What is Core Collections?
Core Collections is a trusted decision-support database for collection development. It provides authoritative, vendor- and publisher-neutral recommendations to help libraries confidently select, replace, and remove titles.
Each Core Collection includes thousands of expert-curated recommendations designed to support day-to-day purchasing and weeding workflows. Used together, the collections give you a practical, holistic view of what belongs on your shelves, now and over time.
Recommendation levels
Core Collections uses four clear recommendation levels so you can make fast, informed decisions about buying, repurchasing, or weeding titles.
- Essential: Essential titles form the backbone of a strong collection. These are books patrons will look for year after year, including award winners, enduring favorites, and standout new titles with immediate demand.
- Recommended: Recommended titles strengthen and round out a collection. While many libraries will want most of these books, we recognize that space, budget, and local interests vary. These titles support thoughtful customization based on your community’s needs.
- Supplemental: Supplemental titles help deepen areas of interest that matter most to your patrons. They are ideal for expanding popular topics and genres, such as cooking, romance, biography, or hobbies.
- Weeded: Core Collections is actively maintained, just like a library collection. We weed titles that are outdated or less relevant, making it easier for you to identify books that can be removed to create space for newer, higher-value materials.
The Core Collections databases
Core Collections is made up of seven subject-focused databases, each curated to support specific audiences and collection goals.
- Fiction Core Collection: An essential resource for navigating today’s expansive adult fiction landscape. Ideal for libraries of any size looking to build or maintain a relevant, engaging fiction collection.
- Nonfiction Core Collection: Comprehensive guidance for adult nonfiction, including narrative nonfiction, plays, and poetry. Supports balanced, current, and meaningful nonfiction collections.
- Core Collection en Español: Designed to support libraries building and growing Spanish-language collections. Addresses the unique challenges of selection, demand, and long-term sustainability for Spanish-speaking communities.
- Children’s Core Collection: A foundational collection development and curriculum support tool for children’s materials. Especially valuable for school libraries and public library children’s departments.
- Middle & Junior High Core Collection: Focused guidance for middle-grade readers. An indispensable resource for school libraries and public libraries serving tweens and early teens.
- Senior High Core Collection: Covers young adult titles and adult books with teen appeal. Ideal for developing comprehensive YA collections in high schools and public library teen spaces.
- Graphic Novels Core Collection: Built for libraries managing graphic novels across ages, genres, and series. Helps untangle complex considerations such as reading levels, formats, story arcs, and long-running series—so you can build a collection that circulates.
