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FAQs: RCLweb

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General Questions

What is Resources for College Libraries?
Resources for College Libraries (RCL), the premier core list for academic libraries, is the result of a unique collaboration between Choice, a publishing division of ACRL, and bibliographic authority Bowker. RCL is considered the long-awaited successor to the third edition of Books for College Libraries, published in 1988. This collection of recommended titles serves as the basis for a suite of resources for curriculum-development, student research, reference, and bibliographic instruction. Click here to learn more.

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What formats is RCL available in?
RCL is available both in print as Resources for College Libraries and online as RCLweb. In addtion, RCL core list data is included and integrated with Bowker's Book Analysis System collection development tool, and is available to be licensed.

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How are titles selected for inclusion in RCL?
RCL is a highly selective core list of about 50,000 titles in all subjects, including both books and electronic resources, pulled together by more than 300 experienced library professionals from across the country. Click here for a list of our advisors, and click here for a list of our bibliographers.

As for methodology, RCL describes an ideal core collection for the library of a hypothetical college or small university that concentrates on the traditional liberal arts and sciences curriculum but also offers undergraduate-level courses (although not necessarily majors) in business, computer science, education, engineering, and the health sciences. The titles suggested by RCL should be the ones all academic libraries must have; almost all of these should be titles which can be profitably read and used by undergraduates, at least by the more advanced students. In most fields, this means works in the English language only. RCL titles ideally should be those about which it has been said at the end of CHOICE (or other) reviews, "Essential for all academic libraries."

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How many subject areas are included in RCL's taxonomy?
RCL currently covers 58 curriculum-specific subject areas, including: Humanities; Languages & Literature; History; Social Sciences & Professional Studies; Science & Technology; and Interdisciplinary & Area Studies.This subject taxonomy was developed specifically for RCL, and reflects the contours of today's undergraduate curriculum.

Click to see the full RCL subject taxonomy

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