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Reference and Collection Sub-Team
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Final Report with Attachments
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1/17/2012
Table of Contents
Chapter
Page
3
Executive Summary
Problem Statements:
Nature of Reference Service
Reference Statistics Tool
Reference Desk Staffing
Reference Service Policies
Collection Development Policy
Collection Relevancy
Streamlining Acquisition of Materials
Collection-wide Maintenance and Evaluation
Organization of the Collection
5
8
15
16
17
21
24
29
30
Prioritized Recommendations
34
Electronic Attachments
#1 Reference Policies, 1987
44
#2
#3
#4
#5
49
56
58
60
Reference Standards, 1987
E-Reference Policies and Best Practices, 2001
E-Reference Procedures, 2001
Reference Policies and Procedures – preliminary draft
revision, 2012
#6 Materials Selection Policy, 1991; reviewed 1997
#7 Materials Selection – MCLS Home Page, 1996; reviewed
1997
#8 Collection Development Policy, 1988
#9 Gifts, 1987, reviewed 1997
#10 Gifts – Memorials, 1994; reviewed 1997
#11 Collection Deacquisition Policy, 2001
#12 Collection Development Policy – preliminary draft revision, 2012
#13 Benchmarking Survey
2
70
74
75
81
82
84
86
97
Reference and Collection Sub-team Final Report
January 16th, 2012
Executive Summary
The Reference & Collections Team tackled some major questions concerning the content, management
and arrangement of the collection and the Central Library’s provision of reference service. The task was
divided into nine problem statements. The team relied on statistical data, literature reviews and
benchmarking with other libraries in approaching each problem. Throughout the task, however, the
team used as a guiding principle the existing mission of the Central Library and was reluctant to
compromise the generally accepted high quality of service expected by the library’s patrons and
important to staff.
While the over-all goal of the entire reorganization process is to find efficiencies of operation, because
the process is divided among a number of teams and there is significant relationship between the
assignments; like chess or the chicken/egg conundrum the specifics or alternatives can’t be fully
developed or explored until recommendations from other teams are accepted or rejected and decisions
start to be made. The decisions of the Space & Facilities Team are especially relevant both for how the
library arranges the collection and provides direct reference service. For this reason this team’s
recommendations are preliminary and should be revisited and tested as implementation goes forward.
A summary of the team’s report appears below; however, the complete set of detailed
recommendations for each problem statement appears in the body of the report
1.
The team found that reference service has changed both in the quantity as well as
the way it is provided and resources used. This can be attributed to the evolution
and pervasiveness of the personal computer and the development of online
information sources. Individuals simply have greater access to information and can
find much of what they need without a librarian. At the same time town libraries
have become stronger and have been able to step into role formerly held by the
Central Library alone.
Analysis of the statistics, however, reveals that even with fewer people providing
public service, direct public reference service continues to be a major function of
public service staff.
2.
In order to provide a more consistent measure of public service between units, the
team used Survey Monkey to develop an online statistics collection tool to collect
the base data required by the Management Team in order to make service
decisions. While the current tool works and has provided useful data, it is
somewhat cumbersome to maintain. In addition, since it has been pared down to
the basic data, divisions needing additional information will need to make
adaptations or other ways to record what they need.
3
3. Both the patterns of reference request, the architecture of the buildings, and the
deployment of public computers affect the decisions about staffing public service
desks. Staff receives both general and subject-specific reference questions (easy
and hard) by both telephone and in person in random and unpredictable order. The
staff feels strongly about wanting to maintain a high level of reference service and
believes this is best provided through the availability of experienced subject
specialists. A decision to relocate the general public computers has the potential of
reducing the number of general computer related questions at the desks and the
use of a new position “Reference Assistant,” paired with a subject specialist as well
as incorporating the concept of “roving staff” could reduce the cost of providing
reference service.
4. Both the Reference Policy and Reference Standards which shape reference service
at the Central Library were both developed in 1987. Because they follow generally
accepted professional standards, for the most part they continue to be acceptable
but should be revised to reflect the changes in technology and facilities since they
were approved.
5. Like the Reference Policy and Standards, the Collection Development Policy has not
been revised. Revisions to the policy and additions are recommended. In addition,
policies specific to the subject divisions are generally not adequate and should be
revised both for content and alignment with the general policy.
6. The expectation and reality of the Central Library’s collection is that it will be bigger,
broader and deeper than any of the individual libraries it supports. What is harder
to evaluate is the relevancy of the collection and a measure of the quality of the
collection. Individual titles can be matched against standard or specialized
bibliographies or circulation reports and several other studies and reports to test
the collection are proposed.
7. Critical to the provision of a relevant collection is ability to make available to patrons
new material in a timely manor. The Central Library has lagged behind branch and
community libraries in getting new books onto its shelves. The adoption of an
online ordering system and changes in the preparation of materials, such as the
elimination of KAPKO covers has resulted in the delivery of many materials to
divisions much more quickly. Additional alterations in procedures are still necessary
to further streamline the process and make the most effective use of staff time.
8.
In addition to collection development, continued maintenance and evaluation is
necessary to keep a library’s collection relevant and in good repair. While a section
on Weeding is included in the Collection Development Policy of 1988 it has not been
revised. The team recommends that this section should be revised incorporating
preservation standards and suggested timetables and procedures that might be
used at the division level.
9. Both the Rundel Building and the Bausch & Lomb Public Library Building were built
to accommodate a library collection arranged by subject.
4
The team looked at other arrangements, contacted many libraries, evaluated the
experiences of libraries with other arrangements and concluded that simply a
change away from the subject concept would neither result in better service to the
public nor result in significant cost savings.
The complete report, with separate sections on each problem statement follows. Attached are the
current library-wide policies and preliminary drafts of revisions. Individual division policies and
procedures are not included.
Problem Statement
How has the nature of reference at the Central Library shifted within the last ten years and
how can staff improve and create different ways of delivering reference service (making
Central an indispensable resource to MCLS member libraries?)
Data Collection, methods and results
The following statistics are from the cumulative records from the Central Library Administration
Office during the last 10 years.
Year
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
Ref. quest.
306188
301733
243431
232000
210357
195318
191637
196904
209594
232450
Ref. staff
88.7
89.4
80
87.2
88.3
65.8
64.5
64.7
61.8
58.9
Questions/staff
3451
3375
3042
2660
2382
2968
2971
3,043
3,391
3,946
Reference Questions
Staffing
400000
100
300000
80
60
200000
40
100000
20
0
0
Questions per librarian per year
7300 questions answered by Divisions
5
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
Fiscal 09-10
Fiscal 10-11
Reference Type, Nov. '11
Referrals to other
divisions and
agencies
9%
Computer
Instruction
10%
Equipment
Instruction
4%
General
Reference
23%
Subject Specific
Reference/Readers
Advisory + Grants,
Vital Records, Clip
File
54%
Data Analysis
Throughout the history of the Central Library, its subject collections and staff expertise have been
the most unique and indispensable resource to the public and other MCLS libraries. With the
advent of the internet and the widespread ownership of personal computers, the demand for
subject specific reference questions has diminished as more and more of our customers, turn to the
Internet to answer their questions.
Having their own computers, member libraries now have on-line resources available to them to
answers their customers questions and no longer are they solely dependent on Central’s print
resources.
Some of the changes in the nature of reference at Central as indicated by the above statistics are:
1. A reduction in the number of all types of reference questions to the Central Library.
2. The routing of general information/reference questions to subject divisions, increasing the
percentage of non-subject related questions answered in subject divisions.
3. A greater demand for help with computer instruction of all types.
4. A reduction in the number of reference librarians.
5. A higher number of reference questions answered per librarian.
While concise statistics are not available, there is consensus among some divisions that the use of
print reference sources has greatly diminished with a much greater emphasis on online resources.
6
Since October 2011, with the introduction of Survey Monkey, we now have a finer breakdown of the
overall nature of reference questions being answered by divisions. The last graph distinguishes
between subject specific questions and general reference questions in addition to the demand for
computer instruction. Figures for September and October were similar.
The team formulated definitions for each category of questions. General reference questions
include;
1. Catalog searches
2. Phone numbers
3. Simple spellings
4. Library hours
5. Questions that do not require significant knowledge of a subject, that could be answered by
any reference librarian
Subject specific questions include;
1. A question requiring subject knowledge or if subject specific material is needed
2. Reader advisory and assistance in subject searches and selecting materials
3. If specific training or experience related to the division is needed
4. Questions beyond the scope of a well trained general reference librarian
Unfortunately, the earlier “hash mark” statistical recording tool did not make the distinction
between subject vs. general reference questions; hence we can only track this three month trend.
Yet this last graph is probably the most significant as it provides a picture of the current nature of
reference questions being asked. Almost half of these questions are not subject specific and could
therefore be answered by a general reference librarian.
The Central Library’s vast collections and subject specialists have served the citizens of Monroe
County for over 100 years yet we must respond to the changing nature of our reference service and
the changing resources needed to satisfy these demands. With the reduction in staffing and the
corresponding increase in the individual librarian’s workload, we must also work more efficiently
by augmenting or substituting our print collections with online resources while employing
electronic information delivery methods such as scanning and faxing.
Finally, in response to the increasing demand for computer assistance, all staff should have at least
basic training in Microsoft Office, downloading files and library products such as audio and e-books.
Recommendations
As this data indicates, Central’s traditional role of answering subject-specific reference questions,
while increasing somewhat from in lowest point in 2006-2007, over the last ten years, the number
of reference questions have declined significantly while there is a shift in the types of questions
being asked and the types of resources that are needed to fulfill customer requests.
To respond to the changing demands of our public we must find new and more efficient ways to
deliver reference services. The following recommendations are suggested;
1. Take the lead in collection development to include a digital collection policy that is
responsive to public demand.
2. Survey Monkey has shown that only about 10% of our reference questions are now being
answered by using paper resources and we should consider shifting to online databases
whenever possible.
3. Reduce the number of technical journals where demand is low and increase the circulation
of more popular journals.
4. Increase the opportunities for staff training in new technologies.
7
5. The Central Library should establish an area that is staffed by experienced individuals able
to assist patrons with computer and Internet related questions as well as provide training
on computers and other electronic devices.
6. The Central Library should continue to look for more non-traditional items for circulation
including more electronic devices, museum passes, etc.
7. To increase both efficiency and speed of our reference, expand the use of electronic
delivery methods whenever possible including faxing and scanning to both member
libraries and individuals.
Problem Statement
Does a uniform reference recording tool need to be developed to collect data about the true
nature of the questions being asked at the reference desk?
Data Collection (methods and results)
Benchmarking with other libraries finds a wide variety of statistics recording tools from various
online types, identical or similar to Survey Monkey, to just plain pen and paper.
Library
Ann Arbor
Salt Lake City
Lawrenceville, NJ
Arlington Heights
Canton, OH
Columbia, MD
Kansas City
Evansville, IN
Akron, OH
Dayton, OH
Buffalo, NY
Alexandria, VA
Statistic tool
in-house program
in-house program
pen and paper
desk tracker compendium
sampling twice per year using pen and paper
pen and paper
pen and paper
pen and paper
gimlet.us used for sampling
sampling once per year using pen and paper
sampling once per year
pen and paper
8
The current reference recording tool, Survey Monkey is being utilized to help standardize the
recording of reference statistics. The current survey will record the day, time, and source of the
reference questions and most importantly for the survey period, the type of question asked,
whether subject specific or not.
We want a reference statistics recording tool that gathers all the detail that Administration requires
for budget planning, but that does not take a lot of staff time and attention away from patron
interactions.
The one advantage to the “sampling and extrapolation” method used by the Buffalo library is that it
frees librarians to concentrate on serving the patrons without the distraction of having to record
reference statistics, except during the sampling period. The BIG disadvantage is that accuracy is
very much compromised by this method. How could one pick a “typical week” to use for sampling?
The week could turn out to be anything but typical, with the result that statistics are drastically
skewed.
Accuracy is also a concern with the pen and paper and hash marks method that was being used at
Central until mid-September of this year. Reference questions can become very involved and at
busy times, when one patron after another needs attention, staff may forget to record all of the
questions answered in the past hour and do a “best guess” of how many hash marks to record.
Accuracy of statistics is compromised when ALL attention is focused on serving the patron
immediately present at the desk and the recording takes place only after a busy period.
The Survey Monkey recording tool we have developed, like other online statistics collectors, can
help us record more detail about reference transactions than other methods.
In terms of efficiency, less time is spent by division clerks adding up hash marks for the whole
month. Possibly less paper is generated.
The survey also requires more time and attention to detail than other methods. There are currently
five multiple choice questions that must be answered for each transaction, plus an optional notes
field to record details about the question. It takes a little longer to fill out one of these surveys than
it does to make a hash mark in the appropriate spot on a sheet of paper!
9
In addition to the time it takes to fill out a survey for each transaction, the downloading of reports
for a one-month period is cumbersome. We have found it easier to “just print” the individual
reports, though compiling the division reports into one detailed report for Central is facilitated by
the downloads. Since monthly public service reports by divisions contain statistics about other
services to the public (such as programs inside and outside the library, tours of the library, displays,
bibliographies and community contacts), spending time downloading the Survey Monkey reports
does not necessarily make monthly reports easier or faster to produce.
During the survey period, staff spent a great deal of time downloading and compiling all the
divisions’ reference survey reports into one comprehensive report for the Central Library. Other
data (such as number of open hours) needs to be combined with reports in order to give real
meaning to the numbers. (See #5 below.)
Data Analysis (methods and results)
Data collected during October and November shows:
The current version of survey monkey is useful in tracking the nature of reference service at Central
that was not formerly tracked using pen and paper. The following are some of the specific elements
that were able to be tracked.
1. Approximately 80% of questions answered at all public service desks are reference
questions (as opposed to directional or other non-reference type questions).
Reference vs. Non-Reference, Nov.
'11
19%
Q5. Reference Type
Q6. NON-Reference
Type
81%
2. Of the reference transactions, a majority (about 55%) are subject-specific. (The percentage
goes up to about 60% when subject divisions only are considered, excluding the
information desk.) General reference accounts for about 23% of the reference transactions;
Computer instruction about 10%; referrals to other divisions or agencies, 10%; Equipment
instruction about 4%.
10
Referrals to
other divisions
and agencies
9%
Reference Type, Nov. '11
Computer
Instruction
10%
Equipment
Instruction
4%
General
Reference
23%
Subject Specific
Reference/Read
ers Advisory +
Grants, Vital
Records, Clip
File
54%
3. 75% or more of the transactions are in-person.
4. Of the telephone questions, almost twice as many come in on division phones as on the
7300 (general information) phone. This would seem to indicate that these questions are
more subject-specific than general.
E-Mail
7300
8%
Questions Received
Nov. '11
1%
Letter
0%
Division phone
14%
In person
77%
Monday is the busiest day, even though we have cut out Monday mornings. (This was determined
by combining the number of open hours on each weekday with the survey numbers to give us a
“per open hour” comparison.)
11
Questions per Open Hour, Nov. '11
100.00
90.00
80.00
70.00
60.00
50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
5. 12-2 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. are the busiest times (no surprise there).
6 PM
-8
PM
2%
Questions by time of day, Nov '11
4 PM
-6
PM
18%
2 PM - 4 PM
27%
9 AM NOON
25%
12 PM - 2
PM
28%
6. Print reference sources are used for only about 10% of the questions; the catalog is used for
about 25-30%; “other” and “none” (meaning personal knowledge and expertise) were
indicated as sources for about 45% of the questions, combined; Internet – about 12%;
Databases – about 6%.
12
Sources Used, Nov. '11
Print
Reference
10%
Internet
12%
Other
19%
None
25%
Catalog
28%
Database
6%
Recommendations
1. It is recommended that the current online reference statistics tool (Survey Monkey)
continue to be used for the time being, but that we continue to seek a faster method which
does not take time away from actual reference service. This January, we began using a
different URL for each month in each division that has eliminated the necessity of clearing
the survey; this should make the end-of-month process less of a frantic rush.
2. We should also try out other reference statistics tools in one or two divisions to see if they
are easier and faster to use. Finding a survey tool that allows entry of multiple questions of
the same type at the same time would make for a quicker turn-around time to get back to
serving the public. Dennis Williams has produced a couple of sample online forms to be
tried out, perhaps for one month in one or two divisions. There is however, concern by
some of the team that having a survey tool that allows the entry of multiple questions of the
same type might lead to some statistical anomalies (padding the numbers).Beyond
measuring telephone versus in-person reference questions as is the case with our former
pen and paper statistics recording tool, the current survey monkey has helped to track data
concerning the true nature of Central’s reference questions by monitoring subject specific
questions versus general references questions, and the types of resources used. We have
generated three months worth of these statistics that has given us a more accurate picture
of the current nature of reference service at Central. Survey Monkey, however is time
consuming to use and some find this to be a problem.
3. Because we have gathered sufficient data regarding subject vs. general reference questions,
it is suggested that if we continue using Survey Monkey, we drop the questions pertaining to
time of day, (#3) and sources used, (#4), to expedite the process of recording statistics.
4. A further recommendation is to use this form of online survey for one week, once or twice a
year to gather detailed information (including perhaps specific questions recorded in the
notes field) and going back to hash marks on paper for the rest of the year. The paper form
used would have to be uniform throughout the divisions and would have to have the
approval of Administration.
13
Some possibilities for paper forms:
5. It is recommended that a separate (short-term) statistics team should be established, with
representation from all divisions that do reference transactions, to develop the common
paper form and a plan for its use in relation to overall monthly reports.
Problem Statement
How can the Central Library best utilize staff at the reference desk that will be most efficient
and cost effective?
Data Collection, methods and results
In order to get information on comparable libraries, the list of 2010-2011 Star libraries from
Library Journal, was used as the starting point in addition to other libraries whose collection size
mirrored Rochester’s.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services, (imls.gov) was also consulted to find libraries with
similar budgets and collection sizes. Among the questions asked was how they staff their reference
desks with specific focus on whether professional librarians were used vs. library assistants or
similar positions.
Library
Professional Librarians/Library Assistants
Ft. Wayne, IN
Dayton, Ohio
MLS’s at central, branches uses library assistants
Both MLS’s and L.A.’s. L.A.’s also used as subs
14
Akron (Ohio) Public Library
Kansas City Public Library
Johnson County Kansas Public Library
Howard County (Maryland) Public Library
Syracuse/Onondaga
Dallas Public Library
St. Louis Public Library
San Diego Public Library
Both MLS’s and “public service assistants”
MLS’s with some “seasoned” clerical support
MLS’s and L.A.
MLS’s only
MLS’s everywhere but in Fiction
60% MLA’s
70% of the staff have MLS’s
90% of the staff have MLS’s
Data Analysis
From the benchmarking we found that MLS’s were used in higher percentages in larger libraries
and in libraries that featured collections arranged by subject areas. In most libraries, however,
library assistants were being used, most often due to cost considerations.
Recommendations
Whether the Central library continues to employ a subject arrangement or chooses an alternative
collection organization, it is recommended that all reference points be staffed by professional
librarians whenever possible. Library assistants with adequate training should be used in a
supportive role.
1. Results of Survey Monkey for the months October through December, showed that from 5460% of reference questions coming into the Central Library’s subject divisions are subject
specific.
Therefore, a professional librarian, with specific subject skills should be available on each
floor and whenever possible at each reference desk with the exception of Information.
2. It is recommended that a new title such as “reference assistant” be established at a lower
pay grade that would work in conjunction with a professional MLS.
3. Regular cross-training should be implemented to increase staffing flexibility.
4. During slower periods, the use of library assistants should be considered.
5. As the use of print reference resources declines, the current reference desks, as in the
Bausch and Lomb Public Library Building, are larger than necessary. Reference desks
should only be large enough to accommodate computers and print resources that are still in
demand. Where possible, reference desks should be relocated off the Retrieval Rooms
providing better staff access and increased open floor space. This would also give a more
secure orientation of the floors for improved security.
6. The use of roving librarians should be implemented and used throughout the library. This
will afford a more proactive reference presence in the library and could replace the
traditional reference desk on any particular floor.
7. Librarians should be equipped with the necessary equipment to provide wireless reference
service such as portable phones, wireless PC’s, etc
Problem statement
Are there up-to-date reference service policies and procedures for the Central Library? How
can this sub-committee create new, clear policies and procedures for reference service
standards reflect the current needs of our patrons and current library practices?
Executive Summary
15
The current policy dates from 1989. (See attachment # 1 pg.44), reference policy and procedures,
1987)
Procedurally, there is a broad written reference service standard for Central Staff that only
requires minor revisions. (attachment #2,pg. 49) Existing policies also include Policies and
Procedures for E-Reference. (attachments #3 & #4, pg.56,58)
Data Collection
Obtain any current policies and/or procedures for the Central Library. Use primary source data,
along with peer reviewed material to ascertain current state of reference in library science.
Data Analysis
The Central Library reference service policy—pg2--lacks connection to the parent organizations
mission/vision/values statement. There is no objective with the policy. The policy otherwise, is
complete with minor revision.
Recommendations
While some of the aspects of our current reference policy deal with basic public service concepts
such as professionalism and approachability, much of it concerns the current subject specific
arrangement of Central. Since we are currently restructuring the nature of reference services at
Central, it is recommended that a final draft outlining policies and procedures for reference service
standards be developed by this team after the completion of this process.
Among the issues to be considered are: develop a policy that incorporates best practices, with a
mind towards professionalism.
It is recommended that these statements are incorporated into the current reference service policy:
“The Central Library of Rochester, New York serves the residents of the County of Monroe.”
“Our staff are members of a profession explicitly committed to intellectual freedom and the freedom of
access to information. Staff has a special obligation to ensure the free flow of information and ideas to
present and future generations. Staff assist, advise, and instruct users in accessing all forms of
recorded knowledge. The assistance, advice, and instruction include both direct and indirect service to
patrons.”
A preliminary draft of a revised policy is attached to this report. (attachment #5, pg.60)
Bibliography
“Chat Reference A Guide to Live Virtual Reference Services.” 2003 Ronan, Jana Smith
“Concepts of Information Retrieval.” 1989. Lee Pao, Miranda
“Doing the Work of Reference, Practical Tips for Excelling as a Reference Librarian.” 2001. Mabry,
Celia Hales
“Model Policies for Small and Medium Public Libraries.” 1998. Larson, Jeanette & Lotten, Herman.
“Reference and Information Services.3rd ed.” 2001.
“American Library Association.” Website.
http://www.ala.org/ala/professionalresources/guidelines/standardsguidelines/index.cfm#RefSvcs
16
Problem statement
Are there clear policies and procedures outlining collection development and weeding
practices?
Data Collection Methods and Results
The team searched for and reviewed existing policies. The policies found included (see
attachments)
Rochester Public Library Materials Selection Policy (approved 3/14/1991, reviewed 1997)
Provides selection guidelines for RPL branches, Central and Extension
(Attachment #6, pg.70)
Monroe County Library System Materials Selection Policy (approved 9/16/1996, reviewed 1997)
Addresses the selection of websites to be linked from the MCLS webpage
(Attachment #7, 74)
Collection Development Policy Central Library (prepared October 1988)
More specific and detailed then the policy for Rochester Public Library including
general guidelines on weeding (attachment #8, pg.75)
Gifts (February 1987, reviewed 1997)(attachment #9, 81)
Gifts: Memorials – Central Library (December 1994, reviewed 1997) (attachment #10, 82)
Rochester Public Library Collection Deacquisition Policy (approved 12/20/2001)
Addresses the disposition of valuable materials no longer viewed as central to the
library’s mission. (Attachment #11, pg.84)
Division Policies
Some subject divisions have policies describing in much more detail their collection
development, maintenance and weeding policies. In most cases, however, these have not
been revised in several years and are not uniform in topics covered.
The primary source of information for an overview of the development of library collection
development policies was the book Collection Development and Management for 21st Century
Library Collections by Vicki L. Gregory (Neal-Schuman, 2011)
Also consulted was the publication “Guidelines for Collection Development Policy Using the
Conspectus Model,” published in 2001 by the International Federation of Library Associations and
Institutions; Section on Acquisition and Collection Development, 2001
Various public library policies were reviewed especially for the elements included.
17
These policies varied from very detailed and running over 100 pages to those of less than 20 pages.
Longer policies included very detailed information on specific subjects or parts of the collections
and would be similar to adding to the general 1988 policy all of the separate subject division
policies.
Policies reviewed included those from
Memorial Hall
Newark Public Library
Hennepin County Library
Pasadena Public Library
Morton Grove Public Library
Pikes Peak Library District
Campbell County (Wyoming) Public Library System
Other library policies were reviewed for references specifically to digital materials
(These often referred to materials digitized by the library rather than purchased materials)
Georgetown Public Library
Digital Library of Georgia
Columbia University
East Carolina University
Berkeley Collection
Brooklyn Public Library
Data Analysis
There is substantial agreement among the policies and literature reviewed as to the basic elements
to be included in a library’s collection development policy. These include:
Statement of library purpose
Background statement (description of community, location of facilities,
pertinent aspects of the organization, cooperative agreements)
Responsibility
Mission statement of the policy
Target audiences (population (s) served
Budgeting and funding
Selection or Evaluation criteria
Selection Aids
Intellectual Freedom Statements
Reconsideration/reevaluation of materials
Gift Policy & Procedure
Replacements policy
Special Collections
Procedure for review and revision of policy
18
A comparison of the two main policies is in the following chart:
Data Element
Statement of library purpose
RPL Policy
x
Background statement
Responsibility
Mission statement of the policy or library
Target audiences, population(s) served
x
x
x
Sketchy
information in
Background
statement
Budgeting and funding
Selection or Evaluation criteria
Selection Aids
Intellectual Freedom Statements
Reconsideration/reevaluation of
materials
Gift Policy & Procedure
1988 Central Policy
Reference to RPL
mission
x
x
X purpose of policy
x
x
x
x
x
Separate policy
x
Replacements policy
Special Collections
Procedure for review and revision of
policy
x
x
Additional elements included in the policies but not listed above:
RPL policy: Weeding/de-accessioning including some factors to be considered
Central Policy: Special formats, weeding
Recommendations
1.
Revise the 1988 Central Library Collection Development policy based on the following list
of recommendations. Included with this report is a draft of a revised Collection
Development Policy (attachment #12, pg.86) incorporating most of the following
recommendations.

Revise the policy to reflect the wording in the later RPL Policy and make other
editing changes to bring the policy up to date and that reflect among other things,
changes in formats and general practice.

Add to this revised policy the missing elements by adding new sections or by
referral to another policy (i.e. gifts, digitization).

Review and revise the section on “Challenges to the Policy” in the Rochester Public
Library Materials Selection Policy (approved 3/14/1991, reviewed 1997) to match
19
the current administrative organization of the library. Some wording is included in
the draft revision but it should be vetted.
●Add a section specifically addressing e-books. The 1988 policy and the revision,
for the most part, refer to the selection and management of individual titles or items,
including books in electronic format. The provision of e-books to the public,
however, can include access to an entire purchased or “leased” collection of items,
not individually selected by the purchasing library. This type of content is outside
the scope of the policy as written and the factors affecting its acquisition are very
different. Evaluating whether electronic content is offered as a “bulk” purchase has
not been addressed by the team
●Other libraries are more comprehensive in their general policy, including many
more specific formats than RPL’s policies have covered. Consider adding sections
on other formats or make referrals from the general policy to the division policies
containing these materials. Some additions appear in the draft but the following are
additional options. NB: It may be equally important to include formats excluded by
the policy for example: long playing records, video-cassettes. . .
Foreign Language
Art works
Large Type
Materials for Public Review
New Media
Paperbacks
Sound Recordings
Toys
Music Scores
Graphic Novels
Books by local authors
Computer Software

Add to the section on Special Collections some scope notes that might include
reference to local & New York state materials, patents, small business….

Add to the revised policy a section on evaluation of electronic media.

Incorporate the “Monroe County Library System Materials Selection Policy”
(approved 9/16/1996, reviewed 1997) which addresses the selection of websites to
be linked from the MCLS webpage as a separate section of the general policy.

Determine a revision schedule for the policy (section included in draft, time not
determined)
2. Request the subject units to develop or revise a collection development policy incorporating
the basic sections of the general Central Library policy and including elements, material
types and formats unique to their unit. In addition, units are encouraged to examine and
evaluate each part of their collection by subject (specific Dewey categories) to determine an
acceptable “level of collection depth” based on a scale such as that used by Newark Public
Library.
20
(0=out of scope; 1=Minimal Level; 2=Basic Information Level; 3a = Study Level,
Introductory; 3b = Study Level, Advanced; 4 = Research Level;
5 = Comprehensive Level)
3.
In order to assist in the above recommendations, the team suggests that a number of
sample Collection Development Policies from a variety of public (or other) libraries be
identified and copied to provide in one place, a guide for subject division librarians.
Problem Statement
Is the collection reflecting Central’s current users?
The Central Library has a particularly difficult task in defining whether its collection reflects
current users since the response must take into account the role of a Central Library in providing a
deeper and broader collection than the libraries it supports as well as meeting the needs of its
individual user groups. In short, the library provides what is now commonly referred to as the
“long tail” in addition to more current and popular material.
Chris Anderson has provided some idea of the relevance of the long tail in his book “The long tail:
why the future of business is selling less of more” in which he looks at the sale of books at Borders
and Amazon. It is estimated that a quarter of Amazon’s book sales come from OUTSIDE its top
100,000 titles. This has major implications for a central library since although we have good
measures of how often a book circulates part of that item’s value is how much it adds to the scope of
the library’s collection as a whole. That is much more difficult to quantify. To date, the Central
Library has little other than staff observation and circulation statistics to evaluate the relationship
between the collection and users.
In order to collect better data one or more user studies might be useful.
The Central Library has several user groups. Each group must be defined to develop a method to
survey whether the current collection development pattern meets its needs and desires.
a. Individual Patrons within the County of Monroe -- have the most quantitative and
qualitative data available. Traditionally, all the other user groups have been mixed with
this data
b. MCLS and RPL libraries
c. Institutions/Businesses/Professional Researchers -- may be the most under served and
suffers from significant lack of study. Assumptions are that their method of discovery is
pointed. They would prefer reference/ non-circulating materials to circulating
materials, and are the most affluent of Central's users.
d. Local Schools -- The Central library would benefit from testing out an official
relationships and partnerships with this group.
e. Central Library Staff – They are both selectors for and users of the collection at Central.
21
Data Collection
Additional data is needed to provide adequate analysis of the collection. This will include wholesale
lists of Central holdings, examining database usage, examining circulation trends, collection
turnover rates, document delivery studies, fill rates and library card production for the last
available number of years, along with examination of past cross sectional studies. In addition to
circulation, the library should begin to measure the usage of its reference materials.
Current statistics have shown the following:
From July 2007 to June of 2010, 61,809 items were obtained by Central. This does NOT include any
periodical or serial items. 5079 of those items were marked as Rush. 904 items were cataloged as
Reference.
For serials since, September of 2008, 45,517 have been reported as checked in. This is not inclusive,
nor does it reflect holdings total. Central currently subscribes to more than 3,658 periodical titles.
*This does not include the $30 thousand spent per year on NA microfilm, or other ProQuest microfilm purchases.
Central lists 63,761 items as reference. *This is not inclusive. Capture failure is in the 049 MARC record field.
Central subscribes to 29 databases.
Central averages 102,990 items through the Router per year.
Central’s linked item total is 766,667. *This does not include extension items, unlinked items such as bound volumes or
serials, or digital items.
Data Analysis
Past Research: In 2006 a year study was conducted on periodical usage, bindery and microfilming.
Of the 423 titles being bound or put on Microfilm, 167 were called for use during the year. Of the
total title range less than 35% of the collection was used.
System snapshot comparison:
The larger town libraries in the County of Monroe hold items in the range of 120 to 170 thousand
circulating items. For example, Greece holds 128,000. Penfield 167,000.
Central holds, as a conservative estimate, 690,000 circulating items.
In the last ten years Central’s circulation performance has been on par with the larger of the town
libraries. While Greece, Brighton, Webster, and Penfield have surpassed Central in the last 3 years,
if hours open is factored into the equation each town library is currently open a minimum of 15
hours per week more than Central. This would indicate Central performs fairly, yet low given the
disparity in number of circulating items.
Towns over the last ten years average less than 10,000 items through the Router. For example
Webster averages 5997.25. Brighton at 9428.3. Central averages at 102,990 items. That works out
to a minimum of 12 times the usage per year. Central performs exceedingly well.
It has been the opinion of staff that the delay in receiving materials has been responsible for lower
than expected circulations of new materials and that the changes in ordering procedure may
reverse that as we see the Central Library receiving materials before or on a par with the larger
town libraries.
Recommendation
Several approaches to further analysis the relevancy of the collection are possible. These include:
22
1. Replicate past cross sectional studies regarding parts of Central’s collection to confirm
staff’s experience that print reference and technical journals are being underutilized. This
will suggest a pattern of redirecting resources.
2. Develop an unobtrusive study that targets the Central Library staff use.
3. Develop a study that targets the institution/business/professional researcher. That study
would help define long term considerations such as: "professional" library cards tied to the
business/corporation/library name--and allowing for off- site access to materials not
traditionally lent out--along with access to seated databases off site.
4. To test a causal relationship between collection and circulation—a study of current popular
title acquisition levels for select towns and branches could be undertaken. The question
could be: Does the percentage a library spends per year on popular titles directly affect the
amount the library circulates?
5. Examine specific types of our collection such as print reference material, journals,
databases, etc. Earlier studies have shown that certain parts of the collection do not get
adequate use to justify their support at the current level.
a. Survey monkey has shown that fewer of our reference questions are being
answered by print reference materials and it is recommended that we reduce their
future purchase and substitute where necessary online databases.
b. The demand for technical journals, especially in their print format has greatly
declined. Past user studies have uncovered that only a small percentage of
scientific journals are regularly being used and it is recommended that we continue
reducing the number of these subscriptions but consider circulating additional
popular titles as they do in town and branch libraries.
Other parts of the collection do reflect the needs of our current users.
c. E-books- are a growing part of Central’s collection and will play a much greater role
in fulfilling the demands of our customers. Monthly statistics figures reflect double
digit increases. Central is now allocating 4% of our funds towards this format and
the expectation is that these numbers will increase over the next few years.
d. Databases- New online databases should be continually reviewed for their subject
coverage, ease of use, both for the staff and the public, and their ability to replace
more expensive print resources. The possibility of establishing a separate team to
investigate library wide databases should be investigated—along with examining
long term solutions to holding digital data in house, and developing avenues to
library card access outside of the library for all databases.
e. Non-traditional items- In the past, the Central Library has offered their customers a
collection that has included slides, 8mm and 16mm films, 8 tracks, cassettes, videos,
CD’s, DVD’s, etc. Today we are offering such items as museum passes, GPS devices,
and college lectures on CD’s. During outreach activities where we have brought
some of these non-traditional resources to the public, the demand for items such as
museum passes and downloadable books and music has been overwhelming.
23
Over the next few years, we suggest that Central continue its role as a leader in new
technology by offering new formats and resources to its customers.
f.
It is also recommended that we design a comprehensive in-depth snapshot analysis
of the collection (such as that done by Morton Grove Public Library) or consider
using the professional services of a firm such as CollectionHQ to help us improve the
performance of our collection.
Problem statement
How can staff streamline the ordering procedure?
Data collection
Online Vendors used for ordering
B&T Title Source 3 Art, Literature, Local History, Children and Teen
Quality
Art
Midwest
Literature
Ingram
Teen, Local History and Science
Brodart
Business and Extension
These are the journals we use for reviews and there are multiple subscriptions
Library Journal BRAD, MCLS, CLA (2), LIT, EXT 6 subscriptions
Choice CLA, LIT 2 subscriptions
Booklist LIT, CLA (2), EXT, CHILD 2 subscriptions
Publisher’s Weekly CLA (2), LIT 3 subscriptions
New York Times Book Review CLA, LIT 2 subscriptions
New York Review of Books CLA, LIT 2 subscriptions
Some responses from staff about online ordering
 I don’t use paper cards any more, I’ve gotten used to having everything digital. Now that I
only have 2 carts, one for books and one for CDs, my ordering processes are efficient.

Seems like we are getting books faster than we used to. I use paper versions of journals and
publisher’s catalogs. I do look at publisher’s catalogs a lot more often than I go to their
websites.

We no longer use any paper. We keep an Excel spreadsheet for all on order titles that
includes information such as when the titles were ordered, and lists reserves or any other
special information. Librarians put the orders together and release them when ready. Our
clerk simply deletes the titles from the spreadsheet once the titles are received.

Journals are still done the old way and we still use the regular paper resources like Kirkus
and PW. I find the online ordering easier. I no longer use the order cards.

I have a “digital order spreadsheet” that I keep for upcoming titles for consideration. If the
journal is online I would prefer it for reviews, but I still like getting the journals because I
tend to read the articles as well. There are many catalogs that don’t even come in print and
publishers that are online only.
24

Online ordering is simple, convenient, and easy. I prefer Ingram over Brodart, having
ordered with both. Items arrive much faster. I still use and much prefer paper copies of
review journals. I would desperately miss them if they were gone. Again, I prefer publisher’s
paper catalogs. I will contact them directly for a paper copy. I’ve been told to look online,
and actually have pushed the point of them sending me a paper copy.
Data analysis
In the past all subjects divisions had kept track and done their ordering with time consuming
consideration cards. Divisions have for the most part switched from consideration cards to online
vendor ordering. Some divisions began with B&T Link but have now switched to B&T Title Source 3
that has an easy to use ordering system and many preferences that can be set up for each librarian.
B&T Title Source 3 is being used by Art, Literature, Local History, Children’s and Teen Center.
Quality is being used by Art, Midwest by Literature, Ingram by Teen, Local History and Science.
Business and Extension are using Brodart. Overdrive is being used by all the subject divisions for ebooks and audio books. As the clerk no longer has to type each order, items are arriving faster in
the divisions and Overdrive items show up in the catalog within a few days. When Art first started
using B&T Link the librarians were creating carts by call number for each order which resulted in
too many PO#s. We found out that the city has to scan each PO# for each cart which may have been
holding up our orders. So we are now creating one cart resulting in one PO and faster delivery.
For divisions using B&T Title Source 3 there are many preferences that can be set up to speed
through the cart and order process. Some examples to streamline the order process are:

numerous ISBNs can be uploaded to a cart,

Dewey classification searching;

format searching;

uploading to Excel spreadsheets, and;

ISBN searching that can connect to our catalog to see if the title is already owned.
A staff survey revealed that most staff found online ordering to be easier and
quicker than writing consideration cards. Some said, “we can easily see what’s
on order instead of going through drawers of order cards.” Other staff still must
use consideration cards for ordering in special collections such as large print or for
items that aren’t available through a vendor and need to be ordered direct
from the publisher. For divisions using other vendors there is specialized searching that can also be
done.
There were some responses from clerks that could speed up the order process as well. Some want
librarians to submit their carts so the clerks do not have to try and figure out the quantity the
librarian wants or any notes they want added. One clerk feels that “librarians should be responsible
for submitting their own carts, instead of relying on the clerks to do so.”
“I have found that the quantities are not always filled in, nor are the notes. As a clerk I do not know
how many items they want or what specific things need to be done to them when received and
When I start to do the orders if the quantities are not filled in I have to track down the librarian;
sometimes they are not available.” If librarians submit their own carts the clerk would not have to
hold up the order while trying to track the librarian down to answer questions about the cart.
The journals are circulated by Janice to the subject divisions. They are supposed to be kept for three
days. It would speed up the ordering procedure if these journals were not kept for long periods of
25
time especially when they need to be routed to another division. Items could be ordered faster if the
librarians could read the reviews when the journals come in and not three weeks later.
When staff was surveyed they did say they liked reading the articles in the journals in addition to
seeing the ads so we still do need paper subscriptions. We still can look at the online site with
Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist as they include the online subscription with the paper
copy.
Procedures that divisions use for ordering
Art-B&T
Items are entered on a spread sheet by the librarian. Two carts are made, one for books and
one for music. Each librarian submits their cart and keeps track of their items. From there,
Art’s clerk creates an Excel report of each cart, and then rearranges the data to match the
spreadsheet. She then goes to the librarian’s sheet to get the subject info and copies it to the
spreadsheet. (At this point she also checks each sheet to make sure it matches the carts.)
She then copies and pastes all the information to the master list.
Business-Brodart
each librarian creates a cart weekly in the Business Division. On Fridays their clerk
combines the carts, and sometimes there are separate carts depending on the fund
(Carnahan, Cassette) so their clerk may submit more than one cart depending on the fund.
After combining the carts that can be combined the clerk creates an Excel spread sheet from
Brodart and that gets sent to Acquisitions. Then the cart(s) are submitted to Brodart. After
submitting the cart the information is taken off the Excel spreadsheet that is downloaded
from Brodart and then is copied/pasted into a folder that is created to check the material in
when it arrives. There are two sheets in the folder, one for on-order and another for
received; once it is received the clerk moves it from one sheet to the other.
The clerk also monitors the “on order” list to see what things have not been received and
when the cancelled list is sent out, their clerk is able to see problems and notify the ordering
staff person.
As the books are received their clerk moves the items to a second “Received” spread sheet
which can be used for New Books list, BookLetters, etc.
Children’s-B&T
Each librarian creates their carts. When the cart is ready to be ordered, they transfer the
cart to the Division Head who places the order and downloads the ordered cart to an Excel
document. When the items come in, their clerk checks the Orders document and moves the
item to a Received spreadsheet.
Literature
A cart is submitted to B&T for ordering, and then a print of the order is given to their clerk.
The Librarian I copies and pastes the order into an Excel spread sheet which allows them to
search for what has been ordered but is not on the shelf yet. I then enter the numbers into
my budget spreadsheet. If a book is not available from B&T, they fill out an order card to
submit to Acquisitions to find a vendor.
26
Local History-Ingram
As they don’t order very many circulating items their procedure is pretty simple. The staff
looks through the various journals, catalogs, etc. and submits their cards, which they put in
a box near Bob’s desk. He goes through the cards to make sure the information is complete,
checks for subject area, determines if ref or circ (rare), etc. He then adds up the total and
keeps it on a post it by his desk and then gives the orders to their clerk, who then does all
the online ordering.
Science/History- Ingram
All the librarians in Science set up a “cart” using Science’s central book funds. They keep
adding to the PO until they have a certain dollar amount then they release the order. All
released orders automatically get sent to Jeff’s email so he can keep records of
expenditures. Some of their staff also make up a cart for considerations then transfer the
titles to real carts with PO numbers when they are sure they want to order the book. All
titles are downloaded to an Excel spreadsheet that becomes “on order” list. Additional
information such as reserves, whether to make it reference, etc. is kept on the spreadsheet.
When the books come in, our clerk just deletes the record from the spreadsheet.
Prolonged recommendations for moving forward
As the Internet and electronic devices have become more prevalent the Central Library’s function
has changed. Our role as a research library has changed somewhat due to the Internet; patrons are
getting their information online. Even though our role as a research library may have changed,
patrons still deserve more than a bookstore/clerk interaction with librarians. Patrons expect us to
be more than their town or branch library, they deserve the subject expertise we offer here at
Central. Therefore, the Central library’s collection needs to be somewhere in the middle for patrons.
We still do need scholarly titles as they reflect the subject expertise we have; we need to have the
items that the journals are recommending; and we need the bestsellers, although not as many.
Our collection and how we do collection development and ordering needs to change.
Towns and branches get their items quicker than Central and patrons have turned to their phones
and e-readers to read or listen to material they once borrowed. With budget constraints items that
were once purchased by subject librarians should be rethought. We should be purchasing items
that perhaps are not found at the towns and branches. Maybe we don’t need so many bestsellers in
hardcopy as towns and branches have multiple copies and they get them faster. We should
purchase them in eBook or audio format to make them available faster.
The other piece that needs to be looked at and streamlined is the whole Acquisitions and Catalog
process. Why is it that branch libraries have their items in two days? If we are to be a viable piece of
this library system we need our books just as fast. As of now divisions can be waiting up to 6
months for an item to arrive. This is not acceptable. Do we really need the detailed cataloging that is
being done on each item?
Although we have improved the efficiency of the order process through vendor ordering, divisions
still need their items even faster. Book receiving and cataloging should not be so difficult. What is
holding items up? While going through their spreadsheets, some librarians have found that items
ordered back in August 2011 still have not arrived. Maybe some are cancellations but not all.
Acquisitions and cataloging and not just collection development librarians need to be responsible
for speeding up the order process.
A proposal is
27




Librarian orders item from vendor;
Vendor sends item;
When the box from vendor is opened each item will be stamped with the date that item was
received in Acquisitions. This will make it Acquisitions’ responsibility to get these items to
Cataloging within two days;
Cataloging is then responsible from the date item is stamped on that item to get it to the
division with a month. This will make it Cataloging’s responsibility to get the items to the
divisions.
Pre-processing all items is another way to streamline the order process. They would be ready to go
and detailed cataloging would no longer be required.
Since we have already automated the selection process maybe we should think about moving from
looking at individual vendor sites to a site that merges all these vendor records together. WorldCat
Selection™ is one source that does this. They provide an integrated, automated materials selection
at one web site. Libraries can view records from multiple vendors at one central system and then
can access vendor systems directly from WorldCat Selection (http://www.oclc.org/selection/) if
the vendor supports it. Staff could save time and move orders thorough quicker by just having to
view one site. It would probably be easier for Acquisitions as well and cataloging as well since
MARC records would be exported from WorldCat and loaded into our system. Along with
streamlining the order process it would make materials available to patrons more quickly.
We should also be thinking about looking more and more at publisher’s online sites. More and more
publishers are doing away with paper catalogs and the online sites of course can be updated more
frequently. There are many art publishers that no longer have paper catalogs; all of their
information is published on their web site. Using online catalogs would also free Janice up from
having to distribute these to the divisions.
Using Overdrive is another way to get items faster. With e-readers and audio becoming more
popular, downloading of materials is another way to streamline the order process.
Items ordered from Overdrive tend to show up in the catalog within a few days making them
available within a few days for patrons. Hopefully Overdrive will add more music making popular
and classical music available even faster.
Other ways to streamline the order process are plans similar to the McNaughton plan that we are
using now. There are plans that concentrate just on small press publishers. These plans focus on
non-fiction subject areas such as gay literature, ethnic publications, and other special interest titles.
We should also look into Print-On-Demand that will print books right away for patrons. These
produce rapid and high quality copies and Print-On-Demand may soon have very significant digital
repositories that patrons and libraries will be able to tap into.
Recommendations
 Keep using online vendor ordering;
 Look at publishers catalogs in paper and online;
 More pre-processing;
 Use small press plans;
 Order more eBook and audio content, especially the best sellers;
 Look into Print-On-Demand.
 Review the various divisions’ internal tracking procedures to find if there is one best
method to adopt library-wide.
28
Problem Statement
How can the library develop a collection-wide maintenance and evaluation of its collections?
Collection maintenance and evaluation has to do with how we judge what materials we keep, where
we keep them (open shelves, compact, Rundel Stacks), how we care for rare or valuable materials
and what we discard. In light of increasingly tight storage availability, there is a need for a more
uniform weeding policy.
Prioritized recommendations:
1. Provide an up-to-date Collection Development Policy (current one is 1989) that brings us
into the 21st Century and provides a template for divisions to develop/refine their own. It is
recommended that a team be formed for this purpose.
2. Develop library-wide guidelines for evaluation and weeding of collection, which can then be
applied to each Division’s own situations.
3. Standardized procedures should reflect weeding guidelines, including:
 Condition
 Duplication (both within division and with other units)
 Author authority and significance
 Local interest (can be maintained by Local History Division except for circ copies)
 Value/rarity of item
4. Further attention should be given to increased and continuing preservation standards, with
revival of idea of a rare materials section for some of the library’s most valuable items.
 Availability in other formats (reprint, digital)
 Obsolescence and availability of updated editions
5. Set timeline for collection evaluation to occur on a periodic basis (i.e.: weekly, monthly,
goals to include set amount of shelf space regained, etc.)
6. Consider development of consultant/team to oversee procedures and work with divisions.
Problem Statement
How can the collection be organized to best serve the public?
Data collection, methods and results
We investigated over two dozen libraries to determine how they arrange their collections.
Naperville Public Library (Illinois) - ribbon
Madison Public Library-ribbon
Cincinnati Public Library- ribbon
Evansville Public Library-ribbon plus several subject divisions pulled out such as Local History and
Business
Akron-Summit County- subject divisions
Dallas Public Library- subject divisions
St. Louis Public Library- subject divisions
29
Seattle Public Library- ribbon arrangement with subject specialists positioned on each floor.
Phoenix Public Library- ribbon
St. Paul Public Library- ribbon
Data analysis
From our benchmarking, generally speaking, the larger the collection, the more likely the library’s
arrangement followed the traditional subject arrangement.
The organization of our collection will not only determine the ease at which the public can find
their material, but will also determine how we staff the Central Library, how we arrange reference
points, and to some extent, what level of reference service will we offer the public.
We currently have subject divisions with subject specialist staff dedicated to serving library users.
Is this the most efficient way to organize the collection that best serves the public? Would a ribbon
arrangement, BISAC, or a glades system work better? Is the public better served with better
signage or other promotion strategies?
Traditional subject departments
The traditional method of organizing the Central Library’s collection has been the Dewey Decimal
System arranged within large subject areas (divisions); Literature (fiction and non-fiction topics),
Media, Art, Young Adult, Children’s, Science, History, Local History and Business. This arrangement
has existed in some form or another since 1936. Each division is supervised by professional
librarians, many of whom have advanced training in specific areas of their collections such as grant
writing, small business training, intellectual property searching, reader’s advisory, etc.
It is worth noting that collection arrangements are in some sense all arbitrary. The numerical
arrangement of a collection is not necessarily a less expensive configuration. It is possible that using
our staff more efficiently might result in significant cost savings within our current model.
One way to cut staff costs in a divisional structure is to lean more heavily on the actual specialists in
the division to anchor the informational services at that desk and have other staff float between
divisions. This model also allows the best utilization of individuals with experience in more than
one division. For example the science division has a staff member how has worked in the Business
Division. Business has a librarian that worked in Science for several years. Librarians with this kind
of experience would be ideally suited for use as floaters. This is not an entirely desirable model but
it is a more streamlined approach that competes well with the ribbon’s presumed efficiencies while
still maintaining a significant degree of subject expertise.
Some staff at some non-divisional libraries find that they are naturally developing that kind of
subject specialization. These staff members have a strong sense of having a “home base” at
particular reference desks in large libraries with multiple service points. San Diego Public uses its
staff in a novel way. Each division orders it own books but only part of the staff is dedicated to that
task. This takes from 30-60% of their time. Other librarians are responsible for programming for
the division. This is an interesting alternative to having completely separate collection development
departments and programming department. This keeps the selectors and program developers close
to the users of the materials.
Ribbon arrangement
From our benchmarking, we have found that the larger a central library’s collection, the greater
chance that the subject arrangement of books are being followed, although there are certainly
exceptions such as Cincinnati, St. Paul and Phoenix. The ribbon arrangement would enable staffing
30
to be more flexible with librarians and library assistants serving at the various reference points
with or without specific subject expertise.
Should we wish to continue having subject specific staff, they could be stationed on the various
floors, spending some of their time providing reference assistance, and other times doing collection
development work, programming activities, etc.
The ribbon arrangement could eventually afford the most savings as staffing could be extremely
flexible which could eventually result in a smaller staff overall. It worth bearing in mind that a
collection in divisional structure may be staffed in a similarly streamlined way by rotating a
percentage of the staff among subject areas which reduces the need for large numbers of dedicated
staff. Also, the use of lower paid library support staff could be more widely utilized if there would
be less emphasis on subject specialty. Even with this type of arrangement, it is very likely that staff
could continue to offer the public strong subject support as current staff would become experienced
at working in other subject fields
There would, however, be some drawbacks as many subject areas of a similar nature would be
spread over several non-consecutive Dewey numbers, for example;
From the perspective of the Business and Social Science Collection:
Very simply the separation between resources concerning economics, labor, and industry analysis
and company histories classified in the 330’s and business management classified in the 650’s
would make responding to patrons looking for business assistance difficult. Subject specialists
know and are able to bridge the two parts of the collection making use of both reference and
circulating materials to the benefit of the patron. Issues regarding labor are in 331, labor law in
343, and management of personnel in 658.3. Books having to do with techniques and strategies of
advertising and marketing are in 658.8/9 and those with the demographic data are in 317.
Over time, directories of corporations/companies have been classified in both 338 and 668.058
putting New York State directories in both numbers. The nature of business research is a strange
combination of what is up-to-the-minute with a data driven approach often requiring a time-series
of historical statistics.
In addition, the practical requirement of having to sort out corporate or securities histories
requires access to long runs of materials. Having those materials not closely available creates an
inefficient response to requests.
The 300’s themselves are interrelated and a break anywhere separating by floors parts of the
current 300-390 run would hamper bringing together related materials. Legislation
(Congressional actions and history are in the 328’s), the Acts and Laws are in the 340’s. Likewise
politics and elections are in 320’s and government organization and public administration go into
the 350’s.
There are similar relationships between the 300-305’s and the education numbers in the 370’s as
both contain materials related to the current issues in schools.
Because of the constant necessity to use earlier editions of many materials, it is essential that both
current and frequently use older stored material be adjacent.
From the perspective of the Science and History Collection:
The 150’s (psychology) and the 613’s, and 616’s (medicine) have numerous subject overlaps
including psychology, psychiatry, mental health, aging, health and wellness, nutrition, etc.
31
Information technology, 001-006 has a strong overlap with the 621’s, computer electronics.
The 355’s (military history), overlaps with both the 629.1’s (airplanes) and the 940’s (history of
both World War 1 and World War 2)
From Arts and Literature:
The merging of Art and Lit would move the 700s and 800s together. The effect of moving the 400s
into the ribbon would move dictionaries, the OED and thesauri, linguistics, away from Lit where it is
traditionally found and logically associated with Literature. The low numbers of Dewey 000- 299
are not integral to Literature. The loss of the 391s (costuming) from Art and the use of both the
picture file and the Fashion books would cause some confusion.
BISAC
This is the 50 + thematic system developed by the Book Industry Study Group, it is most commonly
referred to as the “Book Store Look”.
This would abandon Dewey Decimal altogether, and necessitate a total overhaul on every item. This
is not recommended, mostly due to collection complexity and the fiscal constraints of staff required
re-cataloging everything.
Glades
Glades combine some of the headings from BISAC and preserve the Dewey Decimal designation as a
“shelf location”. This would be fairly easy to apply to the current subject divisions with some
necessary revisions and restructuring.
This is not generally recommended for larger collections with an intensive depth of subject
materials.
While a non-traditional arrangement might be useful for a smaller popular collection, applying
them to Central’s larger collection would be difficult, and would not necessarily be less confusing to
the public. If a popular library is established a non-traditional arrangement could be tried.
A glades arrangement might work well with a smaller collection at Central, such as the browsing
collection. Navigating the collection with more ease might be best accomplished with a new signage
system.
Recommendations:
There is consensus that our current subject arrangement of materials enables the Central Library to
perform its unique role of having a collection that has a subject depth and breadth and the staffing
expertise to provide a level of resources and service consistent with being a system hub. Over the
years, fiscal constraints have made it necessary to combine divisions and with the cooperation of
our staff, these transformations have been done, for the most part, without sacrificing our high
quality of service. Subject material has moved from one area to another, and areas themselves
merged into combinations such as Business and Social Science, Science and History, and Art and
Literature. This combination of an extensive subject collection, supported by a staff with years of
subject training and experience, enables Central to provide member MCLS libraries with a high
level of comprehensive reference, unavailable from any other local public library.
A further refinement of divisions is recommended that would reduce the number of separate public
service units. Larger divisions would also make possible the combining of clerical and other
support staff without diminishing this high level of public service.
32
It is also recommended that the information desk be relocated, possibly adjacent to the Circulation
Desk, to improve its visibility and that we discontinue using professional librarians at this desk,
simply to direct traffic.
Prioritized Recommendations
Reference and Collections Sub-team
Prioritizing our sub-teams recommendations are complicated by the fact that the very nature of
Central's reference service will change and with that, the way we staff the reference desks, how we do
collection development, and some of the policies and procedures pertaining to reference services.
One problem statement that has already been implemented is the use of Survey Monkey to standardize
the recording of our reference statistics. While we have only three months of these statistics, we now
have a clearer look at the nature of reference service at Central, distinguishing general reference
questions from subject specific ones.
We have also determined that we must respond to a decreased number in overall reference questions
by finding new services to offer our patrons and more efficient ways of delivering reference services.
Some of the sub-teams issues such as policies and procedures cannot be completely updated until it is
determined how the library will deliver reference service and even discussing the relevancy of our
collection cannot be adequately addressed until it is determined whether we will continue to house a
strong subject collection or go with a more popular library.
While these conditions in mind the following are our ranking of priorities.
1. How has the nature of reference shifted within the last ten years and how can staff improve
and create difference ways of delivering reference services:
33
Recommendations
As this data indicates, Central’s traditional role of answering reference questions, while increasing
somewhat from the low point of 2006-2007 , over the last ten years, the number of reference questions
have declined significantly while there is a shift in the types of questions being asked and the types of
resources that are needed to fulfill customer requests.
To respond to the changing demands of our public we must find new and more efficient ways to deliver
reference services. The following recommendations are suggested;
1. Take the lead in collection development to include a digital collection policy that is
responsive to public demand.
2. Survey Monkey has shown that only about 10% of our reference questions are now
being answered by using paper resources, and we should consider shifting to online
sources whenever possible.
3. Reduce the number of technical journals where demand is low and increase the
circulation of more popular journals.
4. Increase the opportunities for staff training in new technologies.
5. The Central Library should establish an area that is staffed by experienced individuals
able to assist patrons with computer or Internet related questions as well as provide
training on computers and other electronic devices.
6. The Central Library should continue to look for more non-traditional items for
circulation including more electronic devices, museum passes, etc.
7. To increase both efficiency and speed, expand the use of electronic delivery methods
whenever possible including faxing and scanning to both member libraries and
individuals.
2. How can the collection be organized to best serve the public?
Recommendations (Organization of the collection)
There is consensus that our current subject arrangement of materials enables the Central Library to
perform its unique role of having a collection that has a subject depth and breadth and the staffing
expertise to provide a level of resources and service consistent with being a system hub. Over the years,
fiscal constraints have made it necessary to combine divisions and with the cooperation of our staff,
these transformations have been done, for the most part, without sacrificing our high quality of service.
Subject material has moved from one area to another, and areas themselves merged into combinations
such as Business and Social Science, Science and History, and Art and Literature. This combination of an
extensive subject collection, supported by a staff with years of subject training and experience, enables
Central to provide member MCLS libraries with a high level of comprehensive reference, unavailable
from any other local public library.
A further refinement of divisions is recommended that would reduce the number of separate public
service divisions. Larger divisions would also make possible the combining of clerical and other support
staff without diminishing this high level of public service.
It is also recommended that regardless of how the subject collections are arranged, the information
desk must be relocated, possibly adjacent to the Circulation Desk, both to improve its visibility, and as a
possible way to reduce staffing costs.
34
3. How can Central Library best utilize staff at the reference desk
Recommendations
Whether the Central library continues to employ a subject arrangement or chooses an alternative
collection arrangement, it is recommended that all reference points be staffed by professional librarians
whenever possible. Library assistants with adequate training should be used in a supportive role.
1. Results of Survey Monkey for the months October through December, showed that
from 54-60% of reference questions coming into the Central Library’s subject divisions
are subject specific. Therefore, a professional librarian, with specific subject skills
should be available on each floor and whenever possible at each reference desk with
the exception of Information.
2. It is recommended that a new title such as “reference assistant” be established at a
lower pay grade that would work in conjunction with a professional MLS.
3. Regular cross-training should be implemented to increase staffing flexibility.
4. During slower periods, the use of library assistants should be considered.
5. As the use of print reference resources declines, the current reference desks, as in the
Bausch and Lomb Public Library Building, are larger than necessary. Reference desks
should only be large enough to accommodate computers and print resources that are
still in demand. Where possible, reference desks should be relocated off the Retrieval
Rooms providing better staff access and increased open floor space. This would also
give a more secure orientation of the floors for improved security.
6. The use of roving librarians should be implemented and used throughout the library.
This will afford a more proactive reference presence in the library and could replace the
traditional reference desk on any particular floor.
7. Librarians should be equipped with the necessary equipment to provide wireless
reference service such as portable phones, wireless PC’s, etc
4. Is the collection reflecting Central Library’s current users?
Recommendation
Several approaches to further analysis the relevancy of the collection are possible. These include:
1. Replicate past cross sectional studies regarding parts of Central’s collection
to confirm staff’s experience that print reference and technical journals are
being underutilized. This will suggest a pattern of redirecting resources.
2. Develop an unobtrusive study that targets the Central Library staff use.
3. Develop a study that targets the institution/business/professional
researcher. That study would help define long term considerations such as:
"professional" library cards tied to the business/corporation/library name-and allowing for off- site access to materials not traditionally lent out--along
with access to seated databases off site.
4. To test a causal relationship between collection and circulation—a study of
current popular title acquisition levels for select towns and branches could
be undertaken. The question could be: Does the percentage a library spends
per year on popular titles directly affect the amount the library circulates?
35
5. Examine specific types of our collection such as print reference material,
journals, databases, etc. Preliminary studies have shown that certain parts
of the collection do not get adequate use to justify their support at the
current level.
a. Survey monkey has shown that only 10% of our reference questions are
being answered by print reference materials and it is recommended that
we reduce their future purchase and substitute where necessary online
databases.
b. The demand for technical journals, especially in their print format has
greatly declined. Past user studies have uncovered that only a small
percentage of scientific journals are regularly being used and it is
recommended that we continue reducing the number of these
subscriptions but consider circulating additional popular titles as they
do in town and branch libraries.
Other parts of the collection do reflect the needs of our current users.
c. E-books- are a growing part of Central’s collection and will play a much
greater role in fulfilling the demands of our customers. Monthly
statistics figures reflect double digit increases. Central is now allocating
4% of our funds towards this format and the expectation is that these
numbers will increase over the next few years.
d. Databases- New online databases should be continually reviewed for
their subject coverage, ease of use, both for the staff and the public, and
their ability to replace more expensive print resources.
e. The possibility of establishing a separate team to investigate library
wide databases should be investigated—along with examining long term
solutions to holding digital data in house, and developing avenues to
library card access outside of the library for all databases.
f.
Non-traditional items- In the past, the Central Library has offered their
customers a collection that has included slides, 8mm and 16mm films, 8
tracks, cassettes, videos, CD’s, DVD’s, etc. Today we are offering such
items as museum passes, GPS devices, and college lectures on CD’s.
During outreach activities where we have brought some of these nontraditional resources to the public, the demand for items such as
museum passes and downloadable books and music has been
overwhelming. Over the next few years, we suggest that Central continue
its role as a leader in new technology by offering new formats and
resources to its customers.
g. It is also recommended that we considering using the professional
services of a firm such as CollectionHQ to help us improve the
performance of our collection.
5. Are there up-to-date reference service policies and procedures for the Central Library?
36
Recommendations (reference service policies and procedures)
Since we are currently restructuring the nature of reference services at Central, is
recommended that a final draft outlining policies and procedures for reference service
standards be developed by this team after the completion of this process.
Among the issues to be considered are; develop a policy that incorporates best practices
globally, with a mind towards professionalism. These standards will help ensure long-term
healthy growth for library science and those that choose to enter the profession.
It is recommended that these statements are incorporated into the current reference service
policy: “The Central Library of Rochester, New York serves the residents of the County of
Monroe.”
“Our staff are members of a profession explicitly committed to intellectual freedom and the
freedom of access to information. Staff has a special obligation to ensure the free flow of
information and ideas to present and future generations. Staff assist, advise, and instruct users
in accessing all forms of recorded knowledge. The assistance, advice, and instruction include
both direct and indirect service to patrons.”
6. Are there clear policies and procedures outlining collection development and weeding
practices?
Recommendations
1. Revise the 1988 Central Library Collection Development policy based on
the following list of recommendations. Included with this report is a
draft of a revised Collection Development Policy incorporating most of
the following recommendations.
 Revise the policy to reflect the wording in the later RPL Policy
and make other editing changes to bring the policy up to date
and that reflect among other things, changes in formats and
general practice.

Add to this revised policy the missing elements by adding new
sections or by referral to another policy (i.e. Gifts, digitization).

Review and revise the section on “Challenges to the Policy” in
the Rochester Public Library Materials Selection Policy
(approved 3/14/1991, reviewed 1997) to match the current
administrative organization of the library. Some wording is
included in the draft revision but it should be vetted.
37

Add a section specifically addressing e-books. The 1988 policy
and the revision, for the most part, refer to the selection and
management of individual titles or items, including books in
electronic format. The provision of e-books to the public,
however, can include access to an entire purchased or “leased”
collection of items, not individually selected by the purchasing
library. This type of content is outside the scope of the policy as
written and the factors affecting its acquisition are very
different. Evaluating whether electronic content is offered as a
“bulk” purchase has not been addressed by the team

Other libraries are more comprehensive in their general policy,
including many more specific formats than RPL’s policies have
covered. Consider adding sections on other formats or make
referrals from the general policy to the division policies
containing these materials. Some additions appear in the draft
but the following are additional options. NB: It may be equally
important to include formats excluded by the policy for example:
long playing records, video-cassettes. . .
Foreign Language
Art works
Large Type
Materials for Public Review
New Media
Paperbacks
Sound Recordings
Toys
Music Scores
Graphic Novels
Books by local authors
Computer Software

Add to the section on Special Collections some scope notes that
might include reference to local & New York state materials,
patents, small business….

Add to the revised policy a section on evaluation of electronic
media.

Incorporate the “Monroe County Library System Materials
Selection Policy” (approved 9/16/1996, reviewed 1997) which
addresses the selection of websites to be linked from the MCLS
webpage as a separate section of the general policy.

Determine a revision schedule for the policy (section included in
draft, time not determined)
38
2. Request the subject units to develop or revise a collection development
policy incorporating the basic sections of the general Central Library
policy and including elements, material types and formats unique to
their unit. In addition, units are encouraged to examine and evaluate
each part of their collection by subject (specific Dewey categories) to
determine an acceptable “level of collection depth” based on a scale
such as that used by Newark Public Library.
(0=out of scope; 1=Minimal Level; 2=Basic Information Level; 3a = Study
Level, Introductory; 3b = Study Level, Advanced; 4 = Research Level;
5= Comprehensive Level)
3.
In order to assist in the above recommendations, the team suggests
that a number of sample Collection Development Policies from a variety
of public (or other) libraries be identified and copied to provide in one
place, a guide for subject division librarians.
7. How can Central Library develop collection-wide maintenance and evaluation?
Recommendations
i. Provide an up-to-date Collection Development Policy (current one is 1989) that
brings us into the 21st Century and provides a template for divisions to
develop/refine their own. It is recommended that a team be formed for this
purpose.
ii. Develop library-wide guidelines for evaluation and weeding of collection, which
can then be applied to each Division’s own situations.
iii. Standardized procedures should reflect weeding guidelines, including:
 Condition
 Duplication (both within division and with other units)
 Author authority and significance
 Local interest (can be maintained by Local History Division except for
circ copies)
 Value/rarity of item
b. Further attention should be given to increased and continuing preservation standards,
with revival of idea of a rare materials section for some of the library’s most valuable
items.
 Availability in other formats (reprint, digital)
39

Obsolescence and availability of updated editions
c. Set timeline for collection evaluation to occur on a periodic basis (i.e.: weekly, monthly,
goals to include set amount of shelf space regained, etc.)
d. Consider development of consultant/team to oversee procedures and work with
divisions.
e.
8. How can staff streamline ordering procedures?
Recommendations
Since we have moved to online ordering at the division level, we have reached a much improved level of
efficiency over the former Form 292r process. Some additional recommendations are;







Keep using online vendor ordering;
Look at publishers catalogs in paper and online;
More pre-processing;
Use small press plans;
Order more eBook and audio content, especially the best sellers;
Look into Print-On-Demand.
Review the various divisions’ internal tracking procedures to find if there is one best method to
adopt library-wide.
9. Does a uniform reference recording tool need to be developed to collection data about the
true nature of the questions being asked at the reference desks?
Recommendations
i. It is recommended that the current online reference statistics tool (Survey
Monkey) continue to be used for the time being, but that we continue to seek a
faster method which does not take time away from actual reference service.
This January, we began using a different URL for each month in each division
that has eliminated the necessity of clearing the survey; this should make the
end-of-month process less of a frantic rush.
ii. We should also try out other reference statistics tools in one or two divisions to
see if they are easier and faster to use. Finding a survey tool that allows entry of
multiple questions of the same type at the same time would make for a quicker
turn-around time to get back to serving the public. Dennis Williams has
produced a couple of sample online forms to be tried out, perhaps for one
month in one or two divisions. There is however, concern by some of the team
that having a survey tool that allows the entry of multiple questions of the same
type might lead to some statistical anomalies (padding the numbers).
Beyond measuring telephone versus in-person reference questions as is the
case with our former pen and paper statistics recording tool, the current survey
40
monkey has helped to track data concerning the true nature of Central’s
reference questions by monitoring subject specific questions versus general
references questions, and the types of resources used. We have generated
three months worth of these statistics that has given us a more accurate picture
of the current nature of reference service at Central. Survey Monkey, however
is time consuming to use and some find this to be a problem.
iii. Because we have gathered sufficient data regarding subject vs. general
reference questions, it is suggested that if we continue using Survey Monkey,
we drop the questions pertaining to time of day, (#3) and sources used, (#4), to
expedite the process of recording statistics.
iv. A further recommendation is to use this form of online survey for one week,
once or twice a year to gather detailed information (including perhaps specific
questions recorded in the notes field) and going back to hash marks on paper
for the rest of the year. The paper form used would have to be uniform
throughout the divisions and would have to have the approval of
Administration.
Some possibilities for paper forms:
Division:
__________________
Weekday: ___________
(How question was received - add up hash marks in this section for monthly report to CLA)
In Person
Division Phone
7300 Phone
Letter
E-Mail
Notes:
Or:
Division: __________________
Date: _______
Weekday:
(How question was received - add up hash marks in this section for monthly report to
CLA)
Division
In Person
Phone
7300 Phone
41
___________
Letter
EMail
Letter:
In Person Total:
Notes:
Division Phone Total:
7300:
Directional (non-reference):
v. It is recommended that a separate (short-term) statistics team should be
established, with representation from all divisions that do reference
transactions, to develop the common paper form and a plan for its use in
relation to overall monthly reports.
Janice Burch
Xandi Dimatteo
Carolyn Johnson
Jeff Levine
Nanci Rosenberg-Nugent
Jay Osborne
Bob Scheffel
Dennis Williams
Kathy Wolf
42
EMail:
REFERENCE POLICIES (Attachment 1)
GENERAL POLICY

Service to library users takes precedence over any other activity.

callers.
order

Equal effort should be made for all questions regardless of originating source. (N.B. This
includes school assignment questions and contest questions.)
Service to library users who come into the library takes precedence over telephone
With this as a guideline, staff members should respond to requests for service in
the
received.

The confidentiality of the origin of questions should be respected and discussion with
should be restricted to seeking assistance in finding the desired information.
others

The information given should be documented, even when the staff member is sure of the correct
answer.
The Central Library keeps statistics on inquiries received in order to provide a factual
the review of reference service.
●
base for
TELEPHONE REFERENCE

Telephone reference is usually limited to supplying the kind of information that is readily
available, does not require extensive searching, and which can be accurately imparted over the
telephone.
●If the telephone question cannot be answered quickly (defined as three to five minutes), the staff
member must decide whether the question may be taken as a call back, whether the patron should be
asked to come to the library for assistance, or whether the patron should be referred to another agency
or division.
1) A call back is acceptable when a question can be answered appropriately and accurately by telephone
but requires more than three to five minutes to complete.
2) On a call back, the answer should be given only to the caller unless otherwise instructed by that
person.
3) A patron should be invited to come to the library for assistance when the staff member:
a) has ascertained that the library has needed materials to answer the question;
b) has judged that question cannot be answered appropriately or accurately over
the telephone (e.g. medical, legal, tax questions, postage stamps, complex statistical
tables); and/or
43
c) the search would take more than a half hour.
4) Referrals to other agencies or divisions may be made when the staff member determines that the
patron’s information needs cannot be satisfied within the Division. For specific guidance on referrals, see
appropriate section of this document.

In general, the staff member taking the question is responsible for completing it and calling the
patron. If this cannot be done for various reasons, the staff member taking the question is responsible
for relaying to his or her surrogate detailed information on the search and the results.

Whenever possible, call backs should be completed the same day unless specific arrangements
are made with the patron to call later.
TELEPHONE REFERENCE SERVICE LIMITS
1) Three to five minutes per call is the recommended guideline.
2) Generally, no more than a half hour should be spent working on a reference call back.
3) Not more than three titles are usually checked against the catalog (and shelves, if
necessary).
4) Not more than three titles will be reserved per call.
5) Four stock quotations or currency exchange rates are answered per call.
6) Not more than three addresses will be given per call.
7) Call backs will be made to libraries and patrons within the Pioneer Library System
whether or not the call is long distance. (Beyond the PLS, the patron or library would be
asked to make the return call, or at their request, we would call them collect.)
MAIL REFERENCE

It is the library’s policy to respond to all reference inquiries received by mail. The Division Head
has the responsibility of deciding what is a reasonable amount of time to be spent on each letter.
USE OF ONLINE DATABASES

It is the policy of this library to use online databases to enhance reference service. The staff
member responding to a request for information will determine whether use is appropriate. At the
discretion of the librarian, custom searches may be requested through the library from the NYS
Library.
ITEMS HELD AT SERVICE DESKS
44

Materials which circulate are held for patrons until closing time the following day. On
request, the time may be extended.

In general, reference items should not be held for patrons. Rather, a list of citations should
be available with the patron’s name.
PHOTOCOPY REQUESTS

Patrons coming into the Central Library will do their own photocopying.

Three telephone requests for photocopying to be sent to community libraries will be handled
through the ILL procedure.
RATINGS, EVALUATIONS, AND SPECIALIZED SITUATIONS

Consumer Information: Care should be exercised in giving answers over the telephone to
consumer questions. Patrons asking for product ratings in such sources as Consumer Reports
may be given the brand names and model numbers of products rated acceptable.
If a patron asks for information on a specific product, the evaluation may be read. Patrons should
be encouraged to come to the library to read the entire article. Such limitations as the date and
context of the rating should be pointed out.
EVALUATIONS OF DICTIONARIES, ENCYCLOPEDIAS, ETC.

The library does not recommend one dictionary or encyclopedia over another. Patrons
should be invited to come to the library to examine our wide range of dictionaries and
encyclopedias and to use reviewing sources.
OTHER RATINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND EVALUATIONS

Before supplying ratings, recommendations, or evaluations by telephone, explanations given
in sources should be read in detail. Patron should be encouraged to come to the library if
interpretation is required. Personal opinions should never be given.
READER’S ADVISORY SERVICES

Based on their professional training and experience, staff will assist patrons in selecting
appropriate materials for their educational, informational, or recreational needs.
LITERARY CRITICISM, ETC.

Staff will provide patrons with published critical analyses of literary works. Personal
analyses or interpretations are not offered. Brief excepts of published materials will be read by
telephone.
45
MEDICAL, STATISTICAL, AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION

The librarian should not interpret material of any type related to these fields, including
tables, charts, equations, conversion formulas, taxation and regulatory information or medical
definitions.

When providing medical information, reference staff should:
1) Cite the source. Give the name of the publication. Indicate lay or professional nature of the material
2) Give the date the material was published, or point this out to the patron who comes to the library.
3) Quote from the source verbatim.

The reference staff should never:
1) Recommend a method or procedure of treatment to follow.
2) Recommend an alternative drug that may produce the same results as the one presently being taken.
3) Assist the patron who diagnoses himself.
4) Interpret medical information to the patron.
5) Make a personal recommendation of physicians.

The librarian should feel free to indicate to the patron that he/she does not have the
specialized knowledge to give positive or absolute answers. Patrons should be advised to read the
material themselves.
LEGAL INFORMATION

The library’s policy is to make the clearest distinction possible between locating information
and giving legal advice. The library’s collection includes legal sources which should prove
useful in meeting specific information needs. During the interview patrons are cautioned that
legal research is complex and that there is no guarantee that all relevant information will be
found in this library. If the patron has a citation to a specific statute or regulation, library staff
will assist patron in locating the text, and if not too lengthy, read the text verbatim by phone.
The source and date of the text will be stated.

On more complex questions, those involving the selection of relevant laws, patrons are
encouraged to come into the library and are assisted in locating appropriate materials.

Library staff will never interpret the material or attempt to evaluate its application to the
personal circumstances of the user.
46
PATENT AND COPYRIGHT SEARCHES, ETC.
 Patent and copyright searches are not performed by library staff. Instruction in the use of
available resources is provided.
TRANSLATIONS
 Translations too lengthy to be done within time guidelines or too technical for the level
of staff expertise are not performed. A list of outside translators is made available from
which the patron may choose.
COMPILATION AND LITERATURE SEARCHES
 Extensive compilations (bibliographies, lists, statistics, etc.) are not prepared for
individual patrons by library staff, nor are exhaustive literature searches undertaken.
Assistance is offered to the patron while doing the work in the library.
VALUE OF ART WORKS, ANTIQUES, RARE BOOKS, COINS, STAMPS, CURRENCY, ETC.
 Sources are available at the library which give general price guidelines, i.e. auction
records, catalogs, etc. This information would be given over the telephone only when the
Division Head has determined that there is sufficient subject expertise and reliable sources to
do so accurately. Appraisals of the value of the patron’s art works, antiques, rare books,
coins, stamps, currency, and other collectibles are never given.
GENEALOGY
 Staff will answer queries regarding library holdings and provide assistance in the use of indexes,
ready reference files, and other finding aids. Staff members are trained as librarians, not genealogists,
and do not prepare family trees, search census records for individual names, nor otherwise undertake
extensive genealogical research. A list of local free-lance researchers is available.
47
REFERENCE
Reference Standards
Central Library
April 1987
ATTITUDES AND DEMEANOR (Attachment 2)
ATMOSPHERE
 Establish an environmental atmosphere that maintains the efficiency of staff and
eliminates any barriers that would hinder communication between staff and patrons.
AWARENESS

Be aware of general level of activity in division.

Be alert to patrons waiting for assistance.
APPROACHABILITY
 Acknowledge waiting patrons with a nod, eye contact, or friendly verbal greeting until
they can be helped.
 Offer assistance to those who appear to be in need but who have not approached the
staff.
 Appear interested, ready-to-help, relaxed, friendly and willing to leave desk to put patron
at ease and encourage interaction.
PROFESSIONALISM
 Treat each patron whether in-house or telephone caller as an individual and avoid
prejudging patron or request.
 Respond to all in-house and telephone questions positively and patiently and assume all
questions have answers.
 Maintain eye contact with patron to show attentiveness and interest and, if feasible, rise
from the desk and accompany patron to directed areas.
48
 Observe the rules of telephone etiquette and make the caller’s first impression a good
one.

Convey goodwill, interest and helpfulness by tone of voice or manner of speaking.
 Speak directly in words that the patron will understand and at a speed appropriate to the
situation.

Use tact, patience, flexibility, concern, good judgment in dealing with all patrons.
 Maintain a businesslike attitude and self-control in response to patrons’ anger,
impatience or provocation.
 Demonstrate professional commitment to the purpose and philosophy of public library
service.
 Function as a team member by assisting colleagues in their commitment to service
objectives.
 Display a neat and well-groomed appearance and well-mannered professional attitude
without condescension.

Avoid social conversations both in person and on the phone with patrons and colleagues.
INTERVIEWING
The purpose of the reference interview is to learn everything possible about the patron’s library needs in
order to give the best possible reference and advisory service.
If the motivation to provide excellent patron service is in place, the techniques for conducting the
interview can be learned. The step-by-step which follows should provide a basic outline by which to
formulate and then expand and perfect one’s skill.
 Establish rapport with the patron. This is basic to an overall satisfactory reference
transaction. (See Attitude and Demeanor).

Assure the patron that she/he has come to the right place for help.
 Take the time necessary to listen attentively as the patron asks the question. Be aware of
body language and what is not said as well as exactly what is said so that you may hear both
the actual question and patron’s feelings about the question. Doing this well should influence
49
the manner of your delivery of your answer/reply and could also have some bearing on the
content of that answer/reply as well.
 Almost always it will be necessary to ask the patron to elaborate on the question. Some
version of the simple “Tell me more about…” will usually elicit helpful details. It may also
be necessary to ask specific questions within the “who, what, why, where, when” scope. Be
certain to explain to patron that you are asking questions so you can be of the best help.

Before launching into your search you will want to know:
1. The precise subject of the question.
2. The scope of the information needed, in breadth and depth.
3. What the patron already knows about the subject.
4. Any factors affecting the patron’s use of the materials (time restraints, reading
skills and comprehension level, audio or visual impairments, etc.).
5. What format the answer/reply should be presented in.
6. Sources already tried by patron (if patron has indicated and unsuccessful search
to date).
At this point, certain search strategy elements begin to be involved.
1. Classify or define the query in relation to the resources.
2. As you present materials to the patron, interpret to the patron the purpose (value)
of each item being recommended so patron is better informed to make choices among
items.
3. Be sure that you and patron remain in dialogue throughout entire
interview/search process so that any misdirections or misunderstandings can be
corrected.
4. Always conclude interview by asking if patron’s needs have been fully satisfied.
SEARCH STRATEGY
A successful search strategy must be based on effective interviewing, listening, and, if necessary, referral
work. The object is to find as complete an answer as possible using a minimum of resources. Answers
should be appropriate, accurate and meet the user'’ time frame. Above all, establish and sustain two-way
communication with the patron.
50

Begin the search only when you understand the question. Do not rush.
 Utilize all information learned in the reference interview to match the question with
appropriate source(s).

For more involved searches, briefly outline for the patron the steps involved.

If the query defies a direct approach, consider alternative strategies.
 When feasible, involve the patron in the search in order to buy time to check additional
sources, and to provide the patron with an opportunity to redefine the need.

In answering telephone queries, always cite sources. Read material exactly as printed.

Offer instruction in the use of catalogs, indexes, bibliographies, new formats.

Change search strategy as the original question is modified.
 If the search extends beyond reasonable limits, or is contrary to established reference
policy, explain whatever assistance can be provided.
 Check back with the patron to determine whether the information provided is sufficient.
If not, re-open the search.

Ask other staff or divisions for assistance as needed.
 Keep a record of sources consulted to avoid duplication, or to enable another staff
member to complete the search in your absence.

Know when to quit.
KNOWLEDGE OF RESOURCES AND COLLECTIONS
All public service reference staff are expected to have knowledge of Central Library policies and a
general knowledge of its collection (number 1). Knowledge required, related to a staff member’s assigned
division (number 1 and 2), will be dependent on the individual’s job description and the expectation of the
Division Head.
It is assumed that all librarians will have acquired in their formal training a sense of major reference
material types and how they are used including techniques for the evaluation of resources’ currency,
format, features, limitations and bias.
KNOWLEDGE OF RPL COLLECTION AND POLICIES
51

Administrative organization of RPL and the systems of which it is a part.

Location and scope of all Central Library subject divisions.
 Use and limitations of tools needed to access the library collection including: card
catalog, OPAC, GEAC, OCLC, Periodical pool file and holdings list, online searches
(DIALOG, etc.)
 Location of Central special collections (including E/JIC, picture file, Upstate index,
slides, large print and foreign language material, GIS, non-print media, etc.
 Services offered by Central Library: Interlibrary loan within and outside PLS, tours of
Central Library, special services for special population groups including services outreach
/Extension Department (books by mail, books for the visually impaired, Kurzweil machine,
etc.), holds.
 Facilities at Central: public computers, public typewriter, photocopying machines, record
and cassette listening stations, film/video previewing stations, microform readers and
printers.
 RPL Policies and Procedures: Reference Services Policies (q.v.), interlibrary loan, online
searches, loan policy, holds.

Knowledge of assigned division resources and policies
1. Scope of division collection: subjects included, collection policy and limitations
of collection, formats and use of all material types, special collections and requisite
equipment in the division, who uses the collection and how they use it including
current/fad interests of the public, quirks in division subject coverage and overlap
with other divisions, current trends and developments within the subjects covered.
2. Subject division resources: location and use of bibliographic tools used to access
the division collection including indexes and hard-to-find files, scope and use of
ready reference collection, location and use of major reference works within the
subject division (indexes, encyclopedias, dictionaries), scope and location of the
division periodical collection, especially major journals in the subjects covered by the
division, scope and use of general databases and those especially appropriate to
division subjects, content and use of specialized reference materials housed in the
division (tax service, Foundation Collection, GIS, census materials, patent materials,
etc.).
3. Specialized subject expertise to be developed over time: extent and limitations of
division collection in assigned subjects, major authors, publishers, periodicals and
52
reference materials in assigned areas of expertise, trends and changing patrons’
interest in assigned subjects.
4. Knowledge of community resources and their appropriate use by the public:
town and branch libraries, RRLC Network,, specialized libraries related to assigned
subject division, alternate sources of information (agencies, organizations,
government offices and individuals in assigned subject division).
REFERRAL
Some occasions for referral:

When a reasonable search of division resources yields partial or no information;

When a patron has been misdirected;

When materials on a particular subject are dispersed among divisions;

When a patron has partially correct or partially incorrect information.
Such referrals might be to another division(s) in the Central Library, to another system or special library,
to another local, regional or national organization, to an individual with expertise if he or she is willing to
share.
In general, referrals should be made only when there is a reasonable degree of certainty that the patron
can expect an appropriate response at the other end. It is important to avoid “blind” referrals.
Guidelines for referral within the Central Library
The purpose of the following procedures is to minimize the number of transfers or re-directions per patron
who seeks access to Central Library resources, by telephone and within the building:
 Insure the accuracy of each referral by consulting, as appropriate, the subject guide to the
Central Library, the main catalog, GEAC, or staff from the other division.

If available, consult colleagues who possess expertise in the subject in question.
 Provide the information the patron needs to continue the search elsewhere, and convey a
realistic sense of the chance for success.
 Provide to the other division, as appropriate, information about the search you have
made.
53
 As an alternative, a division receiving a query, answers to which or materials about
which cut across division boundaries, would coordinate the collection of the appropriate
information and assume responsibility for seeing the query through completion.
 Share “unanswered questions” among divisions through a vehicle such as the Division
Heads’ meeting notes.
Guidelines for Referrals outside the Central Library
 Refer the patron to an appropriate MCLS member library for a specific title after
verifying in GEAC that the title has been linked. Indicate to the patron that the other library
owns the item but that its current status cannot be determined.
 Refer the patron to the appropriate RRLC library for a specific serial after verifying
holdings in the Union List of Serials. Suggest the patron contact the owning library to make
sure the specific item needed is currently available.
 Offer to take an interlibrary loan/copy request for items the Central Library does not own
or have on order, stating the chances for success which are governed primarily by the ability
to locate the item and/or the owning library’s willingness to lend it.
 Refer the patron to special libraries, institutions, organizations, sources for specialized
materials or information in a particular filed based on the staff’s knowledge of those other
local sources, and appropriate directories. The staff member determines, in each case, who
should make the initial contact. The staff member should convey to the patron any known
limitations on the use of the other organization’s materials.
 As appropriate, refer the patron to local, regional, or national resources other than library
materials and information, based on information contained in directories of public and
private, not-for-profit agencies and organizations (e.g., Human Services Directory,
Encyclopedia of Associations) or based on staff contacts with professionals in other fields.
State the chances for success or limitations, if any.
54
E-REFERENCE POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES (Attachment 3)
Questions that come to the division from Information
Divisions will receive a pop-up box notifying them that a question has been received.
Each division could decide which staff member(s) will respond, but generally the staff person on reference duty at
the time the question comes in will be responsible for responding to it. E-reference questions should be handled
promptly, but there is no specific time limit for a response. If the question is not an appropriate referral, then the
question should be sent promptly to the appropriate division.
Questions that bypass the ‘Ask a Librarian’ page
The patron may come to know a division’s direct e-mail address after using the ‘Ask a Librarian’ service. Because
of this, a patron may send a question directly to a division, bypassing the ‘Ask a Librarian’ service. Questions
received in this manner should be answered directly, if appropriate for the division. If not, they should be forwarded
to the correct division. A note should be added to the response, requesting that the patron bookmark and use the
‘Ask a Librarian’ page in the future, as this will expedite the handling of their question. An example of such a note
might be:
“We can best answer your questions when you use the ‘Ask a Librarian’ form at(OLD)
http://libraweb.org/ONREF (NEW)-- http://www3.libraryweb.org/ask.aspx?id=441. Please bookmark this
page and use it for sending questions in the future.”
E-reference service on Sundays
We recognize the difficulty Sunday staff will have in attempting to respond to e-ref questions, just as they would to
telephone reference. Therefore, Sunday staff are not required to respond to e-ref questions, but they should either
print out the e-mail, or make a note and leave it in a prominent place for Monday AM staff.
Citing sources and copyright
In answering questions, best practice is to always provide a source citation.
A copyright notice should be included when copying and pasting information from a website or database into a reply
to a patron. This notice can be found on the ‘Ask a Librarian’ page at the end of the reference policy. See section
“Frequently used responses” for help in adding this notice to a response.
Frequently used responses
For frequently used responses, divisions may create a “scrap” for their desktop. A “scrap” is a small word document
that is saved to the desktop. It will appear there as an icon and can be opened, copied, and then pasted into your
response to a patron. LAS can provide help in creating these “scraps”.
55
Statistics
Statistics should be counted on the daily tally sheet and included in the Division’s monthly report. Use a slash for
each question answered, as there may be more than one question answered per e-mail. As a back up, e-ref questions
can be saved in the exchange mailbox, perhaps with a folder made for questions in the inbox, and one for the
answers in “sent items”. There could be a separate folder for each month, if deemed necessary by the division.
Central Library Administration October 2002
56
E-REFERENCE PROCEDURES (Attachment 4)
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PATRON

From the library’s homepage the patron clicks on the icon for the “Ask a Librarian” e-mail
reference service.

The patron fills out the library’s e-mail reference service form and clicks the ‘Submit’ button.

The question is sent to the Information Center’s designated computer.
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INFORMATION CENTER

Opens Exchange Mail each morning and leaves it minimized on the desktop.

When the e-reference service is used, a notification message through Exchange mail appears
stating, ‘You Have Received New Mail’.

The staff on duty reads the question and determines whether the patron’s information need can
best be satisfied within the division, by another division, or does not meet the guidelines of the ereference policy.

If the Information Center can best satisfy the patron's information need, the staff:
o Chooses the (Reply) button. A copy of the question remains as part of the outgoing
message.
o Answers the question, and cites the information source when appropriate.

If the patron's request does not meet the guidelines of the e-reference policy, the patron is
informed as to why.

If another division can best satisfy the patron's information need, the staff:
o Chooses the (Forward) button. A copy of the question remains as part of the outgoing
message.
o Enters the appropriate division's e-reference internet e-mail address in the (To) field, and
forwards the message.
o
When the patron's e-mail includes more than one question, the e-mail is forwarded to
each division that can best satisfy the information need.
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DIVISION

Opens Exchange Mail each morning and leaves it minimized on the desktop.

When the e-reference service is used, a notification message through Exchange mail appears
stating, ‘You Have Received New Mail’.
57

The staff on duty reads the question and determines whether the patron’s information need can
best be satisfied within the division, by another division, or does not meet the guidelines of the ereference policy.

If the division can best satisfy the patron's information need, the staff:
o Chooses the (Forward) button. A copy of the question remains as part of the outgoing
message.
o Cuts and pastes the address of the recipient into the (To) field.
o Answers the question, and cites the information source when appropriate.

If the patron's request does not meet the guidelines of the e-reference policy, the patron is
informed as to why.

If another division can best satisfy the patron's information need, the staff:
o Chooses the (Forward) button. A copy of the question remains as part of the outgoing
message.
o Enters the appropriate division's e-reference internet e-mail address in the (To) field, and
forwards the message.
Central Library Administration October 25, 2001
58
(Draft) (Attachment 5)
Executive Summary: There is not a comprehensive reference policy for the Central library. Procedurally,
there is a broad, written reference service standard for Central Staff that only requires minor revisions.
Detailed Report
a) Problem Statement: are there up-to-date reference service policies and procedures for the Central
Library? How can this sub-committee create new, clear policies and procedures for reference service
standards to reflect the current needs of our patrons and current library practices?
b) Data Collection: Obtain any current policies and/or procedures for the Central Library. Use primary
source data, along with peer reviewed material to ascertain current state of reference in library science.
c) Data Analysis: The Central Library reference service policy—pg2--lacks connection to the parent
organizations mission/vision/values statement, or otherwise any connection to the profession’s rationale.
There is no objective with the policy. The policy otherwise, is complete with minor revision. The current
reference service procedure—pg 6—requires only minor revision.
d) Prolonged Recommendation for moving forward:
Develop a policy that incorporates best practices globally, with a mind that professionally, these standards
will help ensure long-term healthy growth for library science and those that choose to enter the profession.
It is recommended that these statements are incorporated into the current reference service policy: “The
Central Library of Rochester, New York serves the residents of the County of Monroe.”
“Our staff are members of a profession explicitly committed to intellectual freedom and the freedom of
access to information. Staff have a special obligation to ensure the free flow of information and ideas to
present and future generations. Staff assist, advise, and instruct users in accessing all forms of recorded
knowledge. The assistance, advice, and instruction include both direct and indirect service to patrons.”
Bibliography
“Chat Reference A Guide to Live Virtual Reference Services.” 2003 Ronan, Jana Smith
“Concepts of Information Retrieval.” 1989. Lee Pao, Miranda
“Doing the Work of Reference, Practical Tips for Excelling as a Reference Librarian.” 2001. Mabry, Celia
Hales
“Model Policies for Small and Medium Public Libraries.” 1998. Larson, Jeanette & Lotten, Herman.
“Reference and Information Services.3rd ed.” 2001.
“American Library Association.” Website.
http://www.ala.org/ala/professionalresources/guidelines/standardsguidelines/index.cfm#RefSvcs
PG 2
•
GENERAL POLICY (reference policy) (draft)
Service to library users takes precedence over any other activity.
59
•
Service to library users who come into the library takes precedence over telephone callers. With
this as a guideline, staff members should respond to requests for service in the order received.
•
Equal effort should be made for all questions regardless of originating source. (N.B. This
includes school assignment questions and contest questions.)
•
The confidentiality of the origin of questions should be respected and discussion with others
should be restricted to seeking assistance in finding the desired information.
•
The information given should be documented, even when the staff member is sure of the
correct answer.
•
The Central Library keeps statistics on inquiries received in order to provide a factual base for
the review of reference service.
TELEPHONE REFERENCE
•
Telephone reference is usually limited to supplying the kind of information that is readily
available, does not require extensive searching, and which can be accurately imparted over the
telephone or efficiently delivered electronically or by fax.
•
If the telephone question cannot be answered quickly (defined as three to five minutes), the
staff member must decide whether the question may be taken as a call back, whether the patron should
be asked to come to the library for assistance, or whether the patron should be referred to another
agency or division.
1) A call back is acceptable when a question can be answered appropriately and accurately by
telephone but requires more than three to five minutes to complete.
2) On a call back, the answer should be given only to the caller unless otherwise instructed by that
person.
3)
A patron should be invited to come to the library for assistance when the staff member:
a)
has ascertained that the library has needed materials to answer the question;
b) has judged that question cannot be answered appropriately or accurately over the telephone (e.g.
medical, legal, tax questions, postage stamps, complex statistical tables); and/or
c)
the search would take more than a half hour.
4) Referrals to other agencies or divisions may be made when the staff member determines that the
patron’s information needs cannot be satisfied within the Division. For specific guidance on referrals,
see appropriate section of this document.
•
In general, the staff member taking the question is responsible for completing it and calling the
patron. If this cannot be done for various reasons, the staff member taking the question is responsible
for relaying to his or her surrogate detailed information on the search and the results.
60
•
Whenever possible, call backs should be completed the same day unless specific arrangements
are made with the patron to call later.
TELEPHONE REFERENCE SERVICE LIMITS
1) Three to five minutes per call is the recommended guideline.
2) Generally, no more than a half hour should be spent working on a reference call back.
3) Not more than three titles are usually checked against the catalog (and shelves, if necessary).
4) Not more than three titles will be reserved per call.
5) Four stock quotations or currency exchange rates are answered per call.
6) Not more than three addresses will be given per call.
7) Call backs will be made to libraries and patrons within the Pioneer Library System whether or not
the call is long distance. (Beyond the PLS, the patron or library would be asked to make the return call,
or at their request, we would call them collect.)
MAIL and Email REFERENCE
• Staff will It is the library’s policy to attempt to respond to all reference inquiries received by mail or
email. The Division Head supervisor has the responsibility for deciding what is a reasonable amount of
time to be spent on each letter . In general, time spent on such requests follows the guidelines for callbacks.
E-MAIL REFERENCE:
•
Reference service will be enhanced by electronic delivery whenever possible. See “Policies and
Best Practices for E-Reference” in the Policy and Procedure Manual.
USE OF ONLINE DATABASES
•
The It is the policy of this library will attempt to use online databases to enhance reference service
whenever possible. The staff member responding to a request for information will determine whether
use is appropriate. At the discretion of the librarian, custom searches may be requested through the
library from the NYS Library.
ITEMS HELD AT SERVICE DESKS
•
Materials which circulate are held for patrons at the circulation desk until closing time the
following day for ___business days On request, the time may be extended.
•
In general, reference items should not be held for patrons. Rather, a list of citations should be
available with the patron’s name.
PHOTOCOPY REQUESTS
•
Patrons coming into the Central Library will do their own photocopying.
•
•
Three ?? telephone requests for photocopying to be sent to community libraries will be handled
through the ILL procedure.
61
•
Whenever possible, scanning and e-mailing documents will be encouraged. A fee may be
charged for this service.
RATINGS, EVALUATIONS, AND SPECIALIZED SITUATIONS
•
Consumer Information: Care should be exercised in giving answers over the telephone to
consumer questions. Patrons asking for product ratings in such sources as Consumer Reports may be
given the brand names and model numbers of products rated acceptable.
If a patron asks for information on a specific product, the evaluation may be read. Patrons should be
encouraged to come to the library to read the entire article. Such limitations as the date and context of
the rating should be pointed out.
EVALUATIONS OF DICTIONARIES, ENCYCLOPEDIAS, ETC.
•
The library does not recommend one dictionary or encyclopedia over another. Patrons should be
invited to come to the library to examine our wide range of dictionaries and encyclopedias and to use
reviewing sources.
OTHER RATINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND EVALUATIONS
•
Before supplying ratings, recommendations, or evaluations by telephone, explanations given in
sources should be read in detail. Patron should be encouraged to come to the library if interpretation is
required. Personal opinions should never be given.
READER’S ADVISORY SERVICES
•
Based on their professional training and experience, staff will assist patrons in selecting
appropriate materials for their educational, informational, or recreational needs.
LITERARY CRITICISM, ETC.
•
Staff will provide patrons with published critical analyses of literary works. Personal analyses or
interpretations are not offered. Brief excepts of published materials will be read by telephone.
MEDICAL, STATISTICAL, AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION
•
The librarian should not interpret material of any type related to these fields, including tables,
charts, equations, conversion formulas, taxation and regulatory information or medical definitions.
•
When providing medical information, reference staff should:
1) Cite the source. Give the name of the publication. Indicate lay or professional nature of the
material
2) Give the date the material was published, or point this out to the patron who comes to the library.
3) Quote from the source verbatim.
•
The reference staff should never:
1) Recommend a method or procedure of treatment to follow.
2) Recommend an alternative drug that may produce the same results as the one presently being
taken.
3) Assist the patron who diagnoses himself.
4) Interpret medical information to the patron.
5) Make a personal recommendation of physicians.
•
The librarian should feel free to indicate to the patron that he/she does not have the specialized
knowledge to give positive or absolute answers. Patrons should be advised to read the material
themselves.
62
LEGAL INFORMATION
• The library’s policy is to make the clearest distinction possible between locating information and
giving legal advice. The library’s collection includes legal sources which should prove useful in meeting
specific information needs. During the interview patrons are cautioned that legal research is complex
and that there is no guarantee that all relevant information will be found in this library. If the patron has
a citation to a specific statute or regulation, library staff will assist patron in locating the text, and if not
too lengthy, read the text verbatim by phone. The source and date of the text will be stated.
• On more complex questions, those involving the selection of relevant laws, patrons are encouraged
to come into the library and are to be assisted in locating appropriate materials.
• Library staff will never interpret the material or attempt to evaluate its application to the personal
circumstances of the user.
PATENT AND COPYRIGHT SEARCHES, ETC.
•
Patent and copyright searches are not performed by library staff. Instruction in the use of
available resources is provided from the Carlson Patent and Trademark Center.
TRANSLATIONS
 Translations too lengthy to be done within time guidelines or too technical for the level of staff
expertise may not be performed. A list of outside translators is made available from which the
patron may choose.
******This statement should remain. Not everyone has access to a computer or is knowledgeable of Babblefish. Library staff should not
attempt translation and that should stay in the policy
COMPILATION AND LITERATURE SEARCHES
•
Extensive compilations (bibliographies, lists, statistics, etc.) are not prepared for individual
patrons by library staff, nor are exhaustive literature searches undertaken. Assistance is offered to the
patron while doing the work in the library.
VALUE OF ART WORKS, ANTIQUES, RARE BOOKS, COINS, STAMPS, CURRENCY, ETC.
•
Sources are available at the library which give general price guidelines, i.e. auction records,
catalogs, etc. This information would be given over the telephone only when the [Division Head]
[Division Manager? Supervisor?] has determined that there is sufficient subject expertise and reliable
sources to do so accurately. Appraisals of the value of the patron’s art works, antiques, rare books,
coins, stamps, currency, and other collectibles are never given. Arts Division staff is unable to
recommend specific appraisers but can refer patrons to the yellow pages for assistance under Antiques.
GENEALOGY
•
Staff will answer queries regarding library holdings and provide assistance in the use of indexes,
ready reference files, and other finding aids. Staff members are trained as librarians, not genealogists,
and do not prepare family trees, search census records for individual names, nor otherwise undertake
extensive genealogical research. A list of local free-lance researchers is available.
PG 6
INHOUSE ONLY_--__
REFERENCE
Reference Standards
Central Library
April 1987
ATTITUDES AND DEMEANOR
63
DRAFT #1
ATMOSPHERE
•
Establish an environmental atmosphere that maintains the efficiency of staff and eliminates any
barriers that would hinder communication between staff and patrons.
AWARENESS
•
•
Be aware of general level of activity in division.
Be alert to patrons waiting for assistance.
APPROACHABILITY
•
Acknowledge waiting patrons with a nod, eye contact, or friendly verbal greeting until they can be
helped.
•
Offer assistance to those who appear to be in need but who have not approached the staff.
•
Appear interested, ready-to-help, relaxed, friendly and willing to leave desk to put patron at ease and
encourage interaction.
PROFESSIONALISM
•
Treat each patron whether in-house or telephone caller as an individual and avoid prejudging patron
or request.
•
Respond to all in-house and telephone questions positively and patiently and assume all questions
have answers.
•
Maintain eye contact with patron to show attentiveness and interest and, if feasible, rise from the
desk and accompany patron to directed areas.
•
Observe the rules of telephone etiquette and make the caller’s first impression a good one.
•
Convey goodwill, interest and helpfulness by tone of voice or manner of speaking.
•
Speak directly in words that the patron will understand and at a speed appropriate to the situation.
•
Use tact, patience, flexibility, concern, and good judgment in dealing with all patrons.
•
Maintain a businesslike attitude and self-control in response to patrons’ anger, impatience or
provocation.
•
Demonstrate professional commitment to the purpose and philosophy of public library service.
•
Function as a team member by assisting colleagues in their commitment to service objectives.
•
Display a neat and well-groomed appearance and well-mannered professional attitude without
condescension.
•
Avoid social conversations both in person and on the phone with patrons and colleagues.
•
Turn off personal cell phones or turn to vibrate while on the reference desk.
INTERVIEWING
The purpose of the reference interview is to learn everything possible about the patron’s library needs in
order to give the best possible reference and advisory service.
64
If the motivation to provide excellent patron service is in place, the techniques for conducting the interview
can be learned. The step-by-step which follows should provide a basic outline by which to formulate and
then expand and perfect one’s skill.
•
Establish rapport with the patron. This is basic to an overall satisfactory reference transaction. (See
Attitude and Demeanor).
•
Assure the patron that she/he has come to the right place for help.
•
Take the time necessary to listen attentively as the patron asks the question. Be aware of body
language and what is not said as well as exactly what is said so that you may hear both the actual question
and patron’s feelings about the question. Doing this well should influence the manner of your delivery of
your answer/reply and could also have some bearing on the content of that answer/reply as well.
•
Almost always it will be necessary to ask the patron to elaborate on the question. Some version of
the simple “Tell me more about…” will usually elicit helpful details. It may also be necessary to ask specific
questions within the “who, what, why, where, when” scope. Be certain to explain to patron that you are
asking questions so you can be of the best help.
•
Before launching into your search you will want to know:
1. The precise subject of the question.
2. The scope of the information needed, in breadth and depth.
3. What the patron already knows about the subject.
4. Any factors affecting the patron’s use of the materials (time restraints, reading skills and
comprehension level, audio or visual impairments, etc.).
5. What format the answer/reply should be presented in.
6. Sources already tried by patron (if patron has indicated an unsuccessful search to date).
At this point, certain search strategy elements begin to be involved.
1. Classify or define the query in relation to the resources.
2. As you present materials to the patron, interpret to the patron the purpose (value) of each item being
recommended so patron is better informed to make choices among items.
3. Be sure that you and patron remain in dialogue throughout entire interview/search process so that any
misdirections or misunderstandings can be corrected.
4. Always conclude interview by asking if patron’s needs have been fully satisfied.
SEARCH STRATEGY
A successful search strategy must be based on effective interviewing, listening, and, if necessary, referral
work. The object is to find as complete an answer as possible using a minimum of resources. Answers
should be appropriate, accurate and meet the user's time frame. Above all, establish and sustain two-way
communication with the patron.
•
Begin the search only when you understand the question. Do not rush.
•
Utilize all information learned in the reference interview to match the question with appropriate
source(s).
•
For more involved searches, briefly outline for the patron the steps involved.
•
If the query defies a direct approach, consider alternative strategies.
•
When feasible, involve the patron in the search in order to buy time to check additional sources,
and to provide the patron with an opportunity to redefine the need.
•
In answering telephone queries, always cite sources. Read material exactly as printed.
•
Offer instruction in the use of catalogs, indexes, bibliographies, new formats.
•
Change search strategy as the original question is modified.
•
If the search extends beyond reasonable limits, or is contrary to established reference policy, explain
whatever assistance can be provided.
•
Check back with the patron to determine whether the information provided is sufficient. If not, reopen the search.
65
•
Ask other staff or divisions for assistance as needed.
•
Keep a record of sources consulted to avoid duplication, or to enable another staff member to
complete the search in your absence.
•
Know when to quit.
KNOWLEDGE OF RESOURCES AND COLLECTIONS
All public service reference staff are expected to have knowledge of Central Library policies and a general
knowledge of its collection (number 1). Knowledge required, related to a staff member’s assigned division
(number 1 and 2), will be dependent on the individual’s job description and the expectation of the Division
Head. supervisor
It is assumed that all librarians will have acquired in their formal training a sense of major reference material
types and how they are used including techniques for the evaluation of resources’ currency, format, features,
limitations and bias.
KNOWLEDGE OF RPL COLLECTION AND POLICIES
•
Administrative organization of RPL and the systems of which it is a part.
•
Location and scope of all Central Library subject divisions. departments
•
Use and limitations of tools needed to access the library collection. including: card catalog, OPAC,
GEAC, OCLC, Periodical pool file and holdings list, online searches (DIALOG, etc.)
•
Location of Central special collections (including E/JIC, picture file, Upstate index, slides, large print
and foreign language material, GIS, non-print media, etc.
•
Services offered by Central Library: Interlibrary loan within and outside PLS, tours of Central
Library, special services for special population groups including services outreach /Extension Department
(books by mail, books for the visually impaired, Kurzweil machine, etc.), holds.
•
Facilities at Central: public computers, public typewriter, photocopying machines, record and
cassette listening stations, film/video previewing stations, microform readers and printers.
•
RPL Policies and Procedures: Reference Services Policies (q.v.), interlibrary loan, online searches,
loan policy, holds.
•
Knowledge of assigned division resources and policies
1. Scope of division the library’s collection: subjects included, collection policy and limitations of
collection, formats and use of all material types, special collections and requisite equipment in the division,
who uses the collection and how they use it including current/fad interests of the public, quirks in division
subject coverage and overlap with other divisions, current trends and developments within the subjects
covered.
2. Subject division resources: location and use of bibliographic tools used to access the division library’s
collection including indexes and hard-to-find files, scope and use of ready reference collection, location and
use of major reference works within the subject division library (indexes, encyclopedias, dictionaries), scope
and location of the division periodical collection, especially major journals in the subjects covered by the
division, scope and use of general databases and those especially appropriate to division subjects, content
and use of specialized reference materials housed in the division (tax service, Foundation Collection, GIS,
census materials, patent materials, etc.).
3. Specialized subject expertise to be developed over time: extent and limitations of division collection in
assigned subjects, major authors, publishers, periodicals and reference materials in assigned areas of
expertise, trends and changing patrons’ interest in assigned subjects.
Number four should be revisited after the reorganization process of the Central Library is completed.
66
4. Knowledge of community resources and their appropriate use by the public: town and branch
libraries, RRLC Network,, specialized libraries related to assigned subject division, alternate sources of
information (agencies, organizations, government offices and individuals in assigned subject division).
REFERRAL
Some occasions for referral:
•
When a reasonable search of division resources yields partial or no information;
•
When a patron has been misdirected;
•
When materials on a particular subject are dispersed among divisions; within the library.
•
When a patron has partially correct or partially incorrect information.
Such referrals might be to another division(s) area in the Central Library, to another system or special
library, to another local, regional or national organization, to an individual with expertise if he or she is
willing to share.
In general, referrals should be made only when there is a reasonable degree of certainty that the patron can
expect an appropriate response at the other end. It is important to avoid “blind” referrals.
Guidelines for referral within the Central Library
The purpose of the following procedures is to minimize the number of transfers or re-directions per patron
who seeks access to Central Library resources, by telephone and within the building:
•
Insure the accuracy of each referral by consulting, as appropriate, the subject guide to the Central
Library, the main catalog, GEAC, or staff from the other division. CARL? Online catalog?
•
If available, consult colleagues who possess expertise in the subject in question.
•
Provide the information the patron needs to continue the search elsewhere, and convey a realistic
sense of the chance for success.
•
Provide to the other division, staff as appropriate, information about the search you have made.
•
As an alternative, a division receiving a query, answers to which or materials about which cut across
division boundaries, would coordinate the collection of the appropriate information and assume
responsibility for seeing the query through completion.
•
Share “unanswered questions” among divisions staff through a vehicle such as the Division Heads’
meeting notes. E-mail or library e-portal.
Guidelines for Referrals outside the Central Library
•
Refer the patron to an appropriate MCLS member library for a specific title after verifying in GEAC
the online catalog that the title has been linked. Indicate to the patron that the other library owns the item
but that its current status cannot be determined.
•
Refer the patron to the appropriate RRLC library for a specific serial after verifying holdings in the
Union List of Serialscatalog. Suggest the patron contact the owning library to make sure the specific item
needed is currently available.
•
Offer to take an interlibrary loan/copy request for items the Central Library does not own or have
on order, stating the chances for success which are governed primarily by the ability to locate the item
and/or the owning library’s willingness to lend it.
•
Refer the patron to special libraries, institutions, organizations, sources for specialized materials or
information in a particular field based on the staff’s knowledge of those other local sources, and appropriate
directories. The staff member determines, in each case, who should make the initial contact. The staff
member should convey to the patron any known limitations on the use of the other organization’s materials.
•
As appropriate, refer the patron to local, regional, or national resources other than library materials
and information, based on information contained in directories of public and private, not-for-profit agencies
67
and organizations (e.g., Human Services Directory, Encyclopedia of Associations) or based on staff contacts
with professionals in other fields. State the chances for success or limitations, if any.
68
Materials Selection (Attachment 6)
Library Description
The Rochester Public Library consists of the Central Library located in the Rundel and Bausch and Lomb
Memorial buildings, ten branch libraries located within the city limits, and the Extension Department, which
provides library services to populations with special needs. The Rundel Library and the Bausch and Lomb
buildings serve as the Central Library for the Monroe County Library System. Each branch library, to some
extent, reflects the character of its neighborhood. Four branches (Lincoln, Maplewood, Winton and Arnett)
serve as "anchor libraries" and maintain more extensive collections.
Mission
The Materials Selection policy shall support and reflect the Library's Mission and roles, as well as its specific
goals and objectives. It is understood that the goals and objectives of library service units may vary
depending on the specific role(s) they are fulfilling.
Responsibility/Authority
The Rochester Public Library is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and governed by a Board
of Trustees. The Board retains the power and duties of Trustees of Institutions, as prescribed by the New
York State Education Law.
The ultimate responsibility for selection of materials in the Rochester Public Library rests with the Library
Board of Trustees. That responsibility is delegated by the Board to the Director and his or her staff, who
shall carry out this policy. By tradition and practice the task of selecting library materials lies with
professional librarians within each unit (age-level and subject specialists). Suggestions from the public are
welcome.
Statement of Philosophy
The Rochester Public Library acknowledges that it shares with all other American public libraries the
responsibility of defending the individual's right to free and open access to information and a commitment to
the principles of intellectual freedom. In providing services and materials to the public the library shall
adhere to the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the "Library Bill of Rights", the ALA "Freedom to
Read", "Free Access to libraries for Minors" and "Freedom to View" statements as well as the "Statement on
Labeling."
PURPOSE
The purpose of the materials selection policy is to provide selection guidelines for Rochester Public Library
Branch, Central Library, and Extension Department staff and to inform the public of the principles by which
the staff acquires and builds the library's collections.
Scope/Coverage/Formats

The library seeks to provide currently useful materials in all commonly available formats for adults,
69
young adults, children, and those individuals of any ages with special needs.

Library materials may include, but are not limited to: books, periodicals, newspapers, pamphlets,
maps, microforms, musical scores, computer software, audio cassettes, video cassettes, recordings,
compact discs, DVDs, art works, toys, and realia. Materials in languages other than English shall
be acquired to meet changing community and neighborhood needs.

The Central Library serves the system as a partial depository for the United States Government
documents and as a full depository for New York State documents and documents of the City of
Rochester and the County of Monroe.

The Local History Division of the Central Library acquires and maintains archival materials for
research in local history and genealogy.
Criteria for Selection (Standards of Selection)
Among the basic factors to be considered in selecting works of information, opinion and imagination are (not
in order of relevance):

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significance of subject matter
insight into human and social conditions
authentic characterization of human experience
honest representation of point of view
author's reputation
literary/artistic quality
originality and creativity
illustrations
clarity and accuracy of presentation
authoritativeness
organization of material
reading level
published reviews
relationship to other materials in collection
relevance to library's goals, objectives and mission statement
need for material
demand
permanent value to the collection
inclusion in standard bibliographies and/or indexes
needs of special populations
format
price
Duplicate titles are purchased as demand, space and budget permit. Replacement copies of significant titles
are purchased whenever possible.
Textbooks may be selected if they provide the best or most useful coverage available in their subject area.
They are not purchased to support any particular curriculum.
Gifts
Donations of money and/or materials to the Rochester Public Library are both welcomed and encouraged.
70
All materials, whether donated directly or purchased through donated funds, are subject to all the provisions
of this Selection Policy. Donated materials automatically become the property of the Rochester Public
Library, which shall reserve the right to dispose of any gifts that do not meet the criteria applied to
purchased materials.
Generally, collections of materials that carry restrictions which necessitate special treatment or which
prevent
integration of the gift into the general library collection will not be accepted. Limitations of
space, staff time, and processing costs are additional considerations that may impact the decision to accept
gifts. Librarians are pleased to provide suggestions of appropriate titles to groups or individuals who wish
to donate new titles to the collection.
Gifts made in the memory or honor of certain individuals are encouraged. The of such materials may be left
to the Library or the donor may suggest a particular book or subject area. Appropriate bookplates may be
placed in these items indicating they were donated in honor of or in memory of a particular individual.
Weeding/Deaccessioning
Weeding library materials is essential to maintaining a useful, balanced, lively collection. The responsibility
for weeding the collection shall be shared in the same manner as selection of materials. Some of the factors
involved in weeding materials include:
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physical condition
obsolescence
uniqueness
authority of author and publisher
usefulness and value to the collection
local interest
demand
availability and cost of replacement
inclusion in indexes and/or standard bibliographies
space
The Library reserves the right to dispose of materials withdrawn from the collection in ways consistent with
state and municipal laws including: book sales, donations to other appropriate organizations and/or waste
recycling.
Challenges to Policy
All materials added to the Library collection have been deemed to meet the criteria for selection as specified
in this Policy. Complaints regarding specific materials and/or requests for reevaluation of material, shall be
referred to the appropriate Assistant Director, who shall discuss the complaint with the patron. In the event
that the complaint is not resolved at that level, the patron should be advised to obtain a "Materials
Reevaluation Form" (see attached) from the Director's Office. This form must be filled out in its entirety and
signed by the individual requesting the action. The Director will investigate the complaint and provide a
written response to the request within 30 days. The decision by the Director may be appealed to the Board
of Trustees, which shall make a final determination within 60 days of the receipt of the appeal. Under no
circumstances will any challenged materials be removed from the collection prior to a decision by the Board
of Trustees.
71
Adopted by the RPL Board of Trustees - March 14, 1991
Reviewed 1997
72
MATERIALS SELECTION – MCLS HOME PAGE (Attachment 7)
One of the goals of the Monroe County Library System is to develop, operate, and maintain a top quality
information services network (LIBRA) that serves as an access hub for libraries, communities and
individuals. We will provide all segments of the population equal access to the broadest level of basic
electronic information resources (including the Internet) at no direct cost to users.
The ultimate responsibility for selection of materials to be included on the Monroe County Library
System’s Home Page rests with the Library System Board of Trustees. That responsibility is delegated
by the Board to the Director and his or her staff, who shall carry out this policy. The task of selecting
sites to be included on the System’s home page lies with professional librarians within the Monroe
County Library System (both age-level and subject specialists). Suggestions from the public are
welcome.
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for professional librarians in the System. It will inform
the public of the principles by which the staff enhances the collections to meet the informational,
recreational, and educational needs of the community. These enhancements have a relationship to
other materials (print or non-print) in the collection. Specific criteria may be necessary for subject
specialties.
It is recognized that sites offering local profit and non-profit information will be evaluated on a case-bycase basis by subject specialty librarians. No endorsement of profit sites is implied. Every effort will be
made to provide and maintain links to the home pages of other local educational sites.
Criteria for Selection (Standards of Selection)
Among the basic factors to be considered in selecting sites to be placed on the Monroe County Library
System Home Page are (not in order of priority):
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relevance to library's goals, objectives and mission
authoritativeness
site should be “user friendly”
site offering information not available in print should be included
clarity and accuracy of presentation
literary/artistic creativity in design
non-commercial sites are preferred to sites that are designed to sell products
direct links to sites are preferred to links that are a collection of sites
when appropriate, willingness of site to offer reciprocal link to LIBRA
MAINTENANCE OF SITES
Each site will be checked regularly for currency by a subject specialty librarian of the WEB Committee
established by the Internet Steering Committee.
Approved by the MCLS Board of Trustees - September 16, 1996 Reviewed 1997
73
Collection Development Policy
(Attachment 8)
Rochester Public Library
Central Library
October 1988
INTRODUCTION
Rochester is located in the western part. of New York State midway on
the south shore of Lake Ontario. The Genesee River flows through the
heart of the city. It is the central city of a metropolitan area.
More than 1000 firms from the Rochester area are producers of photographic
products, optical systems, fuel-control devices, process mixing equipment,
machine tools, copying equipment, mass transportation control systems,
electrical and electronic components and systems, and medical and dental
equipment. The Rochester/Monroe County area has a higher percentage
Of highly skilled employed persons than most of the other metropolitan
areas of the United States. We recognize the interdependence of our
communities, the financial condition and service needs of the central city
and its suburbs.
Throughout Greater Rochester there are public, private and parochial
schools to meet the wide variety of students' academic and individual
needs. There are nine colleges and universities in the Rochester area.
The Rochester Public Library - Central Library serves the city, 19 towns,
9 villages and 1 town-village within Monroe County. It serves as the
community library for the residents of the downtown area including many
businesses. In addition, it is the central library for the Pioneer
Library System which consists of Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Wayne,
and Wyoming Counties. The Central Library is funded by the County of
Monroe through a reimbursement arrangement with the City of Rochester.
The library provides these groups with material for education, information,
recreation and research. The Library acquires, organizes, and encourages
the use of materials in various media.
In a free society, information on all points of view in all fields should
be readily available, so that .individuals may decide which ideas are
meaningful to them. In our society, the public library is the institution
which provides free access to these ideas, even though some ideas are not
acceptable to all. The library, consequently, has the responsibility for
selecting materials which reflect divergent and unusual points of view .
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Rochester Public Library - Central Library collection
development policy is to guide librarians and to inform the public about
the principles upon which the collection is developed.
Free and convenient access to the world of ideas, to information and to the
74
creative experience is of vital importance to every person today.
Therefore, the Rochester Public Library - Central Library incorporates
as part of this policy, the American Library Associat.ion Library Bill
of Rights, The Freedom to Read, The Public Library, A Statement of Principles
and the Educational Film Library Association Freedom to View
(see appendices) •
Philosopy
The mission of the Central Library of Rochester Public Library is to furnish maximum
opportunity for the people of the greater Rochester community to pursue their own lines of
inquiry and enlightenment.
The library’s role is a dynamic one: to satisfy the current informational,
educational, recreational, and research needs of its various constituencies
primarily by
.e., information, per se)
providing material in all formats
- providing referrals to sources of information or informational material
- Proactively disseminating information t-o the community
- facilitating patrons' use of the library and its resources.
- Providing answers to questions (i
The 1ibrary occupies a vital and unique place in the community. It serves its local and
special constituencies through the provision of
- diverse materials collections in all formats, selected to meet
the community's needs and organized for convenient use
- innovative information, referral and advisory services designed
to assure accurate, prompt and complete response to queries
- programs that are timely and appealing and that promote use of
library resources and services, focus attention on important
issues, or that: provide cultural enrichment to the community.
It serves users of affiliate libraries through provision of
centralized information services and resources that cannot easily
be found elsewhere in the region
- materials collection depth to back up affiliate library resources
in areas of specialized need.
It has a further obligation to interact productively with other human,
educational and cultural service providers in spheres of mutual interest.
The Central Library shall perform these functions without discrimination
and without charge to its constituents for other than exceptional services.
The library shares with all other American public libraries the age-old
responsibility of defending the individual's freedom of access to information. Inherent in its mission
is the library's commitment to collection
and service policies that affirm the principles of intellectual freedom.
75
Adapted from "Role of the Central Library," Central Library
Planning Project Final Report, 1986.
CENSORSHIP
The public library is unique among institutions as an unbiased repository
for the recorded expression of human thought. It must therefore provide
the pub l LC with access to all points of view. It would conflict with
the pub 11 c interest for 1ibraries to establish particular politica1,
moral or aesthetic views as standards for determining what materials
should be made available . The library will not determine the acceptabi1ity
of a book or other material on the basis of the personal history, political
affiliation, race, sex, or cultural background of the author. Selection
will not be made on the bas is of anticipated approva1 or disapprova1,
or because of the personal viewpoint of the librarian. Neither will
selection be inhibited by the possibility that the book or other material
may come into the possession of children. It is the 1ibrary's philosophy
that the parent or legal guardian of a child, rather than the librarian ,
should be the one to determine what the child will read, 1isten to or
view. The disapproval of a book or other library material by a person
or group should not be the means of denying that material to others
if, by library selection standards, it belongs r n the collection. It
should be noted, however, that the addition of an item to the library's
collection in no way represents an endorsement by the library of any
theory or policy contained in it.
The use of the library will not be denied or abridged because of age, sex,
race, religion, national origin, educational background, political or social
views. Patrons' borrowing records are confidential in nature and will not be
released without a subpoena from an appropriate court.
Staff members are expected to hold in strictest confidence information
about questions patrons ask, items consulted by patrons, comments expressed
or attitudes revealed by patrons.
SELECTION
Responsibility for Selection of Materials
By tradition and practice, responsibility for the selection of library
materials lies with the professional librarians within each unit (age
level and subject specialists) though ultimate responsibility lies with
the 1ibrary director. Suggestions from the public are welcome and wi11
be seriously considered.
Factors Influencing Selection
Selection of materials is a complex process that calls for all of a
librarian's skills, experience and knowledge. It cannot be reduced
to a simple formula. However, basic factors considered for works of
information, opinion and imagination are these:
- significance of subject matter, insight into human and social conditions,
authentic characterization of human experience, representation
of point of view
76
- author's reputation, literary/artistic quality, originality and
creativity, illustrations, clarity and accuracy of presentation,
authoritativeness, organization of material, reading level
- relationship to other materials in the
demand, permanent value to the
bibliographies, responsibility
system,
availability in other libraries
populations
- format, price.
collection, need for material,
collection, inclusion in standard
as central library in large
in the area, needs of special
Textbooks are selected only if they are the best material available.
Duplicates shall be purchased as demand, space and budget permit.
Replacements of high-loss titles are made at the librarian's discretion.
Replacement of significant titles shall be made whenever possible.
As written in the General Statement on Gifts (Policy Circular 2/87),
"the library accepts gifts with the understanding that it may use or
dispose of them in accordance with the library's needs .•. decision to
add gift materials to the collection shall be the responsibility of
the head of the unit in which the gift will be located."
The Rochester Public Library is a member of the Rochester Regional Library
Council (RRLC) and participates in their interlibrary loan network.
The library will attempt to borrow materials outside or beyond the scope
of the collection through RRLC and other networks. One factor in selection
will be a consideration of the kinds of materials available through
Interlibrary loan.
SPECIAL FORMATS
Aside from the book collection, the library acquires materials in a
number of different formats which include per i.cdi.ca l s , newspapers,
pamphlets and maps. The library also recognizes the ever-growing interest
in non-print materials. It attempts to follow audio-visual trends and to
keep abreast in the acquisition of materials in new and popular formats.
For example, compact discs, video cassettes, computer software and audio
cassettes are all contained in the collection of the Rochester Public
Library, in addition to 16mm films and long playing records.
Periodicals
Periodicals provide an important source for' current information which
has not yet and may never appear in book form. They are also a very
important source of historical research, frequently offering original
documents. They are especially strategic in fields where technology
is developing rapidly. Periodicals are selected largely by the same
criteria applied to books. In the case of periodicals, however, whether
the content is indexed in standard indexes is an important factor influencing
purchase.
77
Some periodicals are purchased for their value as recreational reading
while others are acquired because of their unique or specialized subject
content. The Central Library of the Rochester Public Library serves as a
back-up reference research collection for a multi-county system
and as such acquires not only popular resources in current demand but
also more specialized materials essential to a balanced in-depth collection.
Long runs of indexed periodicals as well as those periodicals
for which Central is the only source are kept in bound volumes or on
microfilm.
Newspapers
Most local (Rochester/Monroe County) newspapers are acquired and retained.
The two Rochester dailies, the Democrat and Chronicle and the Times-Union,
are preserved on microfilm as are a number of community newspapers.
The clipping files and scrapbooks maintained by the Local History Division
provide subject access to local articles which appear in the Democrat
and Chronicle and the Times-Union. Most other subject divisions clip
the local papers as well but they retain their clippings for shorter
periods of time.
Pamphlets
Pamphlets serve as an important supplement to the general collection
and sometimes contain information not available in other sources. Pamphlets
are selected according to the same criteria as books. Every
subject division has extensive pamphlet files.
The Local History Division and the History Division are the chief
repositories for maps at the Rochester Public Library. As maps appear which
complement or supplement the existing collections, they are acquired.
Microforms
As more materials appear on microform, the Rochester Public Library
collects an increasingly wide range of materials on microform. The
term "microform" includes microfilm, microfiche, ultrafiche, aperture
cards, microcards, etc. As the Rochester Public Library is a depository
library, government documents are increasingly received on microform.
These materials help expand the Library's holdings in areas which place
a heavy emphasis on research. Microforms also enable the library to
conserve storage space, replace deteriorating materials and obtain materials
no longer available in book form.
WEEDING
The discarding or de-acquisition of library materials is an important
and necessary means of maintaining a useful, balanced, lively collection.
Weeding is as important as, but perhaps more difficult than, acquiring
new materials. It requires time, skill, care and knowledge. A skillful weeder is
a reference librarian who knows both the strengths and weaknesses
of the collection and is aware of the changing needs of the community.
Weeding should be done continuously, but a thorough, systematic weeding
78
of an entire collection needs to be done from time to time as well.
Since different areas of the collection are subject to different weeding
criteria, it is the responsibility of each division head to maintain
written guidelines and policies. Weeding criteria or guidelines may include
the following: .
- physical condition. Is it such that the item should be rebound
or replaced or simply discarded?
- obsolescence. Is a newer edition available? If not, is this material
out-of-date and even harmful? Is this an older but still valid
edition that can be saved to meet demand for the title?
- uniqueness. Is the title unavailable elsewhere in the community?
Would it be hard to obtain via interlibrary loan?
- authority of author and publisher. Is the title listed in any
standard reference bibliography?
usefulness to the collection. Is it heavily used? Is it unique
or only one of several works on the topic? Is it a "shelf sitter"
new but of possibly greater use in the future?
- local interest.
demand. Can surplus copies of materials no longer in demand be
discarded?
- value. Is this a worn item but one whose replacement cost would
be prohibitive?
Weeding criteria for periodicals would include the following:
- indexed.
- holdings of other libraries. Do other libraries in the area have
the same holdings? Do those libraries intend to retain the periodical?
- local interest.
- uniqueness. Does it contain unique information and/or materials
unavailable elsewhere?
Last copies or out-of-print titles should be examined carefully against
these and other such criteria. Titles withdrawn indirectly through
loss or damage should be replaced if they meet selection criteria and
are available. Weeding is done under the supervision of the division
head. It should be recognized that some subject areas require frequent
weeding, while in other areas materials may be kept a long time due
to historical value or long-range usefulness.
Collection Development Committee: Betty Lawrence, Chair Wayne, Arnold
Shirley Iversen, Winn McCray, Ilene Montana, Carol Nersinger, Judy Prevatil
79
GIFTS (ATTACHMENT 9)
GENERAL STATEMENT
The library accepts gifts with the understanding that it may use or dispose of them in accordance with the
library's needs. Additions to the collections shall be in accordance with the library's material selection
policies.

Decision to add gift materials to the collection shall be the responsibility of the head of the unit in
which the gift will be located.

All material added to the collection becomes the property of the Rochester Public Library. No
material shall be accepted on loan, for deposit, or for special treatment, use or location. Existing
exceptions, such as the Rochester Historical Society material, are not affected by this statement.

The library assumes no obligation to return to donor gifts which are not used.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

The library is especially interested in materials about Rochester and its environs.

The library does not accept textbooks older than five years.

In accepting gifts of non-print media, consideration is given to compatibility with library
equipment.
GENERAL PRACTICES

The library does not appraise gifts for monetary value. Upon request, a letter indicating the
number of items given will be provided the donor.

Gifts are officially acknowledged by the library director or his delegate if the donor requests it or if
it is a large collection of 100 or more volumes.

Bookplates are placed in items added to the collection for:
o
o

Gifts presented as memorials.
Gifts for which a specific request for a bookplate is made by donor.
Donors are asked to bring gifts to the Central Library or city or town library most convenient to
them. Donors are asked to call the library to which they are delivering gifts (if different than
library where initial inquiry is made) to make delivery arrangements. The library picks up material
only if, in the judgment of the Director or Assistant Director, special circumstances warrant doing
so.
February 1987
Reviewed 1997
80
GIFTS – MEMORIALS (Attachment 10)
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DONOR:

Fills out Memorial Gift Flyer, Form 233, or sends letter to Director with a check payable to
Rochester Public Library Gift Fund.
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ASSISTANT HEAD OF CENTRAL LIBRARY, OR ASSIS-TANT DIRECTOR
IN CHARGE OF BRANCHES:

o
Writes a letter to donor of sum or money given to purchase a book or other library materials in
memory of someone.
Writes a letter to member of bereaved family, if designated by donor.
RESPONSIBILITY OF DIRECTOR:

Signs letter or letters.
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ASSISTANT HEAD OF CENTRAL LIBRARY, OR ASSIS-TANT DIRECTOR
IN CHARGE OF BRANCHES:

If a specific field of interest or community library has been indicated by the donor, sends
appropriate division or community library a copy of letter to the donor
RESPONSIBILITY OF ASSISTANT HEAD OF CENTRAL LIBRARY:

Notifies Acquisitions of the amount of money to be added to division gift fund.
RESPONSIBILITY OF CENTRAL LIBRARY DIVISIONS, COMMUNITY LIBRARIES:


Selects a book, or materials, costing approximately the amount of the gift and sends Assistant
Head of the Central Library or Assistant director in Charge of Branches the bibliographic
information for material selected.

Sends order to the Acquisitions Department.
When book arrives, places memorial book plate in it.
IF A GENERAL FUND IS GIVEN TO THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, WITH NO SUBJECT FIELD
INDICATED BY THE DONOR OF DONORS:
RESPONSIBILITY OF ASSISTANT HEAD OF CENTRAL LIBRARY: Writes a letter of thanks to the
donor
RESPONSIBILITY OF DIRECTOR:
81

Signs letter or letters.
RESPONSIBILITY OF ASSISTANT HEAD OF CENTRAL LIBRARY:

Notifies divisions, or, if a broad subject field has been indicated, the appropriate divisions.
RESPONSIBILITY OF CENTRAL LIBRARY DIVISIONS:

Selects books, or materials.

Sends order to the Acquisitions Department.

When books or materials arrive, places memorial book plate in it.
December 1994
Reviewed 1997
82
COLLECTION DEAQUISITION POLICY (Attachment 11)
Background
The primary mission of the Central Library is to facilitate public access to information. RPL recognizes that the
library’s collection plays a critical role in fulfilling this mission. Unique materials and original manuscripts in the
collection are key factors in distinguishing libraries one from another and, to great extent help define the value of a
library. However, it is recognized that these unique and rare materials require preservation and security measures
that are commensurate with the library’s financial resources and take into account an obligation to fund other service
priorities. Because of these factors, the library may, from time to time, face a decision as to whether a valuable item
in the collection should be kept, safeguarded, and preserved or de-acquisitioned so as to preserve the item and/or
maximize its value to the library and the community. This policy is intended to guide these decisions, when they are
necessary.
II. Scope of Policy
This policy is intended to cover the removal and disposition of books, manuscripts, or other materials that have
exceptional market value from the collection of the Rochester Public Library. This policy shall cover individual
unique or rare items or collections that have been acquired by the library through purchase or gifting. As a general
guideline, but not necessarily a hard-fast rule, the potential market value of items to be covered by this policy will
exceed $1,000.
III. Criteria for Selecting Materials for De-acquisition
The following guidelines shall be used in determining whether or not an item is a candidate for de-acquisition:



Does the item have a strong local (Rochester Region) significance?
Can the library adequately preserve and provide a secure environment for the item?
Does the original version of the item have an inherent reference value as part of the library’s collection? -or -- can an alternative format (microfilm, facsimile, or digital image) of the item provide equal or
improved access by the public to the information included?
IV. Determination of Eligibility
A Committee consisting of the Library Director, the Assistant Director for the Central Library Public Services and a
representative from the Rundel Library Foundation shall be responsible for evaluating items that are candidates for
de-acquisition under this policy and for developing a recommendation for the Rochester Public Library Board of
Trustees regarding the disposition of such items using the following disposition guidelines.
V. Disposition Guidelines
A. If the item is deemed to have strong local significance:
1. An attempt will be made to sell the item, at a fair market value, to an accredited local not-for-profit
institution, which can ensure a secure environment and maintain some degree of public access to the item.
Such institution or organization must have a 501c(3) or similar federal tax-exempt designation and/or be
chartered by the NY State Board of Regents.
83
2. In the event that no local institution as defined in the above paragraph is interested in procuring the item at
fair market value, consideration may be given to loaning or gifting an item to a local institution, provided
that public access and preservation requirements are met.
3. In the event that the item can not be sold, loaned, or gifted to a local institution based on the above
requirements, an attempt may be made to sell the item at fair market value to a national or international
audience, that may include institutions and individuals.
B. If the item to be de-acquisitioned does not have strong local significance:
1. An attempt may be made to sell the item at fair market value to a national or international audience that
may include not-for-profit and for-profit institutions as well as individuals.
2. In the event that the item cannot be sold at fair market value, consideration may be given to loaning or
gifting an item to a local, national or international institution, provided that public access and preservation
requirements are met.
VI. Decision-making Process
The Library Board will make the final decision regarding disposition of items covered by this policy based on
recommendations by the Committee described in section IV.
VII. Disposition process and Income
The Rundel Library Foundation, in collaboration with Central Library Administration shall process the disposition
of items selected for de-acquisition under this policy.
Income derived from the sale of items will be placed in an endowment fund managed by the Rundel Library
Foundation, the earnings of which will be used for preservation, increased access to the collections, or for the
acquisition of materials.
Approved by the Rochester Public Library December 20, 2001
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Central Library Collection Development Policy (Attachment 12)
PRELIMINARY DRAFT
January 2012
INTRODUCTION
The Rochester Public Library - Central Library serves the city, 19 towns, 9 villages and 1 town-village within
Monroe County. It serves as the community library for the residents of the downtown area including many businesses.
In addition, it is the central library for the Monroe County Library System.
In general, the adult collection is housed by subject. In addition to these subject units, the Central Library has separate
collections for children young adults, and through the Outreach Department, other special populations. Video materials
also are shelved separately.
The Central Library is funded by the County of Monroe through a reimbursement arrangement with the City of
Rochester.
The library provides these groups with material for education, information, recreation and research. The Library acquires,
organizes, and encourages the use of materials in various media.
In a free society, information on all points of view in all fields should be readily available, so that
individuals may decide which ideas are meaningful to them. In our society, the public library; unique
among institutions as an unbiased repository for the recorded expression of human thought, is the
institution which provides free access to these ideas. Some ideas are not acceptable to all.
Consequently, the library has the responsibility for selecting materials which reflect divergent and
unusual points of view. It would conflict with the public interest for libraries to establish particular
political, moral or aesthetic views as standards for determining what materials should be made
available. The Rochester Public Library - Central Library incorporates as part of this policy the American
Library Association Library Bill of Rights; The Freedom to Read; The Public Library, A Statement of
Principles; and the American Film & Video Association Freedom to View.
Purpose
The purpose of the Rochester Public Library Central Library collection development policy is to guide
librarians and to inform the public about the principles upon which the collection is developed. Policies
more specific to subjects or formats are developed in the units responsible for those materials.
Philosophy
The mission of the Central Library of Rochester Public Library is to furnish maximum opportunity for the
people of the greater Rochester community to pursue their own lines of inquiry and enlightenment. The
library’s role is a dynamic one: to satisfy the current informational, educational, recreational, and
research needs of its various constituencies primarily by
 providing answers to questions (i.e., information, per se)
 providing material in all formats
 providing referrals to sources of information or informational material
85
 proactively disseminating information to the community
 facilitating patrons' use of the library and its resources.
The library occupies a vital and unique place in the community. It serves its local and special
constituencies through the provision of diverse materials collections in all formats, selected to meet the
community's needs and organized for convenient use innovative information, referral and advisory
services designed to assure accurate, prompt and complete response to queries programs that are
timely and appealing and that promote use of library resources and services, focus attention on
important issues, or that provide cultural enrichment to the community. It serves users of affiliate
libraries through provision of centralized information services and resources that cannot easily be found
elsewhere in the region materials collection depth to back up affiliate library resources in areas of
specialized need. It has a further obligation to interact productively with other human, educational and
cultural service providers in spheres of mutual interest.
The Central Library performs these functions without discrimination and without charge to its
constituents for other than exceptional services. The library shares with all other American public
libraries the age-old responsibility of defending the individual's freedom of access to information.
Inherent in its mission is the library's commitment to collection and service policies that affirm the
principles of intellectual freedom.
Adapted from "Role of the Central Library," Central Library Planning Project Final Report, 1986.
CENSORSHIP
The library will not determine the acceptability of a book or other material on the basis of the personal
history, political affiliation, race, sex, or cultural background of the author. Selection will not be made on
the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, or because of the personal viewpoint of the librarian.
Neither will selection be inhibited by the possibility that the book or other material may come into the
possession of children. It is the library's philosophy that the parent or legal guardian of a child, rather
than the librarian, should be the one to determine what the child will read, listen to or view. The
disapproval of a book or other library material by a person or group should not be the means of denying
that material to others if, by library selection standards, it belongs in the collection. It should be noted,
however, that the addition of an item to the library's collection in no way represents an endorsement by
the library of any theory or policy contained in it.
The use of the library will not be denied or abridged because of age, sex, race, religion, national origin,
educational background, political or social views. Patrons' borrowing records are confidential in nature
and will not be released without a subpoena from an appropriate court. Staff members are expected to
hold in strictest confidence information about questions patrons ask, items consulted by patrons,
comments expressed or attitudes revealed by patrons.
Scope of the Collection
86
The Central Library serves serve the citizens and employees of Rochester and Monroe County by
providing a broad choice of materials to meet their informational, educational, cultural and recreational
needs. Materials are selected to aid individuals, groups, and organizations attain practical solutions to
daily problems, and to enrich the quality of life for all community members.
Budget and space limitations, as well as local needs, preclude the library from duplicating the specialized
and comprehensive collections that exist elsewhere in the Monroe County Area. Access to these
collections is provided through referral and interlibrary loan.
In order to meet short term high demand for popular titles, the Central Library supplements its
purchases by providing duplicate copies of a selection of materials from the McNaughton Collection.
This temporary, rented collection with an option to purchase at a significant discount, allows the Central
Library to meet the demand from the community for new and very popular materials. At the end of the
rental period, the library purchases copies commensurate with the expected long term albeit reduced
demand.
In addition to its services to the community as a whole, the Central Library serves as a resource for the
city branch, town and village libraries throughout Monroe County. A broader selection of both
circulating and reference print and non-print materials is selected to provide materials to a greater
depth and scope than might be expected in individual town or branch libraries. Scholarly, highly
technical and books with a very limited audience, however, are not acquired.
To the greatest extent possible, these materials are shared between libraries.
The Central Library, especially through its Local History Division, places special emphasis on the
collection and retention of materials relating to Rochester and Monroe County.
Special Collections
The Central Library supports several specialized collections. These include:
Local History
The Local History Division of the Central Library acquires and maintains archival materials for
research in local history and genealogy.
Chester F. Carlson Patent and Trademark Resource Library
The Central Library serves as the region’s primary source for patent information through its
designation by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a Resource Library. As such it provides a
depository collection and supports that collection with additional materials.
87
Grants Collection
The Central Library is an affiliate of the Foundation Center in New York Center and receives
supports the publications and resources of the Center.
Outreach/Extension Collection
The Extension Collection provides materials for station collections for special populations as well
as patrons unable to physically get to a library.
Job Information Center
The Job Information Center is maintained to provide extensive materials for job-seekers.
Formats/Types of Materials
Format choices will be responsive to technology changes, demand and availability. Aside from the
traditional book collection, the library acquires materials in a number of different formats including
those accessed electronically. An item may be purchased in more than one format to provide patrons
with a variety of access choices.
●Government Documents
The Central Library participates in both the Federal and New York State Depository Systems. As
a selective federal depository the library selects documents consistent with its collection
development policy and in support of the citizen’s access to information and laws related to the
issues that affect their lives. Items are chosen for the most appropriate format and are retained
according to the procedures set forth for Depository Libraries. Those items with historic or long
term value are retained for longer periods in accordance with the Library’s collection
development policy and reference needs. In addition, the Central Library houses a
As a participant in the New York State Depository Library System, the library receives and retains
materials distributed through the system. Materials are retained according to the system
procedures or as needed to fulfill the mission of the library.
The Central Library is also mindful of materials produced by local governments, collecting and
retaining, in so far as possible, documents published by the City of Rochester and Monroe
County. If warranted, documents published online may be printed and added to the collection.
●Digitized Materials
Rare and fragile historical materials will be considered for preservation/digitization on a caseby-case basis.
●Microforms
88
Original purchases of microforms or replacement of materials in a microform enable the library
to conserve storage space, replace deteriorating materials and obtain materials no longer
available in book form. The visual content of an item is a significant consideration in evaluating
it as a microform. As both a federal and state depository, the Central library received many
documents in microform. These materials are selected and retained to be consistent with the
library’s obligations as a depository library and as they correspond with the other factors
affecting selection.
●Electronic Databases (Commercial) [from City of Pasadena Public Library Collection
Development Policy]
Online computerized databases extend the collection by providing timely and versatile access to
information in electronic format. Databases are used to enhance and supplement reference
service. Many of the databases contain specialized information beyond the scope of the library's
print collections; others have information that does not exist in print format. Some databases
duplicate print sources which are carefully evaluated for retention with consideration to cost,
frequency of use, and ease of access to library users.
●Periodicals
Periodicals provide an important source for current information which has not yet and may
never appear in book form. They are also a very important source of historical research,
frequently offering original documents. They are especially strategic in fields where technology
is developing rapidly. Periodicals are selected largely by the same criteria applied to books. In
the case of periodicals, however, whether the content is indexed in standard indexes is an
important factor influencing purchase. In addition, consideration must be given as to the
availability of a periodical title in electronic both for current and retrospective issues.
Some periodicals are purchased for their value as recreational reading while others are acquired
because of their unique or specialized subject content. The Central Library of the Rochester
Public Library serves as a back-up collection for libraries in the Monroe County Library System
and as such acquires not only popular resources in current demand but also more specialized
materials essential to a balanced in-depth collection. Long runs of indexed periodicals as well as
those periodicals for which Central is the only source are kept in bound volumes or on
microfilm.
●Newspapers
Most local (Rochester/Monroe County) newspapers are acquired and retained. The Rochester
daily paper, the Democrat and Chronicle is preserved on microfilm as are a number of
community newspapers. The historical daily and community papers are retained in an
appropriate and available format. The clipping files and scrapbooks maintained by the Local
History Division provide subject access to local articles which appear in the local daily paper(s).
89
Subject divisions may clip the local papers to support their reference service or collection
development but they retain their clippings for shorter periods of time.
●Pamphlets
Pamphlets serve as an important supplement to the general collection and sometimes contain
information not available in other sources. Pamphlets are selected according to the same
criteria as books. This materials is often ephemeral and not retained. Pamphlet material of more
significance is retained and added to the public catalog.
●Maps
The Local History Division and the History Division are the chief repositories for maps at the
Rochester Public Library. As maps appear which complement or supplement the existing
collections, they are acquired.
Digital material or non analog material
Since the dawn of the microprocessor, the Central library has actively sought, classified, and catalogued
material that does not lend itself to physical form…..
Responsibility for Selection of Materials
By tradition and practice, responsibility for the selection of library materials lies with the staff within
each unit (age level and subject specialists) though ultimate responsibility lies with the library director.
NOTE: the RPL policy places ultimate responsibility with the Board:
The ultimate responsibility for selection of materials in the Rochester Public Library rests with the
Library Board of Trustees. That responsibility is delegated by the Board to the Director and his or
her staff, who shall carry out this policy. By tradition and practice the task of selecting library
materials lies with professional librarians within each unit (age-level and subject specialists).
Suggestions from the public are welcome.]
Suggestions from the public are welcome and will be seriously considered.
Factors Influencing Selection
Selection of materials is a complex process that calls for all of a librarian's or library assistant’s skills,
experience and knowledge. Basic factors considered for works of information, opinion and imagination
are these:
●significance of subject matter, insight into human and social conditions, authentic characterization of
human experience, representation of point of view
90
●author's reputation, literary/artistic quality, originality and creativity, illustrations, clarity and accuracy
of presentation, authoritativeness, organization of material, reading level
● relationship to other materials in the collection, need for material, demand, permanent value to the
collection, inclusion in standard bibliographies, responsibility as central library in large system,
availability in other libraries in the area, needs of special populations
● Format, price
Additional criteria for Electronic Formats
Ease of use of the product
Availability of the product to multiple, concurrent users
Technical and support requirements needed for access to the product
Availability of a print equivalent
In addition, as a member of the Rochester Regional Library Council (RRLC) and participant in their
interlibrary loan network. The library will attempt to borrow materials outside or beyond the scope of
the collection through RRLC and other networks.
One factor in selection will be a consideration of the kinds of materials available through interlibrary
loan.
[note: This section in the RPL policy is as follows]:
Among the basic factors to be considered in selecting works of information, opinion and imagination
are (not in order of relevance):













significance of subject matter
insight into human and social conditions
authentic characterization of human experience
honest representation of point of view
author's reputation
literary/artistic quality
originality and creativity
illustrations
clarity and accuracy of presentation
authoritativeness
organization of material
reading level
published reviews
91









relationship to other materials in collection
relevance to library's goals, objectives and mission statement
need for material
demand
permanent value to the collection
inclusion in standard bibliographies and/or indexes
needs of special populations
format
price
Textbooks are selected only if they are the best material available. They are not purchased to support
any particular curriculum.
Duplicates shall be purchased as demand, space and budget permit.
REPLACEMENTS
Replacement of significant titles shall be made whenever possible.
Items in demand or of long term value to the collection are replaced as quickly as possible when they
are worn out, lost, or stolen. Missing or damaged works may be identified in several ways, including
from computer-generated reports of items not returned from circulation, from unfilled requests for
items listed in the catalog, from patrons’ reports to staff, by staff members’ observation, or by formal
inventories.
Replacements of high-loss titles are made at the librarian's discretion.
GIFTS
***[note: this section in italics is taken from the Rochester Public Library Materials
Selection Policy (approved 3/14/1991, reviewed 1997). Consideration should be given to
the relationship between this section and the two other existing policies/procedures
regarding Gifts and Gifts-Memorials to insure that they are all consistent. As an
alternative this section could refer to the other policies rather than be included in this
document]
Donations of money and/or materials to the Central Library are both welcomed and
encouraged. All materials, whether donated directly or purchased through donated funds, are
subject to all the provisions of this Selection Policy. Donated materials automatically become
the property of the Rochester Public Library, which shall reserve the right to dispose of any gifts
that do not meet the criteria applied to purchased materials.
Generally, collections of materials that carry restrictions which necessitate special treatment or
which prevent integration of the gift into the general library collection will not be accepted.
92
Limitations of space, staff time, and processing costs are additional considerations that may
impact the decision to accept gifts. Librarians are pleased to provide suggestions of appropriate
titles to groups or individuals who wish to donate new titles to the collection.
Gifts made in the memory or honor of certain individuals are encouraged. The selection of such
materials may be left to the Library or the donor may suggest a particular book or subject area.
Appropriate bookplates may be placed in these items indicating they were donated in honor of
or in memory of a particular individual.
The decision to add gift materials to the collection shall be the responsibility of the head of the unit in
which the gift will be located.
CHALLENGES TO THE POLICY
[NOTE: This wording is adapted from the Rochester Public Library Materials Selection
Policy approved 3/14/1991, reviewed 1997]
All materials added to the Library collection have been deemed to meet the criteria for selection as
specified in this Policy. Complaints regarding specific materials and/or requests for reevaluation of
material, shall be referred to the Director. The patron should be advised to obtain a "Materials
Reevaluation Form" from the Director's Office. This form must be filled out in its entirety and signed by
the individual requesting the action. The Director will investigate the complaint and provide a written
response to the request within 30 days. The decision by the Director may be appealed to the Board of
Trustees, which shall make a final determination within 60 days of the receipt of the appeal. Under no
circumstances will any challenged materials be removed from the collection prior to a decision by the
Board of Trustees.
WEEDING/MAINTENANCE AND COLLECTION EVALUATION
The discarding or de-acquisition of library materials is an important and necessary means of maintaining
a useful, balanced, lively collection. Weeding is as important as, but perhaps more difficult than,
acquiring new materials. It requires time, skill, care and knowledge. An experienced reference librarian
knows both the strengths and weaknesses of the collection and is aware of the changing needs of the
community. Weeding should be done continuously, but a thorough, systematic weeding of an entire
collection needs to be done from time to time as well.
Since different areas of the collection are subject to different weeding criteria, it is the responsibility of
each division to maintain written guidelines and policies. Weeding criteria or guidelines may include the
following:
▪Physical Condition
Is it such that the item should be rebound or replaced or simply discarded?
93
▪Publication date
Is a newer edition available? If not, is this material out-of-date and even harmful? Is this an
older but still valid edition that can be saved to meet demand for the title?
▪Uniqueness
Is the title unavailable elsewhere in the community? Would it be hard to obtain via interlibrary
loan?
▪Authority of author and publisher.
Is the title listed in any standard reference bibliography?
▪Usefulness to the collection.
Is it heavily used? Is it unique or only one of several works on the topic? Is it a "shelf sitter" new
but of possibly greater use in the future?
▪Local interest.
▪Demand.
Can duplicate copies of materials no longer in demand be discarded?
▪Value.
Is this a worn item but one whose replacement cost would be prohibitive? If the item is not
within the collection development guidelines, should it be withdrawn and sold.
▪Availability in other formats.
Additional weeding criteria for periodicals would include the following:
▪Indexed.
▪Holdings of other libraries.
Do other libraries in the area have the same holdings? Do those libraries intend to retain the
periodical?
▪Electronic Access
Are current issues available online? Should just a back-file be retained?
▪Local interest.
94
▪Uniqueness.
Does it contain unique information and/or materials unavailable elsewhere?
Last copies or out-of-print titles should be examined carefully against these and other such criteria.
Titles withdrawn indirectly through loss or damage should be replaced if they meet selection criteria and
are available. Weeding is done under the supervision of the division head. It should be recognized that
some subject areas require frequent weeding, while in other areas materials may be kept a long time
due to historical value or long-range usefulness.
For consideration of de-acquisitioning books that are thought to have exceptional market value, see RPL
Policy: Collections, Central Library, Deacquisitions, edited 3/29/09.
REVISION OF POLICY [taken from the from City of Pasadena Public Library Collection
Development Policy]
This collection development policy will periodically be evaluated and revised as times and circumstances
require
Revised 2012 by Reference & Collections Team
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Benchmarking Surveys (Attachment 13)
2011 Star Libraries contacted to determine any arrangement other that Dewey.
Arrangement
Upper Arlington Public Library
Dewey
Algonquin Area Public Library District
Dewey
Champaigne Public Library
Dewey
Cleveland Heights-University Heights PL
Dewey
Elmhurst Public Library
Dewey
Euclid Public Library
Dewey + several sections
volumes
373k
240k
350k
370k
600k
280k
Northbrook Public library
Plainview-Old Bethpage Library
Port Washington Public library
Shaker Heights Public Library
Skokie Public Library
Vernon Area PL District
Washington-Centerville Public Library
Westerville Public Library
Lower Merion Library System
Worthington Public Library
230k
260k
340k
500k
225k
370k
576k
350K
330k
576k
Dewey + several sections
Dewey
Dewey + several sections
Dewey and 2 sections
Dewey + several sections
Dewey w/Business sect.
Dewey
Dewey and 2 sections
Dewey
Dewey + several sections
Analysis: none of Library Journals 2011 Star Libraries contacted use BISAC or Glade schemes.
None of the respondents consider these schemes useful beyond a small branch collection.
Surveyed libraries queried regarding recency of Collection Dev. Policy, ref staff composition, and who select
books.
Library
Name
Allen County
Public
Library, Ft.
Wayne
Dayton
Metro
Library
collection
(central* and
branches)
3374517
1670873
collection
dev pol
date coll dev department
ref staff level
has this changed
librarians request
bibliographers approve
mls at mainlib
not new
libs & la's as subs
last 5yrs
1992
department but libs
2006 recommend
96
AkronSummit Cnty
Public
Library
Kansas City
Public
Library
Johnson
County
Library,
Overland
Park
Howard
County
Library,
Columbia
Library Name
1378060
? ref librarians
960994
5yrs librarians
931650
2yrs department
900255
department but
librarians freely
Jan-11 recommend
division?
# books
AKRON-SUMMIT
CNTY PUBLIC
LIBRARY
divisions
17 loc 1378060
DALLAS PUBLIC
LIBRARY
divisions
FREE LIBRARY OF
PHILADELPHIA
divisions
26 loc
4.2 m sys
1.5?m @
cent
SAINT LOUIS PUBLIC
LIBRARY
divisions
500k+
cataloged 3m+
items
inventoried @
cent
SAN DIEGO PUBLIC
LIBRARY
divisions
format with
fewer ref
points. May
have only one
in the new
bldg.
1m @cent
97
public service
assistants
libs and some clerks
with reduced clerical
load
mls and some la's
Some mls and 90%ba+
lib certificate tried
call center with
clerical staff, not
successful.
mls
% at
ref
desks
1yr ago
10 yrs
not new
10yrs
who selects?
mls at central LA's at
branches
libs select bibliographers approve
60% mls maybe higher
discretionary fund for each
division. Central collection dept
selects for branches and build of
central collection
100% coll dev dept
70% mls
c/b libs select, cdd also selects
90%+ mls. Lost LA's in
budget cuts
12 ref librarians select for
system, branch staff freely
suggest titles. # of copies and
locations determined by
selectors. 30-40% of time spent
on selection some may spend
50-60%. 5-6 ref libs responsible
for programming.
Seattle public
library
ORANGE COUNTY
LIBRARY DISTRICT
SACRAMENTO
PUBLIC LIBRARY
ANNE ARUNDEL
COUNTY PUBLIC
LIBRARY
BROWARD COUNTY
LIBRARIES DIVISION
BURLINGTON
COUNTY LIBRARY
954-357-7444
CHARLESTON
COUNTY PUBLIC
LIBRARY SYSTEM
EAST BATON ROUGE
PARISH
Dewey run
with
specialists
positioned on
each floor.
Other staff
have primary
desks but are
moved
around to
plug the gaps
at other desks
when needed
no
going to one
desk
1m @cent
15 1.2m in sys
90%+ mls
System wide col, dev. Dept. Ref
librs freely suggest. Col Dev pers
don't do ref
staff float among floors
no specialty yet, though
that is considered a
growing need. 5 service
points. Desk at ref only.
Podiums at other
locations. 100% Mls at ref
40% at other points
yes very small team select for the
system of central and branches
col dev dept now. Libs used to
select. Collection now less
robust. CD pers don't talk to
users don’t use the materials ,
buy high circ items, collection
now less robust, ref staff no
longer really know the collection
or the rationale behind current
acquisitions, much harder to
help people with sophisticated
questions not easily answered
via catalog.
50% gward@saclibrary.org
1.8 m @
cent
no
15 libs
946644
no longer
subject specialist
37 libs
2666228
no
7 libs 986829
no
600 k @ cent
14 libraries
98
40% mls 4yr degree
main desk mls
non mls
juv mls/
mls 50% not a new ratio
30% mls
cdd only orders with input from
committee accepts requests
team rep from all branches
contribute to the selection process
to maintain demographic concerns
cdd but accept rec from libs
suggestions submitted to 1.5 person
approval team, teens and child have
more latitude
FAIRFAX COUNTY
PUBLIC LIBRARY
HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY PUBLIC
LIBRARY
COOPERATIVE
JOHNSON COUNTY
LIBRARY
23
no central
largest lib has
200K vols
no
26 2m
r
13 931650
KING COUNTY
LIBRARY SYSTEM
no central lib
specialized
collections in
various
libraries
LAS VEGAS-CLARK
COUNTY LIBRARY
DISTRICT
MONMOUTH
COUNTY LIBRARY
ORANGE COUNTY
PUBLIC LIBRARY
PHOENIX PUBLIC
LIBRARY
12 1.2m
no central lib
no
1.4 m 27 loc
less than 10%. librarians
as primarily
administrators, years of
budget cuts have forced
completely new staff
composition.
60% mls coverage at ref.
overall, varies by location
msl, 90% para
professional ba+ cert
cdd approves , 4 copies of every
book
librarians select, approval by 3-4
person committee
yes
90% MLS some
specialize in subject
area others fill in as
needed
CDD but Librarians suggest freely
and weed collection
MLS and LA (BA Degrees)
ratio unknown
Libs select
MLS and MLS students
CDD selects for system
8 per team of ref librarians, larger
libs act as main ref libs, special
collections at various libs less
robust , nothing ordered "with a
50% wiff a academia"
500k @
biggest
RICHLAND COUNTY
PUBLIC LIBRARY
no
11 1.2m
SANTA CLARA
COUNTY LIBRARY
no
360k @
biggest
MLS at central ref desk
and some at circ, some
MLS mostly LA's at
branches
librarians select in assigned areas
system wide col, dev. Dept. others
freely add to ipage
One goal in this survey was to find models that might be used to help us streamline our
reference departments. Many libraries have moved away from the divisional model due to the expense
of staffing each division with dedicated staff. The need for subject expertise is not eliminated with the
elimination of the divisional structure. Large libraries tend to have librarians that are either formally
considered specialists or librarians that have developed that skill set and are informally recognized as
the local expert in their area of expertise. Orange County Library District’s librarians find themselves
gravitating to one of the five service points that they are most comfortable with. The staffing model at
the King County Library is worth considering. Each of the service points in this multi-floor library is
staffed with subjects specialists but many librarians float between areas as needed. This allows an
excellent combination of subject expertise and economy. This model also allows the best utilization of
99
individuals with experience in more than one division. For example the science division has a staff
member who has worked in the Business Division. Business has a librarian that worked in Science for
several years. Librarians with this kind of experience would be ideally suited for use as floaters. This is
not an entirely desirable model but it is a more streamlined approach that competes well with the
ribbon’s presumed efficiencies while still maintaining a significant degree of subject expertise.
Some libraries use collection development departments which have reference desk
responsibilities. In environments where this is a new development, librarians conveyed a sense of having
lost the vitality of the collection and its immediate connection with the needs of the users of the library.
The San Diego Public Library uses a novel model. Their collection development team is a group of
reference librarians who spend 30-60% of their time selecting books. Other librarians are responsible for
developing programs. This model keeps the selectors close to the collection and allows staff with
different abilities to be best utilized. Fusing this model of book selection with King County staffing model
is a viable alternative to our current divisional structures and other proposed models.
100