organization. Since February 1, 2010, the Library BSS is part of the Library of the University of Groningen. This organization consists of all former faculty libraries and the university libary. This library organization is a university-wide service headed by the University Librarian. The Faculty Library Committee consists of:

• Dr. G. Breeuwsma,
• Mrs. Dr. S. Doolaard,
• Prof. Dr. D. Draaisma (chair),
• Dr. A.C. Glebbeek,
• Mrs. Prof. Dr. S. Otten,
• Ms. A. Strijbosch (student member),
• prof. dr. H.W.E. Grietens, and
• Dr. R.G. Withaar (librarian, administrative support).

Drs. P.J.B.M. van Laarhoven, head of the section Subject Specific Public Services and Collection Development of the Library University of Groningen, attends the Library Committee meetings as an advising member.

Information and Collection Specialists

The Library of Behavioural and Social Sciences has information and collection specialists for the three discplines of the faculty. They have knowlegde about the ongoing education and research. This makes them the right persons for discipline-specific questions. They can also tell you about the available information sources and library systems. Therefore, they can be contacted directly about collection development in their areas, of books and e-books, journals, bibliographies, and databases. Acquisition request can be directed to them.

Special Collections

The social sciences library owns an extensive collection of doctoral theses and graduate reports. More than 8.500 titles from all fields of study provide an excellent overview of the quality of education. Together with the Archives and Documentation Centre of Dutch Behavioral Sciences (Dutch: ADNG), the Library of Social Sciences maintains the ADNG library.