Dedicate a library to STS.
It would be great to have section of the library dedicated to history of science, technology, medicine, STS, anthropology of science and technology, similar to the section on Women and Gender Studies in Hayden. Currently, books of the field are spread over all three libraries, often sorted to the respective field of science or engineering they cover. Having such section would facilitate browsing the secondary literature for a research project/paper in our field like it is possible at Widener Library or even better the Wellcome Library in London. Being able to do this often leads to new connections and insights.
The library spaces and collections are crucial for producing excellent scholarship in the fields of STS and of history and anthropology of science & medicine. Easy and immediate access to the books as well as the opportunity of serendipitous discovery through browsing greatly enhance the research experience.
Comments
Grace Kim on November 21, 2015
As a fellow PhD student in the History | Anthropology | Science, Technology and Society program, I agree that a library section dedicated to our field would greatly improve my research experience at MIT. Thank you, Lucas, for creating this proposal. I wholeheartedly support it.
Claire Isabel Webb on November 22, 2015
Not only would having a section dedicated to our studies make it easier to locate books, but it would create a space where the HASTS students could make our community stronger. I heartily support this idea!