Guidelines for acquiring vertical material

Need or place in the collection

• Will the material be used?
  o If not, do you have a good reason to acquire it?
• Will the material be used often?
  o If not, can you justify getting it?
• Is this the only source of this kind of information in your library?
  o If not, will it add to the collection?
• Does your collection need this viewpoint?
  o If not, does it add information?

Presentation

• Is this format desirable?
  o If not, do you really want?
• Is this material easy to use?
  o If not, do you have a good reason to add it?

Authority

 

• Is the material accurate?
  o If not, should you even consider it?
• Is the material from a reliable source?
  o If not, do you have a good reason to add it?
• Is the material objective?
  o If not, can you justify putting it into the colection?
• Is the name and address of the source on the item?
  o If not, have you written it on the item?

Timeliness

 

• Was the item published within the past three years?
  o If not, is it valuable for historic reasons?
• Is the date printed on the material?
  o If not, have you written the date of reciept on the material?

Adapted from: Sitter, Clara L. The Vertical File and Its Alternatives: A Handbook. Englewood, Colo. : Libraries Unlimited, 1992.

Sample Form Letter

 

 

Middle School Library

1234 Middle Street

Middletown, Manitoba

R3G 1X4

 

Dear Sponsor:

Please send one copy of the following free materials for use in our library. If there is a charge, please advise us before sending the materials.

 

 

 

We appreciate your help in assisting us to build a collection of supplementary materials to enrich our library.

Sincerely,

 

 

I. M. Plain

Vertical File Co-ordinator