Knowledge Base: Library Policies

1. 1. General

Since the library cannot acquire all materials, it must employ a policy of selectivity in acquisition which recognizes its informational, educational and recreational functions. Selection is based specifically on the particular needs and interests of the library's community, both of individuals and of organizations. The selection of books 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 requests from the community.

1. Responsibility

Shared responsibility for book selection rests with the school and public librarians. They select in accordance with the stated library objectives and a general overview of the entire book collection and library service role. Assistance from members of the Board, use of review media, suggestions for purchase, etc. may be considered.

2. 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:

1. 1. popular appeal and readability
   2. price
   3. suitability of physical format for library use
   4. soundness of the author's attitude and approach
   5. quality of writing
   6. reputation and significance of the author
   7. timeliness or pertinence of the material
   8. reputation and standards of the publisher
   9. demand for the material by the person

3. Duplication of Titles

Books and other materials in high demand may be duplicated, as funds allow.

4. Replacements

It is the library's policy not to replace automatically, all books withdrawn because of loss, damage or wear. Need for replacement in each case is considered in relation to several factors:

1. 1. duplicate copies already in the library;
   2. sufficient coverage of the field, already in the collection;
   3. availability of the book;
   4. newer, better material on the same subject;
   5. demand for that title or subject, etc.

Every title is reviewed separately in the case of replacement.

5. Textbooks and Curriculum Support

Textbooks are purchased when they provide the best coverage of a subject and are useful for the general public; they are not purchased simply because they are in demand in connection with a specific course. Curricular demands are considered insofar as they do not obscure the public library's general contribution to the community or attempt to substitute for the development and use of other institutional library resources.

6. Sources

The guiding principle in book ordering is a balance between cost and service, and the choice of supplier(s) is made according to the circumstances of each situation.

In general, a Canadian supplier should be chosen for Canadian publications, as well as for others, if practical. The balance of cost to service applies to the purchase of processing and cataloguing as well as to materials.

Ordering direct from publishers, through a jobber, or retail outlets are all viable alternatives, when considering both cost and urgency of acquisition.

1. 2. Selection In Specific Areas

1. 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 materials in all categories of fiction writing. The library's policy is to acquire fiction that is well written, and to be inclusive rather than exclusive in its choices.

2. Adult Non-Fiction

In selection of non-fiction, the following criteria must be taken into account as well as those in 3.1 B:

1. 1. importance of the subject matter to the existing collection;
   2. scarcity of material on the subject;
   3. appearance of the title in recognized bibliographies.

An attempt is made to provide material at various levels of complexity on most subjects.

3. National Publications

1. 1. publications by Alberta authors on Alberta subjects are generally acquired.
   2. Publications by Canadian authors, particularly fiction, are to be especially considered for acquisition.
   3. Canadian editions are to be preferred in areas where information is specific to this country e.g. law, taxation, etc.

4. 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 shall be acquired, and those with emphasis on Canadian practice or interpretation in particular. Works of a sensational nature are to be avoided. Works by qualified authors, but which do not attempt to usurp the function of professional persons, are to be preferred.

The library does not acquire materials designed to serve professional needs as demand is limited and costs are high.

5. Controversial Topics

A consideration is made in partnership with the Lamont Public Library Board and Elk Island Public Schools to provide materials on all aspects of controversial issues.

6. Religion

Standard works relating to the world's major religions are acquired. Important versions of the Bible are purchased as well as editions important for their literary 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.

7. Sexuality

The library recognizes its responsibility to provide an adequate supply of information on sexuality, designed for all age levels. Books purchased are those, which are authoritative in treatment, and the sensational or prurient are to be avoided.

8. Foreign Languages

Books on learning foreign languages, as part of the non-fiction collection. Fiction and children's titles in foreign languages are acquired only if deemed worthy and of potential use.

1. Condensed Versions

Condensed versions of popular works will not be acquired. Adaptations of standard titles are to be carefully screened as to quality and rendition, and are not encouraged.

1. 3. Selection For Children's Materials

1. Objectives

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.

2. Criteria

Criteria for book selection include literary and artistic worth, and the contribution of the book to the balance of the total collection. To satisfy the needs of children learning to read, a limited number of primers and easy-readers are purchased, but the greater emphasis is on providing picture books, which meet review standards of literacy and artistic quality. It is not library policy to provide graded materials. Abridged adult classics are seldom purchased.

3. Specific Topics

Books of specific religious teaching or practice are not emphasized in the children's collection.

Books on human physical development and sexuality 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, and those, which reflect any discriminatory attitudes in the opinion of the review media, are not purchased.

Books, which are recognized as children's classics and which are of considerable merit, are retained even though they may contain words or phrases, which are unacceptable today. Current books, which are well written and meaningfully p01iray a period of history, or incident or way of life, are accepted despite the occasional use of an unaccepted term, provided the total impact of those books meet the standards maintained in the collection.

1. 4. Selection For Young Adults

An attempt is made to provide fiction material suitable for the reader bridging the gap between children and adult books. Non-fiction needs will be met within the integrated Adult/Youth non-fiction collection.

1. 5. Non-Book Materials Selection

1. Periodicals

Periodical subscriptions may be purchased for any of the following reasons:

1. 1. to keep the library's collection up-to-date with current thinking in various fields;
   2. to provide much important material not available in books;
   3. to supplement the library's book resources;
   4. to serve the staff in a professional capacity.

Back issues will be kept a minimum of one (1) year. Back issues of continuing value,

e.g. National Geographic, will be bound. Others should be 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, permanent bound files of newspapers are not maintained by the library.

3. DVD's

The library shall develop a collection of DVD's.

4. Music

It is not the library's policy to acquire multiple copies of musical arrangements for group use, although it may agree to store such collections on behalf of community groups, however it can be acquired through Northern Lights.

5. Paperbacks

Mass-market paperbacks are acquired as a necessary part of the collection, especially fiction.

6. Large Print, Audio-Books, and Braille

Books in large-type print and audio books shall be purchased as necessary and accessible through Northern Lights.

1. 6. Selection Tools

The librarian should work as much as possible from recognized review media and bibliographies in building a collection.

1. 7. Culling

1. Materials which are no longer useful in the light of stated objectives of the library, or which become unsuitable in terms of selection criteria, will be systematically culled from the collection according to accepted professional practices.

2. Culled items may be disposed of in any of the following ways, as appropriate:

1. 1. offered for resale;
   2. given away
   3. donated to a paper drive (recycled rather than destroyed).

1. 8. Budget Distribution

The following figures should be considered as a guide in spending each year, with flexibility permitted, as different parts of the overall collection require more or less emphasis.

40% Youth/Juvenile/Easy:

60% Adult:

of which 2/3 fiction, 1/3 non-fiction of which 2/3 fiction, 1/3 non-fiction

1. 9. Gifts and Donations

Within any limitations of provincial legislation, the following policy shall apply:

1. 1. 1. Books and other materials will be accepted on the condition that the librarian has the authority to make whatever disposition he or she deems advisable. (see also 3.1 B)
      2. Gifts of money, real property, and/or stock will be accepted if conditions attached thereto are acceptable to the Board of Trustees and to any other governing bodies involved.
      3. The library will not accept for deposit in the collection any materials, which are not outright gifts.
      4. Gift subscriptions to periodicals shall be accepted at the discretion of the library board.
      5. A Treasurer of the board is responsible for the following correspondence, and to keep a permanent record of all gifts and memorials. When a gift of money is received as a memorial, the following communications shall be sent:
         1. receipt for tax purposes, to donor, signed by treasurer;
         2. a thank-you note to donor to acknowledge receipt of the gift.

1. 10. Budget