VCU Libraries continuously improves its collection with strategic choices designed to meet the diverse needs of the VCU academic community. New acquisitions for 2019-20 include these. 

Afro-Americana Imprints, 1535-1922: This digital edition of one of the world’s preeminent collections for African-American studies contains more than 12,000 printed works, including books, pamphlets and broadsides, providing researchers with an unparalleled record of African- American history, literature and culture. Subjects covered include the West’s discovery and exploitation of Africa; the rise of slavery in the New World along with the growth and success of abolitionist movements; the development of racial thought and racism; descriptions of African- American life—slave and free—throughout the Americas; and slavery and race in fiction and drama. Also featured are printed works of African American individuals and organizations.  

American Civil War Collection, 1860-1922: This digital edition contains 13,500 printed items addressing all facets of the Civil War and its aftermath. It includes broadsides, lithographs, maps, books, pamphlets, photographs, political cartoons, stereographs, and more. The collection covers military aspects of the deadliest war in U.S. history as well as the far-reaching cultural, economic, political and social impact of the conflict. Key subject areas include regimental histories, troop rosters, military trials and confiscation of property; medical care, finance, taxation and aid to soldiers and their families; sermons, speeches and treatises covering many of the contemporary intellectual and ideological positions of the time; poetry and music; personal narratives that discuss battles, military life, and experiences in prisoner-of-war camps.

 Artfilms: Digital video streaming collection of films for arts education and arts practitioners. Includes films produced by Contemporary Arts Media as well as independent artists, film producers, and arts organizations.        

Art & Architecture ePortal: Innovative and dynamic platform that features important art and architectural history books in an accessible and highly discoverable way. This e-resource includes offerings by Yale University Press, MIT Press, Harvard’s Belknap Press, the Art Institute of Chicago, Harvard University Art Museums and the Yale University Art Gallery, with Princeton University Press titles soon to be added. The e-Portal has about 180 titles at present, and additional books are added monthly. 

Broadway HD:  Streaming collection of live theatrical performances from Broadway. An exclusive collection of nineteen performances from the New York Theatre scene, the productions in this resource will change.

Elsevier journal backfile collections: Backfiles consist of journal articles published by Elsevier prior to 1995. The Libraries acquired three backfiles collections: Neuroscience, Psychology and Public Health and Health Policy.

Human Kinetics ebooks: 152 titles from Human Kinetics, a publisher specializing in physical activity and health.

LGBT Studies in Video: Documentaries, interviews, archival footage, and select feature films exploring LGBT history, gay culture and subculture, LGBT families, civil rights, AIDS, transgender issues and other topics.

Mergent Historical Annual Reports Collection--United States: Database of company-related documents, dating back to the 1800s for companies in existence that long, including annual reports, 10-K filings and miscellaneous other documents. Major corporations use annual reports–attractive public relations documents to communicate directly with their shareholders–to provide insight on their mission, lines of business, products, growth, productivity, stability, performance, strengths, corporate structure, management and relationships with other businesses. Company filings and annual reports are often the only sources of unique, valuable information on a specific business and concisely capture a company’s situation at a given point in time.

National Theatre Collection: A collaboration with the U.K. National Theatre, this collection offers digital performance resources previously exclusive to the National Theatre's archive, including performances as well as digitized archival material.

Swank Digital Campus: Streaming collection of feature films and documentaries. Titles are requested by faculty to support instruction and research.

Compiled by Karen Cary, Head, Collections Analysis and Investment Department  

https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/staff/staff/cary-karen.html