Note:This is a partial proposed collection policy for a
fictional county library system. The
focus of this assignment is the children’s collection, but the policies are
organized as they would be on an actual library web site, i.e. the general
acquisition philosophies and policies are presented first, followed by those
that pertain specifically to the children’s department and the individual
sections within it. In a complete
policy, the other departments and sub-departments would also be
represented. The entire document, if
adopted, would be placed on the library’s web site so any interested party
could access it on a 24-hour-a-day basis. A “Library Policies” link on the
homepage would access a complete list of policies, and each item would, in
turn, be linked to the appropriate pages.
The contents outline of the policy be linked as
indicated by the underlined items to provide pinpoint navigation through the
policy, but also include large scrollable sections to aid those who wish to
read or print long sections.
I. Purpose of the Collection Policy
II. Library Philosophy
III. General Collection
Practices
A.
Scope, Limitations, and Partnership
B.
Identification of Selection Staff
C.
General Selection Criteria
D.
Sources of Critical Reviews
E.
Circulation Adjustments for High Demand Items
F.
Foreign Language Collections
G.
Library Databases and Linked WebPages
H.
Collection Evaluation and Assessment
I.
Gift Policy and Magazine Exchange
IV. Individual
Departments, Sub-Departments, and Formats
A. Children’s Department
1.
General Goals
2.
Picture Books
3.
Easy Fiction
5. Print/Audio
Kits, Bilingual, and Foreign Language Materials
6. Intermediate and Junior Fiction
7. Juvenile Biographies
8 Juvenile
Paperbacks
9. Juvenile
Periodicals
10. Juvenile Nonfiction
a. General Description
b. Browsing Collection
c. Current Topics and School
Assignment Collection
11.
Parent’s Shelf
12.
Children’s Department Reference Collection
13.
Children’s Room Computers and “Kid’s Page”
14.
Multimedia and Other Formats
V. Appendices
A.
Library Bill of Rights
B.
Freedom to Read Statement
C.
Request For Material Purchase
D.
Request For Material Deletion
PURPOSE OF THE COLLECTION POLICY
Citizens of this County need information
on a daily basis. The information
sought, and the reasons behind the search are as varied as the individuals who
seek it. The mission of the County
Library System is to serve as guides in the process. Many information needs can be filled using
materials and databases that the Library acquires anticipating those
needs. Others are filled by providing
pathways to information sources that lie beyond the Library’s physical space
and ownership. Both the actual materials and the pathways can be considered
part of the Library Collection and are addressed in this policy.
The purpose of the written policy is
twofold. First it serves to guide
librarians in resource allocation and long-range planning,
and in their day-to-day process of anticipating information needs, formulating
pathways, and acquiring and deleting materials from the Collection.
Secondly it serves to inform
the public about the principles that lie behind Collection choices, the
processes through which the choices are actually made, and the avenues through
which they can participate in the processes.
Such participation is strongly encouraged.
The County Library System seeks to
provide, within its financial limitations, a general collection of reliable
materials embracing broad areas of knowledge.
Included are both works of enduring value and timely materials on
current issues. The Library encourages
all individuals of the County to make use of its resources, and so acquires a
wide range of materials to meet the perceived, expressed, and evidenced needs
and interests of the entire community: men and women, young and old, rich and
poor, and representatives of both majority and minority cultures.
As such, the County Library System is a
public forum; a place where ideas are freely communicated, where a broad
spectrum of opinions and viewpoints are represented in items of the
collection. Public libraries preserve
our rights to express and access a broader range of ideas than held by any one
individual or group. The Library strives
to provide materials representing all sides of an issue in a neutral, unbiased
manner. The existence of any particular
viewpoint in the collection does not constitute an endorsement by the Library,
but is an expression of the Library’s belief in the preservation of
intellectual freedom.
The County Library System does endorse a
certain viewpoint about the role of libraries, and this viewpoint can be found
in this section of the Collection Policy and in two documents produced by the
American Library Association. They are
the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement. These documents can be found in the Appendix
section of this Collection Policy.
On occasion, there can be diverse opinions
as to what is acceptable or appropriate for this Library’s Collection. The County Library System, as represented by
the Board of Trustees, believes that each individual is free to reject for
himself or herself any library materials of which he or she does not
approve. However, any attempt by an
individual or group to restrict the ability of the remainder of the community
to access such material is clearly in opposition to this Library’s philosophy. Further it is acknowledged that parents and
legal guardians have the right and responsibility to guide and direct the
reading, viewing and listening of their own minor children. They, however, do not have the right to
restrict those activities of other children.
Patrons who wish to question the inclusion
of an item or items in the collection should be aware of the above
policies. They should also be aware that
any item acknowledged to be particularly sensitive or
controversial has already been passed the careful consideration of a committee
of selectors. The patron is encouraged
to discuss their concerns with the manager of the section of the library in
which the item is found, as well as the Director of the Branch. Other employees approached with such concerns
should direct the patron to these individuals.
The concerned patron will be encouraged to read this Collection Policy
statement including the appendices, be directed to its location on the website,
and be given a printed copy if they so desire.
He or she will also be given a copy of the Request for Material
Deletion, which can also be found in the appended documents here.
Once the form is completed, a copy will be
forwarded to the Selector(s) of the material in question, the Branch Director,
the Director of Acquisitions at the Main Branch, the Head of the County Library
System, and the Board of Trustees. A
meeting will be scheduled with the Branch Director to go over the Collection
Policy and the information that the patron has provided on the Request for
Material Deletion. Patrons whose
concerns are not satisfied by Library staff members can ask to be placed on the
agenda of the next meeting of the Board of Trustees.
GENERAL COLLECTION PRACTICES
Scope, Limitations, and
Partnership
While striving to provide a useful Collection
of materials and pathways that serve a community with a wide variety of needs,
the County Library System is constrained by certain realities. For example, the budget defined by the County
does not allow staff to provide every item or service that they would like to,
or that patrons desire. Some attempt is made to supplement the budget
with grant writing, but that too is restricted by the salary budget and the
fact that staff members have many duties to perform. Volunteers who can provide services in this
area are greatly appreciated. The Library must also work within the physical
limitations of its buildings to house all materials and equipment.
To maximize the Collection within the
above constraints, the County Library System assumes a partnering
approach. It does not attempt to acquire
any highly specialized and rarely requested items, leaving this task to
specialty and academic libraries. Even
for general subjects, the Library obviously cannot collect every item
available. Its membership in the Online
Computer Library Center (OCLC) gives patrons access to the WorldCat
database. Using it patrons and
librarians can check a complete list of items published on any subject, and the
availability of those items in the more than 1,500 OCLC libraries. The County Library System can then seek to
obtain any item(s) not included in the Collection through InterLibrary
Loan. This process takes less time if
the library happens to be one of the many county systems in the region with
which we have ongoing partnerships.
The Library also seeks to partner with
patrons. It asks their cooperation in
the careful handling and prompt return of materials. Special circulation practices, outlined
below, are used with initially or intermittently high demand items and patrons
are asked to support them. In this way
the Library can avoid purchasing huge numbers of a single item, many of which
are soon surplus. Patrons are also
encouraged to take part in the selection process of the Library by interacting
with library staff, emailing comments, submitting book reviews, and/or using
the official forms: Request for Material Purchase and Request for
Material Deletion.
Identification of
Selection Staff
Every member of the Library staff, and
every patron, is encouraged to take part in Collection Development by making
suggestions in the ways outlined in the section above. Staff members who have the final
responsibility for making Collection decisions within any particular department
of the Library have graduate degrees in library science, information
technology, or a subject field. Their
assignments are at the discretion of a Branch Director or the Head of the
System, but a usual scenario is for the Children’s Collection to be maintained
by a librarian with knowledge of child development stages and activity
programming. The Young Adult, and various adult sections of the library are
assigned to the other librarians in the branch, often including the Director,
with an eye toward their areas of interest, expertise and experience. Reference additions and deletions are often a
collaborative effort. Each selector is
then assigned a portion of the overall budget with which to maintain their area
of responsibility.
Staff members charged with Collection
Development and Maintenance are expected to be fully
aware of the current Collection Policy.
Utilizing their education and experience, and their knowledge of the
community they serve, the librarians select from the vast array of resources
available those items that they feel will optimize the portion of the
Collection they supervise, and delete those items that are no longer
utilized. Librarians at the Main Branch
oversee larger collections in narrower subject ranges, and as such may provide
valuable assistance to Branch librarians whose responsibilities cover broader
areas. All selectors may seek assistance
from staff or outside subject experts at their own discretion. Selectors are aided by reviews in
professional, literary, specialized, and general periodicals, some of which are
listed in the Review Sources in this Policy, and by lists of recommended
titles compiled by subject authorities.
Other selection tools include publisher’s ads and catalogs, vendors’
lists, the acquisition information of other libraries, and periodic visits to
other libraries, bookstores, media centers and book fairs.
It should also be noted that the final
responsibility of maximizing the County Library System Collection as a whole
lies with the Acquisitions Director.
After a Branch librarian sends in a purchase request, some items may be
vetoed or postponed by the Acquisitions Director because the number of copies
already in the System is thought to be adequate to the current needs of the
community as a whole. In other words,
popular items will tend to be found in every Branch, but items that circulate less often, or are
predicted to, will not. All items in the
system are available to each patron, and if “checked in”, can be delivered to
the Branch of choice within 48-72 hours.
General Selection
Criteria
In the selection process, librarians in
all areas of the collection are charged to ask themselves the following
questions:
·
Is there a
demonstrated or perceived interest, need, or demand for items of this kind by
Library users or potential users?
·
Are there already
enough items in the specific area of the collection to satisfy the current
needs?
·
Will the item
somehow serve those needs better than items currently in the collection? Does
it, for example, contain more current information?
·
Will it serve
those needs better than other items currently available for purchase?
·
Can the Library
provide a pathway to the information without allocating any,
or any more, of the funds designated for material purchase?
·
Is the item in
standard bibliographies or indexes?
·
Has the item been
nominated for, or received, any awards?
·
Is the author
considered significant?
·
Is the author
considered an authority in the field?
·
Does the item
have permanent value, contemporary significance, or popular interest?
·
Is the item of
high quality and/or accurate?
·
Is the
information in the item clear and easily accessed?
·
Is the format of
the item appropriate to the material and of a durable technology?
·
Is the item
itself durable enough to withstand heavy use?
·
What reception
has the item received in review sources used?
·
What is the value
of the item to the Collection in relation to its cost?
Sources of Critical
Reviews
The following list represents many, but
not all, of the review sources used in many of the Library’s departments. Additional sources may be mentioned in the
sections of this Policy that describe each department in detail.
·
Amazon.com
·
Billboard
·
Booklist
·
Kirkus Reviews
·
Library Journal
·
New York Times
Book Review
·
Publisher’s
Weekly
·
School Library
Journal
·
Stereo Review’s
Sound and Review
Circulation Adjustments
for High Demand Items
The use of a reduced circulation time for
high demand items, which may in fact be only briefly or intermittently popular,
is one strategy that is used to maximize the Collection budget. All New York Times Best Sellers will enter
the Collection circulating for only two weeks at a time. Other items, whose reserve lists reach a
ratio of ten reserves per copy owned, will also be placed on two-week
circulation System-wide. In addition,
fines for these books will be doubled.
The books will be marked with a red dot on the spine. At checkout, a bookmark whose text reminds
the patron of these changes and encourages the patron to return the item as
quickly as possible will be inserted. The patron will be verbally reminded as
well. The Acquisitions Director will decide when items should be return to
normal four-week circulation.
Sometimes it is also necessary to pull
some items, usually non-fiction, out of circulation when school assignments are
given to a large number of kids, on narrow topics, for which a particular
Branch has limited resources. This will
be done at Branch level at the discretion of the Children’s or Young Adult librarian,
who will temporarily change the copy’s status to reference. Patrons can still place reserves on any
copies of such items that remain in circulation in the remaining Branches.
Foreign Language
Collections
In recognition of the fact that English is
not the first language for many of our patrons, or potential patrons,
and that even those becoming proficient in English may wish to keep their first
language skills strong, the Library will strive to provide a limited collection
of items in a number of languages. These
will tend to be children’s books, translations of classics or other novels
often assigned in school classrooms, most popular works by writers of the
particular country, and possibly a few newspapers and periodicals. Within the Foreign Language Collection, the
number of items in the Collection in any particular language will be in
proportion to the number of people in the County who speak that language. For example, the highest percentage will be
Spanish language items, whose speakers are nearing 25% of the local population. The current plan is to continue to purchase
and house these items in the Main Library, using the reserve process to
disperse them to the patrons who desire them.
An exception may be made if it can be demonstrated that for any
particular language, a large majority are nearer a certain Branch. Another exception will be Spanish/English
bilingual books, which may be found in every Branch at the discretion of the
children’s librarian.
Although it will take some time to
implement, the Library’s website will eventually expand the Foreign Language
Collection by including pages written in each language represented in the
Collection. These pages will:
·
Have
corresponding foreign language buttons on the homepage.
·
Provide Library
location and procedure information, including how to get a library card.
·
List Library
programs.
·
List the items
available in the County Library System in that particular language.
·
Describe how to
reserve an item and choose where to have it sent, what a notification will look
like when it arrives – all reserved foreign language items will receive mailed
notification to the address of record- and how to pick up the item.
·
Provide a
translation of some of the instructions found in the English portion of the
catalog.
·
Provide links to
major information websites that exist in the particular language, websites that
will help children with homework, and access to any databases the Library
subscribes to with capabilities in that language.
Library Databases and
Linked Webpages
The Library will subscribe to the
databases the Acquisition Manager decides will best meet the need of its
patrons. In this decision, many of the
questions found in the General Selection Criteria apply. Cost considerations mean that databases which
offer reduces rates for statewide or co-operative-wide subscription will
receive some preference. Databases are
of course listed, described and linked on the Library Website. To alert those patrons unfamiliar with these
resources, the lists and descriptions will also be posted at the location of
each patron utilized computer in the System.
The loose-leaf notebook kept at each reference desk with instructions
for each database, including individualized best search practices, will also be
referenced on this posting.
The
Library will seek to provide links on its Website to WebPages that provide
information pertinent to the most often requested information. In deciding
which sites to link, librarians will be concerned with the following
questions:
·
Is the subject matter
and information on the site useful to a large number of patrons at one time or
another?
·
Is the
information provided accurate?
·
Does the site
provide local information?
·
Is the author of
the information identified?
·
Are the pages
dated and regularly maintained?
·
Is there a
sponsor?
·
Is there a
discernable bias?
·
Is a product
being sold?
·
Is there minimal
tangential advertising?
·
Is the site of
sufficient quality to merit a link?
·
Is the navigation
on the site intuitive and of sufficient speed?
·
Does the site provide
local information?
As with other materials in the Collection,
a provided link does not mean that the Library endorses the viewpoint of the
site. In addition, the subsequent links
provided on the site may not meet Library criteria. Sites that describe community attractions and
resources may be included even though they are not of particular high
quality.
Collection Evaluation
and Assessment
The Library cannot continue to acquire
materials without an ongoing process of evaluation and assessment. To maintain a current and useful Collection,
and to create space for new items, others items must be deleted. This process is often called “weeding”. Items are immediately pulled from the
Collection if they are damaged. If they
otherwise meet the requirements for retention, they will be mended or replaced
if possible. Items that are lost or
missing will also be evaluated and replaced if appropriate.
One primary piece of evidence used in this
process is the circulation statistics.
Reference and other items that do not circulate are exceptions. For most other materials, lack of movement in
and out of the Library is taken as evidence that the item has lost its utility
to the patrons. Any item that has not
circulated for two years will be deleted from a Branch Collection. In the evaluation process, the following
questions will be asked:
·
Does the item
still meet the information needs and interests of the community?
·
What do recent circulation, reserve, or request statistics show?
·
Are there
unnecessary duplicate copies?
·
How old is the
item?
·
Does it contain
inaccurate or dated information?
·
Is the item worn
or damaged?
·
Is it still
available for purchase?
·
Has it been
superceded by a new edition or a different item?
·
Are there similar
items in the collection that meet the need as well or better?
·
Is it part of a
series?
·
Is the item
available at other Branches in the System or other libraries in the
cooperative?
·
Can the
information be as easily accessed in non-print medium to free up space?
Deletion lists from each Branch will be
posted on the System intranet, so that other Branches can request to add retain
individual items for their own Collection.
For items thought to be of historical significance, one copy may be kept
in storage, despite circulation statistics.
Patrons can request these items like any other item in the Collection,
though it may take slightly longer to receive them. All other items will be given to the Friends
of the
Gift Policy and
Magazine Exchange
Gifts are accepted by the County Library
System, but they must undergo the same scrutiny and meet the same criteria as
other items that are added to the Collection.
Donated periodical subscriptions that are not indexed are marked
“Complimentary”, and no back files are kept.
No magazine donations are accepted at the Service Desks, but each Branch
maintains a Magazine Exchange shelf near the entrance. Patrons may freely add to and take from the
available donated magazines. The Library
considers this contribution to the County’s recycling efforts. Any gift items that are not added to the
Collection are handled in the same manner as Collection deletions.
INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS, SUB-DEPARTMENTS, AND FORMATS
Children’s Department
General Goals - The Collection for children
in the County Library System is carefully chosen with the emphasis on materials
that entertain, stimulate the imagination, develop reading ability and enable
children to learn about the world around them.
Emphasis is placed on age appropriateness in each sub-category, with
materials provided for children from birth through age 12. Materials are purchased in print and
non-print formats. In addition, the Branch Children’s Departments coordinate
with local schools and other agencies to ensure that all children’s information
needs are met, and provide programming that promotes the Library and reading,
introduces children to literature, and teaches them how to use the Library. An
additional goal is to provide information helpful to parents and other
caregivers in the areas of health, childrearing, and book selection. Some slight variations in design may be noted
in the various Branches, but in general, the System’s Children’s Departments are
as described in this section of the Collection Policy. Items in this Collection will have catalog
and material designations of “EF”, “J”, “JB”, “J plus a Dewey Decimal number”,
or “J-Ref”, delineating the section in which they are filed.
Much of the information in the General
Collection Policies section pertains to the Children’s department as
well. Items are selected, continually
evaluated, and deleted if appropriate, using to the criteria found there. Any additional criteria used are noted in the
description of each sub-section of the department. The main sources of critical reviews for this
department are:
·
Amazon.com
·
Appraisal
·
Bookbird
·
Booklist
·
Center for the
Book
·
Hornbook
·
Kirkus Children’s Reviews
·
Multicultural
Review
·
Oyate.org
·
School Library
Journal
·
VOYA (Voice of
Youth Advocates)
In addition the department uses the “good
read” lists of the other libraries and associations worldwide. Reviews written by children are also
examined. For example, www.cool-reads.co.uk
is run by two brothers and provides reviews by the site owners as well as other
10-15 year olds. It is a valuable source
of the male point of view which is harder to obtain because boys are, in
general, less likely to spontaneously provide their book opinions to
librarians.
Picture Books – This collection consists of picture books and board
books for young children. It contains a large number of items, because it is
not unusual for a parent to check out 20 or 30 books at a time. Ideally picture books are 32 pages long, at
the most, and have illustrations on every page.
The illustrations should be well coordinated with the text, and ideally,
the story should be discernable from the pictures alone. Caldecott and local award winners are
purchased and retained in duplicate in every Branch. The board books are heavy cardboard,
small-sized books especially for children who are still inclined to damage
normal books by chewing or tearing.
These, along with the smaller picture books, have their own separate
shelving section. The collection offers
a wide variety of topics with attention give to concept books, animals,
families, holidays, problem-solving stories, series, and core recommended children’s
literature. Primary in this section is
consideration of the visual appeal of the item.
Books are retained in the collection as long they are in readable
condition and continue to circulate, given that the section has not become
overcrowded. Librarians will promote
this collection and the activity of reading to young children with “favorites”
lists and Storytimes.
Easy Fiction – This section
focuses on children who are beginning to read, from kindergarten through second
grade. The books have an “EF” notation
in the catalog, and are so noted on the spine.
The books have short chapters and are about 40-80 pages in length. Many of the themes are those that children
are familiar with from picture books, but the illustrations are less numerous
and simpler. The books use a smaller and
easier vocabulary to accommodate beginning readers, but ideally have
interesting stories with a lot of humor to intrigue this age group. Sports stories and simple mysteries are
favorites of the users. Until recently
the universe of items in this category has been limited, so some items are
included or retained that would have been deleted in other categories. New series are appearing, however, and normal
evaluation and deletion criteria can begin to be applied.
Print/Audio Kits, Bilingual, and
Foreign Language Materials - The Library acquires multimedia kits that
include a book and an audio recording of the story, with sounds to indicate
when to turn the page. These are
packaged in durable plastic hanging bags, and are kept on a rack near the picture
books. There are both picture books and
easy fiction in this collection. Some
children prefer to have the audio input as they learn to read. The kits also allow non-reading and
non-English speaking adults to participate in the very valuable process of
family reading. The Children’s
Department also acknowledges that even children learning to be proficient in
English as their second language, will benefit from keeping their first
language skills strong. Accordingly, the
Library provides a limited number of items in the languages represented in our
community. Currently all the items are
kept in the Main Library Collection, available for checkout there or delivery
to other Branches through the reserve system.
The items tend to be translations of highly recommended picture books
and the most popular age appropriate fiction and folktales from the country of
origin. Each Branch does have a small
collection of bilingual books, currently all in Spanish/English. These are helpful for Spanish speaking families,
and English speakers who wish to learn Spanish.
The Children’s Department also is beginning to put some foreign language
information on the “Kids Page” portion of the Library Web Site. Handouts displayed on the librarian’s desk
will promote these resources in English, in Spanish, and in other languages
that are highly represented in the neighborhood of the particular Branch.
Intermediate and Junior Fiction – The Juvenile Fiction Collection is designed to meet
the needs of children in the third through sixth grade, but older or younger
children, and even adults may find it contains items of use to them. The Children’s Department recognizes that
juvenile fiction must cover a wide range of reading levels, from children who
are only reading at the Easy level, but who need more complex stories, to those
children who have large vocabularies, wide literary knowledge, and highly
advanced reading skills. It is hard to
separate this collection into age or difficulty range without offending or
embarrassing some children, so the Library chooses to file them all
together. Browsing may also encourage
the children to challenge themselves beyond their reading level. At the discretion of the Branch librarian,
some books at easier reading levels may be so designated on the spine.
This collection includes modern selections
in such areas as mysteries, sports, science fiction, fantasy, adventure, humor,
historical fiction, and novels about the problems of contemporary boys and
girls. It also contains classics such as
books by Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, and Jules Verne. Favorite standards such as Peter Pan are
purchased in various editions to provide a variety of treatments. Ideally selections exhibit quality writing
with imaginative plots and fully drawn characters, but some fiction that does
not meet these standards, but that is very popular with children is also
added. Each Branch selects as many
titles as their budget allows, coordinating with other Branches to ensure that
other titles they would like but can not afford will be available somewhere in
the System.
Librarians will promote this collection
and some non-fiction and biographies with book clubs and book talks, and will
actively solicit children’s reviews of the books they have read. Handouts will be available at their desks
that suggest titles by subject, or grade level, and also by genre, suggesting
additional authors who compare favorably with perennial favorites, in the style
of “If you liked this book, you also might enjoy…” This kind of information will also be
available to parents and high-level readers in volumes included on the Parent
Shelf.
For most selections, a Branch will only
purchase one copy, but popular titles may have two ore more copies. Duplicates may also be found in the Juvenile
Paperbacks.
Juvenile Biographies – This
section will be adjacent to the Fiction section, if at all possible, to
encourage children to browse and read this type of book. Items that focus on one individual, as well
as items that are essentially collections of shorter biographies will be
included. The Reference section will contain volumes that contain brief
biographies of famous people, including authors. The Collection strives to have selections
written in a range of reading levels, and containing various levels of detail,
so a search on any particular individual may offer multiple selections. Highest emphasis will be placed on the
accuracy of the material. Other
selections about real people, but which contain fictional material will be
placed in the Intermediate and Junior Fiction section.
Juvenile Paperbacks – The
Paperback collection contains primarily fiction titles, some of which are
duplicates of hardback editions. The
Children’s Department recognizes that some children prefer the lighter weight,
easier handling, and inconspicuous nature of this medium. In addition, this collection may serve to
increase reading in children who are intimidated by larger hardback editions. Many titles are duplicates of those found in
the Intermediate and Junior Fiction section, and so are described more
fully in that section. Others are high
demand titles and series that do not meet criteria for purchase in
hardback. The reduced cost of this
medium means that children and parent requests for additions can often be
met. Items are retained as long as they
are in good condition, and replaced if they are still circulating.
Juvenile Periodicals – Most
Branches will have few periodicals that are written for children. The philosophy of this System is that things
children through grade six find of interest in magazines are also found in more
durable medium, and that these more durable items are more appropriate for the
library setting. Most titles that are
included in referencing indexes, or are subject oriented enough to allow topic
browsing, as well as many tiles that are just popular will be found somewhere
in the System, but certainly not in every Branch. Parents are encouraged to check the catalog
for availability and use the reserve system if necessary.
The bulk of materials in this section will
actually be for use by adults. Parenting
magazines will be found in many Branches.
Because they are helpful to Children’s librarians in their duties, most
Branches subscribe to review periodicals, such as School Library Journal
and periodicals that suggest activities for children, especially literature
related ones. Parents may find these useful as well, so they also can be found
in this section. Copies will be retained
for two years, occasionally longer, with holiday focused ones being retained
indefinitely.
Juvenile Nonfiction – This
collection serves to meet the needs of children for nonfiction materials for
their schoolwork, and for general education, information, and personal
interest.
Items cover a wide range of
subjects and are written at many levels of detail and reading ability.
Younger children are
especially interested in items about dinosaurs, sharks, weather, pets,
holidays, and sports. Older children
often expand these interests to include aviation and space exploration,
careers, and a wide range of natural phenomenon. Subjects they are studying in school may
intrigue them, spurring a search for more materials on the topic. The
Collection seeks to provide a large number of items on commonly assigned
topics, both to aid children in their homework and support their natural
tendency to want to expand what they know.
The
b. Juvenile Nonfiction Browsing Collection
–Even if the bulk of Juvenile Nonfiction must be interfiled with Adult
Nonfiction in the Adult Rooms, each Children’s librarian in the County Library
System will maintain a browsing collection in the Children’s room. Multiple signs in the Adult collection will
remind patrons to check the Children’s Room for biographies, folk and fairy
tales, and other juvenile nonfiction items in the Browsing Collection. What is in the section will change
periodically, and is at the discretion of the Children’s librarian. Especially if the shelves used are tall, it
may be appropriate to divide the selections by reading level, placing each run
of the Dewey Decimal numbers at the appropriate height. General guidelines for the selections include
appealing subjects, excellent illustrations, with an emphasis on newer
materials. Signs in the section will
remind children that more materials can be found by looking for the same Dewey
Decimal Number in the Adult Nonfiction section.
c. Current
Topics and School Assignment Collection – Materials which relate to
high exposure topics in the news will be collected and placed in a special area
in the Children’s Room to fill patron needs for information on these topics at
the appropriate level. Also in this
section will be some of the materials that would be helpful for current school
assignments. These will be collected in
response to early notification by teachers, which is encouraged, or to other
evidence of school assignments and high demand.
The items will be divided by subject and so signed on the shelves. The Children’s Department strives to have a
wide range of materials, some with multiple copies, which are applicable to
standard school subjects and assignments.
This is a response to the reality that many children are not able to
fill their needs in school libraries.
However, children and parents should not expect to find assigned
textbooks in the Library Collection.
Children, especially older ones, will be encouraged to also use the
catalog, the Kid’s Page on the Library Web Site, and check the Adult Nonfiction
section for additional juvenile materials on the subject. If materials in the Collection are extensive
enough, the Children’s librarians will deliberately leave some items in their
normal location to encourage this behavior.
On occasion, to ensure that all children will be served, it may be
necessary to temporarily designate as Reference a few items that would normally
circulate. It is preferable to avoid
this by having applicable information within the permanent Children’s
Reference Collection, or by having multiple materials, however sometimes it
is unavoidable. Patrons can retrieve
circulating copies, if available, from other Branches using the Reserve
system. Items on these topics will only
be deleted from the Collection if they are damaged beyond repair and no longer
in print, or if sufficient new materials exist to replace them.
Parent’s Shelf – Circulating adult books about families, education,
childrearing, child behaviors, suggested activities for children, and
age-appropriate product suggestions and reviews, especially of materials likely
to be found in libraries will more often than not be found on the Parent’s
Shelf. The Children’s Collection budget
includes the appropriation for this kind of material. Adult librarians may also purchase these
kinds of materials, the two collaborating to share costs and decide location of
materials. Signage on the Parent’s Shelf
will suggest checking regular Nonfiction and Children’s Reference for more
applicable material. Notations at
certain appropriate Dewey Decimal locations in the Adult Nonfiction section
will direct patrons to the Parent’s Shelf.
Children’s Department Reference
Section – The Reference Section is designed to facilitate the
Children’s librarians in helping children with their reference questions, and
parents with questions relating to children.
Accordingly, duplicate copies of much-used reference items such as World
Almanac will be found here. In
addition, there will be at least one general encyclopedia set suited to
children, such as World Book, although the most recent edition of this
may actually be found in Adult Reference.
There will also be specialized sets such as Lands and Peoples,
and science encyclopedias. Some of the materials may be in CD-Rom or DVD
formats. One main focus of this section will be to enable children to find
something on standard school subjects and perennially assigned work even if all
materials are checked out. In that
regard, individual titles on subjects may also be selected for this section,
and pathways on the Kid’s Page will direct children to appropriate Webpages. Also
included will be indices, bibliographies and guides that focus exclusively on
children’s literature. Biographical
material on children’s authors and illustrators, complete bibliographies of
their works, and information about award winners are also an important
component of this section. With many of
the materials it is important to keep the section current, so newer, or
supplemental materials will often be on standing order status. Older editions and other outdated materials
will be deleted.
Children’s Room Computers and “Kid’s
Page” – Computers in the Children’s room will be dedicated to children
and their accompanying adults. Informal
time limits may be imposed. The Library
catalog will of course be accessible as well as a number of games. Only educational games of varying levels of
difficulty will be loaded onto Library computers, although the best of these
games are very entertaining as well. The
only access to the Internet on these computers will be links found on County
Library System’s “Kid’s Page”. These
links will be screened for child appropriate content, including any subsequent
links provided on linked sites. Only in
rare instances will any advertising on the sites be tolerated. Entertainment sites may be listed, but not
linked due to their time-consuming nature.
These lists are suggestions for children to use on their home
computers. The focus for links provided
will be sites that will be helpful for children in managing their daily lives,
dealing with problem issues, or doing their homework. Links to County “helper” agencies may be
provided. All Children’s librarians
suggest content for this page.
Implementation is the responsibility of the Web Manager and any staff or
volunteers he/she may designate. Patrons
are encouraged to also make suggestions for additions or deletions to the Kid’s
Page, as with any other Library materials.
As noted in the Foreign Language
section, eventually information in many languages will be offered on this page,
as well as other parts of the Library Catalog.
They will be implemented in order of demographic percentage with Spanish
appearing first. It is also the
intention of the Children’s Department to implement a “Book Reviews by
Children” area on the Kid’s Page. This
area will do much to affirm children, literature, and reading, will provide
peer-to-peer review information, and will aid librarians in the selection of
materials. Examples of such endeavors
are Kids Book Review Panel at www.nhptv.org/kr
and Ann Arbor District Library’s program at www.worldreading.org.
In order to use CD-Roms/DVDs
in the collection, access programs licensed by the Library and loaded on
computers, such as Word, and freely access the Internet,
children must use computers in the Adult areas.
Children can only get a library card using a form that requires parent
signature. On this form, the parent can
indicate if he/she wishes access to Adult computers to be denied. If the parent responds in the affirmative,
the child’s library card number will not access any adult computer. Otherwise, bound by the same access
procedures and time limits as adults, children are free to use any computer in
the Library. No limitations will apply
in the case of a computer that is only loaded with the Library Catalog. The
Library cannot be responsible for children who use another’s library card
number to gain access, although group work at computers is discouraged.
Multimedia and Other Formats
– The Children’s Department acquires materials in the format most appropriate to
the content. Occasionally content may be
found in more than one format in the Collection.
a. Audio -Audio
book purchase will be extensive as long as circulation statistics indicate
items are being used. Many families find
them an educating and entertaining way to fill the time on long car trips.
Cassette tapes currently predominate, with CD-Roms being added as they are available, and as more
patrons have the equipment to use them.
Attention will be given to the quality of the literature, the reader,
and the production in selecting which items to include in the collection. Items of this format in other languages may
be available in the Branch or in the Catalog with Spanish predominating. The Multimedia Packets found in hanging bags
near the picture books are another option for small children. The Library will also collect some children’s
music, with the formats chosen in the manner indicated above. Special attention will be given to popular
performers and award productions. Selection will be made from Educational
Record and Tape, Hotho, Kimbo,
Listening Library, Caedmon, and School Library
Journal for the most part.
b. Video – The County Library
System’s DVD or VCR Collection will not include many popular productions that
may be found in other library systems.
The focus will be on items that are not already available in
video stores, and available for rental at a cost most families can afford. Any item of a highly educational nature will
be considered, especially those that underline reading skills. High quality animations or other productions
of children’s literature, that are otherwise not readily available, will be a
high priority. Productions of National
Geographic or PBS that are particularly appropriate
for children may also be added. Finally,
some musical concerts by popular children’s artists that are especially
attractive in a visual format may form a part of the collection.
c. Computer Programs – The
Children’s Department will not collect computer programs with the intention of
circulating them. It will collect a
variety of well-reviewed programs that will be loaded onto the Children’s Room
computers on a rotating basis. There
will be a focused attempt to provide parents with reviews of the universe of
programs available for children.
d. Realia
– The Children’s Department will collect puppets that are durable and
appropriate for use with children’s stories.
These will be used extensively at Storytimes
and in book talks for younger children.
Many of them will also be available in the Children’s Room for use by
parent’s and children, but they will not circulate except by special
arrangement with the Children’s librarian.
All Branches will also have some kind of item that can be used to
entertain very young children while older children in the family choose
books. Blocks are a common choice. Some Branches will have puzzles, puppet
theaters, or other educational or literature oriented items, but they also will
be for use in the Library only.
V. Appendices
A. Library Bill of Rights (not actually included here as per class instructions)
B. Freedom to Read Statement (not actually included here as per class
instructions)
Appendix
C REQUEST FOR MATERIAL PURCHASE
We encourage all patrons to participate in
the selection of materials for the County Library System’s Collection by
interacting with librarians, emailing comments, submitting book reviews. and/or using this form.
If you use the form, please fill it out as completely as possible. Please use a separate form for each item
being requested unless you are requesting an entire series.
Your Name: ______________________________________
Your Telephone Number: ___________________________
Your Address: _____________________________________
Your Email Address: ________________________________
What item or series would
you like to see added to the Collection?
Title:
________________________________________________________
Author:
______________________________________________________ Publisher:
____________________________________________________
Copyright Date:
____________
Format:
___________________
How did you learn of this
item? _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Have you read or heard
favorable reviews of the item that we can obtain?
Source:
_______________________________________
Date:
___________________
Source:
_______________________________________
Date:
___________________
(Add an additional page if
you’d like to include more review sources.)
Have you actually examined
viewed or read the item yourself? ________________________
If so, tell us about the
items strengths: _____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why
do you think the item should be added to the Collection? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Which patrons will find
this item informative or entertaining?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Other Comments (your
expertise in the field, previous requests, or anything else you’d like to add:______________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
When
completed, this form can be mailed, or delivered in person to any staff
member. It will create a permanent
record of your request, which will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member
in your Branch, their counterpart in all other Branches, and the Acquisitions
Manager. You will be informed of the final decision using the contact
information you have provided here.
Appendix D REQUEST
FOR MATERIAL DELETION
All patrons are encouraged to participate
in the selection process of the County Library System by interacting with
staff, emailing comments, submitting reviews, and using official forms. You are encouraged to speak with staff
members and read the Collection Policy before filling out this
form. Add additional pages if your
answers will not fit on the form.
Your Name:
__________________________________________
Your Telephone Number _______________________________
Your Address: ________________________________________
Your Email Address ___________________________________
If you feel you speak for
a group, which one? _______________________________________
Have you read the
What item or series do you
think should be deleted from the Collection?
Title:
_____________________________________________________
Author:
___________________________________________________
Publisher:
_________________________________________________
Copyright Date: _____________
Format _____________________
Have you read, viewed,
listened to the item in its entirety? ____________________________
Why do you think it should
be remove from the Collection? Please
include specific examples: ____________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Is the information
provided inaccurate? Provide examples
with page numbers please: _____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Are you aware of any
favorable reviews of the item?_________________________________
Have you read/heard
negative reviews that support your position that we can access?
Source: __________________________________
Date: ____________________________________
Source: __________________________________
Date: ____________________________________
What do you think will be
the result if patrons read, view, or hear this item?
________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Can you suggest another
item or items that could replace the item you wish delete?___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Please mail this form or hand
it to any staff member. It will be given
to the Director who will arrange an appointment to discuss with you the
information you have provided and Library Policy. You may also request a meeting with the
Acquisitions Director. In either case
you will be informed of the Library’s decision.
If you do not feel that your request has been adequately addressed, you
may request to be placed on the Agenda of the next Board of Trustees Meeting.