Collection Development/Maintenance Policy, Kentucky Talking Book Library (reviewed 11/2022)
Development
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped provides the Kentucky Talking Book Library with the majority of our collection, in both audio and Braille formats.
The Kentucky Talking Book Library will provide additional materials by producing audio books of local and regional interest, or those of recreational or informational interest not produced by NLS or another network library. Kentucky-produced books will be uploaded to the NLS BARD website for download by KTBL, as well as all eligible Talking Book users. KTBL will maintain archival copies of the digital book files.
Patrons are welcome to suggest books to be recorded and included in the collection. However, the book must meet the following guidelines.
To be recorded and included in KTBL's Kentucky Collection, a book should:
- Have 2 favorable reviews published in reputable sources.
- Have a Kentucky connection:
- be written by a Kentucky author
- be about Kentucky (non-fiction)
- take place in Kentucky (fiction)
- have a regional connection
- ex: Appalachia, border states
- be of particular interest to Kentucky readers
- ex: horse racing, coal mining
- Be written by a popular author or be a genre or subject librarians feel will interest a large number of patrons.
- Appear in a style that lends itself to be easily recorded and understood in audio format.
- Ex: no interviews, plays, works that rely heavily on charts, graphs, or illustrations.
KTBL should not expend time, effort and materials recording books that:
- Have already been produced by NLS or another network library.
- Rely heavily on photographs or illustrations.
- Have limited subject interest.
- Are political or religious tracts expounding a personal viewpoint.
- Contain material likely to become outdated within 5 years.
- Are vanity press and self-published works.
- KTBL will only occasionally record books for very young children, as it has very few juvenile patrons. Adult patrons often will read books written for ages 10 and up, so these materials are more likely to be selected for production.
- Exceptions may be made with the consent of all four Librarians and the Recording Supervisor. They must all agree that the writing quality, subject matter, and patron appeal justifies recording the book.
Gifts and Donations
KTBL is grateful for gifts of Braille and recorded materials, but we reserve the right to decide whether to add them to our collection. All gift materials selected must meet the criteria of this Collection Development Policy. Physical condition and recording quality will be considered when accepting gifts. KTBL reserves the right to offer to other libraries gifts that are not added to the collection. Some unwanted materials may be disposed of.
Deaccessioning
- KTBL will weed the braille collection annually according to the NLS XESS program in order to remain within its space constraints. It will maintain a collection of NLS braille books released within the past 2 years, adhering to the cutoff numbers determined by NLS. KTBL will offer books to other NLS network libraries during its assigned monthly cycle, ship requested books to the appropriate libraries, and dispose of the remaining books t as directed by NLS.
- KTBL will evaluate each locally-produced analog title to determine whether to convert it to digital format. Titles containing outdated information or with little circulation history will not be converted, but master tapes will be preserved. Titles with patron requests for digital format will be placed at the head of the conversion queue.
Contact Information
Kentucky Talking Book Library
PO Box 537
Frankfort KY 40602
800.372.2968
502.564.5791
KTBL.Mail@ky.gov
We are available to assist you 8:00 am - 4:00 pm (Eastern Time Zone) Monday-Friday.