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Collection Policy

Materials Selection Policy
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The County of Los Angeles Public Library serves one of the nation's most culturally, economically and socially diverse regions. The Library selects materials which best serve the needs of its varied and complex public.

The Library makes available a broad and relevant collection for information, education and recreation. The collection currently includes over 7,800,000 books, magazines, audiobooks, DVDs and CDs. We make a positive effort to provide materials of interest to people of differing ages, ethnic groups and lifestyles, in English and other languages.

The Library affirms the public's right of access to a broad spectrum of reading, listening and viewing materials. In compliance with the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights and its Freedom to Read Policy, the Library makes available sound factual data and honest opinion representing all points of view on topics of public interest and importance.

Method
The County of Los Angeles Public Library selects materials that are pertinent, representative of divergent needs, and responsive to customer demand. The Library provides current materials as well as standard authors, titles and subjects. Resource centers and special collections enhance the Library's ability to provide information.

Selection of materials is based on the subject knowledge and expertise of library staff, recommendations from the public, reviews in the media, and review copies from publishers. No materials are excluded or removed from the library on the basis of the author's race, nationality, or political, social, or religious beliefs. Materials dealing with controversial topics are judged as entire works, not on
isolated passages or sections.

Criteria
The County Library staff considers these and other factors in selecting materials:

• Popular interest or demand
• Currency of information, accuracy and impartiality, social significance
• Appropriateness for age
• Cost
• Physical durability, attractiveness and technical merit of the format
• Reviews in professional media
• Reputation of the author, publisher, or producer
• Relevance to the community

Formats
The Library purchases materials in a variety of formats:

• Books
• Magazines and Newspapers
• CDs
• Audiobooks
• DVDs
• Microforms
• Electronic databases
• Downloadable books and audios