The Purchase of Books for Libraries by the Ministry of Culture And Information: Transformation of Quality Into Quantity

Abstract

The paper examines and comments on some of the effects of the current model of purchase of publications for libraries by the Ministry of Culture and Information on public libraries collections, especially when we consider small and the underfinanced public libraries, whose acquisitions are highly dependent on the Ministry’s purchase of books, including the obligation of purchasing marked titles that drastically limits librarians’ choice and otherwise very significant opportunity for acquiring new books. The quality of libraries’ collections is considered not just in relation to the usually indisputable values of the imposed titles, which a public library should certainly promote, but in relation to the public libraries legal, social and ethical obligation to respect and answer all of its users’ reading habits, interests, tastes, motivations and needs as far as it is possible.