Creating a Popular Romance Collection in an Academic Library

Abstract

Over the past few decades, there has been a growing critical mass of scholarly interest in the study of popular romance fiction as a literary form in its own right. While much of the scholarship is available in academic libraries, few of the actual romance novels are. In response to curricular and faculty demand, two librarians decided to start a collection of popular romance novels at their academic library. This article discusses their rationale, methods, and process in creating the collection. Future directions and recommendations for other libraries are also given. About the Author: Sarah Sheehan is currently the liaison librarian for the College of Health & Human Services at George Mason University. Sarah received her MLS from Catholic University of America, a Master’s of Education in Instructional Design from George Mason University, and she is a Senior Member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals. She's the co-author, with George Mason Nursing faculty, of several articles and book chapters and wrote the book Romance Authors: A Research Guide, published in 2010 by Libraries Unlimited. Jen Stevens is the Humanities Liaison Librarian at George Mason University where she works with the English and Communication Departments, as well as the Women and Gender Studies Program. She holds an MA in English from the University of Colorado and an MLIS from the University of Texas. Jen has published articles on literary studies that range from J.R.R. Tolkien to e-zines, and is the co-author (along with Dorothea Salo) of Fantasy Authors: A Research Guide. She was also the series editor for Library Unlimited's Author Research Series for several volumes.