Collection Development Policy

I. Purpose

The collection development policy exists to guide librarians selecting materials and to inform the public about the principles guiding collection development decisions. Collection development refers to the decision to add materials to the collection, retain materials already in the collection and choose materials for library programs and promotions. The goal would be to increase both the quality and quantity of the entire collection.

Responsibility for collection development lies with the librarians who apply professional knowledge, experience and this policy in making decisions. Librarians maintain descriptions and guidelines for developing individual components of the collection. Ultimate responsibility for collection development lies with the Library Director.

Materials selected for the collection will meet both the current and long-term needs of North Liberty Community Library patrons of all ages and abilities for information, education, culture and recreation. The library strives to offer a wide range of subjects and views in a variety of formats and levels of difficulty, within the limits of cost and space and considering current holdings and demand. Collection development will support priorities of the library's long-term plan.

II. Guidelines

The library will adhere to and support the LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS, FREEDOM TO READ AND FREEDOM TO VIEW statements adopted by the American library Association. Selection is based on the merits of a work in relation to the needs and interests of the community. Every effort shall be made to represent variety of points of view. Including materials in the collection does not include endorsement of their contents. Censorship is a purely individual matter. While an individual or group is free to reject material, no one shall restrict access to the rest of the community.

Responsibility for children rests with their parents or legal guardians. Selection should not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may inadvertently come into the possession of children.

The library welcomes suggestions and comments from the public and will attempt to acquire requested materials or reasonable cost and value to the collection.

III. Collection Maintenance

To ensure that the library's collection is up-to-date and relevant to the community's needs, it is the responsibility of the selectors to reevaluate, on a regular basis, the usefulness of materials previously added to the collection.

Selectors will discard materials because they are out-of-date, badly worn or damaged; based on professional weeding criteria in conjunction with State Library mandates. Space, the cost of replacement, and the appearance of the collection are also factors. Locally significant materials or established literary classics are not held to these standards and are generally retained and/or replaced as needed. Withdrawn materials may be sold at a public sale by the Friends of the North Liberty Community Library, recycled or given away.

IV. Gifts

The library accepts gifts of library materials with the understanding that the same guidelines of selection are applied to gifts as to materials acquired by purchase. Gift items not used for the collection will be donated to the Friends of the library or recycled. Gift items that become part of the collection will be evaluated for retention on the same basis as other items.

• Written 1998
• Reviewed and revised October 1999
• Reviewed and revised October 2000
• Reviewed June 2007