Definition
The Stock Policy document is concerned with the general policies, objectives and guidelines relating to the selection, revision and presentation of all library materials, and forms a framework within which decisions are made.
Library materials are defined as books, newspapers, periodicals, maps, illustrations, slides, printed music, videos, computer software, music and spoken word recordings and any other print or non-print format which can be made available as a source of education, information or recreation for library readers.
Context
The Stock Policy document has been prepared within the context of the North East Lincolnshire Mission Statement, Priorities and Service Pledges as specified within the Excellent Services document.
Legal obligations
Compliance with the law is the over-riding factor in the provision of stock. All decisions are made within the following statutory framework:
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Obscene Publications Act 1959 (amended 1964)
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Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964
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Sex Discrimination Act 1975
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Race Relations Act 1976
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Video Recordings Act 1984
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Local Government Act 1988, section 29
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Copyright Designs and Patent Act 1988
Objectives
Within the context of the Mission Statement, Priorities and Service Pledges, the objectives of the Stock Policy are as follows:
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to promote a unified approach to the selection and development of library stocks within the authority
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to foster stability and consistency in stock management
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to ensure the efficient and effective use of resources
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to actively encourage responsiveness to customer needs and demands
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to facilitate staff training and development
Provision
Our stock will represent, within financial constraints, all shades of opinion including the controversial and experimental.
In fulfilling our legal obligations we adhere to the statement on censorship produced by the Library Association:
The function of a library service is to provide, so far as resources allow, all books, periodicals etc. other than the trivial, in which its readers claim legitimate interest. In determining what is a legitimate interest the librarian can safely rely upon one guide only - the law of the land. If the publication of such matter has not incurred penalties under the law it should not be excluded from libraries on any moral, political, religious or racial ground alone, to satisfy any sectional interest.
The public are entitled to rely upon libraries for access to information and enlightenment upon every field of human experience and activity. Those who provide library services should not restrict this access except by standards which are endorsed by law.
Items which have not incurred any penalty under the law will not be excluded merely because they are controversial, but will be evaluated and judged by the standards and criteria listed below.
We will, however, avoid material which overtly promotes racism or prejudice against any social group. At the same time we will assume that older works will reflect the morals and social attitudes of their day, and that adults can make reasonable and critical evaluation of the views and opinions expressed therein.
We will purchase items in response to known demand, as well as demand anticipated in the light of reviews and media interest. Our primary objective will be to provide an extensive range of titles. Multiple copies will be purchased to meet demand only where it is possible to do this without compromising the range of titles bought.
We will assess all stock purchased against the perceived needs of the communities served by each library.
In accordance with the Marketing Libraries strategy the Central Library will provide specialist resources for the whole community, including support for education, business information, audio-visual material and information technology while still maintaining existing lending, reference, music and children's services. The branch libraries will be centres for leisure and recreational reading and community information.
Each library will provide a broad-based and varied stock appropriate to its size and to the reading tastes and information needs of its readers. By providing a combination of new and older titles, we will ensure that a given library should be able to cater for the majority of everyday demands from its readers in terms of subject coverage and depth of treatment.
Individual libraries may need therefore to place different emphasis on certain areas or categories of stock in order to accommodate local reading demands. Nevertheless we consider it important not to stereotype a community or to distort the balance of stock.
Smaller libraries will not try to be fully comprehensive. They will however stock a range of titles sufficient to stimulate wider reading habits.
Larger libraries will hold most of the less well-used stock on behalf of the whole system.
At the same time we regard every library as part of a single network. Material acquired for any one service point will not be viewed as the sole property of that library, but as a shared resource to be exploited through stock circulation programmes and inter-library lending.
Books and other media, including future developments, covering the whole range of published material will be considered for purchase.
We will make as much material as possible available for loan. Nevertheless some material will be restricted to use in a library only and, in certain cases, to use only in the holding library.
We consider that a quality service cannot be provided simply by reacting to public demand and will make a positive endeavour to build collections in order to anticipate future needs.
Where relevant we will select titles for more than one area of stock. There will therefore be some degree of overlap and duplication between our children’s', teenage and adult collections.
Responsibility
Ultimate responsibility for the selection of material rests with the Director of Libraries and any complaints or disputes which cannot be resolved will be referred to him.
The selection and management of stock, within the guidelines laid down by the Stock Policy, will be undertaken by library staff led by the Senior Librarian, Stock Management.
In managing our stock, we will draw on the widest range of professional expertise in order to make use of specialist subject knowledge, to avoid subjectivity and to reflect the broad range of community needs. We will also draw where appropriate upon the skills and knowledge of other members of staff and of members of the wider community.
Quality
We will provide stock which is bright, attractive, well-presented and constantly refreshed by purchase and exchange. It will be maintained to a physical standard which encourages use. On occasion, however, we may retain items which do not meet our normal standards in order to maintain an adequate level of coverage in particular subject areas or to preserve a particular item which is unique or irreplaceable or in demand.
Any complaints regarding the suitability of items of stock will be dealt with through the comments procedure.
Format
We will select stock in the format most suitable for a given purpose and most likely to prove of greatest benefit to the library reader.
We will assess new formats as they appear and monitor their appeal and durability before purchasing them for the library service.
Donations
We accept donated materials on the understanding that they are subject to the same selection criteria as apply to purchased stock. We therefore reserve the right to decide on the most suitable location for donated stock selected for retention and to dispose of materials not required or suitable for addition.
Requested titles not in stock
We will acquire items which are available for purchase only if they fulfil the criteria for selection.
Methods
We will select our stock by a variety of means which will include:
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pre-publication orders from advance information received from library suppliers, publishers and bibliographic sources
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catalogues and other listings provided by suppliers and publishers
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showroom visits to library suppliers and other stockists of specialist material
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regular standing orders
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individual orders made to library suppliers or direct to publishers
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requests
We recognise that extra care is required in the selection and circulation of materials for children and young people which deal with sensitive issues such as adoption, bereavement, sexual abuse, drugs, politics, age, religion, gender, race and disability.
We will establish trading relationships with a range of appropriate suppliers to provide for both our general and more specialised requirements.
We will assess the suitability of individual suppliers through the materials fund tender process in association with PRISM (Partnership for Regional Information and Systems Management) and its constituent member authorities.
Criteria
In making our decision to select or reject any item of stock we will assess each item on the following grounds:
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Value for money, e.g.
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how expensive is it?
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in relation to similar items?
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in relation to its expected usage and lifespan?
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is it available in other, cheaper formats?
Content, e.g.
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is the information it provides accurate, current and unbiased?
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what level of readership is it aimed at?
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is it of relevance to those with special needs?
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do the contents page, index and layout make it easy to use?
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are any illustrations, tables or diagrams (where included) appropriately placed and helpful?
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does it include a bibliography?
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do any references include full bibliographical details for works cited?
Scope, e.g.
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what contribution will it make to the existing stock?
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how does it compare with other material available on the subject?
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is it part of a series?
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are earlier volumes of the series in stock?
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is the subject covered of topical interest?
Authority, e.g.
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is the author an established 'name'?
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does the publisher have an established reputation in the field?
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is the book a new edition or revision of a standard work?
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does the editor, illustrator, conductor, artist, or producer have a particularly high reputation in the field?
Format and presentation, e.g.
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is it appropriate for library use in size and shape?
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is its binding sufficiently durable in relation to its size and weight and expected level of use?
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does it display a legible typeface appropriate in size for its intended readership?
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is it printed on paper of a quality and durability appropriate to its expected lifespan?
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does it have page margins wide enough to permit rebinding?
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does it have an attractive cover appropriate to its category, contents and intended readership?
In addition a number of extra criteria apply to the selection of stock for children and young people e.g.:-
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is the item easily accessible in terms of reading level, format and presentation?
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would it engage, stimulate and retain interest?
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is it physically and visually attractive?
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is the relationship between text and illustrations appropriate?
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are the contents, the language used and the situations dealt with appropriate for the intended age group and / or reading level?
Stock outside the scope of our collections
The following categories of stock will normally fall outside the scope of our collections:
Books with additional objects which form an integral part of an overall package - e.g. sets of runestones, hair accessories.
Items unsuitable in format for their purpose - e.g. ring-bound items for lending stock - unless the information they contain is unavailable in any other form.
Expensive luxury editions, except where of unique local interest.
Tutors, reading schemes, workbooks primarily intended for use with or by a teacher or intended for individual ownership (with the exception of workbooks purchased as part of Open Learning packages).
Items containing practical information inapplicable to UK conditions.
Purpose
We will provide a comprehensive reference and enquiry service for all members of the community including those who are:
engaged in formal and informal education or training
seeking information to support their personal and social development
engaged in local business enterprises
engaged in independent research and private study
Scope
Reference material is selected primarily for its content, so whilst it will be chosen following the general guidelines on selection for adult non-fiction material, greater emphasis needs to be placed on the criteria below. An item may be allocated to a reference collection for the following reasons:
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it is primarily intended for consultation and for answering enquiries
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it is heavily used by students, is constantly in demand, or answers enquiries which occur regularly
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it covers a subject area in which published material is relatively scarce.
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Our major reference collection will normally contain material of the following types:-
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encyclopaedias
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dictionaries
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official publications of HM Government and the European Union
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statistical publications
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standards
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abstracts and indexes
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bibliographies
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directories, guidebooks, yearbooks
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university and college prospectuses
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career guides
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timetables
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local and community information
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atlases
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maps
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local, national and international newspapers
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periodicals
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business information
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legal information
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pamphlets
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background monographs to ensure comprehensive subject coverage
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databases
Access
Our reference collections are designed to complement our lending services by making information available and accessible at all times during the opening hours of each service point. The items contained in our reference collections are therefore not normally available for loan. For this reason we will offer photocopying facilities where space and resources permits, in accordance with copyright restrictions. We reserve the right to ask readers to refrain from photocopying fragile items which may incur damage as a result.
Grimsby Central library forms the principal focus of the reference network. It provides a range of stock and facilities extensive enough to support the work of the other libraries. Our reference services are centralised in this way because we wish:
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to offer the widest possible access to a scarce resource; the high cost and speedy obsolescence of much reference material precludes any excessive duplication of stock and Grimsby Central Library provides long opening hours
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to provide the staff with the necessary skills to exploit these collections
The reference collections in our branch libraries are smaller and intended to answer quick reference enquiries only. More detailed enquiries should be directed to the central library which will provide a referral service by telephone and in some cases by fax.
Format
Material in non-book formats, e.g. microfilm, microfiche, CD-ROM, will be selected according to its accessibility and cost in comparison with the equivalent printed source(s).
Quality
The directories and annuals displayed on open access in Grimsby Central Reference Library will be current editions. Thereafter the ex-current copy may be:
In addition no reference collection should maintain on open access annual directories more than three years old.
Miscellaneous
The photocopying of all materials in our reference collections is subject to the Copyright Act 1988. Some items may not be copied at all, whilst others such as Ordnance Survey maps are subject to restrictions. Library staff are obliged to make known these restrictions to the public.
Purpose
We will maintain research collections of local studies material for the purpose of:
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fostering a sense of community identity by preserving and by making available information about its present and its past
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supporting local genealogical research
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supporting the requirements of schoolchildren and students from primary age upwards following formal education curricula
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supporting the requirements of all those pursuing informal research into their local area
Scope
We will actively build our collections not only by purchasing new publications but also by:
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drawing on the local second hand and auction market to fill gaps retrospectively
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collecting current information both for its contemporary as well as its future historical value
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accepting bequests, donations and gifts of material on deposit
We will collect comprehensively all printed material concerning individual localities, people and events within the boundaries of the district of North East Lincolnshire. Where appropriate, we will also collect additional material pertaining to adjoining areas.
We will also collect:
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works by people who were born in and have maintained a continuing connection with this area
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all appropriate locally printed and published material
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fictional works, where the setting or way of life described is specifically local or strongly connected with a local industry
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background works covering:
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the context, use and exploitation of the material within each local studies collection
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the administration of local studies collections (for staff use)
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general works on related topics e.g. genealogy, place names, social history
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Our local studies collections will contain a range of material similar to our reference collections but will also include:
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local census information
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unpublished material including theses, manuscripts and photocopies
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indexes including certain national genealogical indexes (e.g. International Genealogical Index,)
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maps (in a range of dates and scales)
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ephemera (e.g. playbills, programmes, posters, estate agents' papers and election leaflets)
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photographs
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other illustrative material
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cuttings files
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pamphlets
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local authority publications
Archival material will, where we consider it necessary, be directed to the appropriate local Record Office.
Access
Like the main reference collection the major local studies collection is maintained at Grimsby Central Library because we wish:
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to offer the widest possible access to a scarce resource; the high cost and rarity of much local studies material precludes any excessive duplication of stock and Grimsby Central Library provides long opening hours
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to provide the staff with the necessary skills to exploit these collections
The nature of the collection in each service point will be affected by the locality and by security and storage considerations. Our primary aim will be to make our holdings available for use within the constraints imposed by considerations of conservation and security. Local books are normally the product of short, one-off print runs and lost or damaged books are often difficult or impossible to replace. For this reason:
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items may be kept on closed access
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staff may refuse permission to photocopy any item where there is a risk of it incurring damage
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where appropriate, items will be sent for strengthening, binding or microfilming for conservation purposes
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multiple copies will be acquired where possible
Each service point will also provide an appropriately sized loan collection of items covering the history of its locality and the surrounding area.
Format
Where appropriate material will be purchased or made available in microform.
Audio tapes, records, video cassettes, films, compact discs and CD-ROM will also be collected provided that the recorded material is of local interest.
Purpose
In the selection of non-fiction stock emphasis will be placed on those books which:
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contribute to personal development
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support those engaged in lifelong learning (support will be given for courses offered by local educational institutions but it is not our purpose to duplicate the role of the library in these institutions)
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encourage the positive use of leisure whether through their intrinsic quality or through the information they contain
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promote the economic development of the local community and employment opportunities within the local economy
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provide access to an original art form - e.g., poetry, literary biography
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provide entertainment and relaxation
Scope
We will supply a wide variety of stock covering subjects at a range of interest levels up to and including higher education level. Our stock will also include Open Learning materials.
Access
Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham libraries will stock titles to A level, GNVQ, NVQ and diploma standard. Grimsby Library will also stock a selection of higher education texts where their subject is appropriate. We will secure an adequate representation of all relevant topics at the range of levels designated in the shelf stocks of individual libraries.
Format
Preference will normally be given to durable hardback editions of any title. Paperbacks will, however, be purchased in cases where:
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there is a considerable price differential between the hardback and paperback editions
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demand is limited
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the information contained will be obsolete within five years
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there is no alternative
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to complement popular titles
With the creation of an Open Learning Centre, material will be purchased in a variety of formats, some of which - e.g.. workbooks and computer software - fall outside the parameters set for normal lending stock. Many are contained in mixed media packages made up of a combination of:
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workbooks
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videos
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audio-cassettes
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CD-ROM
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computer software
Purpose
scores, and provide access to multiple-copy sets of playscripts and musical scores for the purpose of:
Scope
Music scores will be purchased for loan in as wide a range as possible, including miniature scores, tutors, vocal scores, solo instrumental scores, popular music albums, vocal scores and chamber ensembles.
Access
Single copies of music scores and playsets are available from Grimsby Central library and from other service points via the request system.
Sets of orchestral scores and sets of vocal scores of dramatic and choral music will be made available to local orchestras, schools, choirs and choral societies through the County Music Collection administered by Hull City Libraries and through other Inter Lending agencies.
Purpose
We consider fiction an essential element of public library provision, serving not only recreational but also educational and social needs. In selecting stock we will provide titles which:
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seek to broaden the outlook, exercise the imagination and challenge the preconceptions of the reader
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extend literacy
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provide entertainment and relaxation
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encourage the reluctant reader
Scope
In building our collection our primary objective will be:
to provide a varied and balanced stock, representative of all types of fiction, designed to satisfy all tastes and levels of reading ability
Titles published and available only in the United States will not normally be purchased.
Fiction provision will fairly represent demand and issues. The bulk of our collections will therefore consist of popular 'genre' fiction of all types. However, we also recognise the vital role of the public library service in supporting and promoting serious literary fiction and in ensuring the continued availability of classic works.
The demand for light fiction will be met as economically as possible (see 8.4.1. below).
We will give a high priority to the maintenance and building of stocks. To this end we will purchase 'new' reprints and support attempts by the profession and publishers to prolong the availability of important titles.
Access
The size of a service point will not determine the range of fiction available to its members. Every fiction collection will therefore contain items representing each of the main elements of our fiction stock:
In accordance with the Marketing Libraries Strategy, smaller branches will normally place greater emphasis on popular and light fiction. The Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham libraries will provide the main focus for our collections of serious fiction, classics and novels in translation.
Format
Although most items will be purchased in hardback, all service points will stock some fiction in paperback format:
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to maintain a broad coverage of titles by including those published as paperback originals
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to introduce classic fiction to a wider audience
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to provide those with reading difficulties with fiction in a more accessible reader-friendly format
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to satisfy demand for very popular titles as economically as possible
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to satisfy demand for romances and westerns as economically as possible
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to provide readers with the option of borrowing fiction in a more portable format
Purpose
We will provide large print stock to allow access to our services to those unable, through age or disability, to read standard print.
Scope
All categories of stock will be represented in our large print collections including non-fiction and the full range of 'genre' and literary fiction produced by the large print publishing houses.
Access
Every service point will provide a collection of large print books commensurate with its size and with known or expected patterns of demand.
A bulk loan service is offered to residential homes registered with the library service through the Special Services Section.
Format
Large print will be purchased in both hardback and paperback editions to provide an alternative for those readers who find hardbacks too heavy to carry or to hol
Purpose
In addition to stock in the English language, we are also committed to providing foreign language material in order to:
Scope
We will purchase a selection of stock in the major European languages. Stock in other languages will be purchased where there is a known and continuing demand, and where purchase represents the best and most economical way of satisfying that demand.
These collections will consist of material first published in the language concerned and of popular items translated from English.
We will also purchase language courses covering all the major European languages to meet a range of ability from holiday/beginner to advanced/business level. Courses covering other languages will be purchased according to demand and availability.
Access
Collections of fiction and popular non-fiction in the major European languages will be held at Grimsby Central Library and will be available through all other service points via the request system.
Audio courses covering the major European languages will also be stocked at Grimsby Central library and other selected service points and will be available through all other service points via the request service.
Format
Language courses will be purchased in book, cassette, compact disc, video and mixed media formats.
Purpose
In selecting our stock we will provide material which will:
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assist in intellectual, social and emotional development
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develop language skills and expand vocabulary
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extend skills and knowledge
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develop an ability to read for information
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encourage reading for entertainment and enjoyment
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stimulate imagination and curiosity
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develop an understanding of and respect for themselves and other people
Scope
We will provide stock for loan and for reference use.
Our stock will be made up of material in a variety of formats including:
We will provide a wide variety of stock relevant to all age groups from birth to fifteen years, and to all tastes and levels of reading ability.
Our stock will be designed to meet educational, informational, recreational and leisure needs.
Our non-fiction stock will reflect the content of the National Curriculum but will not provide completely for its requirements. It will complement, not replace, the project and exchange collections provided by the Schools Library Service.
We will provide the best available stock from items of literary and artistic merit, to 'fun' material to encourage reading and library use.
Our stock will include items relevant to those with special needs such as learning difficulties or visual impairment.
Our stock will include separate teenage collections, selected according to our general criteria, but of particular relevance to teenage culture and interests.
Access
Each service point will carry the full range of books for loan to allow, where possible, an immediate response to be made to individual demands. However the overall balance of stock to be found in any library will fairly represent total demand, and the size and age profile of the local population.
Reference collections will be available at all service points. Our smaller branch libraries will contain limited collections. Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham libraries will carry a fuller range of children’s' reference stock.
Our stock is available for loan to those aged fifteen and under and to individual adults.
Format
Each item will be judged on its own merits according to our general criteria. Physical format may not always provide grounds for rejecting an item. Some items may be purchased for controlled collections only, e.g. story time or activity use.
We recognise the value of paperbacks in attracting older children and teenagers to read. We will therefore purchase stock in a mixture of hardback and paperback, with regard both to potential issues and value for money.
We also recognise the attraction of computer-based information sources to this age group. Material on CD-ROM may be selected for reference collections according to its accessibility and cost in relation to the equivalent printed source.
Purpose
We will provide collections of recorded music and sound effects in order to:
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contribute to personal development
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support those engaged in independent or informal learning
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encourage the positive use of leisure
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provide access to an original art form
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support the cultural life of the community
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raise income
Scope
All types of classical and popular music and sound effects will be included in our collections.
Recorded music will be loaned in accordance with the agreement between the British Phonographic Industry and the Library Association, i.e.:
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the minimum loan period will be seven days
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no more than four copies of one title, or two copies of one title in the same format, will be stocked at a single service point
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items will only be made available for loan three months after their release date
Access
Recorded music collections will be based at our Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Immingham, Waltham and Willows libraries, and other libraries as determined by the Library managers. All other branches will have AV taster collections. The stock will be available to readers in other service points through the request service.
Format
We will purchase recorded sound for loan in the following formats:
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compact discs
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audio cassettes
A collection of vinyl recordings will continue to be made available at Grimsby Library, and to readers at other service points through the requests system, for as long as use dictates.
Purpose
We will provide spoken word in order to:
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allow access to our services to those unable to read through age or disability
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allow access to original performances of poetry and drama
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provide entertainment and relaxation
Scope
The range of material purchased will be as broad as possible, incorporating non-fiction as well as all types of genre and literary fiction.
Both abridged and unabridged titles will be purchased.
Access
Spoken word collections will ultimately be available at all libraries. Until all libraries have their own stock, spoken word will be available to all service points via the request system.
Purpose
We will provide video collections in order to:
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contribute to personal development
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support those engaged in independent or informal learning
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encourage the positive use of leisure
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provide access to the original art form of cinema
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provide entertainment and relaxation
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raise income
Scope
We will purchase a broad range of videos including non-fiction titles, feature films - both modern and classic - and television programmes.
Rental-only feature films will not be purchased.
Videos will be purchased and loaned in accordance with the provisions of the Video Recording Act 1984.
Access
Collections will be held Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Immingham and Nunsthorpe libraries and other libraries as determined by the Library managers. All other branches will have AV taster collections. The stock will be made available to all other service points through the request service.
Format
Videos will be purchased in VHS format only.
Purpose
We will provide a request service at a charge determined by the Leisure Services Committee in order to:
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provide equal access to the lending stock of all our libraries to all readers irrespective of their place of residence
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provide access to items which do not form part of our stocks through purchase or by borrowing via national and international Inter-Library Loan networks
Scope
We will acquire items which are available for purchase only where they fulfil our general criteria for selection.
At the direction of the reader we will pursue through the Inter-Library Loan network requests for items which are not available for or do not meet our criteria for purchase. In the case of ephemeral titles, however, we may cancel the request and inform the reader.
We will not normally pursue requests for audio-visual items through the Inter-Library Loan system.
Purpose
We will promote our stock both to library readers and to the wider public in order to:
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bring as wide a range of stock as possible to the attention of each reader
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encourage library membership and use
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provide advice and guidance to individual readers in their reading choices
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maximise the usage of stock
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encourage diverse reading habits
Scope
We will provide well maintained libraries, which offer a welcoming and attractive environment for all.
We will present our stock in an attractive and accessible way with regular displays to maintain interest and stimulate use.
We will further promote our stock by a variety of other means - for example, author-related and other promotional events and schemes, displays outside our premises, booklists and bookmarks, newspaper columns and talks by library staff to groups and other outside bodies.
We will provide facilities and support for reading groups within our libraries.
We will provide training to library staff to facilitate the promotion of library materials.
Access
We will provide book display facilities in each of our static libraries.
We will organise a continuous programme of stock promotion for both adults and children.
Where space permits, libraries will provide space to display children's own work and hold activities.
Where space permits, libraries will provide a readers’ notice board for the exchange of ideas between library readers.
Stock selection and acquisition is a continuous process requiring the regular assessment of shelf stock and the withdrawal of older, less popular items to allow space for newer or more popular titles. We may withdraw an item from open display for any of the following reasons:
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it is in poor physical condition and beyond reasonable repair
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it contains out of date or inaccurate material
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there are more copies in stock than needs dictate
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it is a superseded edition
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it displays a declining issue rate
Once an item has been withdrawn from open display we will choose between a number of options.
Circulation
An item which is still current and in good physical condition may display a declining issue rate if it has been in stock at one service point for a considerable length of time. Issues may increase if the item is transferred to another service point.
Certain items of stock, particularly large print material and popular genre fiction will be automatically circulated between libraries by the use of routed circulation software.
All categories of stock will therefore be circulated between service points in order to:
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maximise the availability of individual items of stock
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maximise the usage of individual items of stock
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ensure that the stock in each service point is constantly renewed
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ensure that minority and special needs are catered for in a cost-effective way
Binding and conservation
We will consider all books withdrawn from general recirculation for rebinding. We will select a book for rebinding in accordance with the following criteria:
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the cost of rebinding is less than that of replacement
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the physical condition of the book warrants rebinding - i.e. the item is complete, the paper is of sufficient quality, the pages are clean and unstained, and a sufficient binding margin exists
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the book will continue to generate sufficient issues after rebinding - i.e. its contents are current and it has not been superseded by a more recent edition
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the jacket of the book is available where it is required to promote the item
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the book is required for the reserve stack but its physical condition is too frail to allow further use without rebinding
We will also rebind local history and reference items as required, either for conservation purposes or to make reinforced loan copies available.
Where appropriate we will bind periodicals retained in permanent backfiles into uniform volumes according to established rubbings.
Where appropriate we will send damaged spoken word and audio-cassettes for testing and possible repair before seeking to replace them.
It is also our policy to pursue an active conservation programme to guarantee the long-term preservation of specialised items. This will include:
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seeking expert advice on restoration and conservation processes for specialised materials e.g. deacidification, neutralisation of staining and foxing, flood damage repair, treatment for insect or fungus attack, paper repairs and fixing of ink
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purchasing acid-free boxes, slipcases and portfolios for long-term storage
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providing suitable storage conditions for special materials requiring protection from extremes of temperature or from damp
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photocopying fragile older material and binding the photocopy to make the item available for everyday use, conserving the original
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pursuing an active programme of microfilming to provide easy access and storage for items too fragile, vulnerable or bulky for everyday use
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where possible storing the negative and positive copies of our microfilms in separate buildings
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participating fully in the British Library Newsplan project; this identifies priorities for microfilming gaps in local newspapers in order to achieve complete national coverage and also publishes a national holdings list
We reserve the right to ask readers to refrain from photocopying fragile items which may incur damage as a result.
Stacking
Items of permanent value which are no longer required for general recirculation will be relegated to the reserve stack.
We will stack any item which meets the above criteria and which represents the last copy in the Library Service’s stock.
Disposal
We will dispose of any items we consider to be of no further use as follows:
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Items of potential interest to other libraries will be identified and offered as appropriate.
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Items of potential value to the second-hand book trade will be identified and offered for sale to local and national book dealers.
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All other items in reasonable physical condition will initially be offered for sale to library readers and other residents of North East Lincolnshire at a fixed rate of charges.
We offer items for sale through permanent displays within each service point and through periodic sales.
The price of items on offer in any booksale may be reduced at the discretion of the officer in charge in order to clear surplus stock.
Unsold items will be offered to local, national and international charities for redistribution.
Wherever possible, any remaining unsold or physically unacceptable items will be sent for recycling.
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