development policies are often drawn up in conjunction with the libraries' governing

boards and with representatives from the community, and may be the result of public

hearings, discussions and other input.  

Although many librarians use selection aids, such as review journals and

bibliographies, as a guide to the quality of potential acquisitions, they do not generally

delegate their selection decisions to parties outside of the public library or its governing

body.  One limited exception is the use of third party vendors or approval plans to

acquire print and video resources.  In such arrangements, third party vendors provide

materials based on the library's description of its collection development criteria.  The

vendor sends materials to the library, and the library retains the materials that meet its

collection development needs and returns the materials that do not.  Even in this

arrangement, however, the librarians still retain ultimate control over their collection

development and review all of the materials that enter their library's collection.  

2.  The Internet in Public Libraries 

The vast majority of public libraries offer Internet access to their patrons. 

According to a recent report by the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and

Information Science, approximately 95% of all public libraries provide public access to

the Internet.  John C. Bertot & Charles R. McClure, 

Public Libraries and the Internet

2000: Summary Findings and Data Tables

, Report to National Commission on Libraries

and Information Science, at 3.  The Internet vastly expands the amount of information

available to patrons of public libraries.  The widespread availability of Internet access in

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