Collection Development Policy
About Collection Development Policy
The Solon Public Library collection development policy exists to guide librarians in selecting materials and to inform the public about the principles behind collection development decisions. Collection development refers to the decision to add materials to the collection, and retain materials already in the collection, withdraw materials from the collection, and choose materials for library programs, promotions and professional development in an effort to increase both the quality and quantity of the entire collection.
Expectations:
Materials selected for the collection will meet current and long term needs of Solon and area residents of all ages and abilities for information, education, culture, and recreation. The library strives to offer the widest possible range of subjects and views in varying formats and levels of difficulty. Generally, collections are broad, current, and popular, and are not archival or comprehensive. Other considerations include cost, space limitations, availability from approved vendors, current holdings, and demand. Collection development will support the priorities of the Library’s Strategic Plan approved by the Library Board of Trustees.
The Solon Public Library supports intellectual freedom and has adopted the following statements as policy: The Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read and Freedom to View statements adopted by the American Library Association (ALA):
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomviewstatement
- Including materials in the collection does not constitute endorsement of their contents. The Library recognizes that any given item may offend some patrons, but, because the Library follows accepted principles of intellectual freedom, it will not remove specific titles solely because individuals or groups may find them objectionable.
Material Selection Guidelines:
Collection development librarians rely on the following criteria to evaluate materials for selection, regardless of intended audience or format:
- The Library’s Mission Statement and chosen roles of service.
- Contemporary significance or long-term value.
- Accuracy of information presented.
- Significance of author, illustrator, publisher or issuing body.
- Relationship of work to existing collection. Specifically, diverse points of view should be represented within the collection.
- Professional reviews in periodicals and online may be used as a basis for evaluation in conjunction with publishers’ catalogs and advertisements.
- Cost to acquire and/or maintain the material.
- Technical characteristics of the format such as binding and paper quality, accessibility and usability, and suitability of the format for library use.
- Scarcity of information in the subject area.
- Availability of material elsewhere in the community.
- Popular demand.
- Digital materials may be provided through subscription services. The inclusion or exclusion of specific titles in these collections are made by the vendor and may not conform with the Library’s collection development guidelines.
- The Library participates in programs designed to provide patrons with access to materials not owned, such as interlibrary loan and reciprocal borrowing agreements. Internet and digital resources are also provided.
- The Library welcomes suggestions and comments from the public. User suggestions for purchase will be evaluated in accordance with this policy and the collection development plans.
Access:
- Censorship is a purely individual matter. While an individual or group is free to reject material, no library staff person shall restrict access to the rest of the community.
- Selection of materials is not restricted by the possibility that children may obtain materials their parents may consider inappropriate. While materials are shelved by recommended age, patrons of any age may use materials in all sections of the library (see ALA Bill of Rights, Article V). Responsibility for children rests solely with their parents or legal guardians.
Selection Responsibility:
- Responsibility for collection development lies with librarians who apply professional knowledge, experience, and the criteria of this policy to making selection decisions for the library.
- Formats may include but not be limited to: fiction and non-fiction print materials for all ages, magazines and newspapers, DVDs, audiobooks, electronic content, and digital databases. Evolving formats will be identified and added as technology changes, reliability and availability improve and patron demand increases.
Collection Maintenance:
- Regular analysis of the use of the collection, the needs and interests of the community, request and reserve lists, as well as the availability of similar materials, the cost and physical condition of materials, and physical space available will be considered in the determining the number of copies of each title that the Library should have and when a volume should be replaced, repaired, or withdrawn.
- Weeding is a thorough and conscientious effort to achieve a well-balanced collection suitable to the community served and should be a continuous, consistent process.
- Items to consider in weeding are:
- Material in poor condition
- Material with low circulation not considered to be of lasting value
- Inaccurate or outdated material
- Material on subject matter no longer of current interest
- Multiple copies of titles no longer in demand.
- Locally significant materials may not be held to these standards and are generally retained.
- The Library endorses the concept of recycling of printed materials and tries to use or dispose of materials in a manner that fosters this concept.
Reconsideration of Materials Procedure:
- Solon Public Library supports that the patron’s choice of library materials for personal use is an individual matter. Responsibility for the use of materials by children under 14 rests with their parents or legal guardians. While a person may reject materials for themselves and for their children, they cannot exercise censorship to restrict access to materials by others.
- The Library Board recognizes that the diversity of the collection may offend some patrons that will result in complaints. While it is our wish to discuss the complaint with the patron and resolve the matter, the following procedure has been developed to hear those complaints in a formal session if needed:
- The individual or group wishing to protest the presence of an item in the collection will contact the Director in writing. The Director, upon receiving the complaint, will send a written response to the complainant within ten (10) days of receipt.
- If the complainant wishes to carry his/her objections further, a Reconsideration of Library Materials Request Form will be filled out and signed. The party making the complaint must be eligible to receive a Solon Public Library card and have read, listened to, or watched the entire material in question.
- The written complaint will be taken to the Library Board of Trustees at their regularly scheduled meeting. The Board will reply within thirty (30) days in a written response. No item shall be removed from the library collection without a court order if the Board of Trustees and Director deem it appropriate for the collection. If the decision taken by the Board of Trustees is to refuse the reconsideration request, the complainant may then direct their appeal to the district court system.
Gifts:
The Solon Public Library welcomes gifts of library materials, money or real property. These gifts help enrich and improve public library resources.
- Monetary contributions are added to the Library’s Trust & Agency Fund, which is allocated by the Library Board for purchase of materials or programs outside the scope of the operating budget.
- Used book donations are accepted by the Friends of the Solon Public Library. Library staff can provide guidelines for interested donors of what materials are accepted.
- The Library applies the same criteria for evaluating or choosing gift items as it applies to purchased material. Gifts will be withdrawn in the same manner as purchased material. The Library will not be responsible for notifying donors of withdrawal or replacement of gift items.
- All gifts are tax deductible. A receipt for donation of materials will be provided upon request. The Library does not place a financial value on materials received. For artwork, rarities or other materials of value a gift donation form may be requested and kept on file.
- No gifts are accepted unless given to the Library without restriction. All gifts may be utilized, sold or disposed of in the best interest of the Library. The Library reserves the right to refuse donations.
- Monetary gifts are also accepted through the Solon Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the Solon Public Library.