Archived decisions
Stephen Edwards
The Stock Procurement Efficiency Debate, Hampshire's Stock Policy and our Use of the Bookfund
1) The stock procurement efficiency debate
1.1 The `Museums, Libraries and Archives Council' (MLA) PKF report 'Efficiency and Stock Supply Chain Review', July 2005, usefully identified a number of issues that Library Services face but arguably over estimated potential savings to be made.
It was however clear that, nationally, there were savings to be made, particularly for authorities procuring stock on their own.
1.2 Acknowledging that a more robust approach was needed, MLA commissioned a further report from Price Waterhouse Coopers and 'Better stock, Better libraries' was then published in August 2006.
The proposals included:
· an E-Marketplace to encourage new supplier entrants
· a National Strategic Commissioner to oversee contractual arrangements
· a move toward a national catalogue
· a regional selection system
· regional acquisitions and servicing hubs
· streamlined national standards for stock processing
1.3 Nationally, the response to the report has been cautious, welcoming the debate but concerned about the cost and practicality of some of the proposals. Initially MLA had planned to persuade authorities to implement the strategy to commence in June 2008 but is now envisaging the complexities and practical implications are such that 2012 is a more realistic target.
The MLA vision is still to 'enable libraries to obtain books better matched to customer needs, as quickly as high-street and online booksellers, and at a highly competitive price.'
In terms of practical initiatives, action plans have begun to coalesce around:
· joint arrangements for procurement eg sharing and standardising contracts with the potential to move to fewer, bigger Library consortia
· streamlined servicing standards
· sharing activities between authorities such as bibliographic servicing
· shared standards for key technology including Electronic Date Interchange, Library Management Systems, catalogue records and RFID
· `proof of concept' pilots to demonstrate the achievability and benefits of new ways of working and secure improvement
1.4 As this report was being written, MLA issued a call for a strategic partner to plan for the provision of Bibliographic Services to libraries. These include:
· selection of stock items
· ordering of stock and financial management
· cataloguing and classification of stock
· physical servicing of stock
· stock use and stock quality analysis
· arrangements for delivery of stock and receipting
This new proposal with changes to and development of previous ideas cannot be criticised for lacking ambition. Leaving aside the question of how far relying on a third party to select the vast majority of stock relates to customer responsiveness, the question of whether and how such a partnership could be set up is not clear. The development of an E-Marketplace could run the risk of destabilising a fragile library supply market without ensuring new entrants to replace it. Presumably a strategic partner could emerge from the library supply market but is it likely they will want to 'manage stock supply contracts independently' rather than seek to further their own core business? Many questions remain to be answered and it will be interesting to monitor developments.
2) Hampshire's Stock Procurement
2.1 Hampshire is in a strong position to take the stock procurement efficiency debate forward and part of our strength lies in our membership of the Central Buying Consortium (CBC). CBC is the largest consortium in the country with more than 1/4 - nearly 1/3 - of the entire library market. It has recently negotiated an extension to its Library Book and AV Supply contracts for 2007-8 and we understand that we receive
the best discount offer currently in place in the country.
2.2 Hampshire and the CBC are making a positive contribution both to CBC members costs and efficiency and to the national debate by:
· driving forward streamlined servicing arrangements based on national standards - these have been implemented for Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction while Childrens processing will be standardised later this year
· improving speed of supply through contract specification and monitoring and initiatives such as 'Streamline' with a major supplier with wholesaler links to give a 72 hour turn around time
· discussing with MLA whether the CBC contract can be used a national model for others to use
· simplifying and streamlining the contract specification for the supply contract to be let from April 2008 in order to encourage new entrants to the library supply market
· achieving the highest possible discounts for its members. MLA acknowledges that those fortunate enough to be CBC members are achieving efficiency savings and discount levels that are unmatched elsewhere - so the challenge is partly how to spread best practice.
2.3 Hampshire is also interested in the regional acquisitions hubs proposal and the concept of standardising cataloguing such that potential efficiency savings could be made. When our Acquisitions section moves from its cramped location in North Walls to new premises - in the process of being identified - we would seek to explore with neighbouring authorities whether a sub regional hub would make economic sense for everyone. As part of our planning for this potential outcome and also as part of the current staffing restructure we are implementing standardised and potentially joint use of externally provided cataloguing records. Acquisitions costs benchmarking has in the past shown us to be among the most efficient authorities but joint working, standardisation and closer co-operation does have the potential to make more progress.
2.4 We will need to monitor national developments closely and take advantage of any collaborative, practical and sensible initiatives that emerge. It seems clearly safer at this stage to be cautious about ambitious ideas that need work before they become practical and cost effective. MLA estimates that between £4.5 and £7 million investment will be required on ICT infrastructure and presumably there would be not inconsiderable ongoing running costs of any strategic partner or National Commissioner. It may well prove to be the case that building on the current infrastructure and moving toward fewer, larger consortia, to standardised and streamlined contractual processes and to collaborative bibliographical services across authorities may prove to be the most effective way forward.
3) Hampshire's Use of its Bookfund
3.1 Hampshire, in common with many other authorities in the south of England has faced budgetary pressures in recent years and it is fair to say that while we ensure we get the best value out of what we spend, we would have liked to have more to spend. It is in part in acknowledgement of the need to protect the bookfund that we are undergoing a painful staffing restructure and cost reduction exercise.
3.2 While it is easy to say that prioritisation is the key to targeting use of the bookfund which has to cover a wide range of needs from leisure reading to educational support to e-books and audio-visual material etc, it is less easy to achieve. Those who have a minority or specialist interest would not take kindly to provision being removed or downgraded while the demands for more material in more formats continue. The audio book market was traditionally based on the cassette - and many of our housebound users are wedded to it still - while others only want CDs or will look to us for downloading services when these are available. Rapid changes in technology and in society do not help forward planning - although e-books and electronic databases are clearly going to be increasingly important in the future, they do not yet get counted in any Public Library Standard or in an monitoring measure. Our initiatives here are something to be proud of but we do face the challenge of having to spread our resources thinner than we would like.
3.3 We do however ensure that we keep aside some contingency money to meet special needs or initiatives. One recent example of this is the 'Books on Prescription' service. Originally successfully piloted in Cardiff by Dr Neil Frude (and now supported across Wales by the Welsh Assembly), the idea is spreading rapidly nationally and is proving particularly successful in many communities in Hampshire. At the core of the approach is that GPs and mental health practitioners recommend to those suffering from stress and related problems a book from an approved list of titles which can then be used as part of a 'talking cure'.
3.4 Books, reading and information remain at the core of the Discovery Library concept and at the heart of any modern library service. While the range of activities and services available from an attractive library building with co-located partners and facilities builds on the idea of the 'one stop shop', it is the core provision that is the bedrock. It is vital that we continue to work to promote books and reading even, and perhaps in spite of, society changing around us. The means of provision will change as online information develops but our key role remains. It is with this in mind that we are planning and resourcing the stock for Winchester Discovery Centre to provide an excellent public library service for everyone.
4) Hampshire's Stock Policy
4.1 Hampshire's stock policy was developed in 2005, following public consultation, and it attempts to enshrine our principles and working practices concerning all aspects of stock management.
4.2 Some of the principles at the heart of our stock policy are:
· All our customers are provided with a balanced range of books and formats including audio-visual material relevant to their needs and appropriate to the size of library and its level of use
· Stock is treated as a countywide resource to ensure maximum use and all stock is selected to be part of the overall county collection
· Stock is selected via a streamlined, efficient and professional system involving staff who work directly with the public
· The majority of new stock is ordered several months prior to publication to guarantee speed of supply. Our aim is that our stock holdings be as current as bookshops
· An efficient and speedy centralised Acquisitions system provides prompt delivery of new stock to branches
· All appropriate stock is systematically circulated in order to maximise use and to provide a constantly changing range of material for our users
· Our stock layouts are planned and books shelved and displayed, including face out display, to help our customers find interesting reading material easily eg 'quick visit' areas
· Promotion of new and existing stock and the promotion of reading and literature development is an essential part of stock management
· Our aim in stock maintenance is that all stock available to the public should be in good condition, in good order on the shelves and the contents, as far as is possible to ensure, be up to date etc
· Appropriate specialist and expensive material is purchased
· Customer feedback and requests as well as branch stock profiles are important parts of the selection process
4.3 However difficult it is to prioritise spending of the bookfund, we are mindful of our strengths ie services which we alone provide - such as Large Print books or unabridged audio books. It is sobering to note that some of these strengths eg access to back catalogue including out of print books is not as great as it once was. The growth in digital storage and the development of second hand websites such as abebooks.com is such that it will become increasingly easier to get hold of the wealth of historical publishing. It is however our historic role of providing free, impartial and unfettered access to information, books and encouraging literacy, reading and an informed democracy that will remain with this and form part of the future of a modern library service.
HAMPSHIRE LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICE
ADULT STOCK MANAGEMENT POLICY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1) Stock Policy Guiding Principles
a) Our Mission
b) Key Principles
2) Stock Selection and Acquisitions Procedures
a) Selection
b) Cataloguing and Accessibility of Stock
c) Ordering Procedures & Use of Suppliers
3) Range of Provision and Selection Criteria
a) Priorities and Principles
b) Fiction
c) Non-Fiction
d) Play Sets Collection
e) Large Print
f) Donations
g) Censorship
h) E-Books
i) Periodicals
4) Audio Visual Stock Provision
a) Guiding Principles in the Selection of Music Scores
b) Guiding Principles in the Selection of Recorded Music
c) Videos and DVD Service Provision
d) CD Rom and Games Service Provision
e) Audio Books and Language Material
5) Stock Maintenance and Promotion
a) Organisation
b) Tidying
c) Weeding
d) Replacement
e) Stock Revision
f) Stock Circulation
g) Layouts and Promotion
h) Binding
i) Feedback and Requests
j) Security and Charges
6) Storage Policy
a) Aims and Principles
b) Bar End Store Scope, Role and Storage Policy
c) Material Not Held at Bar End
7) Withdrawal and Disposal of Stock
a) Aims and Principles
b) Withdrawal Criteria
c) Withdrawal Procedures
d) Disposal of Stock
8) Special Collections
a) Special Subject Collections
b) Local Government Information
c) Librarianship Collection
d) Foreign Language Material
e) Asian Language Material
f) Hampshire Material
9) Stock Profiles, Target Sizes, Performance Monitoring
a) Adult Lending Stock Survey
b) Stock Sizes and Useage
c) Stock Age and Condition
d) Stock Profiles and Stock Feedback
e) Public Library Standards and National Monitoring
f) Public Suggestions and Comments
1) STOCK POLICY GUIDING PRINCIPLES
This policy complements the Information & Lifelong Learning Services Standards and Policies and Children's Libraries Stock Policy Guidelines.
a) Our Mission:
To ensure a high level of service provision that is customer focused, and provides value for money - supporting the role for libraries identified in the Government's Framework for the Future as well as the Library and Information Service aims.
Framework for the Future's 3 broad themes are:
· The Promotion of Reading and Informal and Formal Learning
· Access to Digital Skills & Services inc. E-Government
· Measures to tackle Social Exclusion, to build Community Identity and
develop Citizenship
Our mission statement, 'Aiming High to provide the best library service for you' includes the aims:
· Promoting reading and informal learning
· Promoting lifelong learning and access to information
· Providing access to a range of books and materials for enjoyment and study
· Providing access to ICT skills, facilities and e-government services
· A clear customer and quality focus
· Responsive to needs and opportunities
· Bright, vibrant, attractive and accessible libraries
In our provision of stock to meet these aims, we will provide a range of materials in order to satisfy both expressed and anticipated demand. We aim to meet the informational, educational, recreational and cultural needs of all members of the community regardless of age, gender, race, class, ability, ethnic origin, language, culture, religion or sexual orientation. Stock will be well managed, well presented and in good physical condition. This stock will include books, periodicals, maps, microforms, compact discs, cassettes, videos, DVDs, CD ROM and other electronically accessible information.
b) Key Principles
We aim to ensure that:
· All our customers are provided with a balanced range of books and formats including audio-visual material relevant to their needs and appropriate to the size of library and its level of use
· Stock is treated as a countywide resource to ensure maximum use and all stock is selected to be part of the overall county collection
· Stock is selected via a streamlined, efficient and professional system involving staff who work directly with the public
· The majority of new stock is ordered several months prior to publication to guarantee speed of supply. Our aim is that our stock holdings be as current as bookshops
· An efficient and speedy centralised Acquisitions system provides prompt delivery of new stock to branches
· All appropriate stock is systematically circulated in order to maximise use and to provide a constantly changing range of material for our users
· Stock surveying is regularly carried out to monitor stock performance eg individual branch stock sizes and proportions aim to reflect the needs and use made by the communities served within building constraints
· Our stock layouts are planned and books shelved and displayed, including face out display, to help our customers find interesting reading material easily eg 'quick visit' areas
· Promotion of new and existing stock and the promotion of reading and literature development is an essential part of stock management
· Our aim in stock maintenance is that all stock available to the public should be in good condition, in good order on the shelves and the contents, as far as is possible to ensure, be up to date and that best use is made of the material purchased through policies on binding, storage and withdrawal
· Our bookfund is targeted to ensure sufficient depth of provision of the books that our customers most want to read, including displays of top 10 bestsellers in 'Fastback' collections, as resources permit
· Appropriate specialist and expensive material is purchased and is circulated in order to meet cost per issue criteria and to ensure a range of stock is available to meet county wide needs but with the aim of not duplicating further/higher education or professional provision available elsewhere
· Our scope covers the material published in, or distributed/readily available in, the UK. Any title legally published or distributed in the United Kingdom may be considered for purchase
· The bulk of our bookfund is spent with contracted suppliers to ensure best possible discounts and hence the most cost effective use of money available
· Customer feedback and requests as well as branch stock profiles are important parts of the selection process
· Appropriate stock loan periods are set according to the material concerned and to the needs of Hampshire library users - currently, following public consultation, the basic loan period for books is 4 weeks
These principles lie at the heart of the rest of this document and seek to ensure that the width of the stock content of our libraries and Discovery Centres is appropriate to, and best value for, our users.
.
2) STOCK SELECTION and ACQUISITIONS PROCEDURES
a) Selection
Hampshire's adult selection procedures are based on the following principles:
· A streamlined system of county selection panels concentrate on particular areas of buying
· Professional staff providing a service to users and involved in stockwork in their areas are key members of the panels
· Continuity of selection and overall coordinating expertise is provided by Stock Development Librarians and Subject Specialists who lead the panels
· Speed of supply is essential so panels order multiple copies pre-publication
· Use of supplier websites is the most cost effective, efficient and appropriate method of selecting the bulk of adult fiction and non fiction books
· A centralised Acquisitions section is the most efficient and speedy way to order and distribute new stock around the county
· Stock circulation is key to getting most use out of what we buy so is an important element in the decision making process
· Readers requests, suggestions, comments, information enquiries and requests waiting lists are key considerations as to what and how many copies are purchased
· Feedback from our users and staff working with the public is built into the selection process via the regular submission of area feedback forms to selection panels and through branch stock profiles
· Area staff involved in stockwork and dealing with reader enquiries have a part to play in developing area and county stock by means of local stock revision spending
· Branch budgets for new lending stock are set according to issue bandings to ensure an equitable distribution of new material according to library use NB this is mirrored on the Reference side by a banding structure based on enquiry statistics
· We are particularly keen to purchase material relating to Hampshire local history and interest
· Appropriate balance between paperback and hardback buying to ensure we make best use of available funds. The cost per loan of paperbacks is lower than that of hardbacks ie we can provide more books for the money - but this has to be balanced with the need to buy the latest titles that users will wish to read and request, which may be hardback only in the first instance. Where there is a choice, our preference is to buy in paperback
· Appropriate tiering of provision - smaller libraries may have a higher proportion of their new books in paperback compared with the largest libraries, but it should be noted that this does not apply to bestseller titles or Large Print and that this is balanced by a significant amount of circulation to maximise the range of material provided
· A key role of the Library service is to provide access to a wide range of material including out of print titles which are not readily available elsewhere
There are 6 adult selection panels: Fiction, Non Fiction, Large Print & Audio Books, Music, Audio-Visual and Reference. These meet mostly monthly but some are bi-monthly or fortnightly depending on the amount of selection work to do. Panel members and the leader are given particular areas of stock or of the relevant supplier website to do preparatory work on between panel meetings. In addition to supplier website listings for pre and post publication information, attention is paid by panel leaders to Bookseller and other trade pre publication listings, publishers catalogues flyers and websites, journal reviews, and bestseller listings. In addition panel leaders and Requests staff monitor waiting lists for particular titles - an extra copy is bought for every 4 requests - as well as consider all requests for material not in stock for purchase. Anything published in the last 6 months is considered for potential multiple copy purchase.
Where more cost effective and efficient, stock is bought on standing order eg Large Print, Audio Books, Reference annuals, Trade directories, Stamp catalogues and Workshop manuals.
Large Print and Audio Books are mostly all circulated around the county. Bestseller standing orders also help to boost the holdings of popular paperbacks in larger libraries - these books are used for front of house display in short loan 'Fastback' collections. At the same time, we aim to ensure that all libraries have sufficient copies of major titles to borrow or request. Branch bandings and stock circulation rotas are a key element in deciding what and how many copies to circulate - this is particularly important for non fiction material and hardbacks.
Stock Development Librarians in the Central Stock Unit are responsible, with our audio visual, reference and music specialists, for leading stock selection across the county. In addition, County Services specialists (Stock Support Services Manager, the Information and Lifelong Learning Manager and the Equal Access Manager) lead strategic decision making on: resource allocation; central stock initiatives; planning for stock sizes and layouts (in particular for Discovery Centres); ensuring and monitoring high levels of stock performance; developing stock as a single county resource; and supporting and coordinating promotional initiatives.
b) Cataloguing and Accessibility of Stock
We aim to catalogue all our stock so that it is readily available to everyone we serve.
All our library buildings have online public catalogue terminals which are easy to search and list our holdings, detailing whether they are on loan or on the shelf. Online catalogues will be made available on our mobile libraries as well, as and when technical considerations and available budgets allow. Our catalogue is also available on the library website at: http://libcat.hants.gov.uk/
It is possible to renew and reserve items on library terminals and on the online catalogue.
We also aim to provide a periodically updated audio book listing, available for reference and loan, in order to ensure equal access to our stock for all members of the community.
c) Ordering Procedures & Use of Suppliers
Ordering, receipting and preparation for delivery of new stock is carried out by a small specialist Acquisitions team using appropriate ICT - for example, in 2005, the Galaxy 2000 Acquisitions module as well as EDI (electronic ordering) interface with major suppliers. Budgets are thereby efficiently spent and monitored and appropriate methods used eg standing orders. The bulk of our new material is obtained from suppliers with whom we have contractual arrangements to ensure the highest discounts, quality service and servicing as well as added value services such as selection support. For example, as members of a Buying Consortium, we are in the best possible position to be able to take advantage of service quality and price competition that the Library supply market affords. Special arrangements are also made to ensure the speedy supply of requested material which needs to be purchased. Where appropriate, as for example in the case of local history publications, procedures are in place to be able to buy material locally, using local bookshops or publishers as appropriate.
Other cooperative involvement we have - for example Co South which currently comprises Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight and other authorities in South East England - is also the best way of avoiding duplication of effort in the area of acquisition. For example, joint negotiations have ensured the best deal possible with regard to e-books and online databases.
3) RANGE OF PROVISION AND SELECTION CRITERIA
a) Priorities and Principles
One of the key factors in stock selection is our policy for the range of provision. This
is affected by the size of resources made available in the bookfund, Hampshire's
embrace of the Discovery Centre concept and the potential offered by regional
and national catalogue sharing and inter lending cooperation. With the wealth of
publishing in English worldwide, it is not possible to be comprehensive and
self-sufficient although we do seek to be responsive to local needs (please see section
5 a) +5e)). We aim to respond to the need to target buying to ensure depth of buying in
areas of stock where there is greatest demand and where value for money can be
ensured.
We do also seek to buy a sufficient range of titles to meet the reading and information
needs of Hampshire readers. Any title legally published or distributed in the United
Kingdom may be considered for purchase ie our scope covers the material published in,
or easily available/distributed in, the UK. However, the increasing amount of material
published in the UK, as well as the wealth of information now more readily available
on the internet, about what is available elsewhere mean that we must choose what we
buy carefully. Our aim is to provide a balanced stock for the whole of the area we
serve, within the money available, which satisfies the needs of our current and potential
users. All stock is therefore selected to be part of the overall county collection with
specific items being moved between libraries as appropriate. It is also worth noting that
the effect of growing internet use has changed the type of demand that is made on
libraries for lending material for study and other purposive reasons and that our
selection criteria will need to continue to be flexible and change to meet what our users
and potential users most wish or need to have access to.
b) Fiction
The criteria used for selecting adult fiction are:
· Popularity of particular authors is a key criterion and panel members' knowledge is supplemented by checking of issue rates of previous titles
· Our aim to supply a range of authors, genres and titles to meet a wide range of tastes - from the latest bestseller to literary fiction and reflecting our multi-cultural heritage
· First novels are bought cautiously pre-publication (top up copies can be ordered post publication as necessary)
· Standard hardbacks from niche publishers such as Severn House and Piatkus are bought cautiously
· Large C format paperbacks are not as popular as the smaller A and B formats so the latter are given priority
· Reissues - if bought recently, we do not buy again unless there is particular interest sparked by a film or TV tie in or promotion or prize shortlist
· Series - checking is carried out to ensure that we buy new additions to a series that has been bought and allocation takes account of the locations of earlier books in the series
· We do not buy fiction titles from USA publishers but wait for a British edition
· Account is taken of the publisher and where experience shows that their books are not as popular as others or the content and format is unattractive, then buying is scaled down accordingly
· Value for money - a desirable norm of cost per issue is 30p for hardbacks and 22p for paperbacks, averaged out across the county
c) Non-Fiction:
The criteria used for selecting adult non-fiction lending stock are:
· Popularity of the author eg likelihood of press coverage/reviews
· Whether the author is known /qualified to write on the subject
· Popularity of the title eg TV tie in eg likelihood of requests
· Likely interest in the subject matter based on experience of past levels of use
· What else is already in stock on these subjects ie books which will fill known
subject gaps / expressed demand
· Authority/track record of the publisher including evidence of past levels of use
· Material relating to Hampshire & its history is usually purchased
· Books written by Hampshire authors are particularly welcome
· Material relating to our special collections (Railway, Military, Jane Austen,
Naval, Aviation) is actively sought
· Format: paperbacks are preferable to hardbacks, unless the hardback will fill a subject gap and there is unlikely to be a paperback published or the book is a popular or reviewed title that will generate requests or the popularity and currency of the subject matter is such that hardbacks are more appropriate
· Value for money - a desirable norm of cost per issue is 40p averaged out across the county
· Useage levels of the hardback when a paperback edition is subsequently published
Negative factors that are taken into account and where caution is taken before deciding to purchase (balanced against the importance of the content) are:
· Workbooks & other items intended for personal possession.
· Small or unusually shaped items eg less than 18 cms/ less than 64 pages
· Unsuitable formats eg. spiral bound, loose leaf.
· Small publishers without a track record/ self published books/ ephemeral items/
vanity publishing - unless there is specific local interest
· Collections of essays by different authors.
· Yearbooks & other dateable material NB Different weighting is applied in
Reference buying
· Poor value for money ie less than 6 issues in 3 years are estimated and if the
cost per loan is expected to be more than £2.50 each (criteria used to evaluate
requested not in stock items)
· U.S Publishers - how relevant or accurate is the content and are there English
alternatives?
NB care is taken with publishers publishing in the UK where the audience is an
overseas one eg some McGraw Hill, Sage, Prentice Hall
· Worthy publishers where experience shows that some of their output
does not get a great deal of use eg. Routledge & Longmans / academic presses
· Expensive minority interest hardbacks where it is more cost effective to wait
for the paperback edition to be published unless there are requests eg. Allen
Lane.
· School texts / Educational publishers/ student teacher handbooks
· Over-published subjects:
a)Travel - we aim to buy major/ most popular series eg Rough Guides, Lonely
Planet, not everything that is published
b)Management - we aim to buy selectively to meet demand
c) Cookery/Gardening - we aim to buy key titles in multiples but selectively
of the rest of the market
d)Art/pottery coffee table books - we aim to buy if likely to get 80 plus issues
e)Computers/software guides - we aim to cover major products such as
Microsoft but are cautious with expensive (£35 plus) and specialist volumes
· Subject areas where stock is likely to be stolen eg sex manuals
· Academic texts aimed at undergraduates and above.
· Professional literature - we do not seek to take on the role of supplying
specialist professional literature but we do provide basic texts for teaching,
nursing & social work for larger branches if there is a clear level of demand
· Plays (single copies) - only major literary playwrights' work is well used
· Expensive collections of photographs - we aim to target major photographers
d) Play Sets Collection
We aim to:
· Cover the standard dramatic repertoire including English translations of the
best known foreign playwrights.
· Select a range of lighter material suitable for local societies
· Include specialist subject areas, e.g. mystery plays, pantomimes, period drama,
childrens plays.
· Respond to local festivals and productions where copyright restrictions allow.
· Ensure there are sufficient copies in the set.
e) Large Print
The range of material published in Large Print is significantly less than in conventional
print and since many library users are heavily reliant on this format, a format which
cannot easily obtained from any other source, our aim is to provide a wide range
of what is published. We do this partly by means of standing orders with the major
producers. Some of the bookfund is also earmarked to buy multiple copies of the most
popular titles but all stock bought for branch use is circulated around the county.
Separate funds are also earmarked for the various Equal Access services including
Community Library Links (which visit retirement homes) and The Home Library
Service. Provision here is monitored in order to ensure appropriate priority is given
when budgets are allocated.
f) Donations
We welcome donations of new books and other materials on the understanding that they become the property of the library service. Donated items will be placed at an appropriate library: they may be moved on or disposed of at a later date. If we feel the material is not required for library use we may offer it for sale. Any proceeds will go to the library service. Similar principles apply to donations of money for stock purchase. The framework for decisions as to the best use and siting of donations is set locally by Service Development Teams (please see section 5 a) on Stock Maintenance organisation).
g) Censorship
Some published material will cause offence to some members of the public because of its religious, political or moral line, or because it contains spurious alternative or controversial knowledge, or because it is designed by the author/artist deliberately to shock. All material which is legally available may legitimately be considered for purchase. Stock must be selected for the positive reason that it CAN be useful and/or interesting to some of the public, rather than rejected for the negative reason that it may cause complaint.
h) E-Books
ICT developments in the area of e-books are being closely monitored and where financially feasible pilots or initiatives are possible then these are pursued. This is of particular significance in the reference area where subscription to a services such as full-text newspapers and assorted reference titles is a significant advance. Of course, these developments have to offset and balance any needs for continuing standard print provision as well as reflect the potential for our Peoples Network and Website to deliver these services to everyone who may need access to them. The potential for delivering traditional 'lending' services via e-books may depend on market developments but the attraction of downloading to handheld devices to particular client groups such as housebound users has appeal. Although the market for e-books is currently American orientated, content is becoming more UK/European based and the access models are beginning to include ones suitable for public libraries. We will continue to monitor the potential of using appropriate providers as funding permits including the following:
OCLC Netlibrary
Ebrary
Safari (for technical, computer titles)
Audible.com and WF Howes - e audio titles
Gale
Overdrive
It should be noted that the e-books market has changed rapidly over the course of the last few years and may well continue to develop and change greatly in the years ahead. In addition, the potential and costs of an e-books pilot are best explored either by means of a local consortium eg with Co-South partners or through any future standard agreements and initiatives brokered at a national level. Co-South is a consortium set up by Hampshire County Council with other founder members - Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council and the Isle of Wight Council -in order to encourage co-operation in the library and information and heritage sectors in the South East region.
i) Periodicals
Reference and Lending book stock is supplemented by a wide range of periodicals and newspapers both in printed and in electronic format, the former being available for reading and consultation on library premises. The range and number of periodicals in branch libraries varies according to the size of each library. Our aim overall is to provide up to date information and recreational reading material which compliments our book stock in subjects such as arts, business, history, literature, local and community information, entertainment, music, science and technology, hobbies, travel and government and European information. We periodically review the use and range of periodicals and newspapers provided in order to target available resources at areas of most need and demand. We also keep appropriate files of back copies to ensure such material continues to be available - the length of back files varying according to the relevancy of the periodical. For example, some newspaper files are permanent, albeit with some years available in microfilm. It should also be added that the range of titles we can now offer has been enhanced by subscriptions to electronic sources of information - please see section 3 h) on E-Books.
4) AUDIO VISUAL STOCK PROVISION
a) Guiding Principles in the Selection of Music Scores
We aim to:
· Ensure adequate coverage of the standard classical repertoire of instrumental and vocal music together with a range of lighter material in popular demand.
· Provide the different editions, translations and arrangements of works as required by the amateur and professional musician.
· Where necessary provide the different types of scores/parts needed for practical performance or for study.
· Cater for a range of abilities - can include multi-media purchase of some tutors.
· Provide items of local interest, in seasonal demand or for special occasions, eg wedding music eg Sets of Orchestral Parts and Vocal Scores anticipating demand where possible by consulting festival programmes etc.
· Make best possible use of regional and national interloan facilities since self-sufficiency is not possible.
NB In addition orchestral sets must have the correct complement of parts plus extra string parts to be viable for performance.
Exclusions:
· Items unsuitable for binding or issue.
· Very obscure/expensive material which can be borrowed.
· Class teaching and examination material.
· Urgent items that cannot be bought quickly and must therefore be borrowed
b) Guiding Principles in the Selection of Recorded Music
General Points
· The library service must be relatively self-sufficient as interloan is not yet possible other than with our Co South partners
· British Phonographic Industry regulations on release dates (and the 3 month holdback period) affect our selection policy to some extent
· Although we keep developments in format under review, our service currently concentrates on providing CDs
We aim to:
· Concentrate on the most popular repertoire within each field (classic, pop etc.)
· Cater for minority and local interests as appropriate, circulating material where this ensures most use
· Ensure that items of merit of local historical interest are bought or retained in stock.
· Select different artists or programme combinations where there is a duplication of standard works to allow greater variety.
· Respond to media coverage (nationally and locally) of composers and performers and anticipate demand by consulting reviews, festival programmes etc.
Exclusions:
· Singles
· Some boxed sets
· Formats not suitable for display or presenting security problems
c) Videos and DVD Service Provision
i) Popular Videos/DVDs
Our aim is to provide a range of films and other videos/DVDs from Hollywood blockbusters to perennial favourites, from TV classic drama and comedy to cartoons. The intention is to provide the range and depth of provision of entertainment material that our borrowers most want to use. This includes non-English language and 'art house' features that are circulated around the county. Another key aim is to maximise our income potential so buying is targeted at the most popular titles including those for Children, where alternative local source for borrowing is often poor. Our selection is affected by the 'rental' policy (including holdback periods) and pricing structure of the film distribution companies. We are therefore a supplement to the major video retailers and lenders rather than in competition with them. For example the range of provision in our larger branches tends to be much wider in comparison.
ii) Information Videos and Asian Language
In addition to the Popular Videos and DVDs, our larger branches hold a range of instructional videos eg cookery, exercise, sports etc. The aim is to supplement the non-fiction book lending service, in particular where visual demonstration is helpful.
Collections of Asian Language Videos and DVDs, in particular Bollywood films, are circulated among some of our larger branches. As with all a/v formats, they can be requested at any branch. We aim to stock major titles in liaison with our suppliers with expertise in this market. Such material helps to attract hard to reach groups into the library and indicates our willingness and obligation to serve all sections of the community.
iii) Audio Described Videos
This is a new county collection suitable for those with sight problems and at the moment stock is housed at South Ham Library. This is a unique resource which opens up the world of the cinema for visually impaired people. It should also be added that the many subtitled videos and DVDs in branch stocks give deaf and hard of hearing people access to films.
d) CD ROM and Games Service Provision
We aim to provide in electronic form a range of games and information that our borrowers most wish to use. Once again, a key aim is to maximise the income potential so our selection arrangements are geared to providing the most popular games and other titles, as evidenced in bestseller charts etc. Our CD Rom loan selection is restricted to particular discs that have been given clearance for loan. We keep developments in format under review - hence initial PlayStation collections were a mix of PS1 and PS2 but we now purchase only PS2. As part of this review, we monitor the potential market for other formats eg X Box and carry out pilots where appropriate. We also review the types of material most in demand in order to hone selection policies. The criterion concerning maintaining or extending collections/new formats is always that we must more than meet our set up and running costs.
e) Audio Books and Language Material
The range of material available as Audio Books is not as wide as for conventional
print and since, as with Large Print books, many library users are heavily reliant on
this format, a format which cannot always be easily obtained from other sources, our
aim is to provide a wide range of what is published by means of standing orders with
the major producers.
Some of the bookfund is earmarked to buy multiple copies of the most popular titles
but all stock bought for branch use is circulated around the county. Separate funds are
also earmarked for the various Equal Access services including Community Library
Links (which visit retirement homes) and The Home Library Service. It should be
noted that the cost of such material is unfortunately much higher than for both printed
and other a/v formats, owing to the high production costs and relatively small print
runs. We currently face the challenge of buying such expensive material to meet
demand for both cassette and CD formats - many of our Equal Access services users
only have cassette players while branch library users increasingly have CD players
both at home and in their cars. As with Large Print, provision here is monitored in
order to ensure appropriate priority is given when budgets are allocated.
We aim to supplement our non fiction book lending service by providing cassette
and CD language packs for those who wish to learn a foreign language. Our priority
is the main European languages although other world languages are held in county stock. Collections of novels in French, German, Italian and Spanish are also circulated around the county.
Please see section 8 d) for information on Foreign Language books.
5) STOCK MAINTENANCE AND PROMOTION
a) Organisation
Stock Maintenance tasks are shared between professional librarians working in Service Development Teams and branch staff working in Operational Units - with advice and guidance from the Stock Development Librarians in the Central Stock Unit and County Services staff working in Stock Support Services, Equal Access, Information and Lifelong Learning and Children's, Youth and School Services.
Professional Librarians are responsible for exploiting and promoting stock in local communities, liaising with the Central Stock Unit, County Services staff and Library Managers' teams to ensure that branch stocks are appropriate to local communities while also supporting the wider library network and the importance of stock as a single county resource. Librarians contribute to county and area stock selection and local stock management to ensure this. They have a key role in monitoring stock performance locally and identifying stock contingency needs (and where possible meeting these via prioritised stock revision spending) as well as implementing local initiatives or developing new services to meet community need, liaising with local partners as appropriate.
Library Managers and their teams have a key part to play in ensuring that all libraries present to the public a stock of books and other materials which is orderly, current and attractive as well as assisting Service Development Teams with stock maintenance tasks.
b) Tidying
Shelves are tidied in rotation regularly to ensure not only that the presentation of the stock is aesthetically pleasing, but also that stock searches, whether by staff or the public, are quick and effective. Our policy standard is that all stock available to the public should be in good condition
c) Weeding
Library Assistants are trained to prevent returned material which is physically substandard from being returned to the shelves.
Shelf stock is weeded regularly, in rotation. It is our policy to have as much face-out display as possible within overall stock size considerations and building and furniture constraints. Our aim is to present as attractive display, promotion and appearance of stock as possible.
See below (section 7) for withdrawal principles and procedures.
d) Replacement
Key withdrawn titles are considered for replacement when there is a continuing need either for the exact item or for similar, although such decisions are taken in conjunction with target stock sizes from the annual stock survey and in the light of available resources and the need to provide readers with fresh material.
e) Stock Revision
All branch libraries monitor enquiries which cannot be answered from the library's own stock; where the demand or expectation expressed is not unreasonable for that type of library, steps are taken to buy material necessary to meet the demand.
Stock revision spending targets areas of most urgent local need and/or under represented subjects or areas where more up to date information is required - priorities set in the light of available resources.
Where stock surveys indicate a particular area or subject should be tackled on a countywide basis, then a subject stock revision for the county is carried out.
f) Stock Circulation
Stock circulation across the county as a whole is a key way to widen choice and to ensure regular infusions of fresh stock to all service points. We therefore regularly and systematically move books between libraries to enable customers to see a wide range of titles and to ensure maximum use of our stock. This is particularly important in specific areas where demand requires it eg Large Print or where costs are considerable eg Audio Books but is also important for non fiction and fiction books too - other than blockbusters which are in constant demand at most branches.
g) Layouts and Promotion
Promotion of the lending stock is an essential part of branch library work. Face-out display of stock will be arranged wherever possible, as are displays on local, regional and national events, anniversaries and campaigns.
Promotion of new and existing stock and the promotion of reading and literature development is an essential part of stock management. Stock is displayed as attractively as possible and a variety of ways are used to stimulate use. For example, via front of house displays and stock displays and promotions we aim to help people discover good reads they might not otherwise have tried or easily found elsewhere in the library. For example developing 'quick visit' areas where bestsellers, new books and themed promotions can be promoted in a prominent space near or at the entrance area is a key aim. Staff time and effort is put into topping up these key display areas. Emphasis on the need to develop and improve stock display is a key part of the decision making process when it comes to spending furniture and refurbishment budgets.
Layouts are reviewed with the aim of making it as easy as possible for our users to find what they are interested in - for example, in some libraries appropriate integration of reference and lending books or looking at zoning non fiction sequences rather than following the strict Dewey subject arrangement is the best solution. This is particularly key in Discovery Centres where new and innovative layouts, integration with other services and exhibits as well as zones such as Teen Zones are key to encouraging better and wider use. Although libraries' aims are not the same as those of bookshops, there are a number of lessons that can be learned and adopted from the retail sector. A key consideration in determining stock size is that of being able to lay out and display the stock we have effectively such that the wealth of choice we have is readily apparent.
Reader Development initiatives are also at the heart of our mission.
Staff aim to provide guidance to users and potential users on the importance/ enjoyment of reading, good reads, best books on etc. Booklists, posters and circulating promotions produced by Headquarters or purchased from the book trade are used as a basis for local promotional work. Promoting books and the range of stock we hold in local communities is a key role. In particular we seek to support, run and promote reading groups in and through libraries. We aim to promote reading via:
· local/regional/national weeks/months/festivals
· prizes eg Orange Prize
· World Book Day and other occasions
· organising arts and book talk events in liaison with Recreation and Heritage colleagues and services
· Stock displays and stock promotions which are a key way of recommending potential new and different reading to our users.
For more details of current reader development activities, visit the Library website, in particular http://www.hants.gov.uk/library/turnthepage
h) Binding
Stock is re-bound where it is still needed and binding is more economical than purchasing, or where it can no longer be purchased but is required for stock. Binding extends the useful life of an item, and is particularly desirable both for very popular, heavily used items and for material from special collections where long-term preservation and conservation are a factor. Binding also allows weak and unsuitable formats to become robust stock items. Items are not rebound when their continuing useful life is likely to be short, either from declining popularity or lack of currency in content. The aim is to target available resources for binding at most need eg popular hardback fiction or reference/Local History material that needs preservation. It should be noted that we also aim to strike a balance with the need to direct as much funding as possible to the purchase of new books.
i) Feedback and Requests
All comments and suggestions from customers are welcome, whether verbal, by letter or by e-mail. Suggestions forms are available in all service points and comments on stock are encouraged in the 'Meeting the reading needs of everyone in Hampshire' leaflet. Feedback helps us to plan meeting the reading needs of our users and thus we have an information feedback system from staff serving the public to our stock selection panels. All written comments receive a response within 5 working days.
Readers' requests are an important element in our stock selection. All requests receive prompt attention. Requests for specific titles provide us with valuable information for ensuring the range and depth of our provision. Waiting lists for popular items are carefully monitored to ensure sufficient stock levels and requested material not held by any library is considered for either buying or borrowing from outside the authority.
Such requests are considered by experienced librarians taking into account cost, likely interest to other library users, physical quality and other material already held on the same subject, in the context of budgets available. If we are unable to supply any item, we do offer a free reservation.
j) Security and Charges
Our aim is to protect stock, using security measures and systems where appropriate, but without creating barriers to encouraging use. Charges are levied for stock not returned by the due date or lost or damaged while on loan and further measures are taken to recover long overdue stock.
6) STORAGE POLICY
a) Aims and Principles
In the past, there were a number of local stores in addition to the central County Store
at Bar End. Our current aim is to focus lending storage work at Bar End with branches retaining working stacks where space is available.
We do have a responsibility to store long term in a number of areas such as material relating to Hampshire and our special collections (see below), some reference works and periodicals.
Bar End acts as a last copy `reserve' for the County Library and Information Service. The unit aims to retain a `last' copy of all significant titles, excluding books of an ephemeral nature and certain categories of reference material.
b) Bar End Store Scope, Role and Storage Policy
Bar End Store holds approximately 150,000 items, (books, scores, choral sets, reading group sets, spoken word, informational and audio-described videos).
There are several collections:
· Main Collection
This covers fiction and non-fiction monographs, spoken word, audio-described and information videos. It includes large print and material held under the former regional specialisation scheme. The erstwhile Bible Collection (3,000 items such as Bibles and related publications) is being assimilated into the main collection.
A single `last copy' is retained for 10 years from its last date of issue. When that copy has been 10 years without an issue it is reviewed by professional staff. Classic/local interest titles will be retained, others may be withdrawn.
· Music Collection - single scores & choral sets
· Recorded Music and Language Packs - items no longer suitable for branch stocks which need to be retained in the county.
This is a new collection. A single `last copy' is retained for 10 years from its
last date of issue. When that copy has been 10 years without an issue it is
reviewed by professional staff. Classic/local interest titles will be retained,
others may be withdrawn, as appropriate.
· HQ Antiquarian (Non-fiction books published pre 1900)
The collection has been compiled from donations and from branch stock.
Many of the items are fragile and in some cases are unique and valuable, they
are therefore always loaned `Reference Use Only'. This collection is
currently under review. Stock that has been issued in the last 20 years is being
retained, as is classic/local interest titles. Stock that is withdrawn will be
offered to the Museums Service or to other collections.
· HQ Staff Collection - Monographs related to Librarianship.
· Joint Fiction Reserve
We participate in the National Joint Fiction Reserve Scheme collecting books
by authors with surnames beginning X, Y and Z - including large print books.
One copy of each title is held indefinitely, irrespective of other copies in the
County. Hampshire also has a `last copy' Fiction Reserve
· Reading Group Sets
Over 300 sets of adult fiction titles are available for loan to Reading
Groups in the Hampshire area. This is a relatively new collection and the material is well used. Long term, titles that fall out of use will be reviewed by professional staff. Our aim is to provide an increasing number of titles in this important service and we welcome suggestions of new titles from groups actively borrowing from the collection
· Adult Fiction - Spoken Word Cassettes:
A single `last copy', (unabridged if possible) is retained for 10 years from its
last date of issue. When that copy has been 10 years without an issue it is
reviewed by professional staff. Classic/local interest titles will be retained,
others may be withdrawn as appropriate.
Items arriving at Bar End are checked for suitability; last copy status and binding. The veracity of the bibliographic details is also confirmed. The items are then added to stock.
The stock is `actively' managed. A constant programme of weeding is carried out to ensure that it is a `live, working collection'. All items that have not been issued in the last ten years are reviewed by professional staff. Classic titles will be retained for a further period at the discretion of the Librarian. Withdrawn stock may be sold.
Satisfying readers' requests is the first priority of the store and we aim is to issue and despatch requested items within one working day.
c) Material Not Held at Bar End
· Reference books, (statistics, directories etc) NB Separate storage arrangements and criteria apply here - see Information & Lifelong Learning Services: Standards and Policies
· Books that are frequently updated (where there are later editions on the catalogue) such as travel guides.
· Titles which contain outdated information eg because of changes in the law - old law books, tax guides, pension plans and welfare benefit guides.
· Old bibliographies.
· Maps and atlases.
· CD Roms
· Railways/Trains/Underground - material here is added to the Railway Collection.
· Naval books - material here is added to the Naval Collection at Gosport Discovery Centre
· Military books - material here is added to the Military Collection at Aldershot.
· Aviation / Aerospace - material here is added to the Aviation Collection at Farnborough.
7) WITHDRAWAL AND DISPOSAL OF STOCK
a) Aims and Principles
Our stock is reviewed regularly as part of an ongoing programme to ensure range and currency. Items which have been withdrawn from stock may be offered for sale. However it is not possible for specific items to be withdrawn and offered for sale on request. We do store the last copy of most titles we buy in order to continue to make available to our users works which are out of print and otherwise unavailable
b) Withdrawal Criteria
The decision to remove an item may be prompted by a number of factors eg physically poor condition, lack of currency of information, low or declining usage and duplication as well as ensuring overall stock sizes do not hinder our users from finding the books they most wish to read.
i) Issues
Stock is considered for withdrawal if it has not issued as follows:
Large Libraries Small/Neighbourhood Libraries
Fiction 9 months 6 months
Non-Fiction 1 year 9 months
(and not seasonal)
or if it has issued less than 2 - 4 issues in the last year
NB In some circumstances, a book which has not already been circulated is also considered for circulation if it has a potential useful life elsewhere eg literary fiction from a small/neighbourhood library eg a specialist Non Fiction work.
ii) Age and Condition
Public Library Standards set a minimum stock replacement at 7 years, so in general terms, the vast majority of stock on our shelves should not be older than 8-9 years.
Condition of stock gets tired after around 40 issues, so we aim to use this as a criterion as to whether hardback books need to be withdrawn, repaired or rebound.
With average issue rates, this leads to stock lasting to the following age:
Large Libraries Small/Neighbourhood Libraries
Fiction 4 years 5 years
Non-Fiction 7.5 years 8.5 years
This is based on the assumption that stock at smaller libraries will have been circulating.
iii) Currency
Our aim is that certain non-fiction sections should have stocks weeded off more frequently because of the importance of currency e.g. Law, Consumer titles and many textbooks where it may well be that items should be withdrawn after approximately 3 years.
Travel guides in a large library are likely to have reached the end of their usefulness after approximately 3 - 4 years.
c) Withdrawal Procedures
Items considered for withdrawal are processed according to agreed procedures. Still popular and useful material is cleaned, repaired and re-jacketed, or considered for rebinding according to standard criteria, if it is to be retained or circulated. A small amount of appropriate material is selected for storage in local working stacks to meet proven local demand. If no longer required locally, items are considered for transfer to other locations where they can be useful, or forwarded to the County Store, or sold.
The process of withdrawing stock and removing catalogue records always involves more than one member of staff to ensure that proper auditable procedures are followed.
d) Disposal of Stock
Requests cannot be taken from members of the public for particular items to be sold -often the works people wish to acquire are the very ones we have a duty to keep for others to use. With this caveat we do aim to get the best possible prices for the sale of our withdrawn material that is no longer needed but in the context of dealing with large amounts of stock and the consequent need to maintain work flows. Experience shows that second hand fiction does not have great resale value but with withdrawn non-fiction there is more scope to generate income through resale that can be fed back into library budgets. Large one-off book sales, small ongoing book sale bays, bids from book dealers as well as our online booksale website (http://www.hants.gov.uk/library/booksale/index.html) are all ways in which we seek
to sell appropriate withdrawn material. When it comes to video or DVD blockbusters, there is also some scope to buy significant numbers of copies when public demand is high and then sell off surplus copies later when demand dies down.
8) SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
a) Special Subject Collections
All the special collections within Hampshire need to be maintained and developed. These are: The Railway Collection; The Military Collection; The Naval Collection; The Jane Austen Collection; and the Aviation Collection. Special attention is given to purchasing material which falls within the collections' parameters.
b) Local Government Information
It is important that the work of the County Council and its Departments is well served by the County Library Service. Publications about the functioning of Local Government, changes in the legal framework controlling it, works about detailed areas of departmental responsibility, may all be needed except where departmental libraries and budgets exist to purchase such material.
c) Librarianship Collection
A collection of current material on librarianship is maintained both for staff use and for members of the public studying the subject. This is selected using a knowledge of curriculum requirements and reading lists.
d) Foreign Language Material
Collections of Fiction in the four main European Languages (French, German, Italian and Spanish) are purchased centrally and circulated to all larger service points. These collections are intended to be useful to people learning those languages, rather than attempting to provide comprehensive coverage of foreign literature.
e) World Languages Material
A service to provide material for Asian Language material was set up following Local Government reorganisation in 1997. Initially the scope was to cover 5 'Indic' languages: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu. It was soon apparent that Chinese was a must have and this has proved to be the most used language. Vietnamese was added next and now 15 languages are stocked. These comprise the 7 above plus Russian, Polish, Turkish, Arabic, Slovak, Tamil, Malayalam and Thai.
We also liaise with the Immigration Removal Centre in Haslar who help with individual requests for material in additional languages such as Portuguese, Romanian, Albanian, Farsi among others.
In addition to book stock we also supply and maintain collections of Bollywood films on video and DVD and to a lesser extent Asian music CDs. One way to gauge the potential stock demand for range and depth of languages provision is to monitor the enquiry forms sent in. However, finding a supplier for some of the stock can be a challenge. It should be noted that the range of languages now being asked for is increasing and there is a growth in demand for East European material and non book material and keeping pace with demand is not easy. However, we are committed to providing reading material in languages used by all significant language/ethnic groups within the Hampshire local community and constantly seek to maintain and improve our services here.
f) Hampshire Material
It is natural for the County Library to specialise on this subject (in conjunction with the County Museum Service, County Record Office etc.). As far as possible all Local History material is bought. While this does not require much selection at the initial purchase stage, it is sometimes difficult to trace fugitive material, often being produced locally or by small organisations with little contact with the mainstream book trade. Contacts by branch library staff with local groups and societies, and constant scanning of the local media and of what is being sold in local bookshops are essential. A county collection policy has been in place since 1992 and was revised in 1997 - please refer to Information and Lifelong Services Standards and Policies 2003.
9) STOCK PROFILES, TARGET SIZES, PERFORMANCE MONITORING
a) Adult Lending Stock Survey
Results from the annual census of stock and the annual stock survey of adult lending material are combined to provide detailed monitoring of the current size, condition, age and usage of the stock. From this information achievable targets can be set for the year ahead in all these areas measured.
b) Stock Sizes and Usage
Hampshire libraries aim, as far as physical and financial constraints permit, to have stocks of lending material appropriate in size to the use they get. Recreational and particularly novel reading play a dominant role in the smallest libraries, while the provision of instructional, educational and informative material becomes increasingly more important in large and major libraries. The exciting potential of Discovery Centres for co-location/integration of services and for including various elements of the Recreation & Heritage portfolio such as Museum exhibits has implications for the range, presentation and size of library stock provided.
Average annual issue rates per volume are closely monitored as well as the comparative sizes and issue levels of fiction and non fiction sections and their comparative sizes and use in similar sized libraries elsewhere in the county.
Each year in the annual stock survey results, branch libraries are given target stock sizes for fiction and non-fiction. These are calculated based on the average annual issue rate per volume of each group/size of libraries, and are therefore used as guidelines or discussion points rather than being enforceable targets. Local and community factors may explain divergences and justify their continuation.
A crucial consideration in stock management planning is our aim that a carefully selected range of stock should be arranged and displayed in such a way that it helps our users find reading material and that over stocking can mitigate against increased use.
c) Stock Age and Condition
The physical condition of stock is assessed by staff on a scale of 1-5, 5 being excellent. Where the condition of the stock is assessed as below 3 (good), then a plan of action to remedy or ameliorate the problem is made.
The desirable age of the stock is not an absolute measurement, since format, usage and topical content will be significant factors.
Ideally, however, the average age of hardback fiction in its original binding should not exceed 5 years. Much hardback fiction is rebound which extends the period of its attractive life but does not prevent it being older stock as far as public selection is concerned. Therefore the proportion of rebound fiction in the stock is carefully monitored - it should not be a significant percentage of the total stock on shelf ie it should be less than 40%.
Paperback fiction has a shorter attractive life and ideally should not exceed an average age of 3 years.
Standards for age are more variable when it comes to non-fiction stock, since some information content can be out-dated in a year, e.g. taxes, law, while other information is less time sensitive e.g. history, literature. However, see the withdrawal criteria guidelines above.
d) Stock Profiles and Stock Feedback
Periodic stock profiling of each branch to identify particular local needs as well as providing regular feedback to the selection panels are important parts of the selection process. These are ways that staff working directly with the public and not currently serving on a selection panel can feed information back to the panels on stock gaps, problems of provision as well as reports of what the public is asking for.
e) Public Library Standards and National Monitoring
We do also monitor our performance in relation to standards and policies identified by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (eg Framework for the Future) and by the Audit Commission (eg Building Better Library Services) as well as by the framework of Public Library Standards and Impact Measures. Attention is paid to the targets for acquisitions per head of population and stock replenishment rates. While stock quality performance indicators are yet to be launched nationally, what stock evaluation methods that are available are used eg Opening the Book's breadth of fiction buying evaluation tool.
f) Public Suggestions and Comments
Public comments and suggestions about books and stock provision are welcome and are actively sought via suggestion forms, by staff at enquiry desks, via the stock leaflet comment box, website feedback, the Public Library User Survey, periodic questionnaires and other public consultation (eg a key part of the Discovery Centre Business Plan). Complaints are also closely monitored (see the Hampshire County Council complaints procedures) and are a useful way to pick up and resolve any problems with service delivery including stock issues. The widest possible public awareness of this stock policy and feedback and comments on how Hampshire Library stock can be improved are more than welcome.