Collections
Public library staff develop and manage a broad collection which meets the needs of the community, inspires intellectual curiosity and anticipates future need.
Building and managing collections
Collection development and management
Collection development and management is a key area of public library services - ensuring that there is a diverse mix of content to meet the recreation and information needs of the community.
Stock quality health check
The Stock Quality Health Check (SQHC) is a practical tool which enables public libraries to undertake an assessment of the relevance, depth and range of collection stock in relation to the communities they serve.
Diverse picture books
Picture books are significant for not only developing early literacy skills, but also for the messages and values they convey about society. These resources assist libraries to improve the diversity in their children’s picture book collection.
Digital collections
indyreads
The indyreads platform provides free access to eBooks and eAudio via a browser or Android and Apple Apps.
Through indyreads, NSW public library members can access a diverse collection, including Australian and international independent titles, award-winning literature, classic fiction and non-fiction imprints, and the best examples of self-published content.
Collections are also available in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Local studies
Local studies
Local studies is a key public library service, an opportunity to provide access to resources unique to your local community.
Oral history
Oral history complements the more traditional forms of history making such as written histories and biographies.
Amplify audio transcription tool
Amplify is a crowdsourcing platform where libraries can publish digital audio materials from their collections, paired with machine-generated transcripts.
Need assistance?
The Public Library Services team provides specialist advice and support to all councils providing public library services in NSW.