5.1 Non-fiction collection
The non-fiction collections have a broad popular base that is supplemented with a range of ‘books for curious minds’ designed to satisfy more specialised interests. Popular non-fiction materials target the interests and concerns of the general market. Small collections of plays, musical scores, and car service manuals complement these collections.
While our collections contain many titles that can support formal learning, they do not aim to include technical, academic, or professional works or textbooks, unless they have an obvious application to the general reader. We prioritise books that are written in plain English and avoid unexplained jargon.
Children’s collections are increasingly targeted towards hobbies and interests rather than homework support. Where possible, we select works which are well-illustrated and indexed.
Books for curious minds
Books for curious minds are for those who like to learn more, who enjoy discovering new things and reading experts talking with passion. We use the following criteria to identify books for curious minds:
- They are intellectual rather than scholarly or academic
- They present a focussed, in-depth treatment of a subject
- They express original arguments or theses that weigh evidence for or against a particular view, or challenge existing and accepted views
- They provide an original contribution to a subject and may contain lengthy indexes and bibliographies
- They are aimed at a smaller segment of the reading market and rarely become best-sellers, although they may generate public interest or controversy.
TM Crisp Memorial Sporting Library
The TM Crisp Memorial Sporting Library Fund is a permanent endowment which funds the purchase of sporting books for the lending and reference collections within Libraries Tasmania. The bequest targets pursuits including cricket, tennis, and bridge.