Knowledge Base: Library Policies

Libraries Act Regulation 11.3 (f)

Selection, acquisition, purchase, and disposition of library materials including a

policy respecting gifts and donations.

1. 1. Selection

1. 1. 1. Statement of Intent

The library collection should be extensive, comprehensive, and cosmopolitan. It should

meet the basic recreational, informational, and educational needs, both stated and unstated, of the community. The library recognizes its obligations to satisfy the cultural, educational, and artistic needs of a large group of people with varied backgrounds, tastes, and interests. The Library Board encourages its staff, volunteers, board members and the library member to make suggestions as to materials to be purchased.

1. 1. 2. Selection Criteria

Selection decisions are based upon many criteria, including:

• • • • Favorable attention from reviewers, critics and/or public.
      • Relationship to the existing collection - does it supplement the collection, fill a gap, or do we currently have adequate information in that area?
      • Receipt of literary, artistic, or other awards.
      • Relevance to community needs and interests.
      • Popular appeal and/or member requests.
      • Accuracy of information and objectivity of opinion.
      • Relative importance of subject matter.
      • Reputation and/or significance of author, illustrator, or publisher.
      • Suitability of physical format for library use.
      • Budgetary and space priorities.
      • Timeliness - material most up-to-date available.
      • Broad representation of literary classics.
      • Quality of writing and physical production.

1. 1. 3. Responsibility

Ultimate legal responsibility for selection of materials rests with the Library Board, which delegates the task to the Library Director operating within the framework of policies set by the Board.

1. 2. Censorship

The Library Board does not interpret its function or that of its administrators to be the supervisor of public morals. It believes in freedom of the individual and the rights and obligations of parents to develop, interpret and enforce their own code of acceptable reading upon their household.

There is a possibility that an item or items in the library may be regarded by some as unpleasant or offensive, or in political opposition to local beliefs. If the Library Board is to fulfill its obligation to its community, it must include materials of varied points of view, even those which may be regarded by some as controversial. The Library will provide as far as possible materials on all sides of controversial issues, including representation of unpopular or unorthodox positions without censorship or bias, providing the materials give evidence of a sincere desire to be factual. Unless an item is officially prohibited from entering the province; it cannot be legally withdrawn from the library shelves. If an individual objects very strongly to a particular item she/he will have the right to make an official complaint.

Each complaint will be dealt with in the following manner:

1. The Library Member will complete an Expression of Concern form. Only written complaints will be dealt with. A staff member will review the material with the Library Member, noting areas of contention. The Member will be informed of the review procedure and when to expect a reply from the complaint.

2. The material will be removed from the shelf until a review is conducted.

3. An ad hoc Reconsideration Committee composed of the Librarian and two Board Members will meet to review the concerns and decide the future status of the material.

4. The Librarian will inform the Library Member by letter of library policy and of the review outcome.

5. If the concern cannot be satisfactorily dealt with through this process, assistance will be solicited from Northern Lights Library System Consultants.

1. 3. Gifts

The Library Board encourages donations of books and materials to the permanent collection of the libraries. Such gifts are greatly appreciated. However, the same principles of selection are applied to gifts as are to purchases. Any gift material, which is not added to the collection, is disposed of to the best advantage of the Library.

1. 4. Statement of Intellectual Freedom

The Library Board affirms the Canadian Library Association's ~ "Statement on Intellectual Freedom” - which reads:

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations affirms that libraries have a core responsibility to support, defend and promote the universal principles of intellectual freedom and privacy.

Libraries have a core responsibility to safeguard and facilitate access to constitutionally protected expressions of knowledge, imagination, ideas, and opinion, including those which some individuals and groups consider unconventional, unpopular, and unacceptable. To this end, in accordance with their mandates and professional values and standards, libraries provide, defend, and promote equitable access to the widest possible variety of expressive content and resist calls for censorship and the adoption of systems that deny or restrict access to resources.