Harney County Library
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
A. Objectives
The purpose of Harney County 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. This Policy is established to ensure that our collections remain current and responsive to the needs of our community and that materials are easily accessible through appropriate formats and technology.
HCL believes that the right to access materials of varying viewpoints is an important aspect of freedom of speech, known as intellectual freedom, a basic element of democracy. The American Library Association Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement have been endorsed by the HCL Board of Trustees and are integral parts of the policy.
The collection development policy, like all other policies, will be reviewed and/or revised as the need arises.
B. Responsibility for Selection
The Library Director is ultimately responsible for the selection of materials. The Director assigns members of the staff to assist in the selection of materials. All staff members and the general public are encouraged to recommend materials for consideration as well.
C. Criteria for Selection
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, Harney County Library agrees to lend its materials to other libraries through the same interlibrary loan network.
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 which are applied to purchased materials are applied to gifts. Memorial gifts of books or money are also accepted with suitable bookplates placed in the book. Harney County Library encourages and appreciates gifts and donations.
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
An up-to-date, attractive and useful collection is maintained through a continual withdrawal and replacement process. Replacement of worn volumes is dependent upon current demand, usefulness, more recent acquisitions, and availability of newer editions. This ongoing process of weeding is the responsibility of the library director and is authorized by the Board of Trustees. Withdrawn materials will be handled in a similar manner and under the same authority as donated materials.
G. Potential Problems or Challenges
Harney County Library recognizes that some materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some patrons. Selection of materials will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the basis of the principles stated in this policy.
Responsibility for choice of children’s reading and viewing material rests with their parents or legal guardians. Selection of library materials will not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may come into the possession of children.
Library materials will not be marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of their contents, and no library material will be sequestered except to protect it from damage or theft.
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 Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form which is available in the library. The inquiry will be placed on the agenda of the next regular meeting of the Harney County Library Advisory Board. Materials under reconsideration shall not be removed from use during the consideration process.
Adopted October 27, 2020
The purpose of Harney County 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. This Policy is established to ensure that our collections remain current and responsive to the needs of our community and that materials are easily accessible through appropriate formats and technology.
HCL believes that the right to access materials of varying viewpoints is an important aspect of freedom of speech, known as intellectual freedom, a basic element of democracy. The American Library Association Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement have been endorsed by the HCL Board of Trustees and are integral parts of the policy.
The collection development policy, like all other policies, will be reviewed and/or revised as the need arises.
B. Responsibility for Selection
The Library Director is ultimately responsible for the selection of materials. The Director assigns members of the staff to assist in the selection of materials. All staff members and the general public are encouraged to recommend materials for consideration as well.
C. Criteria for Selection
- The main points considered in the selection of materials are:
- Currency of information
- Public interest
- Local emphasis
- Treatment of subject to age of intended audience
- Format
- Cost and availability
- Present collection composition
- Diversity of viewpoint
- Significance of author, publisher, producer
- Circulation of similar items
- Level of demand
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, Harney County Library agrees to lend its materials to other libraries through the same interlibrary loan network.
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 which are applied to purchased materials are applied to gifts. Memorial gifts of books or money are also accepted with suitable bookplates placed in the book. Harney County Library encourages and appreciates gifts and donations.
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
An up-to-date, attractive and useful collection is maintained through a continual withdrawal and replacement process. Replacement of worn volumes is dependent upon current demand, usefulness, more recent acquisitions, and availability of newer editions. This ongoing process of weeding is the responsibility of the library director and is authorized by the Board of Trustees. Withdrawn materials will be handled in a similar manner and under the same authority as donated materials.
G. Potential Problems or Challenges
Harney County Library recognizes that some materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some patrons. Selection of materials will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the basis of the principles stated in this policy.
Responsibility for choice of children’s reading and viewing material rests with their parents or legal guardians. Selection of library materials will not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may come into the possession of children.
Library materials will not be marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of their contents, and no library material will be sequestered except to protect it from damage or theft.
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 Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form which is available in the library. The inquiry will be placed on the agenda of the next regular meeting of the Harney County Library Advisory Board. Materials under reconsideration shall not be removed from use during the consideration process.
Adopted October 27, 2020