Section 3: Planning
C: Collection Development Plan
Adopted: February 2014
Last review: April 2017
Background
Perth & District Union Public Library serves a population of approximately 19,500 people in three municipalities: the Town of Perth, Tay Valley Township, and Drummond/North Elmsley Township. About 6,000 people live in the urban centre of Perth, while the remaining population is spread over a rural area of 900 square kilometers. The area also has many summer residences, with the service population growing to an estimated 29,000 in July and August. As with many areas of rural Ontario, the population is aging. Perth is a destination for many retirees and has several senior living facilities. Other notable aspects of the population include several hundred children under age 18, attending six elementary schools and two high schools. A large portion of the working adults commute to other locations for work. Overall, Lanark County, where the library is located, has lower incomes and literacy rates compared to the average for the province.
Trends
Besides the aging population, factors affecting the library’s collection include the trend toward e-books and the decline in services at school libraries.
School libraries: Children at area schools have less access each year to school library staff and therefore less information literacy instruction. The current trend is towards a digital learning commons. Based on priorities in the library’s 2017-2021 strategic plan, library staff are working more closely with school staff to make sure the library is supporting students. The library has no plans to add textbooks to its collection but will support the overall literacy, homework, and pleasure reading needs of students.
E-books & other digital formats: The library continues to keep an eye on the e-book sector. As part of a provincial consortium, the library provides access to several thousand fiction and nonfiction e-books and e-audiobooks through the Overdrive service. Use of this collection has grown steadily since its introduction in 2011. In 2015, usage declined slightly, staying steady around 12,000 checkouts. This reflects continued interest in this format. Thanks to capacity grant funding, the library has begun to purchase additional copies of the more popular books in order to reduce hold lists for our patrons, and will continue to promote this collection.
The library will also be keeping an eye on changing formats for its audiobook and movie collections (e.g. CDs and DVDs versus digital files), and consider reallocating funding towards these digital formats as access to CD and DVD players diminishes.
Collection assessment
The library has a collection of approximately 45,000 items in the following formats:
•regular print books for children, teens and adults
•large print books
•audiobooks on CD
•magazines
•music CDs
•video games
•DVDs
In addition to physical items, the library provides access to a collection of approximately 60,000 e-books and e-audiobooks through Overdrive, as well as online reference material and databases.
Detailed statistics about total items, circulation, and budget distribution can be found in Appendix A. These statistics reveal that in 2016, the most heavily used parts of the collection (outside of adult fiction) by far were DVDs and children’s picture books. The library’s budget for DVDs is small but is augmented by donations from the Film Night International program and donations. Other areas that show a relatively high number of annual circulations per item (greater than three) include large print books, adult audiobooks, and children’s fiction.
A user survey conducted in 2013 showed that patrons overall feel the collection is strong. Ratings were good or excellent in all areas. Areas with an overall “good” rating included: adult nonfiction, local history, e-books, periodicals, and teen fiction. Areas with an overall “excellent” rating included: adult fiction, large print, audiobooks, DVDs, and children’s books of all types.
Due to space and budgetary constraints, the library generally does not purchase multiple copies of items. Exceptions may be certain bestsellers and books to support programs such as Forest of Reading. The library may keep extra donated copies of local history items that may be hard to obtain if the existing copy is lost or damaged.
Collection statements
Collections can be rated on a scale of 1-3, with 1 being a minimal level of information and 3 being comprehensive. Reflective of the small community it serves, Perth & District Union Public Library aims to be very comprehensive in only one area: books about local history and by local authors.
Adult collection
Nonfiction.Level 2. The nonfiction collection meets the educational and recreational needs of the community. Cookbooks and biographies are particularly popular. Books are selected to provide access to a wide range of topics and viewpoints, with an emphasis on works about Canada and by Canadian authors. The library does not collect textbooks or advanced technical works. The nonfiction collection includes a large number of items about local and regional history. The library attempts to maintain a comprehensive collection of items published about Perth, Tay Valley Township and Drummond/North Elmsley Township. Significant weeding was done in 2016, and the library will work this year to purchase new books to refresh this collection to ensure it is current and up to date.
Fiction.Level 2. The fiction collection supports the recreational reading of the community. The library collects many works by Canadian authors, especially books that are nominated for national awards, as well as bestsellers and well-reviewed works of literature. Fiction is divided into mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and regular fiction. The library attempts to maintain a comprehensive collection of items published by authors in Perth, Tay Valley Township and Drummond/North Elmsley Township.
Large print.Level 2. The library maintains a large print collection for those with low vision. Many of these items are delivered to patrons who are homebound or reside in retirement homes. The library subscribes to an automatic release plan for 10 books per month, usually 7 or 8 of which are fiction.
Audiobooks.Level 2. Owing to the large number of commuters in the area, the audiobook collection circulates well. There is more demand for audiobooks than there is space for them on library shelves, resulting in higher rates of weeding. About 20% of the audiobook collection is nonfiction and 80% fiction. Access to downloadable audiobooks has not resulted in a decrease in interest in the audiobook collection.The library subscribes to an automatic release plan for 10 audiobooks per month, usually 7 or 8 of which are fiction.
Graphic novels.Level 1. The adult graphic novel collection was started in 2012 and has developed some interest but not enough to merit any major expansion. The collection includes high-quality graphic novels about various subject matter, fiction and nonfiction, where topic matter seems more appropriate for adults than for teens. One staff member selects graphic novels for children, teens and adults to maintain consistency in reading level assignment.
DVDs. Level 1. Outside of adult fiction, DVDs continue to be one of the highest circulating collections at the library. The focus for this collection is on popular TV series and independent feature films. This ensures less competition with other rental outlets and digital movie services, and also provides the library with a collection unique for an institution of its size. There is a strong demand from patrons for more popular, feature film titles, and the library has expanded this part of the collection where possible through donations.
Music CDs. Level 1. The library’s collection of music CDs is entirely donated and therefore not designed to reflect a comprehensive set of music tastes or genres. The library attempts to obtain CDs by local artists from Perth, Tay Valley Township, and Drummond/North Elmsley Township. There are no plans at this time to add the music CD collection to the budget due to the availability of music online in streaming and downloadable forms.
Periodicals.Level 2. The library has a collection of 52 titles, including two about parenting, in its adult periodicals section. An additional three magazines are for children and two for teens. The magazines are on a wide variety of subject matter including news, celebrities, home decor, cooking, and science. Magazines circulate for one week, although most usage is in-house. The library also subscribes to several local, regional and national newspapers.
Local history/local authors.Level 3. Books and DVDs by local authors and about local history appear in several different areas above. When a work has been published, the library attempts to maintain a comprehensive collection. The library does not collect non-published local history material, such as family histories, maps, etc., as described in more detail in the Local History Collection Policy.
Teen collection
Fiction.Level 2. Fiction represents more than half of the teen collection. The focus is on books that will speak to readers ages 12-18, although no restrictions are placed on who uses the work. The collection includes books in series and standalone titles. Items that receive good reviews and award nominations are added to the collection, as are selected items from Orca Soundings (for reluctant teen readers) and items in the White Pine Forest of Reading Program.
Audiobooks.Level 1. A very small audiobook collection supports the reading needs ofteenswho may prefer the format or have a print disability that makes learning by audio easier. Audiobooks are mostly popular series. Selection is primarily based on patron request.
Graphic novels.Level 2. Teen graphic novels are a popular collection. Much of the graphic novel collection is manga, along with western graphic novels and comic books. Most items are part of a series, and the library attempts to maintain series once it begins collecting them. Items deemed too mature for this section may be moved to the adult graphic novel collection if they are appropriate for the library.
Nonfiction.Level 1. There is a small teen nonfiction collection, primarily focused on issues related to health and subject matter that may be assigned in school. This collection will be observed as school libraries continue to change. The library may need to purchase additional nonfiction to support students, although textbooks will not be collected.
Games.Level 1. The library has a small collection of video games for children and teens, housed in the DVD section. Due to a limited budget and the wide variety of gaming system formats, this collection cannot grow substantially.
Children’s collection
Board books.Level 2. Early literacy is a major priority for the library, with emphasis on the importance of reading to babies from birth. A good collection of board books is essential to supporting this goal. Board books are selected for size, durability, story, and appropriateness.
Picture books.Level 2. Within picture books, the library maintains two mini-collections: I Can Read and Ready to Read books are early readers, offering a transition for young readers from picture books to chapter books. These items support the library’s early literacy efforts. Selection is based on award lists, reviews and recommendations from librarians and publishers. The library makes an effort to include diverse subject matter and characters in picture books. The library participates in the Blue Spruce Forest of Reading program and purchases at least one copy of all titles nominated.
Nonfiction.Level 2. The nonfiction collection supports the educational and recreational reading needs of children. The general nonfiction (000s) and science section (500s) are especially popular. Major weeding and updating work in the nonfiction section has continued over the past year. As school libraries continue to change, the library will determine how this collection can support elementary age students from 0-12. The collection contains a wide variety of subject matter and viewpoints.
Reference.Level 1. The majority of reference books have been integrated into nonfiction. This section contains a selection of encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries for ready reference and promotional material for our online resources.
Fiction.Level 2. Children’s chapter books represent a major milestone for readers. The fiction section contains items appropriate for ages 6-12, based on quality, reviews, award nominations, and recommendations. The library participates in the Silver Birch Forest of Reading program and purchases at least one copy of all titles nominated.
Graphic novels.Level 1. The children’s graphic novel collection is relatively small but continues to be in demand. Items in this collection are assessed by staff as being appropriate for children ages 6-12, while more advanced graphic novels will be added to the teen or adult collections. Graphic novels are selected to be accessible to children with a wide range of reading levels.
French.Level 1. Perth has two French immersion schools that go through grade 6. Most students studying French read in French at a lower grade level than in English. For this reason, the French collection focuses on books for younger readers, including fiction, nonfiction, audiobooks and graphic novels. As French immersion training changes in the school system, the library may add titles for older children. The native French-speaking population in the area is small, but if this changes substantially, the library’s French collection will expand accordingly.
DVDs. Level 2. Children’s DVDs are purchased through a small budget or donations. Emphasis is on popular and classics (Disney and other), science and discovery series, and movies based on works of literature. Due to space constraints, the children’s DVD collection is unlikely to grow substantially. Teen DVDs are also now housed in the DVD section (instead of the teen section) and use of these DVDs has increased significantly.
Audiobooks.Level 1. A small audiobook collection supports the reading needs of children who may prefer the format or have a print disability that makes learning by audio easier. Audiobooks are mostly popular series or award-winning items. Selection is primarily based on patron request.
Parent resources.Level 2. Adult nonfiction books on parenting topics are maintained in the children’s nonfiction section to make them more accessible to parents. Most items in this collection relate to health and child development or to literacy and learning.
Other (realia, big books, magazines).Level 1. The library maintains circulating collections of felt stories, finger puppets, wooden puzzles and other manipulatives to support literacy learning. A collection of big books – oversize versions of picture books – also supports group readaloud activities. A small number of magazines for children are available. The library also offers Share the Stories Theme Bags and MAPsacks. Share the Stories are duffel bags that include children’s books, music and manipulatives that revolve around a theme e.g. “Community Helpers”. MAPsacks (Movement and Play) are backpacks that include books, outdoor activities and a free Rideau Valley Conservation Authority pass with nature themes such as “Rocks”. Due to space constraints and difficulties related to storage, none of these collections are likely to grow.
Goals for 2017
•Continue to implement weeding schedule (see Appendix B) so all sections are regularly reviewed and updated.
•Conduct user survey in spring/summer 2017
•Refresh the adult non-fiction section to ensure it is appealing, current, and up to date
•Evaluate implementing a ‘Book Club in a Box’ collection to support book clubs