This work offers practical solutions for librarians with regard to acquisition and policy dilemmas encountered when starting or adding to the library audio-visual collection. The book looks at future trends, patron use, collection development tools, and written policies for the A.V. collection.

Learn the right questions to ask when considering the creation, maintenance, and policy needs of the A.V. collection A.V. in Public and School Libraries guides librarians through the development of an A.V. policy by addressing special aspects of A.V. in the 90s such as censorship, cataloging, costs, and acquisition policy dilemmas. Audio-visual material use is soaring in the public and school library environment, yet some video collections are being developed haphazardly as libraries select new materials based on policy statements written for print materials. The staff of any library that is starting or adding to an A.V. collection will benefit from this insightful overview of the video collection that addresses future trends, patron use patterns, collection development tools, and development of written policies. Some of the special issues concerning the A.V. collection addressed in this book include: charging fees for borrowing videos censorship issues--should children have access to R and NC--17 rated videos? video collections in a small public library collections of audio books teaching youth how to judge A.V. information critically recommended videos for establishing a children's video collection how secondary school students can benefit from A.V. instructional mediaVideo acquisitions librarians, A.V. librarians, and librarians in small- and medium-sized libraries who are responsible for policymaking regarding the video collection will benefit from this practical advice on developing basic collections, creating collection tools, copyright issues, and decisions based on quality versus popularity of materials. A.V. in Public and School Libraries helps all librarians address theaudio-visual needs of younger patrons in the school library media collection and the public library environment.