Pierce County Library System
Information & Imagination

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Criteria for Library Materials Selection

Selection is the decision to add or retain material as part of the library's collection. Selections should support the principles of the Policy for Library Materials Selection and be measurable by objective criteria. All materials, whether purchased by the library or donated to it, are evaluated in accordance with these criteria. Each item is evaluated on its significance as an entire work rather than upon the merit of individual parts. Selection decisions may be made upon one or a combination of criteria as applicable to the item in question. Criteria used by the Pierce County Library District to evaluate adult or children's materials to be selected for its collection include:

• Access or availability of materials in other libraries in the Pierce County area.
• Access to material through interlibrary loan.
• Accuracy.
• Anticipated use by the public.
• Appearance in standard bibliographies and indexes.
• Attention of media and public.
• Best title available on the subject.
• Clarity of presentation of concepts.
• Content sufficiently comprehensive to warrant the cost of full cataloging.
• Currency of title on a subject, potential for dating.
• Diversity of viewpoint.
• Evaluation by professional reviews (including library professional publications).
• Format and ease of use and handling.
• In-print availability.
• Literary merit.
• Locally produced or authorized material.
• Other libraries' experiences in using the material.
• Pertinence of material to local or regional plays, exhibits, displays, or similar events.
• Price.
• Quality of binding or packaging, durability, and ease of repair.
• Relation to existing collection and other materials on the subject, subject popularity.
• Reputation and/or authority of author, illustrator, publisher, performer, etc.
• Scarcity of produced or published information in a subject area.
• Suitability of reading level, interest level or treatment of subject to the intended audience.
• Use of the material locally as assigned reading, viewing, or listening.

Effective November 19, 1992.

Download or print PDF of policy