Developing Policies for Managing a Genealogical Collection
Write a Policy Manual (what services will be provided, when, and to whom) to outline your library’s response to the questions below (A-J).
Choose the best example of a Website for a genealogical collection: the one you would most like to emulate in your library situation.
USE THIS WEBSITE: http://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/index.php
See if and how the Website answers the following questions.
You can use the selected Website to help you develop some management documents to manage your real or imaginary collection. The manual will include 10 policies covering the points (A-J) below.
QUESTIONS:
A. Mission and vision statements: What is the purpose of the collection today? What will be its purpose in the future?
B. Acquisitions: What types of materials will you purchase for the collection? Books? Periodicals? Microforms? Maps? Family genealogies? Will you maintain vertical files of family and local history information? What materials will you not purchase? Will you welcome donations to the collection? What types of materials and under what circumstances?
C. Circulation: What materials will circulate? What materials will not?
D. Interlibrary Loan: Will you borrow materials from other libraries that your library does not own? Will you lend your materials to other libraries?
E. Reference: What reference services will you offer? Will you answer questions via U.S. mail, e-mail, Web site, telephone, or just in person? Will you charge for answering questions? Will you charge for photocopies of materials requested by patrons? Will you provide handouts and guides to genealogists, both beginners and advanced researchers? Will you provide genealogical data forms? Where will you get them?
F. Referral Services: Will you refer patrons to other organizations with genealogical sources for use by the general public? Local organizations? National organizations?
G. Equipment: What equipment will you provide for users of the collection: Photocopiers? Microfilm/microfiche reader/printers? Photographic services?
H. Security: Will users be required to sign in? Will you have closed or open stacks or a combination of the two? What other measures will you impose to protect rare and/or valuable materials?
I. Professional Genealogists: Will you refer patrons to professional genealogists in your area who do research for a fee?
J. Genealogical Software: What genealogical software programs are available? Which ones would you like to have available to the patrons of your genealogical collection?
The following websites may prove helpful to you.
https://www.owlsweb.org/l4l/slpspl/I (Example policies)
http://www.cyndislist.com/ (Huge database of genealogical websites)
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