Materials Selection Policy
Answer
OBJECTIVE
The library must employ a policy of selectivity in acquisition, which recognizes its informational, educational and recreational functions. Selection is based on the library’s community, both of individual and of organizations. The selection of materials is designed to make available significant materials actually and potentially needed by, and of interest to library patrons. The library seeks to maintain a basic circulating collection chosen to answer general interest request from the community.
RESPONSIBILITY
Ultimate responsibility for materials selection rests with the Librarian. The Librarian selects in accordance with the stated library objectives and a general overview of the entire book collection and library service role.
Suggestion from patrons will be considered.
A. GENERAL SELECTION GUIDELINES
CRITERIA
All materials, whether donated or purchased, will be examined and evaluated in terms of the standards, which follow. Items need not meet all the criteria to be acceptable, but each will be considered:
- Popular appeal and readability
- Price
- Suitability of physical format for library use
- Soundness of the author’s attitude and approach
- Quality of writing
- Reputation and significance of the author
- Timeliness or pertinence of the book
- Reputation and standards of the publisher
- Demand for the material by the patron
REPLACEMENTS
It is the library’s policy not to replace, automatically, all books withdrawn because of loss, damage or wear. Need for replacement is considered case by case in relation to several factors:
- Availability through Interlibrary loan
- Duplicate copies already in the library
- Sufficient coverage of the field, already in the collection
- Availability of the book
- Later, better material on the same subject
- Demand for the title or subject, etc.
Every title is reviewed separately in the case of replacement.
LARGE PRINT
There will be minimal purchase of Large Print for our collection due to the availability of block loans from Northern Lights Library System.
TEXTBOOKS
Specific Textbooks are not purchased. To support School Curricula material is not purchased specifically.
B. SELECTION IN SPECIFIC AREAS
ADULT FICTION
An attempt is made to satisfy a public varying greatly in education, interests, taste, age and
reading skills.
In selecting adult fiction, an effort is made to choose books in all categories of fiction writing. The library’s policy is to acquire fiction which is well written, and to be inclusive rather that exclusive in its choices.
ADULT NON-FICTION
In selection of non-fiction, the following criteria must be taken into account as well as those in Section A-Criteria:
- Importance of the subject matter to the existing collection
- Scarcity of material on the subject
- Appearance of the title in recognized bibliographies
- Availability by electronic means ( Internet, etc.)
- Current interest
An attempt is made to provide material at various levels of complexity on most subjects.
AREAS OF PROFESSIONAL CONSULTATION
The Library recognizes its responsibility to make available material in such areas as jurisprudence, popular medicine, architecture, or drugs and drug abuse. Standard works on these topics may be acquired, and those with emphasis on Canadian practices or interpretation in particular.
Materials will be limited because of quantity of current information available electronically.
Materials designed to serve professional needs are not acquired by the library.
CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS
Strong consideration will be given to:
- Publications by
- Publications by Canadian authors and on Canadian topics, particularly fiction
- Canadian editions in areas where information is specific to this country (i.e. law, taxation, etc.)
- Local newspapers and Canadian magazines
CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS
An attempt is made to provide access to materials on all aspects of Controversial issues.
RELIGION
Standard works relating to the world’s major religions are acquired. Consideration will be given to editions important for their literacy or artistic value.
The most authoritative and useful of the various reference works on religion and the various faiths are represented by authoritative works of interest to the layman.
Popular works may be acquired as needed.
SEXUALITY
The library recognizes its responsibility to provide an adequate supply of information on sexuality, designed for all age levels. Materials purchased are those which are authoritative in treatment.
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Materials on learning foreign languages are acquired as part of the non-fiction collection. Fiction and children’s titles in foreign languages are generally not purchased, request are met by Inter Library Loan
CONDENSED VERSIONS
Condensed version of popular works will not be acquired. Consideration will be given to adaptations of standard titles and children’s versions of adult works.
HARDCOVER/PAPERBACK
Paperback are purchased if the titles are not available in hardcover, or are preferred by some patrons.
Cost vs. currency will be considered.
C. SELECTION POLICY FOR CHILDREN’S MATERIALS
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
In selecting books for children, the library’s objective is to make available a collection that satisfies the potential informational and recreational book needs of children.
CRITERIA
Criteria for book selection include literary and artistic worth, and the contribution of the book to the balance of the total collection.
BEGINNING READERS
To satisfy the needs of children learning to read, primers and easy-readers are purchased, but the greater emphasis is on providing picture books which meet review standards of literary and artistic quality. It is not the library policy to provide graded materials.
SPECIFIC TOPICS
Books of specific religious teaching or practice may be included, if specific religious groups donate them
Books on human physical development and sex are carefully selected as to scientific accuracy and simplicity and dignity of presentation.
Books relating to countries, races, nationalities, and religious groups are carefully selected to avid discriminatory attitudes.
Books which are recognized as children’s classics and which are of considerable merit are retained even though they may not contain words or phrases which are unacceptable today. Current books which are well-written and meaningfully portray a period of history, or incident or way of life, are accepted despite the occasional use of an unaccepted term or language, provided the total impact of those books meets the standard maintained in the collection.
D. SELECTION FOR JUNIOR AND YOUNG ADULTS
An attempt is made to provide fiction material suitable for the reader bridging the gap between children’s and adult books. Non-fiction needs will be met within the Youth Non-fiction collection.
E. NON-BOOK MATERIALS SELECTION
1. PERIODICALS
Periodical subscriptions may be purchased for any of the following reasons:
- To keep the library’s collection up-t-date with current thinking in various fields.
- To provide materials not available in books.
- To supplement the library’s book resources.
Back issues are kept for one year only and then discarded or recycled as appropriate and feasible.
2. NEWSPAPERS
The Library seeks to provide only current issues of newspapers relevant to the local user community.
Because of space limitations, cost, aging, and comparatively infrequent use, local newspapers are gleaned for local (Boyle) information and clippings and are filled by the year.
3. AUDIO-VIDEO
AUDIO TAPES
Audio materials are brought into the library as block loans from Northern Lights Library System and are considered part of the Boyle Public Library collection and subject to local lending policies.
Based on opportunities to borrow, Boyle Public Library only rarely purchases this material.
TALKING BOOKS
Talking books will not be purchased by this library. Upon request of eligible patrons the library will assist patron to access these materials.
VIDEOS/DVD
Videos will be purchased along the following guidelines:
- General Entertainment
- Popular appeal and patron demand.
- Price
- Are purchased in areas of expressed interest of patrons.
- Non-fiction videos/DVD’s are interfiled with non-fiction books
- Block loans of Non-fiction Videos/
- DVD’s are available from Northern Lights Library System
Purchases of children’s videos/dvd will be selected for quality and positive messages.
F. SELECTION TOOLS
Some recommended tools are:
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- The Public Library Catalogue
- The Children’s Catalogue
- Books for Public Libraries
- Book List
- Trade Catalogues
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Librarian should keep up with reviews in popular magazines, and television, as these are the books patrons are likely to request.
G. WEEDING
Weeding of the collection is on going. Materials which are no longer useful in terms of damage, relevancy or uncirculated for 5 years, will be removed from the shelf. The librarians will decide then whether to relocate, replace or discard the materials. Standard references for weeding will serve as guidelines.
Discarded materials may be offered for sale.
H. GIFTS AND DONATIONS
Books and other materials which are donated to the library will be accepted, used or discarded at the discretion of the librarian.
Gifts of money will be accepted provided no unreasonable conditions are attached that the board cannot accept. (ie. Expectations to override board decisions)
The Library will not accept materials which are not out-right gifts.
Gift subscriptions to periodicals will be accepted at the discretion of the librarian.
The Librarians shall send the donor a receipt (for a money gift), and a thank you note from the board in appreciation of a gift $20.00 or over (excluding Walk-a-thon.).
All cash donation and gifts will be commemorated each year on a plaque in the library.
Gifts and or services over $100.00 will be commemorated each year on a plaque in the library.