Stock allocation policy

 

Stock is a service-wide resource and its deployment depends on its category, potential use, scope and format. All stock will be allocated in a way which will maximise its potential usage.

 

Each library aims to provide a broad-based and varied stock, which is relevant to its users’ needs and is of a level appropriate to its size and known demand and should be able to cater for the majority of everyday demands from its customers. To identify these needs, staff respond to feedback from customers and use management information available, including statistics from the Library Management System (LMS) and CollectionHQ.

 

The larger libraries have a commitment to hold stock at a higher level and to hold some specialist materials. Larger libraries will also act as a back-up for smaller service points by holding more of the less well-used stock.

 

Smaller libraries offer services which are very much tailored to local community need. These include the provision of a range of good quality books that meet local demand and widen and develop reading experiences. The stock in the smaller libraries does not aim to be comprehensive.

 

Some lesser-used stock which is important to retain for readers is housed in a reserve stack, and customers can place reservations on these titles.

 

Joining The Libraries Consortium (TLC) gives our customers access to a shared catalogue of over six million items of stock. This will be in addition to the current titles Essex Libraries already has available. Stock when purchased is allocated to one branch but it is a service-wide resource that can be loaned to any branch within Essex and after six weeks to the wider TLC where there is a customer demand. Requests can be placed free of charge which ensures that every customer has equal accessibility to the stock we hold.

 

All libraries will provide reader development and children’s activities, including reading groups and the Summer Reading Challenge.

 

What we stock, and where 

 

Stock category

Locations

Adult fiction                                                     

All libraries

Adult non-fiction                                             

All libraries

Children’s fiction                                           

All libraries                     

Children’s non-fiction                                     

All libraries               

Adult Large Print                                           

All libraries               

Children’s Large Print                                 

Chelmsford and Colchester

Giant Print and Braille Picture Books                                                     

LSU and Saffron Walden

Adult Audio books on CD                                       

All libraries

Music CDs                                                     

Basildon, Braintree, Chelmsford, Colchester

Adult and children’s DVDs                       

Basildon, Braintree, Chelmsford, Clacton, Colchester, , Hadleigh, Halstead, , Loughton, Maldon, , Rayleigh, Waltham Abbey (children), West Mersea, Wickford (adult),  

 

 

Asian language books                                   

Chelmsford, Colchester, Basildon and Harlow LSU

Polish language Books

Colchester, and Braintree

Ukrainian and Russian language Books

Chelmsford, Colchester, Basildon Braintree and Harlow

Other language books                                   

There is a range of other language stock across the county and can also be supplied on customer request

Play sets                                                     

Witham, LSU

Music score sets                                       

Chelmsford, LSU 

 

 

   

   

Online subscriptions

 

 

Subscription  

Content/use

Customer Access

Arts, literature, and music

Naxos Music Library

Online classical music library

Library card login/sign up

Biographical, Historical and Family History

Ancestry

Family history search

Library card login/sign up

Find my past

(British Library)

Family history

Library card login/sign up

The British Newspaper Archive

(British Library)

British Library's vast collection of digitised historic newspapers from all over Britain and Ireland

Library card login/sign up

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Biographies of over 60,000 British people

Library card login/sign up

The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland

Covering English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Cornish and immigrant surnames

Library card login/sign up

The Times Digital Archive

(GALE)

Full contents of The Times newspaper from 1785 to 2019

Library card login/sign up

Who's Who and Who was Who

From 1849 right up to this year - the noteworthy and influential people who have impacted British life

Library card login/sign up

BFI Replay

Digital archive screen history both personal and produced

In library service link on public computers

Business

Access to Research

published academic research at your local library

Link to website, library use only

Business e-magazines - PressReader

See E-Library below

 

Encyclopaedias, dictionaries and general reference

Access to Research

See Business

 

Encyclopaedia Britannica Library

Find information on certain topics

Library card login/sign up

Britannica Junior

Ages 5 to 11

Library card login/sign up

Britannica Student

Ages 12 to 18

Library card login/sign up

Britannica Adult

Advanced level information for older students and adults

Library card login/sign up

Oxford English Dictionary Online

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is the definitive record of the English language, featuring 600,000 words, 3 million quotations.

Library card login/sign up

Homework and education

Britannica Junior

See Encyclopaedias, Dictionaries and General Reference

 

Britannica Student

See Encyclopaedias, Dictionaries and General Reference

 

Newspapers, magazines, and current affairs

The British Newspaper Archive

See Biographical, Historical and Family History

 

Libby by OverDrive

See E-Library

 

PressReader

See E-Library

 

The Times Digital Archive

See Biographical, Historical and Family History

 

Free courses

Universal Class

Online courses

Library card login/sign up

Learn My Way

Online courses for digital skills

Library card login/sign up

Driving Theory Pro

(Go Citizen)

Driving theory practice

Library card login/sign up

Transparent Language

Learn 80 Language courses plus learn English at all levels, children and adult

Library card login/sign up

Go Citizen

British citizenship test or Life in the UK test

Library card login/sign up

Entertainment

BFI Replay

See Biographical, Historical and Family History

 

Kanopy

(OverDrive)

Streaming service - films/TV series

Library card login/sign up

 

E-Library

Libby

(OverDrive)

E-magazines/comics/graphic novels

Library card login/sign up

BorrowBox

E-books/audio/magazines

Library card login/sign up

PressReader

(OverDrive)

E-newspapers/magazines - UK and around the world

Library card login/sign up

Other

Which?

Online reviews

In Library use only via login - LSU have details. (Not to be shared with the public.)

Subscriptions for library admin (access by staff only)

Bookseller

Info on new book releases

Emailed to libraries

Nielsen BookData

Details of all currently published books

In Library use only via login - LSU have details. 

 

Donations   

 

ECC will no longer accept public donations of physical books. The exception to this will be Essex local history stock that cannot be purchased from a VAT registered retail outlet.

Please see Information for Authors and Publishers.

 

Authors and Publishers

For guidance on the support and options provided by Essex Libraries to Publishers and Local authors please see Information for Authors and Publishers.

Duplicates

There may be duplicate copies of titles in any library branch because the book is popular enough to warrant having duplicate copies.

CollectionHQ reports will pick up on unused duplicates and redistribute accordingly or may request a duplicate title for a particular branch to satisfy customer demand. 

Local History stock

Essex Libraries have worked with the Essex Record Office (ERO) to arrive at an integrated approach to the effective and appropriate acquisition, utilisation and disposal of Local History stock avoiding unnecessary duplication and enhancing access.

Aims of the joint ERO/Libraries Local History services:

  • To cater for the needs of customers wishing to access information about their local community and the wider county
  • To encourage wider interest in these topics, as a worthwhile and rewarding activity and as a tool to engender greater community cohesion.

It is intended

  • that the ERO collection should be as comprehensive as possible, effectively becoming the main Local History collection of all types of material for the county
  • that widespread duplication of resources should be avoided where it cannot be justified
  • that library stock will normally be available for loan. “Reference only” destinations should only occur where there is a particular justification.