Oh, DUH. (Library collection specialties)
Sep. 20th, 2006 03:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gementSo, last night at the post-ducky cocoa social hour, someone asked me to explain what sort of differences there would be between a small-town Idaho library collection and the Seattle library collection, particularly what would stand out in Seattle, and my mind went a little blank. I pointed out that Lewiston wouldn't have a really big section on poly or other alternative relationship structures, said something lame about local environmental interest, couldn't remember anything about Seattle other than the political interests of the people I generally hang out with, felt lame, and then belatedly remembered that SPL has the Seattle Collection, which is a fantastic and one-of-a-kind local resource. So I acquitted myself okay.
Then I walked off the bus this morning thinking, "oh, right, Lewiston's a little shy on its Ethiopian language materials, isn't it?" I spent all spring quarter hearing about how hard SPL works on immigrant and minority outreach, but do I remember during a conversation that was just gift-wrapped as a PR opportunity? Naw.
So I'm mentioning it here. Their multilingual collection ROCKS.
Collections should also be specialized branch by branch, not just system by system. The Cap Hill branch has an excellent GLBTQ selection, in both fiction and nonfiction. Other branches in less flamboyant parts of town don't have as much call for that material to be browsable on the shelf, but may a have much larger multilingual collection, children's or teen/YA program, ethnic studies and ethnically focused fiction, or popular fiction and video selection, depending on preferences expressed by the patrons. Or any combination thereof. Mix and match.
Thereby have I geeked. Any questions?
Then I walked off the bus this morning thinking, "oh, right, Lewiston's a little shy on its Ethiopian language materials, isn't it?" I spent all spring quarter hearing about how hard SPL works on immigrant and minority outreach, but do I remember during a conversation that was just gift-wrapped as a PR opportunity? Naw.
So I'm mentioning it here. Their multilingual collection ROCKS.
Collections should also be specialized branch by branch, not just system by system. The Cap Hill branch has an excellent GLBTQ selection, in both fiction and nonfiction. Other branches in less flamboyant parts of town don't have as much call for that material to be browsable on the shelf, but may a have much larger multilingual collection, children's or teen/YA program, ethnic studies and ethnically focused fiction, or popular fiction and video selection, depending on preferences expressed by the patrons. Or any combination thereof. Mix and match.
Thereby have I geeked. Any questions?
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Date: 2006-09-22 05:21 am (UTC)I was just in said Asotin County Liberry this very evening. I was looking specifically for a certain mystery writer whose style I positively devoured this summer and hungered for more. (Lawrence Block's "Burgler" series.) I wasn't (very) disappointed, they had many of his books, but several that were supposed to be on the shelf were not. Wah.
Pure trashy pleasure reading, clever humor and all about the writing because the plots are all the same. yes, they cater to me.
I read this summer, that's what you get to do when you have no dishes, shopping, laundry, driving, cooking, cleaning, fixing, raking, interneting or telephoning to do. It was luxurious, even if I only read tripe.