PHILOSOPHIES, PRACTICES AND POLICIES OF BOOK SELECTION IN MEDIUM-SIZED AND LARGE PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN TWO CANADIAN PROVINCES, ALBERTA AND ONTARIO

The objective of this thesis was to isolate philosophies (professed, measured and perceived institutional), practices and policies of book selection, and to determine consistencies and/or inconsistencies in selectors' philosophies of book selection (professed, measured and perceived institutional), vis a vis their practices and/or the library's written policy of book selection.

For the purpose of this study two philosophical models, "elitist" and "egalitarian", have been identified. While extremes are unlikely to be evident, it is assumed that a selector is likely to adhere to one philosophical model over the other.

A descriptive survey methodology was used. Mailed questionnaires and personal interviews combined as instruments for data collection. Selection policies where they exist, were collected and examined.

The survey questionnaire was administered to all adult book selectors in medium-sized and large public libraries in Alberta and Ontario to determine: measured philosophies of book selection, practices of book selection, information regarding selection policies and personal characteristics of selectors. The response rate was 76%.

When the survey questionnaires had been returned a 2 question post card questionnaire was sent to all selectors who had returned the first questionnaire, to determine perceived institutional philosophies of book selection and professed philosophies of book selection. The response rate for the post card questionnaire was 99%.

Once the questionnaires had been returned, interviews were conducted with a stratified random sample of selectors. Thirteen interviews were undertaken in order to verify the questionnaire data and to obtain a more complete picture of the selection process.

The findings indicated that overall selectors tended to be more egalitarian than elitist in both perceived institutional and professed philosophies of book selection. However, these same selectors tended to score higher on the elitist bank of questions than the egalitarian bank of questions in both measured philosophy and practice of book selection.

The interviews and the selection policies tended to support an egalitarian preference.

The contribution of this study has been a greater understanding of the state of the art regarding book selection in the public libraries of two Canadian provinces, Alberta and Ontario.