Collection Policy
Philosophy
LA County Library serves one of the nation’s most culturally, economically and socially diverse regions. The Library selects materials which best serve the needs of its varied and complex public.
The Library makes available a broad and relevant collection of materials for information, education and recreation. Our collection currently includes over 7,000,000 books, magazines, DVDs, audiobooks, downloadable eBooks and audiobooks, and CDs. We provide materials of interest to people of differing ages, ethnic groups and lifestyles, both in English and other languages.
In support of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement, the Library affirms the public’s right of access to a broad spectrum of reading, listening and viewing materials, and upholds the right of any individual to secure information, even if the content may be controversial, unorthodox, or unacceptable to others.
Method
LA County Library selects a broad range of materials to accommodate the diversity of tastes, reading levels, languages and interests of users of all ages. We provide current materials as well as standard authors, titles and subjects. Resource centers and special collections enhance the Library’s ability to serve its community’s needs.
Selection of materials is based on the subject knowledge and expertise of collection development librarians, along with recommendations from the public and other library staff; professional and popular media reviews; and evaluation of review copies from publishers. Budget and space limitations require a focus on materials that appeal to a broad range of users, rather than the academic, highly technical or otherwise specialized collections which are the mission of the area’s universities and research institutions. No materials are excluded or removed from the Library on the basis of the author’s race or nationality, their political, social or religious beliefs. Materials dealing with controversial views are judged as entire works, not on isolated passages or sections.
Criteria
All materials, whether purchased or donated, are subject to the criteria listed below. An item need not meet all of these standards to be included in the Library’s collection.
Public interest or demand
Relevance to the community
Contemporary significance
Enduring value
Readability and style
Treatment of subject for intended audience
Physical durability and attractiveness
Suitability of the format for library use
Creative, literary or technical quality
Cost and availability
Reviews in the professional and popular media
Professional or literary reputation of the author, publisher or producer
Circulation of similar materials
Relation to existing collection and other materials on the subject
Gifts and Donations
LA County Public Library accepts gifts for the Library’s collection that fall within needed subject categories, as determined by collection development librarians and library staff. Donated materials must meet the same selection criteria as purchased materials and are subject to the following limitations:
The Library retains unconditional ownership of donated materials. Exceptions are made on occasion at the County Librarian’s discretion for special collections which are loaned to the Library.
The Library makes the final decision on the use, distribution or other disposition of the items.
The Library reserves the right to decide the conditions of display, housing and access to the materials.
Digital materials must be in a format that is compatible with the library’s current platforms.
Digital submissions must include signed waiver to donor’s right to distribute the material.
If digital material is selected for addition to our collection they will be considered “always available” with unlimited, concurrent use.
Weeding or Withdrawing of Materials
Weeding materials no longer needed is an integral part of maintaining a current and up-to-date collection. A number of the factors governing selection of materials are the same ones taken into account in determining when to remove an item from the Library’s collection. These include:
Physical condition
Currency of information
Usage
Availability of other materials on the subject
Languages
While the Library offers materials in a variety of languages, we actively purchase in these languages:
English
Arabic
Armenian
Chinese
Farsi
Korean
Tagalog
French
German
Hebrew
Hindi
Japanese
Russian
Spanish
Vietnamese
Formats
The Library purchases many types of materials:
Books
Magazines and newspapers
Audiobooks on CD
DVDs
CDs
eBooks
Electronic databases
Downloadable audiobooks and eBooks
Microforms
Recommend a Title
Recommending a title for our collections enables LA County Library users to request that the Library purchase a particular item, title, or subject. These suggestions are used to help the Library develop collections which serve the interests and needs of the community. Suggested items are not automatically added to the collection, and all suggestions for purchase are subject to the same criteria as other materials. Budget and space constraints may also apply.
Replacements
Materials missing or withdrawn from the Library’s collection are not automatically replaced. The decision to replace items is based on the following criteria
Availability of other copies or editions in the collection
Public interest
Adequacy of coverage in the subject area
Cost and availability
Donated materials should be no more than three years old and in excellent condition.
