Institute Library Collection Policy Statement
Please note: We are not accepting materials for donation at this time.
Collection Goals
The goal of the Institute Library has historically been to build an excellent circulating library of: fiction, focusing on literary, mystery and suspense fiction; non-fiction, focusing on subjects of interest to the membership and non-fiction which contributes to knowledge of fiction writing and/or the creative narrative experience; and reference materials, focusing on librarianship, New Haven and Connecticut. Extremely specialized scholarly and critical works not written for the general reader are generally not collected.
At this time the Institute Library is directing all available efforts at understanding our holdings, i.e. the collection as it stands, to this day, including all materials housed in the library including but not limited to: books already cataloged and on the shelves, books not yet cataloged on every floor of the building, ephemera (such as flyers, correspondence, notes, handmade signage), posters, postcards, invitations, stationary, and correspondence (contemporary and historical), and records and guest books.
It has been determined and agreed upon that the accessioning of materials be paused until greater headway is made in the following areas of understanding:
• What the library has.
• Which books in which categories circulate.
• What the interests and suggestions are of our members.
• How procuring “collections” may ultimately correspond to the idea of a consolidated, collaboratively authored book “wish list” generated by the Book Committee, and submitted to the Board of Directors, with distribution, upon Board approval, by the Book Committee, to be fulfilled to the extent of books received upon that wish list coming by donation and at no cost to the Institute Library with recognition (where desired) of donors.
• This “wish list” of no more than 30 books is forthcoming – to be edited twice a year.
• If you believe your donations may fit with this wish list, we encourage you to submit a bibliography to the Book Committee. You may do so by email to info@institutelibrary.org