[Genealib] Local Author: definition needed

[Marnie Oakes]

Boy, is this a can of worms!
What about the author who once lived in town and then wrote
after s/he moved away?
   and what if the book was about the town but the author
never lived in town? or lived in the next town that
   has no library?
And what if the author wants to GIVE you those unsuitable
titles?
What if Steven King lived in your town a couple of years?
Is he a local author?  The library probably has
   all of his books, but not in the local history
collection.
 
All you can do is write a policy that suits your collection
and your community and then stick with the policy.
We decided that we would not have a local author collection.
Titles written by local folks go in the general
collection UNLESS they are nonfiction specifically dealing
with Littleton.  Then they are selected and treated
like any other title about the town.  This has worked so
far.
 
Marnie Oakes, Director 
Reuben Hoar Library 
41 Shattuck Street 
Littleton, MA 01460 
Phone: 978-486-4046 
Fax: 978-952-2323 
moakes at mvlc.org 
 


  _____  

From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of
Mara Munroe
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 6:02 PM
To: Librarians Serving Genealogists
Subject: [Genealib] Local Author: definition needed



Friends,

 

We were recently approached by a man who wanted us to buy
copies of his publications for our Local History Collection.
Catch is, he wrote them before he retired here.  They were
scholarly items, not suitable for our circulating collection
and quite expensive.  Some are available at the local
university library.  So we declined and he was miffed.  Do
you have a set number of years of local residency in your
definition of Local Author?  Any other advice?  Thanks.

 

Mara

Mara B. Munroe
Local and Family History Librarian
Oshkosh Public Library
Oshkosh WI 54901-4985

"History is where the evidence leads us; heritage is what we
choose to remember and celebrate."  Edward T. Linenthal, May
2005

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