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Collection Development Policy

 

Introduction

  • This policy exists to guide librarians selecting materials and to inform the public about the principles guiding collection development decisions. Collection development is the ongoing process of accessing materials available for purchase or licensing, and making decisions on their inclusion and on their retention.  It includes materials for circulation, library programs and professional development. The goal is to increase both the quality and quantity of the whole collection.

  • Responsibility for collection development lies with librarians who apply professional knowledge, experience, and this policy in making decisions. Librarians maintain collection plans for developing individual components of the collection. Ultimate responsibility for collection development lies with the Director.

 

Guidelines

  • Materials selected for the collection will meet the current and long-term needs of Swisher Community residents of all ages and abilities for information, education, culture, and recreation. The City of Swisher has a population of 879 people with 27.5 % of them under the age of 18 and 11% over the age of 65, with a median age of 39.5.  There are 344 households, with 46.5 % of them having children under the age of 18 and 24% without family.  Less than 3% of all households are below the Federal poverty line and the median income is $75,000 as of the 2010 census. The Library strives to offer the widest possible range of subjects and views in a variety of formats, treatments, and levels of difficulty, within the limits of cost and space and considering current holdings and demand.

  • Generally, collections are broad, current and popular, not archival or comprehensive.

  • The Library subscribes to the principles embodied in the LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS and its interpretations, FREEDOM TO READ, and FREEDOM TO VIEW statements adopted by the American Library Association. (See Appendix A, B, C)

  • 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.

  • Librarians will be guided by both professional review sources, such as Booklist, vendor reviews, such as Baker &Taylor or Amazon, general publications, such as the New York Times or CR Gazette, as well as school usage and patron requests.

  • The Library welcomes suggestions and comments from the public. User suggestions for purchase will be evaluated in accordance with this policy and collection development plans.

 

 

Collection Maintenance

  • To ensure that the library's collection is up-to-date and relevant to the community's needs, the usefulness of materials previously added to the collection is reevaluated on a regular basis.

  • Materials will be withdrawn if they are out-of-date, badly worn, damaged, or no longer being used. Space, the cost of replacement, and the appearance of the collection are also factors. Locally significant materials are not held to these standards and may be retained. Withdrawn materials may be donated to other libraries, or sold at a public sale, recycled, or discarded.

 

Gifts

  • The Library accepts gifts of materials with the understanding that the same guidelines of selection are applied to gifts as to materials acquired by purchase.

  • Gift items not used for the collection will be donated to other libraries, or sold at public sale, or recycled, or discarded.

  • Gift items that become part of the collection will be evaluated for retention on the same basis as other items.

 

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Approved 3/27/12 Updated August 2015  Updated and Approved 8/13/2018

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