Internet Link Selection Guidelines

In an effort to help our users find information resources on the Internet, members of the Monroe County Public Library staff select Internet sites to link to from the library's World Wide Web site. While the sites we list on our pages are ones we recommend for our patrons, we do not control the information that is produced on remote websites. Unless you see "Monroe County Public Library" at the bottom of the page, the site is produced by an outside source, not by library staff. MCPL cannot ensure the availability nor the accuracy of external electronic resources. Like print materials, not all electronic sources provide accurate, complete or current information.

MCPL seeks to link to Internet resources which provide:

Useful information, preferably sites that provide content and not just links to other sites (with the exception of Indexes which selectors consider to be useful and valuable).
Timely/current information or information with historical value.
Free and easy access to the user (no credit card information or registration required).
Suitable subject and style for intended audience.
Significance and value to the existing library materials collection.
Well organized and easy to navigate pages.
Credible author, creator or producer.
Consistent quality of information and services over time.

Library staff may select a site that does not meet all of the above criteria if the site has unique, valuable content. For example, even though the New York Times site requires registration, library staff still selected it as a link because of its useful information.

Selected links may be removed from MCPL's website if they change and no longer meet the above criteria.

Many of the standard selection procedures available for print resources do not work for Internet resources. Standard collection evaluation sources are not yet available for Internet resources, Internet sites change, and new sites appear rapidly. Selectors will use evaluation review sources in print publications or on listservs when they are available, but will frequently rely on personal review of sources for selection.

So many resources are available on the Internet that library staff members do not have time to review them all. If you find sites that you would like us to consider adding as a link on the MCPL website, please let us know.

Patrons may request that MCPL reconsider links that have been made from the library's website to outside resources. These requests should be sent through Contact Us.

Internet Link Selection Guidelines

MCPL seeks to link to Internet resources which provide:

See Also: