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SELECTION AND ADMINISTRATION
OF
PROJECT-OWNED BOOKS
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AV. P. A. Technical Series
Public Activities Circular No. 13
Library Service Circular Number 2
February 18, 1941
FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY
WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION
Division of Community Service Programs
Washington, D. C.
A2126
Pro je ct-Owned Books
Foreword
FOREWORD
This circular is prepared for the use of Library
Service State Supervisors to give them technical instructions
in the selection and administrative control of project-owned books.
Nothing in this circular is to be construed as affecting
or modifying in anyway administrative procedures of the Work
Projects Administration,
Howard 0, Hunter
Acting Commissioner of
Work Projects
A2126
Froject-owned Books
Table of Contents
Section 1#
Section 2,
Section 3.
Section 4.
Section 5e
Section 5.
Section 76
Section 8,
T^BLE OF CONTENTS
Use and Control of Project-Owned 3ooks
Selection and Content of Project Collection
Classifying and Cataloging
Requisitioning 3ooks
Recording
Tr an sp o r t at i on
Replacements
Discards
A2126
Project-Owned. Books
Section 1
service projects may purchase a limited quantity of hooks from Federal funds.
These books may be utilized to aid the efforts of the project in creating
demand for adequate, permanent locally supported library service through
stimulating reading interest, (See Operating Procedure No, 0-5, section 20,)
As it is a general policy of project organization that "in a given county
or larger area, local project units shall be integrated into an area-wide
service," these bocks purchased with Federal funds should be utilized only
in compliance with this policy.
Under no circumstances should project-owned books be considered merely
as supplementary books to be used in connection with existing library service,
but should be considered as books to assist libraries with limited collections
to extend their service to new areas or groups without library service. Under
no circumstances shall project-owned books become identified as a part of
any one public or school library collection exclusively.
The selection and administration of the resulting collection of books
is the exclusive responsibility of the State project supervisor, (See
Operating Procedure No, G-5, section 20.)
The State project supervisor shall specify and enforce the regulations
which govern the use of the project book collection. It is the general
policy that books may be loaned in substantial lots to demonstration areas
for a period of approximately 1 year. At the end of this period the State
projet supervisor shall withdraw all project-owned books from that area
of project operation which in the opinion of the supervisor has failed to
A2126
Project-Owned Books
Section 1
Pago 2
make a substantial cash sponsor's contribution toward the maintenance of
the service being demonstrated and/or has failed to satisfy other specified
conditions.
A2126 Project-Owned Books
Section 2
Page 1
Section 2. Salacllon and Content of Project Oollection Books purchased
with Federal funds should form a "basic collection which reflects the reading
level and interests of the communities to "be served. Extreme care should
"be exercised to limit the selection to those titles which will not offend
any race, creed, or political group.
Initial selection toward the formation of a project collection is
governed by the following proportional specifications; children's literature
not in excess of 35 percent of the total collection; of the remaining 65 percent
of the total collection required in adult titles, fiction shall constitute not
more than 40 percent of all adult titles.
In the case of existing substantial project book collections, supplemen¬
tary buying is governed by the following proportional specifications toward
which the collection shall be adjusted as rapidly as possible; children's
literature not in excess of 35 percent of the total collection; of the remain¬
ing 65 percent of the total collection required in adult titles, fiction should
eventually constitute not more than 25 percent of all adult titles.
The selection of books to be purchased is controlled by the following
limitations;
1. All books purchased with Federal funds shall be listed
in such accredited guides to book buying as;
(a) ALA Booklist
(b) ALA Buying List of Books for Small Libraries
(c) Children's Catalog
(d) Standard Catalog for Senior High School
(e) Standard Catalog for Public Libraries
(f) Wilson Library Bulletin
Project-Ovmed Books
Section 2
Page 2
Duplication of titles shall not exceed, five copies
per title in the total State project "book collection.
ITo hooks designed exclusively for library refer, once
use shall be purchased, For example: encyclopedias,
yearbooks, Who's Who, dictionaries, etc,
A collection of professional literature and training
materials may be purchased for State project head-•
quarters. provided that applicable materials are not
readily available in tne State sponsoring library
agency, However, not more than one copy of any one
cataloging or book-selecting "aid" shall be purchased
with Federal funds,
With the exception of cataloging and book-selecting
"aids," a collection similar to that purchased for
State project headquarters may be purchased for dis¬
trict headquarters.
All purchases shall be confined to trade editions and
acceptable reprints, excepting only children's liter¬
ature, which may be purchased prebound and reenforced.
A "trade edition" is the regular edition of a book
printed for end supplied to the book trade, as dis¬
tinguished from a "limited edition" issued in some
special form to command interest of collectors, or a
"special edition" especially prepared by rebinding,
reenforcing, etc., of the "trade editions."
Expensive editions, including titles of limited appeal,
and juvenile bobks for use as supplementary rem- Ing
required by the school curriculum will not be approved
for purchase.
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Project-Owned Books
Sections 3 and 4
Section 3. Classifying and Cataloging. It is recommended that
Dewey Decimal Classification "be used exclusively, and that a simplified
form of cataloging is sufficient for all project-owned hooks.
Section 4. Requisitioning Books. Requisitions for the purchase of
hooks for lihrary-service projects shall he prepared and routed in
accordance with the instructions contained in volume 2 of the Manual of
Rules and Regulations, pages 2.9.015 through 2.9.019, 2.9.042, and 2.9.054.
All such requisitions require the approval of the Assistant Commissioner
in charge of the Division of Community Service Programs, Washington, D. C.,
prior to submission to the State Procurement Office for purchase action.
It is recommended that the State Procurement Officer he consulted if any
questions arise as to the number of items which should he included on one
requisition. To assure the receipt of specific illustrated editions of
children's hooks, always specifjr the illustrator. Specify hooks in cloth
or buckram-covered hoards to avoid the receipt of paper-covered hooks. The
State Procurement Officer will, upon request, include in the "invitation to
hid" a suggestion that bidders indicate what additional discount thoy will
allow on all or none basis.
A2146
Project-Owned Books
Section 5
Page 1
Section 5. Recording. Complying with the general policy of the
project, that of loaning hooks to area-wide demonstrations for a limited time
according to the regulations set by the State supervisor, and to supply the
information required with book requisitions and by periodical inventorying,
the cataloging and recording of the project-owned collection should be
centralized in the State project headquarters.
The following records should be maintained for these books;
Accession book
Shelf-list
Card catalog
Book cards
It is recommend.ed that a three-card, record system known as a "finding
file" be maintained for each copy of the books sent out from the State pro¬
ject headquarters. This system consists of (l) a master card record, in¬
dicating the distribution of books by District, kept by the State project
headquarters; (2) a second card record duplicating the master card record,
indicating the distribution of books by service demonstration area within
the district, kept by the district project headquarters; and (3) a last card
record, also duplicating the master card record, indicating the distribution
of books by branches, station, etc., of the service demonstration area, kept
by the service demonstration area headquarters library.
Three different and easily distinguishable colors a e recommended for
the cards of the "finding file."
Every book shall be marked with a stamu in three designated places, one
of which shall be a page within the contents, identifying the book as the
property of the Eederal Government and of the State-wide library -oroject.
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Project-Owned. Books
Section 5
Page 2
The following stamp legend is suggested: "Property of the Federal
Government, State-wide Library Project, V/PA." Bookplates are not suit¬
able means of identification.
To assist in prompt identification of project-owned books on the
shelves for withdrawal, inventory, etc., it is suggested that a per¬
manent, distinctive marking, such as an enameled stripe, be placed on the
back of each volume.
There shall be at least one report of inventory each year.
A2146
Project-Owned Books
Sections 6, 7, and 8
Section 6. Transportation. As a general policy, the sponsor is
responsible for the transportation of project-owned books from the
State headquarters to the local units and their return. However, every
assistance should be given the sponsor by the project supervisors in
assisting him to procure transportation. In emergencies the distri¬
bution of relatively large shipments of books may be arranged through
the Supply Section and charged to project funds. (See chapter 10,
volume 2, of the Manual of Rules and Regulations.)
Section 7. Replacements. Lost books or books damaged beyond
repair shall be replaced with identical new copies by the borrowing
agency. Substitutes may be made only when acceptable to the State
supervisor. When lost or damaged books cannot be replaced by the
borrowing agency, the loss shall be reported in accordance with the
survey procedure set forth in volume 2 of the Manual of Rules and
Regulations, pages 2.10.085-2.10.086.
Section 8. Discards. Project-owned books worn out in use shall
be reported to the proper State office on WPA Form 715.