[Preamble][Accessibility][Selection Guidelines][Selection Criteria][Selection Aids][Textbooks][Controversial Materials]
[External Electronic Sources][Gifts]Discarding and Replacement][Library Bill of Rights][Customer Comments]

 

PREAMBLE

 

Purpose of Collection Management Policy
This policy is established by the Library Board to guide the library staff in the managment of the collection and inform the public of the principles upon which the library makes decisions regarding the maintenance and use of the collection.

Collection Management Mission
The library serves as a public forum for the receipt of information and for access to the full range of recorded information within the marketplace of ideas. Collection development shall be content neutral so that the library represents significant viewpoints on subjects of interest and does not favor any particular viewpoint.

Responsibility for Collection Management
The Library Board delegates to the Library Director the authority and responsibility for selection and management of all print, non-print and electronic materials, within the framework of this policy. Actual selection and management activities are shared among trained library staff who shall discharge this obligation consistent with this policy and established procedures.

I. ACCESSIBILITY OF MATERIALS

A. All materials selected under the guidelines of this policy will be available to the public in circulating or non-circulating collections, within the rules governing the use of such materials.

B. Requirments for responsible use may be applied to the use of certain materials and/or equipment.

C. Labeling and/or special shelving of materials may be used for some collections but will not be used for the purpose of restricting access or pre-judging content.

D. Library materials representing a wide range of interests and reading levels are selected to meet the needs of the customers. The responsibility of choosing from this range of materials rests with the user. Parent/Guardians are responsible for supervising their children's use of library materials.

 

II. SELECTION OF MATERIALS

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  1. Materials will be chosen to enhance the mission of the library and its chosen roles in the community:

A. GUIDELINES.

* Mission Statement *

 

"The central mission of the Tippecanoe County Public Library is to promote reading and to encourage literacy and learning for people of all ages."

 

* Roles *

 

"REFERENCE CENTER - The library actively provides timely, accurate, and useful information for community residents.
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT CENTER - The library assists students of all ages in meeting educational objectives established during their formal or self-directed courses of study.
EARLY EDUCATION CENTER - The library encourages young children to develop an interest in reading and learning through services for children, and for parents, caregivers and children together.
POPULAR MATERIALS CENTER - The library provides recreational books and audio-visual materials to meet a wide range of tastes and aptitudes and to reflect the diversity of the community."

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    • Pursuing life-long education.
    • Examining all sides of issues.
    • Keeping abreast of new ideas.
    • Becoming informed citizens of the community. the nation, and the world.
    • Improving occupational performance.
    • Using leisure time in the enjoyment and exploration of books and other library materials.
    • Discovering and developing creative abilities.

  2. Materials should offer opportunity and encouragement for:

  3. The library's goal is to provide an information/reference center rather than to establish a scholarly research center.

  4. No attempt is made to collect the complete works of any author/performer/creator.

  5. Multiple copies of works may be obtained in order to fulfill requests within a reasonable time period.

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    • Artistic, literary, historic and/or scientific merit
    • Availability of shelf space
    • Price, in relation to total budget
    • Authority and competence of author
    • Availability of material
    • Awareness of significant new trends in literature, technology, and formats.
    • Clarity and accuracy of information and/or presentation.
    • Community requests and/or anticipated popular demand
    • Favorable reviews
    • Format and durability
    • Practical usefulness
    • Relationship to existing materials in collection.
    • Relative importance in comparison with other materials available on the subject.

  Materials are selected in accordance with one or more of the following guidelines:

  The following sources are representative of the many aids used for selection of materials:

  Professional Journals:
  Appraisal, Billboard, Booklinks, Booklist, Bookstore Journal, Bulletin of Center for Children's Books, CD Digest, Horn Book, Library Journal, New York Times Review of Books, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Video Librarian, Voice of Youth Advocates

  Other:
  In addition, the following works may be consulted:
  Books in Print, Public Library Catalog, Fiction Catalog, General Periodicals, Children's Catalog, Junior and Senior High School Catalogs, Trade Journals and Other Authoratative Subject bibliographies

  Textbooks are selected when they meet the selection criteria and when they assist the library in fulfilling its roles. No attempt is made to purchase textbooks for curriculum support.

  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

  "Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Material should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation."

  "Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval." (See Appendix 1)

  Providing connections to global information, services, and networks is not the same as selecting and purchasing material for a library collection. Determining the accuracy or authenticity of electronic information may present special problems. Some information accessed electronically may not meet a library's selection or collection development policy. It is, therefore, left to each customer to determine what information is appropriate to their needs.

B. SELECTION CRITERIA.

C. SELECTION AIDS.

D. TEXTBOOKS

E. CONTROVERSIAL MATERIALS

F. EXTERNAL ELECTRONIC INFORMATION RESOURCES.

III. GIFTS

Gifts are accepted with the understanding that they will be evaluated with the same criteria used for purchased materials. If they do not meet these standards they may be conveyed to the Friends of TCPL for the benefit of the library or disposed of if condition warrants.

IV. DISCARDING AND REPLACEMENT OF MATERIALS

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  • Obsolete or outdated.
  • Worn beyond use.
  • Damaged.
  • No longer circulating and/or used for reference purposes.
  • One of many copies of a formerly popular title.

A. In order to maintain a vital, current collection which meets the needs of our community, examination of materials is an ongoing process. An item is considered for discard when it is:


B. A work chosen for discard may be replaced with another copy of the same title or another work on the same subject.

C. Aides used in discarding:
Books in Print, Public Library Catalog, Fiction Catalog, Children's Catalog, Junior and Senior High School Catalogs, Evaluating and Weeding Collections in Small and Medium-sized Public Libraries by Joseph P. Segal

V. LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS

The Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement and all relevant interpretations as adopted by ALA are part of this Collection Management Policy. (See Appendix I)

VI. CUSTOMER COMMENTS ON LIBRARY MATERIALS

Specific procedures have been established for the use of customers who wish to make comments on materials held by the Tippecanoe County Public Library.

Comments on Library Material

The Tippecanoe County Public Library welcomes your thoughts concerning library materials and has procedures for making comments. Before following these procedures, you may find it informative and helpful to read the following brief summary of the library's policy on library material.

Your library serves people from all walks of life, with
a variety of viewpoints and tastes. The staff chooses
materials to meet these diverse needs and are guided in
this by the Collection Management Policy. The library
supports the belief that the right to read and the right
of free access to library collections for persons of all
ages are essential to the individual's freedom of thought,
which is fundamental to the Library Bill of Rights and the
Freedom to Read Statement.

You are encouraged to make comments on library materials using the following procedures:
1. Informal comments may be made to staff members in the appropriate department at any time. Such comments will be conveyed to the Department Head. If you wish to speak to the Department Head, this will be arranged.
2. If you wish to make your comment in a formal manner, the following procedures should be used:
A. Fill out the Comment on Library Material form. This will be given to the Department Head in charge of the collection containing the item in question. Copies of the form will be given to the Library Director, the Assistant Director, and appropriate staff members. The Department Head will respond in writing. While an item is being reviewed, copies of it will remain on active status in the collection.
B. If further review is requested, you will be invited to meet with a committee which may consist of the Library Director, the Assistant Director, the Department Head, and appropriate staff members. After the meeting, the committee will respond with a letter telling you what actions are being taken and giving reasons for these actions.
C. You may request further review by the library's Board of Trustees. Upon receiving your request for review, the Board may handle the matter as a body or may refer the question to an advisory committee for a recommendation. This committee may consist of two members of the Board appointed by the President, two members of the staff appointed by the Director, and one person appointed by the Indiana State Librarian.


TIPPECANOE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARYCOMMENT ON LIBRARY MATERIALS

Date Submitted:______________

Name:_______________________________________

Address:_____________________________________

Telephone:___________________________________

If you are acting as the official spokesperson for an organization, please specify:

Library material on which you are commenting:

Call Number:_________________________

Title:_________________________________________

Author:_______________________________________

Please comment on the material as a whole. Be specific about those matters which concern you. Feel free to suggest other materials on this subject which you would like to see added to the collection.

___________________________________________________________________________________

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Rev. 08/19/98

Accepted as the policy of the Tippecanoe County Public Library by the Library's Board of Trustees on December 4, 1990.Amended: April 2, 1996