New for Politics

Scarecrow / Gale Virtual Reference Library.
Available online.   (W&L subscription)
2007 volume by Jacques Fomerand contains nearly 900 entries "on the UN's various committees and organizations, its leaders, terms, policies, and major events in which the UN took part," along with other documentary material.
Links will be maintained in several locations in the library Web site, including here.

Scarecrow / Gale Virtual Reference Library.
Available online.   (W&L subscription)
Second edition (2008) by Lawrence R. Sullivan includes about 400 entries "on individual topics spanning China's political, economic, and social system along with short biographies on important figures -- from politicians to writers and movie directors --- who have shaped Chinese history during the period of Communist rule from 1949 to 2006."
Links will be maintained in several locations in the library Web site, including here.

Scarecrow / Gale Virtual Reference Library.
Available online.   (W&L subscription)
2007 volume contains about 500 entries relating to "NBC warfare, ranging from basic descriptions of substances used in NBC warfare to details on incidents and episodes where NBC weapons were used. Entries are structured around historical events, persons important to NBC warfare, countries where such weapons have been developed or used, and international treaties and treaty-related organizations."
Links will be maintained in several locations in the library Web site, including here.

Scarecrow / Gale Virtual Reference Library.
Available online.   (W&L subscription)
Second edition (2008) "covers all of the wars that have occurred in Africa since independence. This is done through a chronology broken down by country, a list of acronyms and abbreviations, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and cross-referenced dictionary entries covering the wars, conflicts, major political and military figures, child soldiers, mercenaries, and blood diamonds."
Links will be maintained in several locations in the library Web site, including here.

Academic Press / Gale Virtual Reference Library.
Available online.   (W&L subscription)
Published as a three-volume set in 2008 (second edition), containing about 200 authoritative, signed articles "about antagonism and reconciliation in all contexts of public and personal life," including "topics as diverse as Arms Control, Peace Movements, Child Abuse, Folklore, Terrorism, and Political Assassinations."
Links will be maintained in several locations in the library Web site, including this subject listing.

You may recall an earlier post about the effects of 2009-10 budget cuts for the Washington and Lee University Library.
We must reduce library acquisitions of all types, including books, but the greatest impact is going to be on subscription services -- those items which require year-to-year financial commitments (usually with ever-rising costs).
We have continued to work on ways to reduce our costs while minimally affecting the work of our students and faculty. The latest round of decision-making includes plans to drop our microfilm subscriptions to the following newspapers:

• Washington Post ($ 5,228.16/year)


• Richmond Times Dispatch ($ 4,396.35/year)


• Roanoke Times ($ 3,564.75)/year

If you have comments or concerns about this situation, I would be glad to discuss them with you.

World Bank.
Available online.
Latest update of this database of "aggregate and individual governance indicators for 212 countries and territories over the period 1996-2008, for six dimensions of governance." ("Governance consists of the traditions and institutions by which authority in a country is exercised."
Links will be maintained in several locations in the library Web site, including this subject listing.

U.S. Census Bureau.
Available online.
"Examines the levels of voting and registration in the November 2008 presidential election, the demographic characteristics of citizens who reported that they were registered for or voted in the election, and the reasons why registered voters did not vote."
Links will be maintained in several locations in the library Web site, including this subject listing.

CQ Press.
Available online.   (W&L subscription)
Published as a two-volume set in 2008, this resource contains entries up to 1,500 words in length on the First Amendment's freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition in American history, politics, law, and culture.
Links will be maintained in several locations in the library Web site, including this subject listing.