Adopted by the Board of Library Trustees, May 20, 2004

Mission Statement

The mission of the Pomona Public Library is to develop and facilitate equal access to collections, resources, and services which meet the cultural, informational, recreational, and educational needs of a diverse community.

Purpose of the Collection Development Policy

The collection development policy is intended to provide guidance, within budgetary and space limitations, for the selection and evaluation of materials which anticipate and meet the needs of the Pomona community. It directly relates to the library's mission statement, and defines the scope and standards of the various collections. As the community changes, the library will need to reassess and adapt its collections to reflect new and differing areas of interest and concern. The collection development policy will be periodically evaluated and revised as necessary to provide guidance for implementing changes in the collection.

Community Profile

With a population of 149,473, the Community of Pomona, as more fully described in Demographics, Economic, and Quality of Life (1999) and the 2000 Census, is the largest municipality in the I-10 Corridor, east of the City of Los Angeles.

The demographics of Pomona show a full spectrum of ethnic diversity consisting of a predominately Hispanic population along with non-Hispanic Whites, African-Americans, Chinese-Americans, Vietnamese-Americans, and other cultural groups. Reflecting a growing immigrant population, residents are younger, the per capita income is lower than average, and families tend to be larger.

Although many residents are less educated, educational opportunities abound. The Pomona Unified School District enrolls over 35,000 children and teens in its 42 elementary, middle, and high schools. In addition to a number of other nearby institutes of higher learning, the community is home to both the California State Polytechnic University and the Western University of Health Sciences.

The Los Angeles County Fairplex, which hosts the largest county fair in North America and more then 300 other events throughout the year, enhances the quality of life within the city. A thriving arts colony, three historical districts, and a rich cultural heritage contribute to the vitality of the city as well.

By studying the community, the library is better able to serve its users in the selection of materials and the development of collections that reflect the changing interests and composition of Pomona.

Philosophy of Selection

In support of its mission to develop and facilitate equal access to collections which meet the needs of a diverse community, the Pomona Public Library fully endorses the principles documented in the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement of the American Library Association. The Board of Library Trustees uphold the right of the individual to secure information representing all points of view concerning the problems and issues of our times, even though the content may be controversial, unorthodox, or offensive to others. Materials available in the library present a diversity of viewpoints, enabling citizens to make the informed choices necessary in a democracy.

Scope of the Collection

The primary responsibility of the Pomona Public Library is to serve the residents and business community of Pomona by providing a broad choice of materials to meet their cultural, informational, recreational and educational needs. Materials are selected to aid individuals, groups, and organizations attain practical solutions to daily problems, and to enrich the quality of life for all community members. The size and scope of its collection attracts users from surrounding areas in the Inland Empire, Pomona Valley and San Gabriel Valley, but the main purpose is to serve Pomona residents and the business community. As an urban library, Pomona Public Library places major emphasis on the provision of information and provides the necessary print and electronic resources that will best meet the current reference needs of our library users. Print and electronic sources are selected to accommodate a diversity of tastes, reading levels, languages and interests of users of all ages. The library provides a comprehensive collection of materials related to the City of Pomona, and builds upon existing strengths in genealogy, California history, and historic preservation. Budget and space limitations, as well as local needs, preclude the library from duplicating the specialized and comprehensive collections that exist elsewhere in Pomona and the greater Los Angeles area. Access to these collections is provided through cooperative networking, interlibrary loan, and direct referral. Scholarly and highly technical or specialized materials are not acquired, but are available through Cal Poly, Pomona, the Los Angeles County Law Library, the Pomona Valley Hospital Library, Western University, or local community college libraries.

Responsibility for Selection

The authority and responsibility for library materials selection rests ultimately with the Library Director. Under his/her direction, selection and development of the library's collections is delegated to the professional library staff.

Selection Criteria

All library materials, whether purchased or donated, are considered in terms of the criteria listed below. An item need not meet all of these criteria in order to be added to the collection.

  • Popular interest
  • Contemporary significance or permanent value
  • Currency and timeliness of information
  • Accuracy
  • Local significance/interest
  • Readability or ability to sustain interest for a general reader
  • Treatment of a subject to age of intended audience
  • Reputation of author, publisher, illustrator
  • Creative, literary or technical quality
  • Critical assessment in a variety of library review journals
  • Format and ease of use
  • Circulation statistics, as monitored through our automated library system
  • Cost and availability
  • Relationship to existing materials in the collection
  • Relationship to materials in other area libraries

Suggestions for Purchase

The Board of Library Trustees recognizes that materials selection is a two-way process in which the users of the library play an important role by indicating their needs and interests. Therefore, the library strongly encourages input from the Pomona community concerning the collection. A suggestion for purchase procedure enables Pomona citizens to request that a particular title or subject area be purchased by the library. All suggestions for purchase are subject to the same selection criteria as other materials and are not automatically added to the collection. It is the library's intent that suggestions for purchase be used to assist the library in developing collections which serve the interests and needs of the community. Suggestions for purchase may be made in person or online, through the library's web page.

Gifts of Books and Other Materials

The Pomona Public Library accepts gifts (including publisher's gift copies) for the library's collection that fall within needed subject categories, as determined by the Library Director and the staff. Gift additions must meet the same selection criteria as purchased materials and are subject to the following limitations:

  • The library retains unconditional ownership of the gift.
  • The library makes the final decision on the use or other disposition of the gift.
  • The library reserves the right to decide the conditions of display, housing and access to the materials.

Monetary gifts to the library are welcome and may be designated as memorials. Donors may suggest subjects or titles to be acquired with their donation, but the library reserves the right of final decision. Special gifts or memorial donations will include a special gift plate identifying the donor and/or the person in whose memory the gift is made, if the donor requests. Duplicate titles or other gifts not needed in the collection will be given to the Friends of the Library for their monthly book sale. All gifts must be in excellent condition. The library will accept for evaluation gift materials only in designated areas as listed below:

  • California History
  • Children's books
  • Fiction
  • Fiction by classic authors
  • Genealogy books
  • Large print books
  • Magazines (no more than 2 yrs old, with the exception of National Geographic and selected magazine titles)
  • Materials relating to Pomona and the surrounding areas
  • Non-fiction books (non-technical)
  • Non-print material related to Pomona history
  • Paperbacks
  • Spoken word titles

Duplication of Material

Multiple copies of materials are purchased in response to user demand as evidenced by the number of holds, anticipated popularity, repeated requests and monitoring of the collection. The number of copies acquired of a particular title is determined by user demand and available funds.

Collection Development on the Web

Through its Web site, the Pomona Public Library directs users to informational resources on the Internet that complement and enhance resources housed in the library collection. As new resources become available via the Internet, similar reference sources in the library's print reference collection will be evaluated for retention, taking into consideration access, cost, ease-of-use and other selection criteria.

Links are made to Internet sites based on the informational needs of the Pomona community, areas of emphasis in the collection, and local areas of interest. The Pomona web site leads to other more fully developed and specialized subject sites that aim at comprehensive topical coverage. Although a particular emphasis is placed on selecting sites created by governmental, educational, and non-profit entities, links are also made to sites created by for-profit organizations when they meet selection criteria and information needs.

Criteria for selecting Internet sites include authority, coverage, accuracy, relevance, quality of information, organization, currency, and relation to informational requests from library users. Links to sites will be deleted or removed when they are outdated or superceded by newly identified sites.

Allocation of Funds and Collection Development Scale

The following definitions of collection intensity have been developed to provide Library selection Staff with guidelines for acquisition and evaluation of subject areas within the collection. Funds are allocated to individual subject areas based on patron demand, as measured through circulation statistics, in-house usage statistics and strength of the collection.

  • Popular/Basic Collection • Acquire best-sellers and popular materials based on demand or anticipated demand. Select basic works which serve to introduce and define a subject. Develop a highly selective collection that is weeded continuously, based on use.
  • Working Collection • Acquire popular, current materials and significant works/classics. Maintain a retrospective collection to reflect standard titles. Develop a minimum depth, broad scope. Weed based on significance of title and changing use.
  • Resource Collection • Acquire popular and significant works. Purchase extensively for coverage if the best and most important resources in a subject area. Develop a collection that provides broad, current, in-depth, and retrospective coverage. Weed based on significance of title, usage, and maintaining existing collection strengths.

Collection Maintenance

Maintenance of the library's collection through constant re-evaluation, by the library staff ensures its usefulness and relevancy to the community. This evaluation depends heavily on the staff's professional expertise in assessing the needs of the community and the content of the collection. Those materials determined no longer of value will be withdrawn from the collection.

Request for Reconsideration

Persons from the Pomona community wishing to recommend the removal of a particular item from the library collection may submit a Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form, which will be reviewed by the Library Director in relation to the library's mission statement and the selection criteria of this collection development policy. After evaluating journal reviews and other materials submitted by the patron, the Library Director will respond in a timely manner. If the concern is not resolved at this level, the Board of Library Trustees shall be the final authority.

Discarding Library Materials

Library materials are discarded for one of the following reasons:

  • Obsolescence: subject matter is no longer timely, accurate, or relevant
  • Damage or poor condition
  • Space limitations
  • Insufficient use

The last copy of a work in the Pomona Public Library is evaluated in terms of its value to the community, with consideration to the following:

  • Local interest
  • Reputation of author, publisher, producer, illustrator
  • Significance as identified in standard bibliographies
  • Quality of graphics
  • Ability to replace if title is a standard reference work or rare book
  • Uniqueness of information for research
  • Physical condition of the item

Replacement

Replacement of materials withdrawn is not automatic. The decision to replace is influenced by:

  • Availability of additional copies
  • Popular interest
  • Adequacy of coverage in the subject area
  • Significance in subject area
  • Cost and availability

Binding

The decision to bind or re-bind materials is made with consideration to the same factors involved in replacement. In addition, the following should influence the decision to bind:

  • Adverse impact on circulation because of appearance
  • Feasibility of binding
  • Uniqueness of material and its permanent value to the overall collection
  • Cost of binding vs. cost of replacement

Revision of Policy

This collection development policy will be evaluated periodically and revised as necessary.

The Collections

Adult Circulating Collection

Fiction - The library's collection includes a wide variety of contemporary, popular, and classic works of fiction, representing all genres, periods and styles, critically acclaimed and prize-winning works, classics and important works of the past.

The library makes every effort to acquire fiction which is representative of the cultural and ethnic diversity of Pomona and will serve to satisfy the diversity of interests and recreational reading needs of the community. Particular emphasis is placed on popular authors, as dictated by the library's circulation statistics.

Non-Fiction - The library aims at acquiring materials which provide a core of basic knowledge. In addition, the library selects, makes accessible, and promotes the use of materials which:

  • Address contemporary issues
  • Provide self-help information
  • Facilitate continuing education
  • Enhance job related skills and knowledge
  • Increase knowledge of community, country and world affairs
  • Support K-12 school course work
  • Support business, cultural, recreational and civic interests in the community
  • Nourish intellectual, aesthetic, creative and spiritual growth
  • Present different viewpoints on issues

Children's Collection

To encourage life-long reading habits, the Children's Collection provides materials in a variety of formats to satisfy and stimulate the educational, cultural, informational and recreational needs of the children of Pomona from infancy through the elementary grade six. The materials are selected with regard to the stages of emotional and intellectual maturity of children. The collection also provides adults with materials that relate to the well-being of children, enrich preschool and school curricula, and aid in the study of children's literature. Materials selected are representative of the ethnic diversity of the Pomona community.

Parent's Alcove - This circulating collection, housed in the Children's area, serves as a resource collection for parents. Topics include child development and aids to selecting reading materials for children.

Electronic Databases (Commercial)

Online computerized databases extend the collection by providing timely and versatile access to information in electronic format. Databases are selected with careful attention to cost, frequency of use, availability of remote access for the public, availability of comparable information on free Internet web sites and ease of use. While more costly, electronic databases often provide information that does not exist in print or through free Internet web sites, and often updated more frequently than print resources.

Foreign Language Materials

The library maintains a collection for foreign language materials aimed at meeting the cultural, educational, informational, and recreational needs of the Pomona community. Resources include books, magazines, newspapers and sound recordings in the languages used by individuals in the community, for example, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese. These materials are primarily circulating.

The library's collection also includes materials which aid in learning a second language. These resources include books such as dictionaries, grammars and TOEFL test preparation study guides, as well as spoken word titles. Most of these materials circulate.

The library is committed to developing and maintaining foreign language collections which meet the needs of an ethnically diverse Pomona population. Foreign language needs are assessed through such tools as patron registration data, census data, patron requests, circulation statistics, and community awareness. The size and scope of the collection is determined with the help of the aforementioned data. Availability of materials may impact the development of the collections.

Genealogy Collection

The Seaphus W. and Ethel M Curtis Genealogical Collection was established jointly by the Pomona Public Library and the Pomona Valley Genealogical Society. The collection contains approximately 4,000 books, microforms, CDs, periodicals and related materials. Electronic databases such as Ancestryplus.com, the LDS Family History site and the Family search.org support genealogical research and enhance this collection. The genealogy library is a self-service reference collection, aimed at assisting users in the initial stages of researching family history. While Pomona's collection is one of the largest in the region, more extensive collections are available at Los Angeles Public Library and the Family History Library (LDS) in Santa Monica.

Funds are budgeted for the ongoing maintenance of the collection and purchases are made in basic how-to resources (some of which are circulating), standard reference items, indices and handbooks on family research for various ethnic groups. The main emphasis is on United States research, with the focus on sources which cover or index items of national or state-wide scope, such as national military service records or a state-wide will or interstate index. A special effort has been made to include ethnic materials relevant to our local community.

Family histories and records focusing on the individual counties and other lower levels of jurisdictions are gratefully accepted as donations, as are most genealogical periodicals. This collection is developed and supplemented with the ongoing assistance and contributions from the Pomona Valley Genealogical Society, as well as occasional donations from individuals.

Internet (Public Access)

In conjunction with its mission statement, the Pomona Public Library provides Internet workstations for public use so that Library members can have access to a vast array of online information that lies beyond the Library's walls. The Internet, however, is an entirely unregulated medium, and not every source that it contains provides accurate, complete, or current information. The Pomona Public Library does not monitor and has no control over the information retrieved or the images viewed by patrons. Because the Internet contains information and images that some may consider offensive, controversial, or disturbing, Library users are cautioned that they access the Internet at their own discretion and at their own risk. Providing access to electronic information differs from selecting and purchasing material for the Library's collection, offering unprecedented opportunities to expand the scope of information available to users. Use of the Internet workstations is available free of charge to Pomona Public Library cardholders.

Large Print Collection

The Large Print Collection is designed to meet the needs of an increasing number of visually-impaired patrons. The major focus of the collection is popular fiction, including mysteries, romances and westerns. Some non-fiction is purchased for this collection in high-interest areas such as biographies and health

Literacy Collection

 

The Literacy Collection provides written material in a variety of formats to support the Library's literacy program. Materials used in the tutoring program comprise a large portion of the collection and should provide strong support for instruction. Other materials, consisting of both fiction and non-fiction are written on a first to fifth grade reading level, and often emphasize practical subjects.

Materials for Public Review

In support of major city projects, the Pomona Library Reference Department staff assembles resources for public review. The materials cover topics under study by city or citizen task forces or committees, and are gathered together on a temporary basis at the Reference desk for the duration of the project. The library also provides Pomona citizens with information on local issues, actions, services and programs. City-produced reports, agendas, and minutes of boards and commissions and other local agencies are available for public review. Materials with long-term information or archival value are permanently housed in the Special Collections Department.

New Media

The library must continually assess new electronic media and evaluate the capabilities and enhancements that they offer in existing formats. When deciding whether to replace or augment existing formats with new media, the following factors are considered: anticipated improvements in storage and retrieval, user demand, quality of the product, ease of use, equipment requirements, cost, and staff requirements for processing, maintenance, and training. It is essential for staff to monitor technological developments so that wise and cost-effective collection decisions are made for the Pomona community.

Paperbacks

The library maintains a paperback collection to provide recreational reading in popular areas of interest. The collection duplicates many cataloged books, including bestsellers, classics and works of perennially popular authors. This is a high turnover, primarily fiction collection aimed at supplying multiple copies of books in demand. While library funds are allocated to the ongoing maintenance of the collection, a large percentage of the books in this collection (particularly romances) are donations. All titles in this collection receive full cataloging and are searchable in the online public access catalog.

Periodical Collection

The library's newspaper and magazine collection provides current and retrospective information aimed at meeting the research and recreational reading needs of the community. The collection also contains periodicals that serve the professional reading needs of the library staff. Periodicals supplement the book collection by providing up-to-date information, covering current topics not yet available in books, and presenting a less in-depth treatment of a subject than usually found in books.

The periodical collection consists of a diversity of publications in fields which are of interest to the community. It includes basic and popular reading magazines, foreign language publications, and business, trade and local Pomona publications. To provide optimal access to information for those conducting research, an emphasis is placed on selecting titles that are included in standard periodical indexes. Journals which are highly technical or scholarly are generally not included in the collection. In addition to magazines, the collection includes newspapers published locally, as well as major publications within the Southern California region. Both the magazine and newspaper collections are augmented by full-text, electronic databases.

Recent back issues of current magazine subscriptions circulate. Periodicals located in storage are available for research use as part of the Reference collection and do not circulate. Back issues of many titles are accessible in microform for reasons of preservation and space conservation.

Reference Collection

The library maintains a reference collection, which is used to answer questions and to serve the informational needs of library users. Reference sources are characterized by their ability to provide information and to summarize, condense, or give a comprehensive overview of a topic. They remain in the library to be readily available to all library users. Selection criteria of particular importance for reference sources are: accuracy, arrangement, ease-of-use, uniqueness of information, authority, documentation, and indexing.

Reference sources are consulted for specific items of information rather than to be read consecutively and include: bibliographies, indexes, directories, dictionaries, catalogs, yearbooks and annuals, statistical compendia, atlases and gazetteers, biographical dictionaries, and almanacs. Reference sources which describe, condense, and summarize information include encyclopedias, histories, handbooks, abstracts, and special reports with difficult-to-find information. The collection contains standard works in areas of general reference, the humanities, social sciences, physical and biological sciences, technology, and area studies.

Sound Recordings

The library maintains a collection of music recordings on cassette. The collection consists of works by major classical and contemporary composers, as well as popular music, holiday music and sound effects. Funds are not currently budgeted for the ongoing maintenance of this collection, although donations are welcome.

Special Collections

The Special Collections Department contains thousands of items relating to California, Pomona, and local and regional history. Some of the significant collections housed in this department include:

  • Barbara Kesel Comic Book Collection - A collection of 155 graphic novels, donated by the author, Barbara Kesel.
  • Brockman Tatum Photo Collection - This collection consists of 125 8 x 10 mounted color prints and 50 35 mm color transparencies. Images include California flora and plant zones.
  • California Author and Local Collection - 200 volumes (California) and 80 volumes (local) are represented in this collection. Included are self-published materials, as well as works by prominent local authors. Although the collection is not active, every effort is made to purchase important local works and fully catalog them for the California Collection.
  • California Collection - The library possesses a collection of over 3000 books pertaining to California history. These books provide a historical context for the library's Pomona materials. The collection places special emphasis on the Pomona Valley region. Collection strengths include Mojave Desert, California mission books, city and county histories, Santa Catalina Island, and California gardens, artists and pottery. Funds are budgeted annually for ongoing collection development.
  • Citrus Company Records - The company records of 28 citrus companies, donated to the library after these companies dissolved. These companies were all privately operated. The collection is composed of unique manuscript and printed records relating to the citrus industries of California.
  • Citrus Label Collection - The Citrus Label collection consists of approximately 4300 labels from primarily California citrus growers and packers, covering the period of 1890 to the 1940's. Other states and foreign countries are also represented in this collection. It is fully indexed and is one of the largest publicly available collections in existence.
  • City Phone Books and Directories - A collection of Pomona City telephone books and City directories, beginning in the late 1890's, running through to the present. The oldest material, from 1896-1945, has been microfilmed and is available for use in the Library.
  • Clara Webber Collection of Historic Children's Books - A memorial collection honoring Clara J. Webber, Pomona Children's Librarian from 1941 to 1970, this collection is devoted to historic children's books. It includes Newbery, Caldecott and Laura Ingalls Wilder award winners, as well as books by and about Laura Ingalls Wilder. It is developed under the auspices of the Children's Division and housed in the Special Collections area. Over 900 volumes are currently housed in the Clara Webber Collection.
  • Frasher Photo Collection - Burton Frasher, Sr. was considered the • Postcard King of the West •. His views covered the southwest, but concentrated primarily on California. Approximately 60,000 prints and negatives, from the 1920s through 1940s are housed in this collection.
  • Glass Plate Negatives - Photographed by Burton Frasher, Sr., subjects range from portraits of families, infants, individuals and sports activities in neighboring La Verne, California. Approximately 2000 items are in this collection, dating from 1914-1921.
  • Historic Photo Collection - 25,000 items, both photographs and negatives comprise this collection. The collection covers Pomona Valley from the 1870's to date. Subject areas include both portraits and residences.
  • Historic Resource Collection - This collection is devoted exclusively to historic home restoration and renovation. Approximately 85 volumes are currently in the collection and additional materials will be added, as they become available.
  • Laura Ingalls Wilder Collection - Laura Ingalls Wilder was a long-time correspondent of Clara Webber, who served as the Children's Librarian from 1941 to 1970. Included in this collection are Little House on the Prairie manuscripts, letters, photographs, and books. The collection consists of approximately 500 volumes.
  • Lloyd C. Cooper Photo Collection - The photography of Lloyd C. Cooper, local award winning Claremont photographer. Approximately 5,000 black and white scenic views of Southern California are contained in this collection. The period covered is the 1930's and 1940's. Many of the photos appeared in magazines such as Sunset and Westways.
  • Padua Theater/Mexican Players Collection - Includes plays, music, programs, photographs, and play bills of the Mexican Players and the historic Padua Hills Theatre, from its beginning in 1930 to its closing in 1974.
  • Postcard Collection - A collection of 8,000 California views and 30,000 views of other states, the world and special categories. Special categories include street scenes, buildings, holidays, ethnic, cowboy, humor, art, greeting, and library buildings. The majority of the postcards are in color and primarily represent the period prior to the 1920's.
  • Railroad Collection - Over 150 volumes devoted to the history of rail travel in the United States, with particular emphasis on the western United States.
  • Sarah M. Jacobus Fine Printing Collection - Sarah M. Jacobus served as Pomona Public Library's 3rd librarian, from 1906 until her retirement in 1940. This memorial collection is named in her honor. The nucleus of the collection is composed of books originally selected and purchased by Miss Jacobus. The collection is devoted to the art of fine printing and bookmaking. While the collection is no longer being actively developed, this collection is currently used to protectively house some of our expensive and hard-to-replace art books. Approximately 200 titles are in the collection and all are fully cataloged.
  • Saunders Press Collection - 75 volumes published by Saunders Press, a vanity press located in Claremont, CA.
  • Stereopticon Slides - Approximately 1,000 views comprise this collection. Subjects include U.S. city and state views, as well as world views. Some of the works have been created by well known photographers
  • Tom C. Graham Photo Collection - The collection, dating to around 1963 contains 50 to 100 black and white photos, many of which won competitions and awards. The photos are 16-20 inches and matted. The views depicted include local and historical sites, and scenic views.
  • Water Company Records - The records for 16 privately owned water companies that are now defunct. Minutes, annual reports and correspondence books are included in this collection.
  • Willis Kerr Philatelic Collection - Originally the private library of Honnold librarian Willis Kerr, this collection of approximately 1080 volumes emphasizes philatelic history of the Americas. It is one of the largest collections of its kind in the United States. With the exception of the Scott's Standard Postage Stamp Catalog, funds are not currently allocated for ongoing collection development, although items related to California philatelic history are welcome as donations.
  • Wine Label Collection - Almost exclusively California wineries and distributors, this collection consists of approximately 10,000 labels.
  • Spoken Word Collection - The spoken word collection contains over 6,000 titles and consists of primarily of popular, unabridged adult fiction. A small number of abridged titles are purchased in high demand non-fiction areas such as self-improvement, spiritual growth, relationships, career guidance, and financial advice. The collection also includes both abridged and unabridged titles on foreign language and ESL proficiency. The focus of the spoken word collection is on high demand, popular fiction in unabridged format. . Spoken word titles are purchased in whatever format is most readily available from audio publishers, either cassette or compact disc. Due to financial and space limitations, individual titles are not duplicated in multiple formats

Textbooks

Recognizing the responsibility of schools and universities to provide access to required textbooks for their students, the Pomona Public Library does not acquire textbooks required for school curricula. It does acquire or add donations of textbooks when needed to provide broad or introductory coverage in various subject areas.

Young Adult Collection

A limited young adult collection has been established to satisfy the library needs of patrons from the approximate age of 13 to 18 years. It is a transitional collection for the reader moving from the children's collection to the adult collection. The type of materials selected differs significantly from the elementary school level because of the social, emotional, and intellectual maturity required to read them. As this is primarily a browsing collection, fiction and paperbacks are emphasized. Non-fiction paperbacks are purchased in contemporary areas of interest to teens and are shelved in the Young Adult area. Non-fiction hardback titles, intended for research use are integrated in the Adult non-fiction collection.