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Colleton County Memorial Library Collection Development Policy

 

Objective of Policy

 

The purpose of the Colleton County Memorial Library Collection Development Policy is to provide all individuals in the community with carefully selected books and materials to aid patrons in the pursuit of education, information, research, and the creative use of leisure time. The library collection supports the mission and goals of the library, in service to the informational and recreational literature needs and wants of the entire community. As the community changes the library reassesses and adapts its collection to reflect new and differing areas of interest.

 

The collection development policy exists to guide librarians in selecting materials and to inform the public about how collection development decisions are made. Collection development refers to the decision to add materials to the collection, 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.

 

The Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, and the Freedom to View Statement have been endorsed by the Colleton Memorial Library Board of Trustees and are integral parts of the policy and drivers of decisions made.

 

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomviewstatement

 

Responsibility for Selection

 

The ultimate responsibility for selection of library materials rests with the library director who operates within the framework of the policies determined by the Colleton Memorial Library Board of Trustees. The public library director may designate other members of library staff with collection development and selection of materials, however ultimate responsibility remains with the public library director. Collection development is handled by librarians who apply professional knowledge, experience, and policy criteria.

 

Selection Guidelines

 

Selection of materials will consider a variety of factors, including:

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  • Popularity, timeliness, and general interest

  • Critical reviews and publicity

  • High standards of quality in content and physical format

  • Merit in relation to the interests and needs of the community

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Weeding and Deselection

 

To maintain a relevant and up-to-date collection, librarians will continually evaluate existing materials and remove those items that no longer benefit the collection. De-selected items will be disposed of in accordance with county policy, including sale by Friends of the Library, recycling, or discard. Reasons for de-selection may include:

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  • Damage to the item including mold, wear and tear

  • Misleading or factually inaccurate information

  • Outdated or irrelevant content

  • Poor circulation

  • Space limitations

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Reconsideration of Materials

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Although materials are carefully selected, the library recognizes that some materials are controversial and may lead to differences of opinion regarding suitability, or may offend some patrons. Patrons requesting material be withdrawn or moved within the collection may complete the Request for Reconsideration form which is available in the library. Items will be considered in their entirety, not upon selected sections or passages.

 

Reconsideration of Materials Process

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  • Library staff responsible for collection development will review the item, with the Materials Selection Policy as the basis of consideration, and submit a recommendation to the Library Director.

  • The Library Director will respond to the requestor in a timely manner.

  • If necessary, the request for reconsideration may be reviewed by the Board of Trustees.

  • The requestor may attend the Board meeting where the review is addressed. The Board reserves the right to limit the length of public comments. All existing Board meeting procedures apply.

  • The item under consideration will remain in circulation during the review process.

  • If an item is withdrawn as part of the reconsideration process, it may be sold at the Friends of the Library book sale.

  • Due to the time it takes to properly review materials, materials will only be reviewed for reconsideration one time in a ten-year period.

  • One patron may challenge no more than five (5) library materials per month.

 

The Library encourages parental involvement in the selection of materials for use by children. Responsibility for materials checked out by children rests with their parents or legal guardian.

 

The collection development policy, like all other policies, will be reviewed and/or revised as needed.

 

APPROVED:  JULY 15, 2024

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