• 1. Purpose
• 2. Service Roles
• 3. Relation To Other Resources
• 4. Selection
• 5. Scope of Collection
• 6. Collection Maintenance and evaluation of the NetFirst Collection Development Policy
• Appendix A:LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS

Purpose

Mission

In keeping with OCLC's objectives of increasing availability of library resources and reducing library costs and its broad public purpose of furthering access to the world's information, NetFirst's objectives are

To identify, describe and make available in an online database Internet resources that help libraries and their users meet their professional, educational, cultural and personal information needs. NetFirst places special emphasis on gathering information about libraries, library resources and information science and on evaluating items for their authoritativeness and quality.

NetFirst has two main service roles, of equal weight: to serve the information needs of libraries and the information needs of library users. The roles are a guide for determining resources to seek to add to the database.

Libraries

Library users

OCLC's membership includes all types of libraries, from public libraries that serve the interests of people of all ages to highly specialized corporate libraries. Therefore, NetFirst will strive to include authoritative materials to meet the information needs of users of OCLC member libraries.

Because one source of records for NetFirst will be records from the OCLC Online Union Catalog, the database will, in many respects, reflect the individual collection development policies of OCLC's member libraries.

NetFirst will not rate Internet objects ("three-star," etc.). Torna all'inizio

The OCLC community of libraries has traditionally shared information and library resources, and the Internet, particularly the World Wide Web, allows sharing in new and extraordinary ways. Just as libraries do not strive to collect everything, but to collect authoritative, high quality items that will be of lasting value, so NetFirst will concentrate on Internet objects of worth.

Web browsers

A fascinating and useful array of browsers is available to access information on the Internet and the WWW. They are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and state as their goals to provide access to millions of sites. NetFirst is not a Web browser, but a database, although NetFirst "hot links" make objects easy to access via the WWW.

InterCat

Eventually all records from OCLC's InterCat project, and additional cataloging records for Internet objects added to the OCLC Online Union Catalog, will be included in the NetFirst database. OCLC recognizes that such records reflect the collection policies of OCLC member libraries rather than this NetFirst policy. In cases where those policies conflict, the value of members' contributions, particularly with regard to special collections, will override the NetFirst policy. Torna all'inizio

Principles

Insofar as they apply to online resources, NetFirst's collection principles will follow the American Library Association's "Library Bill of Rights." (Appendix A.) NetFirst will include objects in all subject areas.

Sources of Objects for Inclusion

• InterCat records
• OCLC sources
  • Networks
  • Membership lists
  • Governance
  • Advisory committees
  • User suggestions
  • Periodicals
  • Library-focused
  • Internet focused
  • Subject-focused, for special areas, for example: Fortune magazine, for a list of the "Fortune 1000" to insure their inclusion
• Internet object review sites and object collections
• Library sites
• National, state, provincial and local government sites

Criteria for selection

Substance:

Is the object authoritative? Is the sponsor of the object a library, archive, government body, educational institution or association? What is the prominence or reputation of the author?

Currency:

Does the site contain up-to-date information? Do the site's editors maintain currency?

Durability:

How long has the sponsoring entity existed and how long is it expected to endure? How long has the object been available? Is it a news item, or time-sensitive for other reasons? (If so, NetFirst will generally not include it.) Is it a personal home page? (If so, it will generally not be collected.)

Interest:

Have OCLC members suggested the object? How many subscribers are there (if applicable)? Does it have wide-ranging application or is interest likely to be very local? Is the object important to provide diversity in the collection? Is the object cited in bibliographies and articles?

Suggestions

OCLC actively seeks suggestions that will enrich NetFirst. OCLC will add suggested Internet objects to NetFirst according to the same criteria as other materials. Torna all'inizio

Special Considerations

The Nature of the WWW:

While NetFirst is a database, rather than a browser system, users of NetFirst via the WWW can access the sites that are described and, given the nature of the Web, link from there to sites that may NOT be included in the NetFirst database. Some of these sites may include materials that are outside the scope of NetFirst's collection and that may contain offensive material (political, sexual or otherwise).

Commercial Sites:

One of the fastest-growing areas of the WWW is commerce. Thousands of entrepreneurs have put up Web pages. In general, NetFirst will seek to include commercial sites on the following basis:

• Initially, home pages or other sites of corporations, national and international, with publicly traded shares or home pages of private companies recognized as being among the world's largest. As the addition of these sites is completed, acquisition will expand to include smaller businesses.
• Home pages or other sites of suppliers of library materials, supplies, furniture and the like.

Language:

OCLC puts no limits on the language of objects included in NetFirst. However, the evaluation, abstracting and indexing of non-English objects may be initially limited by the range of expertise of NetFirst staff. As the collection grows, OCLC expects to increase the proportion of non-English materials.

Political Materials:

Just as libraries' print collections endeavor to represent all points of view, so will NetFirst's collections. This may include Internet sites that are parodies of actual sites or satirical in nature. OCLC will endeavor to identify such sites with appropriate subject headings ("political satire", "political humor").

Personal Home Pages:

NetFirst generally does not include personal home pages or resumes.

Sexually Explicit Materials:

NetFirst will collect and describe authoritative resources that explain human sexuality, physiology, development and reproduction in plain language. NetFirst also includes citations for Web pages, discussion groups and other resources that have information or exchange about sexual orientation, birth control, abortion and the ethical/moral and health issues surrounding these topics. As with all topics, NetFirst will attempt to provide variety and a balance of viewpoints.

In general, NetFirst will evaluate sexually explicit commercial sites on the same basis as other commercial sites.

Removing Records:

NetFirst may withdraw records for a number of reasons

• Site no longer active
• Duplicative
• Superseded
• Does not fall within guidelines of the collection development policy

Formats

NetFirst seeks appropriate Internet objects of all types, including:

• World Wide Web sites
• Usenet groups
• Anonymous FTP sites
• Discussion/mailing lists
• Gopher sites
• Electronic journals and other online publications
• FAQ sites

Age levels

NetFirst will include materials for all age levels

Special collections

• Library and information science
  • Online catalogs
  • Library home pages
  • Library associations and organizations
  • Vendors of library materials and supplies
• Full text
  • Government and state document collections
  • Directories
  • Literature
• Computer science and engineering for information storage and retrieval

OCLC's goal is that NetFirst records point to active objects. OCLC is actively pursuing a regularly scheduled plan to check on the continued existence of Internet resources and the accuracy of NetFirst's description. When that plan is completed, it will be included in this policy.

Evaluation of the NetFirst Collection Development Policy

OCLC reserves the right to change this policy at any time. OCLC will review the policy at least once a year to ensure that it continues to meet the goals of OCLC and its members.

Current version: 96/08/21

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The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

1. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
2. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
3. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
4. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
5. A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.
6. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted June 18, 1948; amended February 2, 1961, and January 23, 1980, by the ALA Council. Torna all'inizio