State Library Web Content Policy - August 2004

OVERVIEW OF WEBSITE

In order to be useful to its patrons, the State Library of Louisiana offers this website:

• To provide access to our online catalog and electronic resources
• To provide information about the State Library and its many publications, and collections

The State Library of Louisiana Website is designed primarily to serve the following four types of patrons:

• Louisiana public libraries (State Library serves and supports in many ways)
• State government (State Library serves both agency and individual state employees)
• Visually impaired (State Library services any qualifying resident of Louisiana)
• Citizens (at large)

Also, there are two entities located in the State Library that have their web home on the State Library’s website:

• The Louisiana Center for the Book (which hosts the Louisiana Book Festival and other programs and events)
• The Recorder of Documents Office (which administers the Louisiana State Documents Depository Program).
  • Special emphasis is given to Louisiana websites.
  • Special emphasis is also given to government agency sites which use the internet as a primary source of information and communication.
  • Sites are preferred that reflect high quality and authoritative producers which have proved their usefulness in answering reference questions time and time again.

ONLINE RESOURCES

The Louisiana Library Connection Databases consist of very costly electronic resources which are available to all Louisiana residents free of charge through the State Library of Louisiana. These databases are a wealth of information and include thousands of full-text magazines, newspapers and reference books. A Database Committee comprised of State Library and public library representatives reviews and recommends databases for selection.

There are also many free resources on the internet. The State Library has compiled a very selective list of useful web links which is used by the State Library’s reference librarians as a “ready reference” guide to the Internet. We believe these links might also be useful for public librarians, state employees and the general public.

Here are some guidelines used by the reference librarians in selecting these links:

Disclaimer
In the selection of Internet links, the State Library gives preference to non-commercial and not-for-profit sites.

The State Library does not intend to endorse any commercial services.

The State Library provides this list of links as a convenience to patrons and does not control the content of sites outside of the State Library’s website. Therefore, the State Library cannot be responsible for any wrong or harmful information present on any of the sites on this link list.