Core Serial Titles in an Interdisciplinary Field: The Case of Environmental Geology

Abstract

In this study core journals in environmental geology are identified and some facets of interdisciplinarity are explored to consider the visibility of this field to collection development librarians. Intercitation analysis of citing and cited patterns in 1995 articles revealed the journal network of environmental geology. The titles clustered into discrete groups with three emphases: Engineering/Materials; Geochemical; and Water/Soil. Most of the 20 core titles are usually identified with other disciplines and subfields. Research libraries supporting collections in environmental chemistry, hydrology, agronomy, and civil engineering might be effectively supporting serial collections in environmental geology. The scope of the field, however, is not inherently visible to collection development librarians whose attention is drawn to established disciplines by way of acquisition fund allocation models. Recent discussions on interdisciplinarity suggest that the characteristics of maturing disciplines, such as a unique body of publications, academic infrastructure, and professional organizations, do not apply to environmental geology. The nature of three recently started environmental geology journals might yield clues as to the direction of this field.