Collection & Materials Polices

Collection Development Policy For the McClelland Library

The McClelland Library’s collections are centered on the entire isle of Ireland and support the mission of the Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library. Irish resources within the McClelland Library focus on general educational interests, research needs, and Irish cultural preservation for patrons of the McClelland Library.

The McClelland Library collects to the research level in the following areas: Irish History, Irish Literature, Irish Genealogy, US Genealogy only as it pertains to Irish lineage and immigration, the Irish in Arizona, and Political and Social Sciences in Ireland. Due to the unique makeup of the collection, a special emphasis exists in current materials on the Providence of Ulster.

The McClelland Library’s circulating collection serves to support the general interest function of the library collections. In addition to general interest, the circulating collection has a strong emphasis on providing access to Irish fiction writers, be it novels, plays, short stories, or poetry.

Materials for children and teens are intended to introduce younger generations to Irish authors, Irish culture, and Irish history. The reading and viewing activity of children is ultimately the responsibility of parents, who guide and oversee their own children’s development. The McClelland Library does not intrude on that relationship.

The Library’s Rare, Special, and Archival collections support the overall collection development policy by preserving and providing access to valuable and delicate materials that require professional care or enhanced security.