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| Virtual Popular Science Library | About |
The aim of the VPSL is to provide a single, virtual location where one can browse through the collection of popular science titles that LSU Libraries owns. By "virtual," we mean a web presence that can be visited by any internet connected computer.
As for "popular science," this term refers to science books of general interest which are written for the lay reader, i.e. the reader for whom a particular field is not that reader's specialty. Such works are often written by scientists themselves, working in the book's area of focus, who labor to elucidate and discuss new, complex areas of discovery and their ramifications in a concise and understandable manner. These works can be of very high quality and can provide a means for scholars, students, and the general public to keep abreast of and participate in discussions of the hot topics of the day, even when these lie outside of one's own specialty. In some cases, these may even inspire one's own research or stimulate an interest in a heretofore unknown area. At the very least, a good popular science work will further the sense of wonder and discovery that lies at the heart of science, and this must certainly be to the benefit of all.
With this in mind, we have created the VPSL, which will provide the patron with the opportunity to browse through LSU Libraries' collection of popular science titles merely by clicking on the link to any one of the various pre-searched subject categories. In addition to title and author information, each entry in the search results will contain a link to a summary of the work from Amazon.com or other sources, if available, thereby enabling the potential reader to further assess the work and its scope in relation to his or her own interests. A link is also provided to the LSU Libraries Online Catalog record for that work, identifying its physical location and availability, if in print; or sending the patron to the electronic version, if this format is available.
As new works are added to LSU Libraries' collection, so, too, will the popular science titles among them be added to the VPSL. If the reader becomes aware of a title that LSU Libraries either does or does not already own and that should be included in the VPSL, we would appreciate hearing about it. We hope to make this "virtual" collection as comprehensive as possible with regards to LSU Libraries' "real" collection, to which we are eager to add your suggestions.
We hope you find this library useful, and we welcome any thoughts you may have for increasing its effectiveness.
William W Armstrong
Sciences Collection Development Coordinator
LSU Libraries
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