By Dianne Coan, Technical Operations Division Director

Books that are added to Fairfax County Public Library’s (FCPL) collection have a particular life cycle. From selection to removal, learn more about the path each book follows.

Year One
First, books are selected, acquired, cataloged, made-shelf ready and distributed to branches. New titles spend their first year as library books in the “New” collection. During this time, and into a book’s first 18 months in a collection, it receives most of its lifetime circulation. Selectors run reports regularly, so they know if a new book is in high demand and more copies are needed. For books with really high demand, FCPL will lease extra copies to meet the initial demand and return them after demand lessens.

Year Two and Beyond
After its first year, the book joins its appropriate collection area on the main bookshelves. This is where books spend most of their time with the library. FCPL runs reports regularly to ensure the collection is healthy and thriving. One report reviews the condition of copies with high circulation. The more a book circulates, the more likely it needs to be replaced. Another report lets us know if older books are experiencing an increase in demand. For example, when a book that is no longer new gets a second life because it is adapted into a movie or television show or it is featured on social media, the report shows we may need to order more copies.

Other factors that staff review include age of a book and its time since publication, especially for nonfiction. While certain topics such as history or philosophy have a longer shelf life, other topics, like medicine or law, need more frequent reviews for accuracy. Sometimes, a major event requires targeted review of materials. For example, when the SAT was being rewritten, test preparation materials had to be reviewed. Another instance was when Pluto's planetary status was reclassified and it prompted a review of materials related to planets. When changes occur, inaccurate information needs to be removed and replaced.

Having Given Its All
Once a book has given all it can give, it is removed from the collection. If the title is still circulating regularly and new copies can be purchased, the book will be replaced. If a specific title is no longer in print, selectors will look for availability in an eFormat or – for nonfiction – a different title on the same topic.