General Comments

The purpose of generalities is to provide multi-disciplinary works and works in disciplines relating to or applicable to many other fields of study. Examples include computer science, bibliography, library and information science, general encyclopedic works, serial publications, general organizations, documentary media, journalism, general collections of language and history, manuscripts, books, and rare books. This class also includes library guides, censorship issues, and various aspects of print media.

Development Plan

This class is not heavily developed. However, an area for future development would be a small collection of books about children’s reading (to be developed in consultation with the Children’s Department manager).

• 000 Generalities. Heavily developed and maintained are computer sources emphasizing software, with lesser attention to general computer guides and to programming. Some emphasis on curiosities sources is maintained.
• 010 Bibliography. Minimally developed, though both subject specific bibliographies and general reader’s advisory bibliographies are acceptable on a limited basis.
• 020 Library and Information Sciences. Minimally developed with emphasis on guides to using the library. A professional library science book collection is developed by each department manager and is housed separately since it is intended primarily for staff use.
• 030 General encyclopedic works. Minimally developed, the encyclopedia section is comprised of the reference collection’s older editions, which are rotated to the circulation collection upon receipt of newer editions. Almanacs and other fact books are developed and maintained.
• 040 Number not assigned.
• 050 General serials and their indexes. Magazines and their indexes are not classed and are developed and housed in separate collections.
• 060 General organization and museology (museum science). Parliamentary procedure sources are maintained. Minimally developed are museology (museum science) sources.
• 070 News media, journalism, publishing. Newspapers and their indexes are not classed and are developed and housed in separate collections.
• 080 General collections. Minimally developed. Generally, new quotation materials are placed in the reference collection.
• 090 Manuscripts and rare books. Minimally developed. Rare books are housed in a separate, Wyoming oriented collection (see Adult Miscellaneous, Rare Books).

Influencing Factors

Purchases and buying patterns are determined in large part by:

• electronic/Internet sources availability.
• new works.
• budget constraints.
• circulation statistics.
• patron requests.
• present and potential relevance to the community.
• shelf space.

Retention/Weeding

• Computer books not older than ten years are retained, unless there has been a call for certain software information. This is a case by case call based upon transactions of the item.
• Library guides no older than four to five years are retained.
• Encyclopedia retention of six to ten years is maintained; weeding will be automatic when new reference editions are acquired.
• Historical value of each censorship source is evaluated before discarding.
• For any quotation sources added, consideration is given to weeding existing quotation sources one-for-one. In other words, when one is purchased, one is weeded.
• Guinness Book of World Records is retained for ten years.
• Editorial Research Reports/ CQ Researcher is retained for ten years.
• The 1873 version of Robert’s Rules of Order is retained, in addition to representations of the newest edition of the Rules.