Book Selection Process

Fresno County Public Library supports each person's freedom to choose what they would like to read, and we encourage parents, guardians, and caregivers to determine which Library materials are best suited for their children. We are committed to meeting the information needs of all individuals and families in our community. We provide access to a wide variety of materials that appeal to a breadth of interests, and we offer a collection that ensures there is something of interest available to everyone of every background, belief, and identity. Our goal is for any Fresno County resident to walk into one of our branches and see themselves in our collection. Parents, guardians, and caregivers have the right and responsibility to restrict their children's access to Library resources.

Our Collection Development Team selects all the materials (Books, DVDs, Magazines) to be purchased for all our library branches. Our book selectors are professional librarians with master's degrees in Library and Information Science. We take into consideration several factors when selecting library materials, including, but not limited to:

  • Popular interest or demand
  • Contemporary significance or permanent value
  • Currency of information
  • Accuracy
  • Local emphasis
  • Relevance to community needs or interests
  • Nationally recognized awards
  • Circulation (how many times a title is checked out) statistics and trends
  • Cost and availability

Book Purchasing: Most of the Library's materials are purchased through Baker & Taylor, the leading supplier of library content, software, and services to public libraries in the U.S.

Suggest a Book for Purchase: All Fresno County Public Library cardholders can submit a suggestion for a book or other material to be purchased and added to our collection. You can fill out our Suggestion for Purchase form here. Additionally, we consider all Suggestions for Purchase. To suggest a title for purchase, you must have a library card.

Requests for Reconsideration: Fresno County residents wishing to recommend the removal of a particular item in the Library collection may submit a Request for Reconsideration form, which will be reviewed by the collection development staff, management, and the County Librarian to ensure it's alignment with the Library's Collection Development policy. After evaluating the submission, the Manager who oversees the Library's collection or the Associate County Librarian will send a response to the petitioner. Any further appeals will be decided by the County Librarian, who decides on the final placement of the item. You can find the Request to Reconsider Materials form here.

Weeding Materials: As part of our continual collection maintenance process, items are removed from the collection to allow physical space and balance the overall collection. Items may be weeded (removed-selected) for several reasons, including but not limited to:

  • Obsolescence - The Library does not keep manuals and other How-to materials that have become outdated. For example, Windows 95 For Dummies might be weeded due to obsolescence.
  • Damage or poor condition - the Library will weed books that are too worn or damaged to circulate.
  • Space limitations - the Library will weed books to create more space for new titles.
  • Insufficient use - a book with low circulation (number of times checked out) may be weeded after 3-5 years.
This process is ongoing. Our book selectors help guide the branches on monthly weeding and are continuously working on providing fresh content for our county-wide collection.

For More Information on Public Libraries, please visit the links below: