Library and archives stock policy

Introduction and aims

Introduction

Birmingham Library and Archives Service seek to make a significant contribution to the lives of people in Birmingham through the provision of an innovative and high quality customer focussed service. Birmingham aims to provide the opportunity for everyone to access learning, information and cultural expression through written print, audio, visual and interactive resources and technologies.

The Library Service supports Birmingham 2020 forward together outcomes:

  • A Strong Economy
  • A Modern Council
  • Safety and Opportunity for All Children
  • Thriving Local Communities
  • A Healthy, Happy City

Aims

The Stock Management Policy aims to provide electronic, printed and audio visual resources to support learning, information and recreational needs which:

  • promote reading as an essential life skill and as a source of pleasure and enjoyment
  • promote literature of a high quality
  • extend and develop the individual reading experience
  • support children’s independent reading/learning
  • introduce children and young people to a variety of life situations and cultures, to encourage them to be sensitive to others
  • reflect the widest diversity of cultural backgrounds and social views
  • provide material in languages other than English to reflect the City's diverse ethnic and cultural population
  • satisfy the need for all appropriate formats for people with special needs
  • provide information for service users to enable them to make informed life choices
  • provide access to a wide range of information and opinion to help people play a part in the democratic process
  • widen awareness of the culture and heritage of the city and foster a sense of community identity and promote social cohesion
  • preserve, present and help interpret the collective memory and identity of the city
  • support the economic life of the community
  • reflect the constantly changing nature of contemporary society
  • ensure that funds allocated for stock purchase are used effectively to provide value for money; to ensure a consistent, fair and equitable approach; and to maximise the availability and use of items in libraries across the city.

Definition

In the Policy the term ‘stock’ comprises all forms of library material, including electronically accessible information and resources, books, newspapers, periodicals, maps, audio cassettes, videos, DVDs, CDs, microforms, CD-ROMs, photographs and ephemera.

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