Purpose
The Collection Development Policy of the Chaplin Public Library strives to develop and maintain a collection that will provide print, non-print, multimedia, and electronic resources to anticipate and meet the needs of the Chaplin community. This policy provides guidance, within budgetary and space limitations, for the selection and evaluation of materials, including maintenance, replacement, and weeding.
The Library makes every effort to provide the community with a collection that reflects a wide range of views, expressions, opinions, and interests. Specific acquisitions may include items that may be unorthodox, unpopular or controversial in nature. The Library’s acquisition of such items does not constitute endorsement of their content but rather allows for their free expression. The Library strives to provide unrestricted access to resources to its patrons and fully supports the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights Freedom to Read and Freedom to View Principles. The Library pledges to act as a partner in education and to complement and augment the resources of the Chaplin Public School System.
Key Definition
The Library’s collection is the assemblage of books and other materials, in a variety of formats, owned or licensed and maintained by the Library and available to the public at no cost.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Library Board of Trustees delegates the oversight and management of the collection, within the guidelines of this policy, to the Library Director. Responsibility for the selection, maintenance, replacement, and weeding of materials rests with staff under the overall direction of the Director. Consortium-level collections, such as downloadable ebooks and audiobooks, are governed by the consortium’s specific criteria.
Procedures
- Selection: The Library shall provide any materials which help to meet its mission statement and goals. Materials will be purchased in a variety of formats which meet the needs of the Chaplin community. This includes titles that “affirm the inherent dignity and rights of every person. We work to recognize and dismantle systemic and individual biases; to confront inequity and oppression; to enhance diversity and inclusion; and to advance racial and social justice in our libraries, communities, profession, and associations through awareness, advocacy, education, collaboration, services, and allocation of resources and spaces” as per the ALA 9th code of ethics.
Materials shall be selected carefully and judiciously, taking into account such factors as follows:
- Anticipated or existing patron demand
- Accuracy and effectiveness of material
- Reputation, credibility, and skill of the author
- Existing holdings in the subject area
- Favorable reviews in established professionally recognized publications and media
- Availability and affordability
- Compatibility of format for Library use
- Local origination or particular relevance to Chaplin and the surrounding community
- Public’s ability to procure material from other sources
- Timeliness and importance of material as document of the times
- Collection Maintenance
Maintenance of the collection includes discarding, replacement, and repair. Replacement copies may be purchased for those titles which have lasting value or interest. If an item is lost or damaged, it may not be replaced. Depending on demand for the specific author, title, or subject, it may be preferable to purchase current materials.
- Weeding
Weeding is a term used by libraries to describes the removal of materials from their collections. In order to maintain a vital and useful collection, materials that are out-of-date, inaccurate, superseded by new material, fail to meet evolving community needs, or in bad physical condition shall be discarded. Weeding of materials will be supervised by the Library Director, and is performed on a regular basis by staff in the interest of keeping the collection current and useful. Weeding materials may be sold, donated or disposed of however the Library deems appropriate.
- Gifts
Gifts of books or other materials may be accepted on the recommendation of the Director. All materials that are added to the collection as gifts shall be judged by the same criteria as are used for purchase. Exceptions can be made on an individual basis. Gift materials that do not meet the library’s needs or selection criteria may be sold, donated, or disposed of however the Library deems appropriate.
- Controversial Materials
The Library recognizes that some materials may be controversial and that any given item may offend some patrons. An effort shall be made to present more than one side of a controversial issue. Library materials will not be marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of the contents, and no catalogued book or other item will be shelved separately, except for the express purpose of protecting it from injury or theft. The decision by an author or publisher to withdraw their work from the market will not be considered sufficient reason alone for the Library to withdraw it from the collection.
Responsibility for the reading, listening, and viewing habits of children rests with their parents or legal guardians. It is the role of parents/guardians to supervise their children’s use of Library materials.
- Request for Reconsideration
Patrons challenging a material in the Library’s collection may fill out a Reconsideration of Material Form, which is available at the circulation desk or through the library’s website www.chaplinpubliclibrary.org. Upon submission, the Library Board of Trustees will review the form at their next scheduled meeting. The Library Director/Board of Trustees will respond to the contact on the form within 60 days of submission.
A material that has been reconsidered shall be exempt from additional reconsideration for two years following a request.
The Library follows statutory requirements SBS, Sec. 11-24b.
No principal public library shall be eligible to receive a state grant in accordance with the provisions of subsections (b), (c) and (d) of this section if such principal public library that prohibits or otherwise limits the availability of any book or related library materials by banning, censoring or challenging such book or related library materials at such library.
Approved 9/18/2023