Collection Development Policy

Collection Development Policy

A. Objectives

The purpose of the Griffin Free Public Library is to provide all individuals in the community with carefully selected books and other materials to aid the individual in the pursuit of education, information, research, pleasure, and the creative use of leisure time.

Due to budget and space limitations, the volume of published materials, and a variety of other contributing factors, the library must have a selection policy to ensure that materials meet community interests and needs. This collection development policy is used by the library staff in the selection of materials and also serves to acquaint the general public with the principles of selection.

The American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read Statement, and Freedom to View Statement have been endorsed by the Griffin Free Public Library Board of Trustees and are integral parts of the policy.

The materials selection/collection development policy, like all other policies, will be reviewed and/or revised as the need arises.

B. 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 Griffin Free Public Library Board of Trustees. Though the tasks of selection may be shared with library staff, only the director can make final decisions about the suitability of a particular item.

C. Criteria for Selection

1. The main points considered in the selection of materials are (in no particular order, and with knowledge that not all points will be considered for all items):
   • a. individual merit of each item
   • b. popular appeal/demand
   • c. intended audience of the material (e.g. items written for a general audience, rather than a highly specialized one)
   • d. existing library holdings
   • e. budget
   • f. local interest
   • g. timeliness
   • h. availability of material though other library sources
   • i. author’s reputation or stature
   • j. accuracy of content
2. Reviews are a major source of information about new materials. The primary sources of reviews are (but are not limited to) Publishers’ Weekly, Library Journal, and New York Times Book Review.
3. The lack of a review or an unfavorable review shall not be the sole reason for rejecting a title which is in demand. Consideration is therefore given to requests from library patrons and books discussed on public media. Materials are judged on the basis of the work as a whole, not on a part taken out of context.

D. Interlibrary Loan

Because of limited budget and space, the library cannot provide all materials that are requested. Therefore, interlibrary loan is used to obtain from other libraries those materials that are beyond the scope of this library’s collection.

In return for utilizing interlibrary loan to satisfy the needs of our patrons, the Griffin Free Public Library agrees to lend its materials to other libraries through the same interlibrary loan network, and to make an effort to have its current holdings listed in a tool that is accessible by other libraries throughout the state.

E. Gifts and Donations

The library accepts gifts of books and other materials with the understanding that they will be added to the collection only if appropriate and needed. If they are not needed because of duplication, condition, or dated information the director can dispose of them as he/she sees fit. The same criteria of selection that are applied to purchased materials are likewise applied to gifts. The Griffin Free Public Library encourages and appreciates gifts and donations intended to strengthen the library collection, and encourages donors to request a meeting with the library director if considering a significant donation.

By law, the library is not allowed to appraise the value of donated materials, though it can provide an acknowledgment of receipt of the items if requested by the donor.

F. Weeding

See the Weeding Policy.

G. Access

The Griffin Free Public Library recognizes that full, confidential, and unrestricted access to information is essential for patrons to exercise their rights as citizens. The Library believes that reading, listening, and viewing are individual, private matters. While anyone is free to select or reject materials for themselves or their own minor children, the freedom of others to read or inquire cannot be restricted.

The library strives to maintain materials that represent a range of viewpoints about various issues. Selection of materials by the library does not mean endorsement of the contents of views expressed in those materials. The existence of a particular viewpoint in the collection is a reflection of the library’s policy of intellectual freedom, not an endorsement of that particular point of view.

The library patron is an important part of the selection process. An individual request from a patron for a title is usually honored if the request conforms to the guidelines outlined in this policy statement.

The library does not stand in loco parentis. Parents and guardians, not the library, have the responsibility of guiding and directing the reading, listening, and viewing choices of their own minor children. Selection of adult collection materials will not be inhibited by the possibility that the items may be utilized by minors.

H. Challenged Materials

Although materials are carefully selected, there can arise differences of opinion regarding suitable materials. Patrons requesting that material be withdrawn from or restricted within the collection may complete a “Statement of Concern About Library Resources” form which is available in the library. The director will reconsider the item carefully to determine whether it meets the above criteria, and relay that finding to the patron. In addition, the Director will report book challenges to the American Library Association. If a patron is dissatisfied with the director’s decision, they may contact the Board of Trustees to have the request considered at the next meeting. Any requests will be included in the Board of Trustees meeting agenda. The Board’s decision will be rendered in writing and considered final.

 

Approved by Griffin Free Public Library Board of Trustees April 11, 2014

Amended by the Griffin Free Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2018