Collection Development Policy
Community Description
Library Description
Overview
Internet/OPLIN Statement
Reconsideration of Library Materials Statement
Selection Sources for Materials
Inter-Library Loan Service
Gifts
Criteria for Selection
Duplication and Replacement of Materials
Material Formats
Fiction Collection
Non-Fiction Collection
Reference Collection
Paperback Books Collection
Bestseller/New Fiction Rental Collection
Local History Collections
Professional Collection
Large Print Collection
Standing Orders Collection
Periodicals Collection
Bindery and Mending Guidelines
Weeding Guidelines
Appendix
Library Bill of Rights
Free Access to Libraries for Minors
Freedom to View
Access for Children and Young People to Videotapes and Other Nonprint Formats
Challenged Materials
Statement on Labeling
Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials
Lane Public Library serves 60% of the geographic area of Butler County--the western portion of the county. This includes a diverse rural, urban and suburban population. These communities, located between Cincinnati and Dayton, contain a variety of economic and cultural environments. Within these communities, support for the library system and its services is strong. Approximately 59% of area residents are registered system borrowers.
The legal service area, established by the Board of Trustees of the State Library of Ohio, consists of:
Hamilton City School District
Talawanda City School District
Ross Local School District
Fairfield City School District
New Miami Local School District
Those portions of the Edgewood Local School District located in Milford,
Hanover and St. Clair Townships, excluding the village of Seven Mile
The 1990 census was used to provide the official demographic information about Butler County residents served by Lane Public Library. Butler County has a homogeneous ethnic profile. The largest non-white population is African-American (4.5%), followed by Asian (.9%). The population is concentrated in the 18-64 age groups, with more children than senior citizens. The library system serves three cities and rural/suburban areas in between.
Hamilton is the largest city (61,368), the county seat for Butler County. The city experienced a population loss of 2.9% between 1980-1990. Hamilton has the largest African-American community in the area. It also has the highest concentration of residents over age 64. Ten percent of Hamilton adults are college graduates. This is an established community that was previously dependent upon heavy industry for area employment. Following the recession of the 1970s, it is developing a new economic identity.
Fairfield is a suburban community that is home to many families who work for Cincinnati corporations. Corporate transfers bring new people into the area, often with high expectations for library service. In the ten years between 1980 and 1990, Fairfield’s population (39,729) increased 29%. It is a young, educated community with 25% of adults graduating from college.
Oxford is a college town, home of Miami University. The population (18,937) is young and highly educated. Approximately 55% of Oxford’s population is composed of students who live within the city limits. Fifty-four percent of adult residents are college graduates, and only 5% are over 64 years old. In the ten years between 1980 and 1990, Oxford’s population increased 7.3% .
AGE PROFILE
| City | Under 5 | 5-7 | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65-74 | 75+ |
| Fairfield | 7.3 | 18.2 | 10.4 | 20.4 | 16.9 | 10.3 | 8.1 | 5.3 | 3.1 |
| Hamilton | 8.2 | 19 | 9.8 | 17.5 | 13.3 | 8.5 | 9.4 | 8.1 | 6.1 |
| Oxford | 2.9 | 7.3 | 61.7 | 8.7 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 3 | 2.8 | 2.6 |
The service area includes 5 public school districts and 13 private or parochial schools. There are Miami University campuses in Oxford and Hamilton. D. Russel Lee Career Center provides remedial and vocational education for Butler County. Other adult educational opportunities are widely available through local school districts and community organizations.
The largest employers in the library system’s service area include Miami University, Champion International Corp., Butler County, Mercy Hospitals and Ohio Casualty.
The Lane Free Library was founded in 1866 and deeded to the city of Hamilton in 1868. Following a substantial loss due to the flood of 1913, the library was closed for about one year. It was rededicated in 1914 as Lane Public Library. It became a school district library in 1924.
Besides the Main Library in Hamilton, the library system consists of three branches and bookmobile service. The present bookmobile serves the schools, institutions and the outlying areas of the service district. The Lindenwald Branch was established in 1948. This branch is located within the city of Hamilton. In 1958 a branch library was opened in Oxford while the Fairfield Branch began operating in 1967.
The library system offers a range of materials and services to OPERSons of all ages. Books, periodicals, audiocassettes, videocassettes and compact discs are but a sampling of the material formats available in the collection. Internet access via the Ohio Public Library Network (OPLIN) offers broader search capabilities. Access to the systemwide collection is provided by an integrated automation system. Six day per week delivery service among the facilities allows customers easy access to materials housed at any Lane Public Library facility. The Library is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Library Consortium and as a member institution can offer customers the opportunity to conveniently borrow materials from other GCLC member libraries in the area
The Mission Statement of Lane Public Library as adopted by the Library Board of Trustees outlines the Library’s main goal and guides the selection of materials as it does the development of services and the apportionment of resources.
The mission of Lane Public Library is to provide and promote
library resources to support the information and leisure needs of
the public, with particular emphasis placed upon serving the needs
of the people in the Library’s service area.
The library system serves as an information center for the total community, not just the registered library card holders, by providing open access to the ideas and information available on many subjects and in several media. Therefore the Library endeavors to provide access to print and non-print materials to support the perceived information and leisure needs of the public at all age levels, educational backgrounds, format preferences, reading skills and interest levels. The library system takes a pro-active position in marketing its roles as a door to learning, a popular materials center and as a reference center for the service area. It provides supplemental materials for individuals pursuing educational programs and is a starting point for those seeking advanced or technical information. The library system selects and organizes its materials and markets them under three umbrella collections: the Children’s Collection which covers birth - age 11; the Young Adult Collection which covers ages 12 - 17; and the adult collection.
In selecting materials, the library system endeavors to make available a wide diversity of views and opinion through the acquisition of materials of contemporary significance as well as of long term value, leaving library users free to make their own choices. Lane Public Library believes in the right and obligation of parents and guardians to guide the development of their children. Adults may choose or reject library materials for themselves or their minor children; but they do not have the right to do so for others. The Library does not act as an agent for or against any particular issue, idea or philosophy but maintains its position as a free channel of communication. The over-riding aim of the Library is the inclusion of the best materials in any subject area. The disapproval of an item by a group or individual should not be the means of denying the material to all groups or individuals, if, by library standards, it belongs in the collection.
Our philosophy of selection reflects the library system’s endorsement of the Library Bill of Rights as adopted by the American Library Association. The library system also endorses and adheres to the the American Library Association’s Free Access to Libraries for Minors, the Educational Film Library Association’s Freedom to View statement, the Access for Children and Young People to Videotapes and Other Nonprint Formats statement, the Challenged Materials statement and the statement on Labeling. The last three statements are Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights. The text of each document is located in the Appendix .
The purpose of the Collection Development Policy Statement is to guide the library system’s designated selectors and to inform the public about the principles upon which selection decisions are made and the collection maintained.. The policy cannot replace the judgment of librarians but stating guidelines and indicating parameters of practice will help them in choosing from the vast array of available materials.
Ultimate responsibility for material selection and management lies with the Director who operates within the framework of policies set by the Library Board of Trustees. The Director delegates to designated staff members the authority to interpret and guide the application of the policy in making the day-to-day decisions.
Selection is a discerning and interpretive process involving a general knowledge of the subject and its important literature, a familiarity with materials in the collection, an awareness of bibliographies on the subject and a recognition of the needs of the community. Materials are judged on the basis of the content and style of the work as a whole, not by selected portions.
Collection management is a dynamic process which allows the library to respond to technological advances, expanding areas of knowledge, cultural differences, changing social values and evolving communities. Selectors are responsible for addressing the component issues of the collection management process. These issues include: weeding of the collections, replacing of materials, striving to attain a balance in the collections, maintaining accuracy, judging the condition of the materials, periodic re-evaluating existing collections as a whole, and exploring the need for new collections.
Traditionally public libraries purchased print and non-print materials for hands-on use by the community. Materials were shelved between uses and retrieved when needed. Technological advances and community interest have expanded that tradition in recent years. Now, in order to more fully practice our Mission Statement, Lane Public Library offers access to the Internet via the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) and other avenues.
Through OPLIN and other on-line resources, the library provides access to reference databases of general and special periodical materials, reader’s advisory services, homework centers to assist students with research assignments, and legislative, historical, and archival materials and information.
Information available through the Internet and OPLIN is not warranted by Lane Public Library or by OPLIN to be accurate, authoritative, factual or complete. The availability of networked information via Lane Public Library does not constitute an endorsement or ratification of that information. The Library and OPLIN are not responsible for the content of networked information available. The use of the Internet and OPLIN to engage in any activity that constitutes violation of local, state and/or federal laws is strictly prohibited.
RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS STATEMENT
Lane Public Library has an obligation to the community to reflect within its collection differing points of view on a variety of subjects. The library system does not promote any particular beliefs or views nor does the selection of any materials imply endorsement of the viewpoints expressed in the items purchased. The disapproval of an item by a group or individual should not be the means of denying the material to all other people.
Customers who request the reconsideration of library materials are asked to put their request in writing by completing and signing a Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form. The form is available at each library facility. After the customer returns the completed form, an ad hoc committee consisting of five or six staff members is appointed by the Library Director. Within a two week period, the committee responds in writing to the request for reconsideration. If this response is not satisfactory to the customer, he or she may contact the Library Director for an appointment with the Library Director and the Board of Trustees.
A copy of the Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form is located in the Appendix.
SELECTION SOURCES FOR MATERIALS
The selection process begins when a subject need or a specific title request is brought to the attention of a selector. The types of sources that can be consulted in the selection process include: reviews, patron and staff requests, inter-library loan requests, publisher catalogs, Purchase Alert/Missing/Lost reports generated by the in-house integrated automation system, bibliographies, advertisements, weeding/replacement activities, collection evaluation activities, and gifts.
Reviews are a primary source of information used by the selectors to choose appropriate titles for the collection. Some of the standard professional review periodicals consulted by the selectors are: Booklist, Library Journal, Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, Horn Book, Science Appraisals, VOYA, KLIATT , ALAN Review and Audiofile . Thousands of books alone are published annually. Since the professional review journals are able to review only a fraction of the new titles each year, helpful reviews can also be found in newspaOPERS, general interest magazines, trade journals, and through on-line sources.
Scheduled orders are placed for materials reviewed and selected from each issue of the professional review periodicals previously mentioned. While the other magazines and the newspaOPERS are not automatically checked, they can be relied upon to supply reviews and announcements for titles not included in the professional literature. These reviews are read as needed by the selectors and the titles are considered for selection.
Customer title/subject requests and staff recommendations received either verbally or submitted on a Suggestion for Purchase Form are researched by the selectors to determine the value of the item to the collection and its availability. Such requests are considered on a case-by-case basis at each agency. Selectors are responsible for responding to the written requests. A copy of the form can be located in the Appendix.
Inter-library loan requests are another form of customer request. Periodically selectors should review the ILL requests received and judge the value of adding unowned but asked- for titles to the collection
Publishers’ catalogs and Vendor Selection Lists can be a valuable source of information for the selectors. Oftentimes they provide the only accessible information about the many titles that are not reviewed by the professional literature each year. When perusing catalogs, selectors should remember that the publishers are trying to sell their products; therefore, the reputation of the publisher should be considered and caution should be used in judging the publisher’s evaluation of each title.
Publishers’ catalogs can be good sources of information on subject specific series. Examples are: Chiltons (automotive manuals), Fodors (travel guides), ARCO(test preparation manuals and career information) and Random House Ready to Read (beginning readers). These catalogs carry titles seldom reviewed but which are added on a regular basis to series owned by the library.
The in-house integrated automation system regularly produces reports helpful to the selectors in determining what customers want in the form of a Purchase Alert Report. The Missing and Lost reports also produce a snapshot of collection activity that needs to be monitored frequently by the selectors so that collection balance and diversity will be maintained and necessary titles will be replaced when possible.
Subject bibliographies selected from the standard review periodicals or from other sources such as internet listservs can be compared to our collection to assess its depth against the available recommended titles. Care should be used in selecting from bibliographies. They are a helpful selection source if the timeliness of the materials cited is not a critical factor.
Advertisements often alert selectors to soon-to-be-released titles their customers request. For example, advertisements such as movie announcements alert the selector to the potential tie-in between a released film and titles in the collection. Advertisements are sometimes used as a source for materials on hard-to-find subjects.
Weeding/replacement and collection evaluation activities give the selector the opportunity to observe the collection and pinpoint areas for improvement.
The receipt of gift materials provides selectors with the opportunity to evaluate the material at hand and judge its merit to the collection.
It is not feasible for this library system to emulate the collecting practices of large urban libraries such as the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County or Chicago Public Library or the Library of Congress; therefore, we make no effort to collect all published works. In order to sustain the service outlined in our Mission Statement, we offer Inter-library Loan service to our customers in addition to the materials we own. We are willing to search other library systems for materials that can be borrowed by them if the items sought are not owned by Lane Public Library.
Inter-library Loan (ILL) service is not a substitute for collection development but can expand the range of materials available to our customers.
There are at least two ways in which ILL service interacts with selection activities:
Titles not owned by the library system but requested by a customer through ILL
will be considered for purchase but a single request does not signify
endorsement for purchase if the item does not have a legitimate place in our
collection. Titles frequently asked for will be seriously considered for
purchase if they are filling an unmet need.
Titles that have been considered for purchase but not selected are referred
to the requestor with a recommendation to try ILL service.
Inter-library Loan service is available at each facility. The Information Services staff at the Main Library is responsible for searching other databases and negotiating with other libraries for borrowing privileges. Just as we borrow items from other library systems for our customers, we also serve as a lending point to other systems. We lend all circulating materials but not reference materials.
While we borrow from systems all over the United States, we are fortunate to be a member of the Greater Cincinnati Library Consortium. As a member institution we enjoy free borrowing privileges at the other member libraries and typically try to fill our customers’ requests from this geographic area first.
Lane Public Library is grateful for all of the fine gifts of books and other materials donated to the library system. The Library will use these materials to the very best advantage, whether they are added to the collection or sold at a book sale. Gifts of materials are accepted with the provision that no mandatory qualifications are placed on the gifts or their use. The library system reserves the right to dispose of all gifts of materials as it sees fit. The Library is not a museum and uses discretion in the kinds of materials that are accepted. Gift plates and letters of acknowledgment are considered appropriate compensations for the donations that the Library accepts into the collection.
Donated materials (books and audiovisual materials) are evaluated for their suitability as a part of the collection. The evaluation process for donated materials follows the same selection criteria applied to titles purchased with library funds.
If requested, donors will be given a ‘donor receipt’ form; however, the donor is responsible for assigning value to the gift items. At the time of the donation, the donor will be informed that items unsuitable for inclusion in the collection will be forwarded to either of the Friends organizations for upcoming book sales. The donor can take back his or her material donation if he or she chooses not to let it be sold at a book sale. It will not be possible to retrieve the items from the book sale storage facilities once the items have been boxed and shipped .
It is not uncommon for boxes and bags of donated materials to be anonymously left at any of the agencies. On occasion the materials are in very poor physical condition when they arrive (mildewed, defaced, torn, etc.). Such items will not become part of the collection and selectors will make arrangements to dispose of such materials rather than include them with book sale donations.
Every title that a selector considers for purchase from any of the previously-described sources should pass some or all of the following general criteria: accuracy, timeliness, authoritativeness, enduring value, importance of subject matter to the collection to meet community needs, scarcity of material on the subject, cost, quality and suitability of the format, availability elsewhere, social significance, literary, artistic or technical value, soundness of the author/director/producer/performer’s approach to the subject, date of publication, availability of current editions, recommendations of reviews, series information, awards or honors assigned to the title, and assessment of the work as a whole. Criteria more specific to either fiction or non-fiction sub-collections are noted in those sections of the policy statement.
Other criteria particularly relevant in judging the selection of audiovisual materials include: technical clarity, reader/narrator recognition, narrative voice and style, clear/user friendly documentation, sturdiness of construction, and the quantity of pieces making up the whole item. With the selection of audio books there is the additional consideration: abridged or unabridged editions. In considering this last criteria, selectors should be especially sensitive to the editorial preferences of the community.
Since it is not possible to OPERSonally examine every title under consideration, it is necessary for the selectors to frequently rely upon reviews. Reviews can be located in a number of sources as mentioned in the previous section and the selector should be familiar with the review sources and their points of view or intended audience so that the review can be critically judged. If the first review is ambiguous, the selector may want to wait for additional reviews before a decision is made. Physical examination of the item is a must when evaluating gift materials for inclusion in the collection.
DUPLICATION AND REPLACEMENT OF MATERIALS
Lane Public Library does not have the budgetary resources to buy multiple copies of every title owned. It is preferable in high demand subject areas to purchase multiple titles rather than multiple copies so that a broader array of ideas, reading levels, information and OPERSpectives are available. Heavy demand for specific titles or lack of title variety and quality within a subject does lead to the purchase of multiple copies of particular titles. An alternate way to meet patron demand for specific titles is to obtain them through the library system’s Bestseller/New Fiction Rental Collection Plan. Further information on the Plan is outlined on Page 21. Selectors have the responsibility of determining the number of titles or extra copies to be purchased. Periodically, the selectors replace high demand items because the frequent use physically wears out the item. Examples of year-round frequent use subjects include GED, SAT and nursing boards preparation manuals, automotive manuals, and collectibles price guides. Examples of seasonal frequent use subjects include children’s holiday stories and adult cooking and craft titles.
It is not the library system’s purpose to replace the school libraries or to become the exclusive information provider of the public and private schools. The Library does not purchase multiple copies with the intent of covering classroom assignments. Cooperation in meeting special school requests will be practiced within the limits of the library system’s resources and without creating undue disadvantage to the community at large. Specific requests from school librarians and teachers will be handled on an individual basis.
Information and ideas are purchased in the formats most appropriate to their understanding and appreciation (i.e. print is a good format for chemistry tables, compact disc is a good format for classical music and video is a good format for dance). Print format generally bound as a book is the most familiar format found in the libraries. Hardcover and softcover (paperback) books make up the largest percentage of the total materials collection.
Lane Public Library also purchases a diverse array of audiovisual format materials. Audiovisual is a term that describes an item available in either a strictly non-book format or a format that combines book and non-book materials. These items are for home and private use as permitted by federal copyright law. Some materials with public performance rights are purchased as the budget allows. Currently the library system acquires audiovisual materials in the following formats: audiocassettes, compact discs, videocassettes, puppets, educational toys and games, CD ROM software, children’s book & tape sets, multi-media kits, photographs, postcards, slides, microforms and maps.
Each new audiovisual format will be considered for the collection when by evidence of industry reports and local requests, a significant portion of the population served has the technology to make use of it. Availability of the format, cost per item, durability, and the library system’s ability to acquire, handle and house the items in a cost effective way are also factors that help determine when a new format will be collected. Similar considerations will influence the decision to delete a format from the overall materials collection.
Broad categories of classic literature, current literary fiction, popular bestsellers and genre fiction from all time periods and from all parts of the world are purchased for community interest and comprise the bulk of the adult fiction collection. The breadth described here reflects the diverse interests of a community of varied education levels, tastes and reading abilities Current bestsellers and popular titles are duplicated where necessary in the collection. Most fiction titles are selected from reviews; however, authors or titles not always known for their literary quality or artistic merit but enjoying substantial popular appeal in the community are also purchased. Selectors working with the adult fiction collection make an effort to see that works by local authors are also identified and acquired for the circulating collection to cover community popularity. The works of some local authors are also selected for either of the two local history collections provided they meet the selection criteria unique to the local history collections.
The young adult fiction collection is predominantly purchased in paperback format since that format proves most popular with the age group for which it is intended. The collection includes subject matter that appeals to the experimental and transitional nature of young adults between the ages of 12 and 17. Some of the titles will only be found in the young adult collection but others will be duplicated in either the adult or children’s collection because of their broader appeal. An example of a duplicated title would be Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, a literary classic which will be purchased for both the young adult and adult fiction collections. It is not expected that young adults will limit themselves to this small fiction collection but will also make use of titles in the other two collections that reflect their reading level and their maturity level.
The three components of the Children’s general fiction collection are Picture Books, Easy Readers, and Juvenile Fiction. Picture Books are highly illustrated titles where illustration predominates and enhances the minimal text. They may be wordless or have quite a bit of text. Potential content can cover a wide range of subjects, themes, life experiences or developmental tasks. A child may or may not be able to read these materials independently and their intended use is to increase vocabulary and to be read aloud. Easy Readers are illustrated fiction books usually with controlled vocabulary that are suitable for a beginning reader. Easy Readers have more text and fewer pictures than do Picture Books. Juvenile Fiction, commonly referred to as “chapter books” generally start a step above the Easy Readers in length and difficulty of vocabulary. While Juvenile Fiction may have some illustrations, the text plays the significant role in the work. These books also cover a range of subjects, themes, life situations and developmental tasks. Difficulty may range from simple stories written for a reader in transition from Easy Readers to stories written for the sophisticated reader with a large vocabulary and higher reading skills.
Selectors are usually looking for answers to these rhetorical questions in the fiction reviews, are the time and place of the setting convincing, are the details of the setting accurate, is the point of view of the story clear, are the characters convincing, are the characters’ activities in the story relevant to their time and situation, does the plot action progress naturally - is there a beginning, middle and end to the story, is the theme clear, is the dialogue natural and the vocabulary appropriate for the intended audience, if the work is illustrated, are the style and technique suited to the intended audience, and do the illustrations and the text fit well together?.
The non-fiction collection serves as the backbone for the entire materials collection. The goal is to include diverse OPERSpectives on almost any topic of interest to the community. To address the information needs of the very youngest and very oldest patrons, this broad collection is broken into four segments: easy non-fiction, juvenile non-fiction, young adult non-fiction and adult non-fiction. High demand subjects or titles are often duplicated at each location but the selectors work to make sure that materials are also available for those members of the community whose interests are not widely shared. Textbooks are acquired if they serve the general public by providing information on subjects where little or no material in any other collected format is easily accessible. The library system does not make an effort to maintain a collection of textbooks in use at local area schools.
The selectors are usually looking for answers to these questions when reviewing the available literature for purchase, does the book do the job it purports to do in terms of scope and coverage, do the text and illustrations appear to be accurate and up-to-date, is the author qualified in the subject, are the concepts, language, format and illustrations appropriate for the intended audience, does the work contain a table of contents, an index, a glossary, a bibliography or any combination of these, are the illustrations appropriate for the subject, and are any maps or tables accurate and easy to understand?.
While accuracy of content and the author’s authoritativeness are critical criteria in the selection of non-fiction, Lane Public Library does not assume responsibility for any inaccuracies or errors in the works of the collection. Opinion, theory and conjecture have a place in the non-fiction collection as does proven fact.
These brief descriptions highlight the areas from which circulating and reference materials are selected:
000s
Area covers non-verbal communication, computer science, library science, bibliographies, history of publishing, pseudoscience and trivia.
100s
Area covers philosophy, parapsychology, occultism, astrology and psychology.
200s
Area covers religion and mythology
300s
Area covers sociology, political science, economics, real estate, OPERSonal finance, resume guides, law, crime, education, holidays, etiquette and folklore.
400s
Area covers linguistics and languages
500s
Area covers natural history, mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, earth sciences, paleontology, biology and genetics, botany and zoology.
600s
Area covers inventions, medical science, electronics, engineering, auto repair, agriculture, gardening, animal husbandry, pets, home economics, cooking, parenting/child care, business, technology/manufacturing and building.
700s
Area covers art history, civic and landscape art, architecture, plastic arts, drawing and drawings, antiques/collectibles, crafts, painting, graphic arts, printmaking, photography, music, performing arts, games and sports.
800s
Area covers writing techniques, literary history and criticism, poetry, drama, essays, letters, speeches, satire/humor and miscellaneous writings.
900s
Area covers adventure, travel and description, genealogy, history and collective biography.
Biography
Area covers individual biographies including autobiographies, diaries, memoirs and journals of people in a variety of fields and periods of history.
Residents of the service area look to the information resources of Lane Public Library to meet specific information needs occurring through the course of their lives. They have a high expectation that the library system will have the answers to their questions or will know where to find them.
In order to answer the questions frequently asked by the customers and in anticipation of future, frequent questions, some materials are given the designation “reference” which indicates their handling is restricted to use within the library facilities where many patrons and staff can access them frequently. Criteria used in the selection process of circulating titles apply to items designated as reference also, although for reference materials, currency of data is one of the most critical and necessary criteria. When cost is not a prohibitive factor and anticipated use looks to be high, it is common for selectors to purchase at least two copies of a title; one copy for the circulating collection and one designated “reference” for use in the library proper.
Many of the books purchased for the customers will be in hardcover edition. Product durability is important, particularly for those high demand subjects and subjects of long-standing value. Titles in paperback format are purchased for the general fiction and non-fiction print collections under a variety of circumstances such as when the hardcover is too costly, the item is only printed in paperback, temporary community demand supports multiple copies, or the subject matter will not enjoy enduring popularity or usefulness. As are hardcover items, paperback items included in the general fiction and non-fiction collections are provided with complete bibliographic records in the database because the items are expected to be maintained for an extended period of time and there is much value in providing records with multiple, consistent search points.
Some titles and genres consistently achieve higher circulation in paperback than in hardback edition. The library system maintains paperback fiction browsing collections for all age levels. These high demand items circulate heavily and wear out quickly. It is therefore more cost effective to provide searchable but abbreviated bibliographic records for materials in these collections.
BESTSELLER/NEW FICTION RENTAL COLLECTION
Lane Public Library rents collections of bestsellers, newer fiction and non-fiction to be used by the community. Although the library system rents the books, they are offered to the public free of charge as are all other collections. The collections are available at every agency and the purpose of this service is to provide the library system’s customers with multiple copies of the newest titles quickly, without sacrificing valuable shelf space to permanent added copies over the long term. Once demand for any particular title has peaked, the excess copies are returned to the vendor and replaced with other bestseller titles.
Selectors at each agency identify titles to be ordered for that agency from a common vendor- supplied list by exercising the library system’s general selection criteria . The designated selector should judge the number of copies of a title needed for each agency . The Purchase Alert Reports can help a selector to gauge the number of copies to be ordered.
Lane Public Library is fortunate to count two local history collections as components of the overall materials collection. The Smith Library of Regional History located in the Oxford Branch facility, collects materials on the history of southwest Ohio while the Cummins Room Local History collection, housed at the Main Library, collects historical materials pertaining to the City of Hamilton and to a lesser extent, Butler County.
The combined collections include books, journals, theses, maps, OPERSonal paOPERS, archives, photographs, and newspaOPERS. All items in these two collections are designated “reference” and must be used in the Smith Library of Regional History or in the Cummins Room. Space restrictions at both locations serve to curtail the size of the collections and require the selectors to carefully consider all purchases and donations on an item-by-item basis to ensure that all additions will complement the limited scope of the collections within the limited physical confines of each building.
Periodically it is necessary to make space in each of the collections for recently acquired materials that provide more valuable historical documentation of the area. In such cases, the library system seeks to find another local institution that is willing to house the excess material and make it available to the public.
A Professional Collection exists for the staff and the Board of Trustees. It consists of materials presenting library statistics, discussing library services and theory, outlining library standards, trends, OPERSonnel and automation issues, finance and public relations issues, and building design. Some information of historical importance concerning the development of public libraries is retained in the collection; but the focus of the information will be on the more recent trends and philosophies practiced in public libraries of the late twentieth century. Although processed as reference items, the materials can be checked out by the staff and the Board. These titles may be duplicated in circulating collections if staff and community interest warrants.
All staff are welcome to make suggestions for purchase and each member of the Communication/Coordination Committee has a budget from which to select materials in their area of expertise for the collection. The collection is housed in the Store Room of the Main Library.
Every facility in the library system has a large print collection. Many titles in the collection duplicate titles already available on the shelves in standard type. The fiction collection is primarily made up of classic literature, popular bestsellers and genre materials for adults and young people. The non-fiction collection primarily targets health and spiritual growth issues, travel, biographies, humor, and self-help works. The collection is not intended to be all inclusive and is somewhat restricted by the number of titles available for purchase. Selections follow the general selection criteria for fiction and non-fiction but collection content is primarily dependent upon community interest in a particular author or subject matter or availability in either hardcover or softcover format. The collection is intended for browsers but also serves as a source for the deposit collections at health care centers, senior citizen centers and senior citizen residences.
Two examples of categories of items on the Standing Order account are annuals and/or new editions and titles in series.
Annuals and/or new editions may be circulating as well as reference and cover the gamut of statistical information, automotive service manuals, travel guides, “best of the year” or award winning collections.
Titles in series highlight regularly published titles within the different fiction genres that are very popular and are more efficiently and cost effectively acquired as a group rather than individually.
Not all titles purchased through the Standing Order budget are regularly reviewed. In most cases these are regularly updated editions of known value and quality or series fiction of high demand. The Standing Order process provides a more cost-effective and timely acquisition of these materials.
Selectors are cognizant of the fact that the Standing Order process, while convenient, cannot be a blanket substitute for evaluation of individual titles. The Standing Order list is evaluated each year by the selectors to determine the usefulness and effectiveness of its titles to our customers and to reaffirm each title’s contribution to the library system’s materials collection.
Lane Public Library acquires and maintains a periodical collection to serve the information and leisure needs of the public. The objective is to have a well-balanced general periodical collection that supplements the book and audio-visual collections and that includes newspaOPERS, magazines and newsletters. To that end, the library system makes a concerted effort to subscribe to all or most local newspaOPERS . The majority of the magazines cover popular titles in many general subject areas but some more scholarly publications are also collected.
Back issues of periodicals are retained where space permits. Because space is a finite, valued commodity, some back issues are provided in microfiche or microfilm format only.
Access to a wider array of periodical titles and issues (current and retrospective ) is available through several electronic databases at each facility.
BINDERY AND MENDING GUIDELINES
The purpose of rebinding and repackaging materials is to be able to get more use out of them, not necessarily to preserve them for all time. The content of the item is the most critical factor to consider when determining if an item is to be rebound, repackaged or replaced with the same title or a new title on the same subject. Some books are automatic candidates for rebinding because the particular edition is out of print but deemed a useful or necessary part of the collection or it may be the “best relevant title” on a particular subject.
A component of the continuous collection management process is the evaluation of the physical condition of the item. If a book is in questionable physical condition, it reflects badly upon the overall appearance of the collection. One solution to poor physical condition is rebinding. Some questions to consider when determining the value of rebinding are is the paper heavily soiled, brittle or yellow with age, is the paper water damaged, are there markings on the pages that would detract from the book, are the margins wide enough to allow for trimming (a margin of at least 5/8” will be needed to rebind), does the book have a dust jacket that will cover the “rebound look”, and has it already been rebound (it is usually difficult to rebind a previously rebound book). If the evaluation affirms any of these questions for items in the circulating collection, the selector should consider replacing the title exactly or replacing it with another title on the same subject. If the only physical problem appears to be a mangled plastic cover, by all means have the cover replaced and return the item to the shelf.
Materials in the local history collections are typical candidates for rebinding since their value to customers is high and they are irreplaceable. However some local history materials may be in such poor condition that rebinding is not a viable option. In such case, the item may be slip jacketed or possibly filmed as a last resort. Digitizing is not yet a permanent solution for preserving information. In the Smith Library of Regional History, for example, over 95% of books in poor condition receive the attention of a conservator instead of being sent for binding, filming or digitizing.
Audio-visual materials should be inspected closely before making the decision to repackage or weed. If the only problem is a worn or torn container, the item can be repackaged and returned to the shelf . If the container is worn and the item is missing pieces or it has been checked out many times, a more prudent action would be to replace the whole item.
Collection management includes the systematic inspection, evaluation, and weeding of the materials collection. Inspection and evaluation are done on an item-by-item basis that study not only the physical condition of the item but its relationship to every other item on that subject. Questions rhetorically asked during this evaluation process include what is the library’s role in the community, what are the continuing needs and demands of people in the service area, is funding available to purchase additional or other materials on the subject, are newer editions available for purchase, does this work offer a unique OPERSpective that is needed to provide balance for the subject, and does the Library have cooperative collection development agreements with any other library that would require retaining particular items.
Items may be weeded from the collection as a result of the inspection and evaluation activities in order to make the collection more responsive and useful to the community and to make room for newer materials on the shelves. Current weeding criteria include the removal of dated and/or suOPERSeded information, materials in poor physical condition, duplicate copies, and inappropriate or ephemeral materials.
Lane Public Library is committed to providing accurate, up-to-date information in all fields but currency is essential in the fields of law, medicine, general health, science, travel, investments, taxes, and test preparation booklets.
Clean, unmarked materials in good condition generally receive better care while in the customer’s possession. Damage and extreme wear indicate a favorite item to some but these qualities make the collection and the facilities look less than clean and neat and invite customers to treat the item in a less respectful way. Very popular, worn out, or soiled copies need to be replaced with new copies whenever possible. Collections that appear to be in good physical shape are more attractive and often circulate more frequently than a collection that contains many tattered items. It is easier to market a clean-looking collection.
Multiple copies demonstrate an admirable responsiveness to customer demand during a title’s heyday. It is appropriate to retain multiple copies of frequently asked for titles such as test preparation booklets, classic literature, popular fiction or high-interest non-fiction titles. Once interest in a title diminishes, multiple copies frequently occupy needed permanent shelf space that could be used to provide customer’s with newer titles.
Inappropriate or ephemeral materials include materials not cited in any bibliography used by the Library as an evaluation tools, or materials that have been suOPERSeded by newer, more attractive materials, or replaced by current information that has proved the title to be irrelevant or wrong, or items on a subject no longer of interest to the Library’s patrons.
Exception to weeding
If the Library is a repository of works by local authors or of specific local historical information and data, every effort should be made to retain the items as long as they are considered to be a valuable component of the collection, even if some conservation measures must be undertaken to physically preserve them. Those titles that become physically worn should be repaired, rebound, slip jacketed, or, if duplicates are available, replaced with fresher copies. If duplicates are available and some storage space is at hand, it may be wise to invest in additional copies as insurance against future need.
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.
- Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials 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.
- Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
- Libraries should cooperate with all OPERSons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
- A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.
- Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.
Adopted June 18, 1948
Amended February 2, 1961, and January 23, 1980, inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996, by the ALA Council.
Library policies and procedures which effectively deny minors equal access to all library resources available to other users violate the Library Bill of Rights. The American Library Association opposes all attempts to restrict access to library services, materials, and facilities based on the age of library users.
Article 5 of the Library Bill of Rights states, “A OPERSon’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.” The “right to use a library” includes free access to, and unrestricted use of, all the services, materials, and facilities the library has to offer. Every restriction on access to, and use of, library resources, based solely on the chronological age, educational level, or legal emancipation of users violates Article 5.
Libraries are charged with the mission of developing resources to meet the diverse information needs and interests of the communities they serve. Services, materials, and facilities which fulfill the needs and interests of library users at different stages in their OPERSonal development are a necessary part of library resources. The needs and interests of each library user, and resources appropriate to meet those needs and interests, must be determined on an individual basis. Librarians cannot predict what resources will best fulfill the needs and interests of any individual user based on a single criterion such as chronological age, level of education, or legal emancipation.
The selection and development of library resources should not be diluted because of minors having the same access to library resources as adult users. Institutional self-censorship diminishes the credibility of the library in the community, and restricts access for all library users.
Librarians and governing bodies should not resort to age restrictions on access to library resources in an effort to avoid actual or anticipated objections from parents or anyone else. The mission, goals, and objectives of libraries do not authorize librarians or governing bodies to assume, abrogate, or overrule the rights and responsibilities of parents or legal guardians. Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents - and only parents - have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children - and only their children - to library resources. Parents or legal guardians who do not want their children to have access to certain library services, materials or facilties, should so advise their children. Librarians and governing bodies cannot assume the role of parents or the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between parent and child. Librarians and governing bodies have a public and professional obligation to provide equal access to all library resources for all library users.
Librarians have a professional commitment to ensure that all members of the community they serve have free and equal access to the entire range of library resources regardless of content, approach, format, or amount of detail. This principle of library service applies equally to all users, minors as well as adults. Librarians and governing bodies must uphold this principle in order to provide adequate and effective service to minors.
Adopted June 30, 1972
Amended July1, 1981; July 3, 1991, by the ALA Council.
The Freedom to View, along with the freedom to speak, to hear, and to read, is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. In a free society, there is no place for censorship of any medium of expression. Therefore these principles are affirmed:
- To provide the broadest possible access to film, video, and other audiovisual materials because they are a means for the communication of ideas. Liberty of circulation is essential to insure the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression.
- To protect the confidentiality of all individuals and institutions using film, video, and other audiovisual materials.
- To provide film, video, and other audiovisual materials which represent a diversity of views and expression. Selection of a work does not constitute or imply agreement with or approval of the content.
- To provide a diversity of viewpoints without the constraint of labeling or prejudging film, video and other audiovisual materials on the basis of the moral, religious, or political beliefs of the producer or filmmaker or on the basis of controversial content.
- To contest vigorously, by all lawful means, every encroachment upon the public’s freedom to view.
This statement was originally drafted by the Freedom to View Committee of the American Film and Video Association (formerly the Educational Film Library Association) and was adopted by the AFVA Board of Directors in February 1979. This statement was updated and approved by the AFVA Board of Directors in 1989. Endorsed by the ALA Council January 10, 1990.
An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
Library collections of videotapes, motion pictures, and other nonprint formats raise a number of intellectual freedom issues, especially regarding minors.
The interests of young people, like those of adults, are not limited by subject, theme, or level of sophistication. Librarians have a responsibility to ensure young people have access to materials and services that reflect diversity sufficient to meet their demands.
To guide librarians and others in resolving these issues, the American Library Association provides the following guidelines.
Article 5 of the Library Bill of Rights says, “A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views”.
ALA’s Free Access to Libraries for Minors: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights states:
- The “right to use a library” includes free access to, and unrestricted
use of, all the services, materials, and facilities the library has to
offer. Every restriction on access to, and use of, library resources,
based solely on the chronological age, educational level, or legal
emancipation of users violates Article 5.
- ...[P]arents - and only parents - have the right and the responsibility
to restrict the access of their children - and only their children - to
library resources. Parents or legal guardians who do not want their
children to have access to certain library services, materials, or facilities,
should so advise their children. Librarians and governing bodies cannot
assume the role of parents or the functions of parental authority in the
private relationship between parent and child. Librarians and govern-
ing bodies have a public obligation to provide equal access to all
library resources for all library users.
Policies which set minimum age limits for access to videotapes and/or other audiovisual materials and equipment, with or without parental permission, abridge library use for minors. Further, age limits based on the cost of the materials are unacceptable. Unless directly and specifically prohibited by law from circulating certain motion pictures and video productions to minors, librarians should apply the same standards to circulation of these materials as are applied to books and other materials.
Recognizing that libraries cannot act in loco parentis, ALA acknowledges and supports the exercise by parents of their responsibility to guide their own children’s reading and viewing. Published reviews of films and videotapes and/or reference works which provide information about the content, subject matter, and recommended audiences can be made available in conjunction with nonprint collections to assist parents in guiding their children without implicating the library in censorship. This material may include information provided by video producers and distributors, promotional material on videotape packaging, and Motion Picture Assciation of America (MPAA) ratings if they are included on the tape or in the packaging by the original publisher and/or if they appear in review sources or reference works included in the library’s collection. Marking out or removing ratings information from videotape packages constitutes expurgation or censorship.
MPAA and other rating services are private advisory codes and have no legal standing*. For the library to add such ratings to the materials if they are not already there, to post a list of such ratings with a collection, or to attempt to enforce such ratings through circulation policies or other procedures constitutes labeling, “an attempt to prejudice attitudes” about the material, and is unacceptable. The application of locally generated ratings schemes intended to provide content warnings to library users is also inconsistent with the Library Bill of Rights.
*For information on case law, please contact the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom.
Adopted June 28, 1989 by the ALA Council. The quotation from FREE ACCESS TO LIBRARIES FOR MINORS was changed after Council adopted the July 3, 1991, revision of that Interpretation.
The American Library Association declares as a matter of firm principle that it is the responsibility of every library to have a clearly defined materials selection policy in written form which reflects the Library Bill of Rights and which is approved by the appropriate governing authority.
Challenged materials which meet the criteria for selection in the materials selection policy of the library should not be removed under any legal or extra-legal pressure. The Library Bill of Rights states in Article 1 that “Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.” and in Article 2, that “Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.” Freedom of expression is protected by the Constitution of the United States, but constitutionally protected expression is often separated from unprotected expression only by a dim and uncertain line. The Constitution requires a procedure designed to focus searchingly on challenged expression before it can be suppressed. An adversary hearing is a part of this procedure.
Therefore, any attempt, be it legal or extra-legal, to regulate or suppress materials in libraries must be closely scrutinized to the end that protected expression is not abridged.
Adopted June 25, 1971
Amended July 1, 1981; amended January 10, 1990, by the ALA Council.
Labeling is the practice of describing or designating certain library materials by affixing a prejudicial label to them or segregating them by a prejudicial system. The American Library Association opposes this as a means of predisposing people’s attitudes towards library materials for the following reasons:
- Labeling is an attempt to prejudice attitudes and as such, it is a censor’s tool.
- Some find it easy and even proper, according to their ethics, to establish criteria for judging publications as objectionable. However, injustice and ignorance rather than justice and enlightenment result from such practices, and the American Library Association opposes the establishment of such criteria.
- Libraries do not advocate the ideas found in their collections. The presence of books and other resources in a library does not indicateendorsement of their contents by the library.
The American Library Association opposes efforts which aim at closing any path to knowledge. This statement does not, however, exclude the adoption of organizational schemes designed as directional aids or to facilitate access to materials.
Adopted July 13, 1951
Amended June 25, 1971; July 1, 1981, by the ALA Council.
