Children's Division, Claire Public Library
INTRODUCTION
COLLECTION POLICIESRESOURCES PROVIDED
RESOURCE GOALS
WHO DOES THE COLLECTING?
POLICIES FOR COLLECTING
COLLECTION LEVELSSELECTION LEVELS
LANGUAGE CODES
THE LEVELS
The Children's Services Department of Claire Public Library is a comparatively large children's section in a comparatively large public library for our small town. Our clientele include the families who have lived in Claire since it began and our new friends who have moved to Claire but often commute to work in the city, and we serve children from those families ages 0-17.
Also, though this community is predominantly English-speaking, our neighborhood and library are welcoming more and more international members and as such, the children's collection is expanding to include materials in these patrons' native languages. The Children's Service Department values free and easy access to books and other materials, as outlined by the American Library Association, but we reserve the right to impose limitations on materials in, among other things, response to patron requests.
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1. Resources Provided:
Hardback and paperback books (fiction and non-fiction) Board books (baby books) Picture books Easy reading books Reference materials Periodicals (fiction and non-fiction) Audio Tapes Technological materials/software
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2. The Resources are Purchased
with the Goals of:
Providing general information. Accenting and complementing educational programs already present in the community. Encouraging the development of reading and cognitive skills. Encouraging the enjoyment of reading, learning, and exploring information for their own sakes.Back to the top
The entire senior staff of the Children's Service Department (all librarians and paraprofessionals) collaborate in choosing materials for purchasing. Requests by patrons for specific materials are always considered very carefully and, if the budget allows, regularly added to the collection. (Interlibrary Loan services are available for those items that cannot be added; collection request forms are available at every librarian station, the Adult Reference desk, and the main circulation desk.)Back to the top
Collection priorities-what to get and when to get it-are established on the bases of the community needs, patron requests, and budget restraints. The collection is regularly evaluated and weeded so that there is always room for current materials, where appropriate. Circulation and patron request statistics are kept and used, among other things, to justify expenditures in popular subject areas. Other statistics that affect resource purchasing include lost or removed items, subject areas that have had their purchasing levels altered, etc. Bibliographic tools such as publishers' catalogs and general bibliographic reference books are used extensively to ensure that the collectors are purchasing the most current materials. Surveys may be used to establish reader interest in subject areas. Responding to the wishes and desires of our users and the surrounding community, the Children's Services Department makes a great effort to stay current and expansive in its materials and especially its technological materials. As such, we have installed computers with Internet Access in our Young Adult area. Those that are restricted to Young Adult use are unfiltered: however, due to a request by concerned parents and other patrons, the computers open to use by our youngest patrons are fitted with carefully chosen filters. For more information on our filtering policies, please see our Children's Policy Booklet, or ask a children's staff member. Though we listen to all opinions and suggestions offered by our patrons, and respond to as many as we can, the Children's Services Department reserves the right to maintain our book collection in accordance with the ALA's position on censorship. We will not lightly remove a book from our shelves because of its content, for we maintain that open and easy access to our collection is one of our primary purposes for existing, and we purchase books in order to enhance that collection. For further information on censorship and copyright policies, please see our Children's Policy Booklet, or see a staff member. Comment cards are available at all librarian stations or at the main circulation desk. Textbooks are included in our collection at the request of our Young Adults with the express intention of cooperating with neighboring schools by providing materials that complement the curricula. Multiple copies of books are only purchased when there is high demand or when books, like board (baby) books, undergo an inordinate amount of wear and tear in their general use. Back to the top
COLLECTION LEVELS
Levels of Development per Subject Area: these levels are determined from ALA Guidelines and experience with other collection development policies, and are naturally affected by other library strictures and policies, such as Children's Services budget policies, etc.
None: no materials of this category or type are purchased (Number 0). Minimal: only materials of extraordinary quality and advantage to the collection will be purchased (Number 1). Basic: solidly qualified and recommended materials will be purchased (Number 2). Comprehensive: all recommended materials, as well as materials of potentially lesser quality, will be purchased, as if for a scholarly exploration of the topic (Number 3). Exhaustive: any title in this subject area will be purchased (Number 4).
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Language Codes:
we endeavor to include materials in the other languages represented in our community.
E = English Language predominates F = Selected Other Languages included
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Books-Fiction1. Board Books
(Books made of Cardboard to be Durable for Infant Use) - Level 3, E
2. Easy Readers
(Books Encouraging Reading in those just Beginning: Includes Wordless Books and those with Few Words) - Level 3, F
3. Picture Books
(Illustrated Stories, Most Designed for Reading Aloud to Preschool Children, with some Appropriate for Older Readers) - Level 3, E
4. Elementary-Age Fiction
(Fiction covering a Wide Range of Topics and Qualities, including Fantasy Fiction and many Varied Series) - Level 4, E
a. Hardcover - Level 4
b. Paperback - Level 3
5. Young Adult Fiction
(Fiction, often Horror or Romance of less certain Quality, and not often in Demand by the Age Group) - Level 1, E
a. Hardcover - Level 0
b. Paperback - Level 1
6. Classic Fiction
(Usually assumed to be fiction published prior to 1950: also extraordinary fiction or more recent date) - Level 2, F
Books-Non-Fiction1. Easy Readers
(Alphabet, Nursery Rhyme, Counting, and Concept Books) - Level 2, F
2. Non-Fiction - Elementary:
these are Basic Informational Texts, not including Textbooks,
Designed to Assist in Homework and in General
Exploration of these Topics, prompted by Curiosity.
a. General Knowledge (000-099) - Level 2, F
b. Philosophy/Psychology (100) - Level 1, E
c. Religion/Mythology (200) - Level 4, E
d. Social Science, not counting Folklore (300) - Level 1, E
e. Folklore (398) - Level 4, E
f. Languages (400) - Level 2, F
g. Math and Science (500) - Level 3, E
h. Medicine/Technology (600) - Level 1, E
i. Arts, Entertainment, Sports (700) - Level 2, E
j. Poetry and Plays (800) - Level 2, E
k. History and Geography (900) - Level 3, E
3. Non-Fiction - Young Adult:
these Books include Informational Books of All Types, especially Textbooks and Similar Books Designed to Aid School-work and Research.
a. General Knowledge (000-099) - Level 3, E
b. Philosophy/Psychology (100) - Level 3, E
c. Religion/Mythology (200) - Level 2, F
d. Social Science, not counting Folklore (300) - Level 3, E
e. Folklore (398) - Level 2, F
f. Languages (400) - Level 2, F
g. Math and Science (500) - Level 4, F
h. Medicine/Technology (600) - Level 3, E
i. Arts, Entertainment, Sports (700) - Level 3, E
j. Poetry and Plays (800) - Level 3, F
k. History and Geography, not counting Biography (900) - Level 4, E
l.§ Biography (921) - Level 3, E
Books-Reference(Dictionaries and Encyclopedias and other Research Sources: some Designed Simply for Child Use, and Some Duplicated in Adult Reference. Primarily for Library Use Only) - Level 3, E
Periodicals-Fiction (Journals and Magazines Collected to Complete the Fiction Collections with the Most Recent Publications: Children's Literary Magazines emphasized) - Level 3, E
Periodicals-Non-Fiction (Journals and Magazines Collected to Complete the Nonfiction Collections, Emphasizing Math, Science, Technology, Folklore, and History: Collected for Children and Young Adults) - Level 3, E
Audio Tapes - Level 2, E1. Audio Versions of Stories and Literature.
Complements the Adult Audio Book Collection.
2. Music Tapes - Level 0
Video Tapes - Level 0 Technological Resources - Level 4, F1.CD ROMS and other Resources that Complement School Programs,
Homework Assignments, and Encourage Creativity - Level 4.
2. Video Games Without Educational Emphasis - Level 1.
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