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Introducing SLED

Mission and Policies

SLED Advisory Group
adopted May 1995

Mission Statement

Supporting Alaskans' right to information, SLED is a public service providing easy and equitable access to electronic information for Alaska residents.

Collection Development Policy

This policy establishes a framework to find, test, evaluate, organize and provide electronic information relevant to all Alaskans. The Advisory Group developed the selection criteria to support the mission of SLED in a consistent manner.

SLED

  • SLED serves the community of all Alaskans.
  • SLED is a catalyst for making information about Alaska available online.
  • SLED offers access to Internet resources.
  • SLED supports local training efforts, provides online help and the SLED Help Desk.
  • SLED is an information delivery service. Its telecommunications charges are paid by the State Library and UAF Rasmuson Library.

SLED does not support individualized communication services such as E-mail, Newsgroups, IRC or Listservs for two reasons: (1) library budgets cannot support the telecommunication costs to offer individual accounts to the public; (2) commercial e-mail services are available.

The Advisory Group

The members of the Advisory Group test and evaluate potential resources. They consider recommendations by users according to the established selection criteria. Final selection authority lies with the Director of the Alaska State Library and the Dean of Libraries of the Rasmuson Library at UAF.

Selection Criteria

SLED is designed to be a clear, concise, coherent, simple, usable and easy system. The Advisory Group evaluates resources according to the same criteria. Selection is based on the following considerations:

  • Information of statewide interest
  • Alaskan information
  • Accuracy and timeliness
  • Authority of sources
  • Uniqueness
  • Evaluation by users
  • Technical compatibility
  • Usability
  • The "Can Steve's Mother Use It?" Test

The Advisory Group removes resources from SLED in accordance with the same criteria, or replaces them when a more appropriate substitute is discovered. They periodically review SLED resources to ensure that they meet the above criteria.

SLED's Statement on Access to Electronic Information

These SLED policies incorporate, as an attachment, the statements contained in "Access To Electronic Information, Services, and Networks: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights" adopted in January, 1996 by the American Library Association. This interpretation can be found on the American Library Association website under: