Library Book Procurement Processes

The request was successful.

Dear Newham Borough Council,

To quote Newham Libraries:
https://twitter.com/NewhamLibraries/stat...
Our book stock is specified by us based on evidence based stock management and staff stock knowledge. And we welcome suggestions for purchase from residents. So please do let us know what you want to find on the shelves

I'd therefore like to request the following:
1. Details of documents and processes relevant to the 'evidence based stock management' since the evidence is likely to be based on existing stock.
2. Details of documents and processes relevant to staff stock knowledge, also.
3. Details of selection by the third party contractor whom (I believe, prepared to be corrected) supplies all new and rotated book stock in the libraries.

Underlying this request is a current lack of challenging fiction, Kafka Orwell for example, challenging SF, PK Dick, Vonnegut, any philosophy other than superficial and self help, Sartre, Russell, political science, Wolff, Rawls, real computer science books (not XXX for Dummies) etc. etc. In other words 'books' that one would expect to find in an actual 'library' rather than a 'community neighborhood' with a few harmless books.

Yours faithfully,

Hugh Barnard

Newham Borough Council

REQUESTER REFERENCE: C17937
ENQUIRY REFERENCE: E34089
Please quote your references when contacting the Council.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Thank you for your request for information received on 13/01/2020. We are
dealing with your request and plan to respond by 10/02/2020.

If you have any queries or concerns, please contact the Information
Governance Team on 020 8430 2000 or email us at:
[email address]

Yours Faithfully

Information Governance Team
Newham Council

Newham Council Publication Scheme is on: www.newham.gov.uk

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Information Governance, Newham Borough Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Barnard,

 

Thank you for your request. We now attach our response under the
disclosure provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, then you have
the right under Section 50 of the Act to request an internal review.  The
Information Commissioner would expect you to have given the Council the
opportunity to deal with your appeal prior to you contacting them. All
such requests must be sent to us within two months of receiving this
response and clearly state your reference number and reasons for an
internal review. You should send this by email to:
[1][email address]

 

Please see further guidance on the Freedom of Information Appeals page:
[2]http://www.newham.gov.uk/YourCouncil/Fre...

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact a
member of our team on 020 8430 2000 or email us at:
[3][email address]

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Information Governance

London Borough of Newham

Newham Dockside, 1000 Dockside Road,  London E16 2QU

[4][email address]

 

References

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3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[email address]

Dear Information Governance,

Thanks for the explanation, having looked at collectionHQ and the rest, it explains why the book choices are so unexceptional. As for the 'AI', well I've worked in IT for 40 years, including some 'AI' work, so I regard this part of the reply as being patronising and inaccurate, SIRI, for example is speech and syntax analysis, nothing to do with choosing books.

The categories also relate to 'management' and 'performance' (a big word in collectionHQ's management-speak 'vocabulary'), never mind the quality, feel the width. There is no idea of 'knowledge', 'public good' etc. etc.

I may therefore decide, later on, to look into the 'algorithms' (if you will) that are letting the borough down so badly.

Yours sincerely,

Hugh Barnard