The School of Social Policy and Practice, originally named the School of Social Work, was founded in 1908. Since that time it has become revered for its graduate education in social work and social policy. Not only does the school produce the next leaders of social policy, it is also known for policy development. Penn Libraries supports a collection that enhances the knowledge and skills needed to use and develop policy in socially relevant ways.
The Penn Libraries support the research needs of students and faculty in the Social Policy program by collecting applicable books/e-books, journals, databases, films, and research materials. There is particular focus on areas of HV (social and public welfare); HN (social history, problems, and reform); HM (sociology and social justice); HD (nonprofit organizations and organizational behavior); E (U.S. history and policy); and RC (medical policy).
Some collections linked to subject terms of particular relevance to social policy include:
Social Policy | Family Policy | Social History | Social Action | Public Policy
Within the Kislak Center for Special Collections, researchers can request access several unique collections related to social policy. There are collections on a range of themes; for medical/health related policy it's worth seeing collections from the Medical Committee for Human Rights; Women's Health Concerns Committee Records; Paul Lowinger Papers (founder of the Institute of Social Medicine and Community Health); Mary Starke Papers (nurse leader in healthy policy); Terence E. Carroll Papers (public health advocate); and Anne Ramsey Somers Papers (active in the field of health care and health policy). The library also holds collections related to social justice and policy such as the Allan Solomonow Papers (Jewish Peace Activist); and Howard Fast papers (author known for books themes of social justice and the immigrant experience).
In addition to the Kislak's collection, the Libraries also hold a wealth of legal-related special collections at the Biddle Law Library. There are a number of collections that might be interest such as the David L. Bazelon Papers (specialized in tax law); and Annual Meeting Records, Council Records, Committees of the American Law Institute (1923).
To learn more about the Special Collections of Penn Libraries, see the Notable Collections page.
