By Judy Woodward
Every month, the reference librarians at the Roseville Library receive dozens of questions from the public. Here are a couple of interesting queries we received recently:
Q. Is it possible for the library to get me an article that is behind the Star Tribune’s paywall? I hate to pay for a whole subscription when I just need one article.
A. The library has digital archives of the Star-Tribune going back many years. Try clicking on the Newspapers option under the Digital Library tab on our homepage rclreads.org.
We offer separate databases covering historical newspapers and more recent issues. You can also access most of our newspaper archives remotely, as long as you have a library card registered in our system. The service is free. Talk to a librarian by phone, online or in person, if you want help in searching for the exact article you need.
Q. How do you choose your books? I’m surprised that you don’t carry more titles by my favorite author.
A. Ramsey County Library seeks to provide the community with a collection that meets informational, educational and recreational needs within the limitations of space, staffing and budget.
We have several criteria for choosing books for our collection. But we always keep in mind the interests, needs and desires of the public we serve. For that reason, we welcome suggestions for purchase from the public. If there is a book or other material that you think we should have in the collection, you can submit a suggestion on our website here: rclreads.org/suggest-a-title.
We can’t promise that we will be able to purchase every title that is recommended to us, but we guarantee you that we will review every suggestion carefully, according to our selection policy.
If you’d like to learn more about how we choose our materials, you can read our Selection Policy on our website here: rclreads.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/82/2019/11/Policies_Collection-Management-Policy-Final-2017_0.pdf
Judy Woodward, who lives in St. Anthony Park, is a reference librarian at the Roseville Library, 2180 N. Hamline Ave. The library’s general phone number is 651-724-6001.
