A parliamentary question addresses the State Library of Western Australia's policies on discarding and repairing books, including costs and budget provisions for regional libraries. The Minister's response outlines the discard policy, associated costs, repair practices, and confirms no specific budget allocation for regional library repairs.

AnsweredQoN 54Legislative Council
Asked
24 March 2010
Portfolio
Culture and the Arts

QuestionView source ↗

STATE LIBRARY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA — DISCARDED AND DAMAGED BOOKS
(1) What is the State Library of Western Australia’s policy on discarding books that are no longer required? (2) What is the cost of this annually? (3) What is the State Library’s policy on repairing damaged books? (4) Is there provision in the budget to enable regional libraries to repair damaged books; and, if so, how much is allocated? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) Public library stock is discarded by the State Library when no longer required by public librarians based on discard criteria agreed with public librarians. State Library stock is discarded according to the collections policy endorsed by the Library Board of Western Australia. Note that the “discarding” process refers to books that have been rejected by all public libraries, which are then offered to the public through regional book sales and the State Library’s book store. (2) In 2008–09 the total cost of disposal of discards from the State Library was $222 535, which includes storage fees, staff costs to sort and assess items, the conduct of regional sales and running the State Library’s bookshop. (3) State Library stock is repaired, and regional libraries can choose to repair their existing stock or choose from the stock returned from other libraries around the state. (4) No.
(2) What is the cost of this annually? (3) What is the State Library’s policy on repairing damaged books? (4) Is there provision in the budget to enable regional libraries to repair damaged books; and, if so, how much is allocated? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) Public library stock is discarded by the State Library when no longer required by public librarians based on discard criteria agreed with public librarians. State Library stock is discarded according to the collections policy endorsed by the Library Board of Western Australia. Note that the “discarding” process refers to books that have been rejected by all public libraries, which are then offered to the public through regional book sales and the State Library’s book store. (2) In 2008–09 the total cost of disposal of discards from the State Library was $222 535, which includes storage fees, staff costs to sort and assess items, the conduct of regional sales and running the State Library’s bookshop. (3) State Library stock is repaired, and regional libraries can choose to repair their existing stock or choose from the stock returned from other libraries around the state. (4) No.
(3) What is the State Library’s policy on repairing damaged books? (4) Is there provision in the budget to enable regional libraries to repair damaged books; and, if so, how much is allocated? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) Public library stock is discarded by the State Library when no longer required by public librarians based on discard criteria agreed with public librarians. State Library stock is discarded according to the collections policy endorsed by the Library Board of Western Australia. Note that the “discarding” process refers to books that have been rejected by all public libraries, which are then offered to the public through regional book sales and the State Library’s book store. (2) In 2008–09 the total cost of disposal of discards from the State Library was $222 535, which includes storage fees, staff costs to sort and assess items, the conduct of regional sales and running the State Library’s bookshop. (3) State Library stock is repaired, and regional libraries can choose to repair their existing stock or choose from the stock returned from other libraries around the state. (4) No.
(4) Is there provision in the budget to enable regional libraries to repair damaged books; and, if so, how much is allocated? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) Public library stock is discarded by the State Library when no longer required by public librarians based on discard criteria agreed with public librarians. State Library stock is discarded according to the collections policy endorsed by the Library Board of Western Australia. Note that the “discarding” process refers to books that have been rejected by all public libraries, which are then offered to the public through regional book sales and the State Library’s book store. (2) In 2008–09 the total cost of disposal of discards from the State Library was $222 535, which includes storage fees, staff costs to sort and assess items, the conduct of regional sales and running the State Library’s bookshop. (3) State Library stock is repaired, and regional libraries can choose to repair their existing stock or choose from the stock returned from other libraries around the state. (4) No.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) Public library stock is discarded by the State Library when no longer required by public librarians based on discard criteria agreed with public librarians. State Library stock is discarded according to the collections policy endorsed by the Library Board of Western Australia. Note that the “discarding” process refers to books that have been rejected by all public libraries, which are then offered to the public through regional book sales and the State Library’s book store. (2) In 2008–09 the total cost of disposal of discards from the State Library was $222 535, which includes storage fees, staff costs to sort and assess items, the conduct of regional sales and running the State Library’s bookshop. (3) State Library stock is repaired, and regional libraries can choose to repair their existing stock or choose from the stock returned from other libraries around the state. (4) No.
I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) Public library stock is discarded by the State Library when no longer required by public librarians based on discard criteria agreed with public librarians. State Library stock is discarded according to the collections policy endorsed by the Library Board of Western Australia. Note that the “discarding” process refers to books that have been rejected by all public libraries, which are then offered to the public through regional book sales and the State Library’s book store. (2) In 2008–09 the total cost of disposal of discards from the State Library was $222 535, which includes storage fees, staff costs to sort and assess items, the conduct of regional sales and running the State Library’s bookshop. (3) State Library stock is repaired, and regional libraries can choose to repair their existing stock or choose from the stock returned from other libraries around the state. (4) No.
(1) Public library stock is discarded by the State Library when no longer required by public librarians based on discard criteria agreed with public librarians. State Library stock is discarded according to the collections policy endorsed by the Library Board of Western Australia. Note that the “discarding” process refers to books that have been rejected by all public libraries, which are then offered to the public through regional book sales and the State Library’s book store. (2) In 2008–09 the total cost of disposal of discards from the State Library was $222 535, which includes storage fees, staff costs to sort and assess items, the conduct of regional sales and running the State Library’s bookshop. (3) State Library stock is repaired, and regional libraries can choose to repair their existing stock or choose from the stock returned from other libraries around the state. (4) No.
(3) State Library stock is repaired, and regional libraries can choose to repair their existing stock or choose from the stock returned from other libraries around the state. (4) No.
(4) No.

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