This essay on library book selection critiques Nora Rawlinson's article on practices at the Baltimore County Public Library which appeared in Library Journal, November 15, 1981, p. 2188, and discusses library circulation statistics in relation to book selection. (EJS)

This handbook is a practical guide to the selection of high-interest, low-reading-level books and Web sites that will inspire a love of reading in teenagers who fall within the category of reluctant readers. It is especially useful for professionals in school and public libraries charged with building collections of suitable titles for these…

A Braille Reader Survey Analysis was prepared for the Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress in 1974 in order to determine what kinds of books and magazines current braille readers like to read, and to obtain information about braille readers. The survey mailing list was gleaned from subscription lists of four…

This essay addresses concerns surrounding the censorship of library materials and responds to comments received on a previous article by the same author ("Top of the News," Winter 1984). Discussion covers the American Civil Liberties Union, vulgar language and inadequate vocabulary, library collections, library material selection, and…

This booklet outlines the components of public library collection development policies and presents a set of materials which address the civil issues surrounding the freedom of public libraries to maintain uncensored collections. An introduction which defines the function of collection development policies is followed by an outline of the basic…

Summarizes results of analysis of 209 reviews of fiction books for children and adolescents appearing in six major selection aids in 1979, and discusses classification of statements in reviews--descriptive (objective statements); analytical (literary elements); and sociological (nonliterary considerations). The Classification of Book Reviews form…

This discussion of factors influencing youth literacy in Ukraine highlights information on availability and content of reading material in the Soviet Union and Ukraine. The population of Ukraine is 100% literate. Regional children's libraries and separate libraries for youth are located in the cities and larger towns, are funded by the Ministry of…

Guidelines are presented to provide advice on the development of national and regional research collections of children's literature and reading materials for use by library professionals. Following a brief introduction on the advantages of such collections, their organization, financing, staffing, and goals, this paper offers suggestions for…

Contrasts world of the 1970s with that of today with special reference to publications for children and young adults. Discussion covers adult and adolescent best sellers, librarian selection and review of new materials by librarians, trends in juvenile publishing, use of paperback books, reading interests, minority representation, and the…

Suggests well-defined selection policy to assist secondary school librarians in building collections that will instruct, challenge, stimulate, present new ideas, and entertain, a process complicated by diversity of community standards and interests and needs of teenage readers. Selection criteria are delineated: purpose, author, publisher,…

Presents results of research designed to determine whether there is discrepancy between high school library fiction choices adolescents would make and those made by professional librarians. Data concerning sex of student, sex of fiction's protagonist, type of fiction, and student grade level were collected. List of books included in study is…

Reviews recently published bibliographies of bilingual works to assist librarians in the selection of suitable materials for Hispanic-American children. Thirty-nine additional titles found in various libraries' children's book collections are also reviewed. (RAA)

Describes the difference between literary communication ("belles-lettres") and information communication. Identifies 11 possible functions of or reasons for reading belles-lettres. Discusses the importance of literary communication to library users and the library's role in providing belles-lettres to the public. (AEF)

This paper discusses readers' advisory services in academic libraries from the 1920s to the present. Highlights include: definition of readers' advisor or advisory; browsing rooms and collections; reasons for the decline of this service in academic libraries; recent decline in reading interest and ability among college students; the importance of…