Discusses vendor approval plans for library collection development and describes uses of various vendor plans by public libraries. Opening day collection services are described, vendor's book inventory databases are explained, title selection and the use of book reviews is discussed, and problems with out-of-print titles are considered. (LRW)

Discusses results of a Web-based survey that was conducted to determine the extent to which Canadian public libraries are collecting multilingual materials, methods used to select materials, and whether public librarians are prepared to provide multilingual clientele with adequate materials and services. Examines constraints preventing public…

Offers collection development suggestions for public libraries interested in materials on AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). Sources of AIDS information are discussed; censorship issues are addressed; formats are considered; and an annotated list of 38 relevant titles in a variety of formats is…

Discusses the censorship of school and public library materials dealing with homosexuality. Topics addressed include social pressures; conservative critics of homosexuality; examples of requests for limited access or removal of materials; and purchasing additional materials to represent other points of view as a more positive solution. (LRW)

Discusses the Hawaii State Public Library system decision to outsource library book selection to a vendor. Highlights include problems with the current contract, including lack of input from local librarians; and possible benefits of outsourcing, including the chance of having an outsourced baseline collection with discretionary funds for local…

Discussion of media in public libraries focuses on independent films and alternative video. Topics addressed include commercial films; film adaptations of novels; instructional films; material selection; cataloging; video technology; and a project in Indiana that tried to encourage public librarians to collect alternative videos. (LRW)

The method called CREW (Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding) integrates material selection and acquisition, cataloging and processing, and circulation and reference into one ongoing routine that assures that all the necessary indirect services are accomplished in an effective way. This revision of the original guide, published in 1976,…

The process of establishing the vertical file for a new branch library is traced; suggestions for making the vertical file a better resource are offered; and guidelines covering the general objective, responsibility for selection and maintenance, principles of selection, and scope of the collection for vertical files are presented. A four-item…

This guide to adult reference works and services for the small or medium-sized public library is divided into two sections. Section One lists 559 numbered items arranged in 22 subsections, and 222 additional items in notes following entries or at the end of the relevant subsection. Subject areas are as follows: guides and bibliographies; general…

A study gathered information about producers and distributors of unabridged books on cassette tape for the use of librarians engaged in collection development. Questionnaires were distributed to 48 public libraries and 45 producers/distributors. This report includes an introduction covering the history of this medium and a rationale for collecting…

This article on collection development focuses on English as a Second Language (ESL) materials for public libraries. Highlights include supporting local school curriculum; independent study materials; criteria for selection; weeding guidelines; Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); and an annotated bibliography that includes printed…

Reviews the general climate of demands for censorship of library materials, and argues that librarians must follow the Code of Ethics and accept the responsibility for resisting censorship pressures. Suggestions for the promotion of a positive climate for intellectual freedom by librarians in public libraries are offered. (23 references) (CLB)

Describes the Berg Collection of the New York Public Library, a special collection of 19th- and 20th-century English and American literature, written by the daughter of the collection's first curator. The development of the collection by the Berg brothers is described, and growth and expansion of the collection is discussed. (LRW)

Discusses problems in the U.S. depository library system and offers suggestions for improvement, including cutting the List of Classes so libraries have more control over material selection; adding more public libraries as depositories; and restructuring regional depository library responsibilities so they do not have to keep all publications.…

Describes a project in Illinois that was developed to establish communitywide capability for intergenerational programming with the library as resource center and advisor that could be used as a model for other libraries. Highlights include collection assessment; collection enrichment; bibliography development; a community workshop; material use;…