Collection Development Policy

Hinsdale Public Library
Collection Development Policy

Required by MBLC (Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners): Having a collection development policy is required by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 78 Section 33.

Section 33: Policy for selection and use of library materials and facilities
Section 33. The board of trustees of a free public library in any city or town, or in the absence of such board, the city or town official possessing the appointive powers of such board, shall establish a written policy for the selection of library materials and the use of materials and facilities in accordance with standards adopted by the American Library Association. No employee shall be dismissed for the selection of library materials when the selection is made in good faith and in accordance with the approved policy adopted pursuant to the provisions of this section.
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXII/Chapter78/Sect...

Mission Statement

The mission of Hinsdale Public Library is to provide patrons with a friendly, welcoming environment and a team of resourceful staff who are happy to help people of all ages explore our diverse collection. We strive to meet the educational, recreational and cultural needs of our wider community, and believe censorship greatly hinders that goal. We work to ensure every citizen’s freedom to access all library resources. 

Collection Development Policy Purpose

The purpose of the collection development policy is to provide guidelines for acquisition and withdrawal decisions, the allocation of resources, and strategic planning in accordance with the library’s mission statement in order to establish a collection of works that meets the educational, recreational and research needs of the community.

The library seeks to provide a welcoming environment, a qualified staff, a wide variety of materials in all formats, patron workspaces, interactive learning options for children, programs for patrons of all ages, and access to current technology.  In so doing, the library subscribes to the principles in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, the Library Bill of Rights adopted by the American Library Association, and the Freedom to Read Statement of the American Library Association and the American Book Publisher's Council. (See appendices).

Responsibility for Selection

Ultimate responsibility for materials selection rests with the Director who works within the framework of policies as established by the Board of Trustees. The selection of materials is the responsibility of the library staff under the supervision of the library Director.

Criteria for Selection

Circulating materials will be selected to meet the diverse needs and interests of the community. Materials will represent a variety of viewpoints on current and historical issues. Staff will select library materials in a variety of formats using published reviews, professional and trade publications, patron requests and recommendations, and special collections. General selection criteria for all materials includes:

• anticipated and popular demand
• accuracy and currency of information
• intended age level of primary audience
• cost
• most recent publication date and edition
• local significance
• historical significance
• literary and/or artistic merit
• published reviews from specialized library review sources
• significance of the author/editor/illustrator
• significance of subject area and/or genre
• availability at other libraries, most notably those accessible through CW MARS and the Commonwealth Catalog
• strengths and weakness of the existing collection
• staff judgment and expertise
• library mission statement and its accepted goals and priorities 

An item need not meet all of these criteria to be selected. Local authors, self-published materials, donated materials, and patron requests will also be evaluated based on the above selection criteria.

Materials published or released in new formats will be considered for the collection when there is evidence that a significant portion of the local population has the required equipment to make use of the format.  Availability of items in the format, the cost per item, and the library’s ability to obtain and circulate the items will also be factors in determining acquisition. 

Collection Maintenance and Weeding 

A strong collection requires ongoing evaluation and maintenance. Materials will regularly be weeded from the collection based on the following criteria:

• outdated or superseded
• infrequent circulation
• physical condition
• relevance
• space constraints
• duplicate copies

Replacements and updated editions are purchased when warranted. Discarded materials may be sold, donated, or recycled as the Library determines.  Standards for materials withdrawal are detailed in the CREW Manual. (See appendices).

Gifts/Donations

The Hinsdale Library welcomes gifts of funds and materials to enrich the collection, however, due to space constraints, only a limited amount of materials can be accepted. New or lightly used donations are subject to the same criteria as purchased materials. Gifts of materials are accepted with the understanding that they may be utilized or disposed of at the Library's discretion.  Monetary gifts will be applied to the selection of materials by the Director in consultation with library staff and the donor as appropriate. The library reserves the right to determine the use and disposition of all gifts unconditionally.

Reconsideration of Material

Any patron or local citizen who wishes the library to reconsider the acquisition or removal of an item must fill out a “Request for Reconsideration of Material” form (see appendices). The request is reviewed by the Director. The Director will issue a response.  If the complainant is not satisfied, they may appeal to the Board of Trustees. The decision of the Board is final. Above all, the Board of Trustees has as its concern the fairness of such a hearing so as to protect the rights of all who are involved.

Appendices

Library Bill of Rights:

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

Freedom to Read Statement:

http://www.ala.org/offices/oif/statementspols/ftrstatement/freedomreadstatement

People's Right to Libraries:

http://www.njla.org/content/peoples-rights-libraries

The First Amendment:

http://www.ala.org/offices/oif/firstamendment/firstamendment

CREW Manual:

https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/index.html

Request for Reconsideration of Materials form: Attached

Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials

If you wish to request reconsideration of library materials, please return the completed form to the Library Director.

Name ___________________________

Date ____________________________

Address _________________________

City _____________________________

State ____________________________

Zip _____________________________

Phone ___________________________

Do you represent self? ____ Organization? ____

1.      Material on which you are commenting:

____ Book ____ Textbook ____ Video ____ Display

____ Magazine ____ Library Program ____ Audio Recording

____ Newspaper ____ Electronic information/network (please specify)

____ Other ___________________________

Title ___________________________

Author/Producer ___________________________

2.     What brought this material to your attention?

3.     Have you examined the entire material?

4.     What concerns you about the material? (use other side or additional pages if necessary)

5.     Are there materials you suggest to provide additional information and/or other viewpoints on this topic?