Cite Globally, Analyze Locally: Citation Analysis from a Local Latin American Studies Perspective

Suzanne M. Schadl is Latin American Collections Curator, University Libraries, and Marina Todeschini is a Graduate Research Fellow, Inter American Studies and the Latin American Iberian Institute, at the University of New Mexico; e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]. © 2015 Suzanne M. Schadl and Marina Todeschini, Attribution-NonCommercial (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) CC BY-NC. This citation analysis examines the use of Spanishand Portugueselanguage books and articles in PhD dissertations on Latin America at the University of New Mexico between 2000 and 2009. Two sets of data are presented: The first identifies the use of Spanishand Portugueselanguage books and articles across 17 academic departments; and the second analyzes how well local holdings meet demands for a select geographical area—Mexico. These local data contradict conclusions in general citation studies of the humanities, social sciences and foreign languages. They prove that preconceived ideas about foreign language usage from general citation studies do not provide reliable templates for local acquisition decisions. Librarians need to look at their research communities and local usage habits instead of relying on general studies for answers.