During the years when relatively little was written about Idaho, the collection emphasized the state's place in the region. As more and more has been published about Idaho and by Idahoans, the focus of collecting has narrowed. Thus the collection as it exists today reflects the shifting development guildelines of a number of decades. Because the materials in the Idaho Collection may not be checked out, it is expected that they will serve readers for generations to come. Clientele Served by the Collection Because the Idaho Collection contains a wide range of materials, it meets the needs of an equally wide range of users and age groups.
Students use the collection's books and clipping files to write reports.
Thanks to the policy of identifying and collecting everything printed on certain aspects of Idaho and Boise history and culture, writers find it possible to conduct research on many topics, using materials unavailable elsewhere or available only with difficulty. The general public use the collection to satisfy their curiosity about the minutiae of life in Boise and Idaho in times past and present. Access to the Collection Materials shelved in the Idaho Collection are accessible to patrons through the library's catalog and are available for use on the third floor of the library only. Exceptions to these guildelines are made only rarely, and only by the librarian responsible for the collection or by the Library Director. To discourage theft and vandalism, users must secure any material taken from the collection with a library card or some form of photo identification.