The Youth Department Director has responsibility for the collection and delegates collection management roles as needed. “Collection” in this document refers to the Youth collection.
Selection Guidelines
Print
All titles are selected with the intent of being within the general interest of children from birth through eighth grade, their grownups, and any persons who have a need for juvenile items. The Youth Department strives to meet the informational and recreational needs of this group. Specific technical titles, textbooks (with some exceptions), and workbooks are generally not considered for purchase.
Nonprint
Titles in different types of media are selected to suit the interests, preferences, and developmental needs of the targeted audience of the department. Selection sources of audiovisual materials include catalogs (Ingram Advance, Midwest Tapes, Recorded Books, etc.), general interest newspapers, periodicals, and cardholder requests. Appropriateness and expected long-term use will be deciding factors in selection.
The online database collection complements the “electronic branch” concept of library services. Factors in selection include reference value, availability of print equivalent, subscription cost, availability of remote access, and cardholder demand. Priority items will be those products which provide a unique service, provide added value to their print equivalents, and products which are the equivalent of large paper collections.
Methods of evaluation include comparisons to similar products, demonstrations, literature reviews, and peer consultation. Criteria may include:
- Authority of contributors
- Timeliness and accuracy
- Quality and uniqueness of information
- Target audience
- Depth of coverage
- Interface that encourages effective use
- Price
- Vendor reputation
- Customer support
- Advantage/availability over comparable print resource
Role of the Collection
The collections of the Youth Department of Glen Ellyn Public Library serve the following purposes:
- Education Support
- Popular Materials Selections
- Education Support
The collection’s educational role is to support formal education through eighth grade. In addition, material is collected in our Parent/Teacher section for adults seeking information on topical parenting topics. Selectors bear in mind the needs of students, particularly recurring assignments, in developing the collections. Although curriculum-related items may be purchased in accordance with the collection development criteria, items are not specifically purchased for an individual school’s program or curriculum.
Popular Materials Selections
Popular materials are those which are in demand by the community. Selectors take into consideration demand as reflected by award lists, reserve/purchase requests, and may consult community groups or subject experts regarding special needs for materials in specific subject areas.
Multiple copies and multiple formats are purchased to meet cardholder demand. After initial demand has passed, most duplicate copies are removed from the collection, due to lack of space and condition of the item.
Book Collections
Board Books
Board books are sturdy concept books designed to be handled by infants and toddlers. The size of the book and the durability of any moving parts are important purchase considerations.
Picture Books
Picture books include fiction and concept books usually intended for an adult to read to a child from infant to age eight. The picture book collection is organized into categories and sub- categories to allow for easy browsing by both children and adults. Holiday picture books are stickered with holiday stickers and shelved in the Juvenile Holiday collection, rather than the picture book collection. The books in this section must be durable because of their audience, so library binding hardbacks are preferred. However, the library purchases current, popular material, such as favorite character picture books or television and movie tie-ins, which may be in paperback binding. Picture books which are on the annual Monarch nominee list are purchased in paperback, if available, to meet increased demand.
Early Readers
Early reader books are written for beginning to emergent readers below a third grade reading level. The early reader collection is organized into five levels with colored stickers on the spine indicating the level of the book. Each book is read prior to processing to determine the level.
The level is chosen based on various criteria, including number of words per page, sentence structure, illustrative support, and vocabulary. Hardcover bindings are preferred, although the library purchases current, popular material, such as movie tie-ins written at this level, whether in paperback or hardcover binding. Boxed sets of small paperbacks are purchased and are designed to circulate as one packaged unit. Holiday early readers are stickered with holiday stickers and shelved in the Juvenile Holiday collection, rather than the Early Readers. Early reader books which are on the annual Monarch nominee list are purchased in paperback, if available, to meet increased demand. An early reader nonfiction collection has been pulled out of the nonfiction collection and shelved separately within the early reader collection. These organization of these books considers their Dewey Decimal number as well as their reading level. Readers are added to the Monarch shelf as needed, and in paperback, if available. An early reader nonfiction collection has been pulled out of the nonfiction collection and shelved separately within the early reader collection. The early reader nonfiction collection is shelved by reading level and then by author.
Fiction
Fiction contains books written for second through fifth grade readers, which comprises a wide range of reading levels and content. Genre labels assist visitors in finding books to suit their needs. In addition, transitional chapter books which are at a second or third grade reading level have an “owl” spine label. The library relies on professional reviews to determine whether a title is appropriate for juvenile fiction, or is better suited in early readers or middle school fiction. The Youth Department does not keep a comprehensive collection of series if the circulation rates do not justify. Fiction books which are on the annual Bluestem or Rebecca Caudill nominee lists are purchased in paperback, if available, to meet increased demand.
Graphic Novels
The Graphic Novel collection consists of fiction and nonfiction titles in pictorial form using text and sequential art to tell the story. Preference is given to hardcover titles, although paperbacks will be purchased when that is the only available format. Selection criteria are the same as above but also include the quality of graphics.
Middle School Fiction
Middle School Fiction contains books written for sixth through eighth grade readers, which comprises a wide range of reading levels and content. Books in this collection are identified with a colored overlay sticker on the spine. Genre labels assist visitors in finding books to suit their needs. Hardcover bindings are preferred, but paperback titles are purchased when hardcover is not available. Staff rely on professional reviews to determine whether a title is appropriate for middle school fiction or is better suited in juvenile fiction or the Young Adult collections. The Youth Department does not keep a comprehensive collection of series if the circulation rates do not justify. Middle School fiction books which are on the annual Rebecca Caudill nominee list are purchased in paperback, if available, to meet increased demand.
Nonfiction
The nonfiction collection of Glen Ellyn Public Library is classified in the Dewey Decimal System and uses Library of Congress Subject Headings. The collection is predominantly a print collection, although nonfiction audiovisual formats are classified with Dewey numbers. The Youth Department strives to provide a wide range of reading levels throughout the collection. Once an individual title is no longer popular, the library will reduce the copies of that title.
000 – Generalities
Common subjects include computers, world records, unidentified flying objects, and ancient mysteries.
100 – Philosophy and Psychology
Common subjects include Salem Witch Trials, optical illusions, feelings, character education, and self-esteem.
200 – Religion
Common subjects include a general overview of each of the major world religions, as well as mythologies of the world and Christian entertainment media such as VeggieTales.
300 – Social Sciences
Common subjects include family issues, social issues, environmental issues, government, military, holidays, folktales and fairy tales. Youth Services maintains a large collection of folktales, and fairy tales representing a wide range of cultural traditions.
400 – Language
Common subjects include English grammar, sign language, dictionaries, and foreign language instructional as well as recreational reading material. The foreign language collection evolves to meet the changing needs of our residents.
500 – Science
Common subjects include science experiments, natural sciences, dinosaurs, mathematics, pure sciences, biomes, botany, and animals for the student.
600 – Applied Science and Technology
Common subjects include toilet training, human body, machinery, space flight, farming, pets, cookery, and architecture.
700 – Arts
Common subjects include art, crafts, performing arts, riddles, games. and sports.
800 – Literature
Common subjects include poetry, children’s literature collections, and plays.
900 – History and Geography
Common subjects include pirates, explorers, saints, atlases, countries, ancient civilizations, history, and Native Americans.
Biographies
Biographies and autobiographies of single individuals are here, while collective biographies are found in the 900s or in the appropriate Dewey area for their topic.
Parenting
Parenting material is written at an adult level and covers parenting topics and school curriculum topics. Common subjects include children’s literacy and child-rearing. Paperback workbooks may be purchased to support curriculum needs. The parenting collection is organized by categories to allow for easy browsing. There is some intentional duplication of material also found in the Adult Department.
Magazines
The magazine collection is intended to include educational popular titles in a broad range of subject areas for preschool through eighth grade. The majority of the titles are at the elementary school level. There is no duplication between Youth, YA, and Adult titles.
Databases and Electronic Resources
The electronic collection will reflect the academic needs of schools and community members birth through eighth grade and their caregivers. When feasible, electronic sources are made available from remote locations as well as inside the library. When possible, the library looks to partner with local schools to offer databases that are needed and promoted within the schools and the curriculum.
Audiovisual Materials and Resources
The library continues to expand its collection of audiovisual formats. Appropriateness and expected long-term use are the deciding factors in selection. As new technologies emerge, older formats will be phased out, depending on cardholder demand. Shelving and storage options also have an impact on this collection.
Downloadable Materials
Through participation in consortia and purchased databases, the library offers Glen Ellyn card holders the ability to download a variety of materials that can be viewed, read, or listened to on computers and wireless devices. Titles of downloadable materials vary according to publisher and provider.
Non-Books
Non-book materials are purchased based on the changing needs within the community. These can be educational or popular but not commonly owned items. As the needs of the community change, some materials will be phased out, and others will be introduced into the collection.