Kathi Carlisle Fountain
Collection Development Coordinator
About Me:
As the Collection Development Coordinator, I oversee the development and maintenance of all the library's collections. I monitor the budget, approve orders, analyze use of the collection, and work with the broader WSU community on collection decisions. I work closely with the Technical Services staff and students to efficiently and effectively add materials to the library's collection
I also help students with their research at the reference desk through my service as a reference librarian and through library instruction. I work closely with the History, Public Affairs, Biology, and Environmental Science programs as their liaison. This means I communicate with department faculty about library business, help students and faculty efficiently conduct research, advocate for those departments, and buy good stuff for the library on their behalf.
Take a look at my vita for more information.
Have a question about the library? Have a question about doing research? Want to recommend a book for purchase? Please contact me.
Research and Professional Interests:
Interest Groups
I have long been interested in the role of lobbyists and citizen interest groups in American politics. Ten years ago, I created the first iteration of my web directory of U.S. Political Advocacy Groups. Along with directory information of nearly 400 organizations, two indicators are included to help students understand the relative political influence of each group.
Collection Development and Management
I am a contributor to Resources for College Libraries. This project seeks to identify core books, websites, and databases for undergraduate library collections. During initial development, I served as a bibliographer on the Political Science team. I am now the sole editor and ongoing contributor to that section.
My current research is focused on the special collection development needs of regional campuses.