MATERIALS POLICIES
INTRODUCTION
The Bolton Public Library and its collections exist to meet the informational, educational, and recreational needs of the community in Bolton, Massachusetts. The Library provides service and materials to all, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, disability, socioeconomic status, or any other legally protected status. The Library’s materials are chosen to meet varied needs of residents who have diverse backgrounds, experiences, beliefs, and worldviews.
Chosen by professional librarians using respected review sources, the items the Library owns are continually evaluated to ensure their quality, diversity, timeliness, and condition.
As a member of the C/WMARS network and the greater Massachusetts library community, we also strive to ensure that our collections meet consortium requirements.
The Library Board of Trustees and Staff endorse the principles of intellectual freedom as expressed in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, and contained in the Freedom to Read and Freedom to View statements.
LIBRARY MATERIALS
The staff will provide materials that help meet its objectives. Quality, useful content is available in many formats, including traditional books and serials, audiovisual digital, Library of Things, and electronic media. The library staff also evaluates emerging formats in order to add value to the collection.
The Library’s collections are primarily in the English language; however, since Bolton is increasingly diverse, world language collections will reflect the needs of residents.
Materials that are no longer useful in light of the Library’s stated objectives will be systematically removed from the collection according to the Library Weeding Policy.
The Library provides free, open, and equitable access to collections for all users and does not encourage or discourage any particular viewpoint. Selection of materials does not constitute endorsement of the content expressed in those materials.
All library users, including children and young adults, have access to the entire Library collection. Not all library materials are suitable for all members of the community. Parents and caregivers are responsible for judging the suitability of materials for minors, and mature library users for themselves.
MATERIALS SELECTION PROCESS
The Library Board of Trustees delegates primary responsibility for materials selection to the Director. The Director may, in turn, share responsibility for parts of the collection to qualified staff members (e.g., the Children’s Librarian may select children’s materials). However, all staff members, trustees, and library users may suggest titles for purchase. The collection is user-focused, and these conversations are important indicators of local needs.
BPL collects materials for all ages. In making selections, staff members use personal knowledge, community conversations, and standard book selection tools, including but not limited to the following:
All materials, whether purchased or donated and regardless of format, are subject to one or more of the following considerations:
Additional considerations for evaluation of electronic resources also include the following:
MATERIALS SELECTION POLICY
BPL does not collect textbooks for any level of study.
Single copies are generally purchased. The Director may make an exceptions when demand warrants. Due to limited resources, we cannot always purchase enough copies to meet local or consortium demand.
Books are generally purchased in hardcover. Library bindings are preferred for children’s books.
Large type books are selectively collected.
Recognizing the separate and distinctive mission of school libraries, BPL does not attempt to support school curricula. The Library does, however, actively collect materials on school-generated summer reading lists.
Donated materials, including self-published works, must meet the same selection criteria as all other materials in the collection. They are also subject to the same weeding policy as all other materials.
PERIODICALS AND NEWSPAPERS
Microfilm, microfiche, and other media are not collected.
With the exception of the local newspapers and the reference copies of Consumer Reports, all periodicals circulate for one week (seven days).
Retention of periodicals is generally current year only.
REFERENCE COLLECTION
Reference works such as encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, and guides are actively collected. Such materials are accurate, easy to use, authoritative, and current. Price and available space are also considerations. Reference works circulate overnight only with the Director’s permission; otherwise, they remain in the library. Electronic formats will be considered.
GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS
U.S. government documents are not collected. BPL relies on the availability of government documents at Worcester Public Library and other local depositories,
as well as the World Wide Web.
Town Hall is the Town’s official repository for local government documents. The Library collects and stores some documents of general interest, such as Annual Town Meeting warrants, Annual Reports, and hard copy of bylaws.
WEEDING
Weeding is the systematic review of every book in the library, assessing for quality, current usefulness, and appearance. An essential component of collection management, weeding contributes to the effectiveness, reliability, and appearance of the library, as well as revealing areas of the collection that need further development.
Materials that are no longer useful will be removed from the collection (weeded) using the CREW Method. Materials that are still useful but are in bad condition will, if possible, be replaced.
Weeding, done on a continual basis, will cover the entire collection every year. Inventory will be conducted on a rolling basis annually. Primary responsibility for weeding rests with the Director (for adult collections) and Youth Services Librarians (for youth collections).
In weeding, the Director and designates use subject knowledge, familiarity with the community and its information needs, reports from C/WMARS, and tools such as the ALA’s Standard Catalog.
Books that should be withdrawn from the collection are as follows:
Disposal of books will take one of several forms:
Material that is time sensitive will be weeded as follows:
Superseded items will not be kept.
COMPLAINTS AND CHAIN OF AUTHORITY, and REQUESTS FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS
The Library recognizes the right of community residents to question library materials, programs, and services. The Library will not consider requests submitted by individuals who are not residents of Bolton, MA.
Completion of a Request for Reconsideration Form is required to initiate the process. Completed forms can be emailed to [email protected].
Completed forms will be submitted to the appropriate member of the professional staff, usually the Director.
All requests for reconsideration are considered confidential. The Director will attempt to resolve complaints in a respectful and fair manner in light of Library policy and First Amendment rights, and disregarding personal beliefs or values.
The Library reserves the right to discuss a request for reconsideration with a third party such as a Library System Consultant or other authority.
In evaluating a Request for Reconsideration, the Director will consider the following:
Factors which will not be considered in re-evaluation of material, services, or programs:
Evaluation will include the item or program as a whole, not selected sections. The library will not alter or expunge any section or sections of a work. No item will be removed from standard shelving and placed in a restricted-access area. Items that have become missing or lost but that are deemed to be appropriate for the collection will be replaced. No program will be canceled or item removed or restricted while under reconsideration or because of a complaint.
The Director will issue a written response to a complaint. In all cases, detailed and confidential written records will be kept about all interactions surrounding the complaint.
The Director will notify the Board of Trustees and Massachusetts Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee of any challenge to library material or services.
Adopted by the Library Board of Trustees 8/3/2022
The Bolton Public Library and its collections exist to meet the informational, educational, and recreational needs of the community in Bolton, Massachusetts. The Library provides service and materials to all, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, disability, socioeconomic status, or any other legally protected status. The Library’s materials are chosen to meet varied needs of residents who have diverse backgrounds, experiences, beliefs, and worldviews.
Chosen by professional librarians using respected review sources, the items the Library owns are continually evaluated to ensure their quality, diversity, timeliness, and condition.
As a member of the C/WMARS network and the greater Massachusetts library community, we also strive to ensure that our collections meet consortium requirements.
The Library Board of Trustees and Staff endorse the principles of intellectual freedom as expressed in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, and contained in the Freedom to Read and Freedom to View statements.
- https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
- https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement
- https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomviewstatement
LIBRARY MATERIALS
The staff will provide materials that help meet its objectives. Quality, useful content is available in many formats, including traditional books and serials, audiovisual digital, Library of Things, and electronic media. The library staff also evaluates emerging formats in order to add value to the collection.
The Library’s collections are primarily in the English language; however, since Bolton is increasingly diverse, world language collections will reflect the needs of residents.
Materials that are no longer useful in light of the Library’s stated objectives will be systematically removed from the collection according to the Library Weeding Policy.
The Library provides free, open, and equitable access to collections for all users and does not encourage or discourage any particular viewpoint. Selection of materials does not constitute endorsement of the content expressed in those materials.
All library users, including children and young adults, have access to the entire Library collection. Not all library materials are suitable for all members of the community. Parents and caregivers are responsible for judging the suitability of materials for minors, and mature library users for themselves.
MATERIALS SELECTION PROCESS
The Library Board of Trustees delegates primary responsibility for materials selection to the Director. The Director may, in turn, share responsibility for parts of the collection to qualified staff members (e.g., the Children’s Librarian may select children’s materials). However, all staff members, trustees, and library users may suggest titles for purchase. The collection is user-focused, and these conversations are important indicators of local needs.
BPL collects materials for all ages. In making selections, staff members use personal knowledge, community conversations, and standard book selection tools, including but not limited to the following:
- Library Journal
- The New York Times Book Review
- Publishers Weekly
- NPR Books
- Booklist
- School Library Journal
All materials, whether purchased or donated and regardless of format, are subject to one or more of the following considerations:
- Relevance to the Library’s mission and goals
- Contemporary significance, permanent value, or popular interest
- Accuracy, currency, comprehensiveness, and reliability
- Public or critical recognition of the author, editor, illustrator, filmmaker, etc.
- Public demand
- Value in relation to existing collection
- Price and availability
- Format, durability, and ease of use
- Local interest
- Representation of varied points of view
- Space and budgetary constraint
- Availability through interlibrary loan
Additional considerations for evaluation of electronic resources also include the following:
- Comparison of content with other available formats
- Cost
- Licensing requirements
- Hardware requirements
- Networking capabilities
- Ease of access
- Ease of use
- User assistance requirements
- Staff training
MATERIALS SELECTION POLICY
BPL does not collect textbooks for any level of study.
Single copies are generally purchased. The Director may make an exceptions when demand warrants. Due to limited resources, we cannot always purchase enough copies to meet local or consortium demand.
Books are generally purchased in hardcover. Library bindings are preferred for children’s books.
Large type books are selectively collected.
Recognizing the separate and distinctive mission of school libraries, BPL does not attempt to support school curricula. The Library does, however, actively collect materials on school-generated summer reading lists.
Donated materials, including self-published works, must meet the same selection criteria as all other materials in the collection. They are also subject to the same weeding policy as all other materials.
PERIODICALS AND NEWSPAPERS
Microfilm, microfiche, and other media are not collected.
With the exception of the local newspapers and the reference copies of Consumer Reports, all periodicals circulate for one week (seven days).
Retention of periodicals is generally current year only.
REFERENCE COLLECTION
Reference works such as encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, and guides are actively collected. Such materials are accurate, easy to use, authoritative, and current. Price and available space are also considerations. Reference works circulate overnight only with the Director’s permission; otherwise, they remain in the library. Electronic formats will be considered.
GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS
U.S. government documents are not collected. BPL relies on the availability of government documents at Worcester Public Library and other local depositories,
as well as the World Wide Web.
Town Hall is the Town’s official repository for local government documents. The Library collects and stores some documents of general interest, such as Annual Town Meeting warrants, Annual Reports, and hard copy of bylaws.
WEEDING
Weeding is the systematic review of every book in the library, assessing for quality, current usefulness, and appearance. An essential component of collection management, weeding contributes to the effectiveness, reliability, and appearance of the library, as well as revealing areas of the collection that need further development.
Materials that are no longer useful will be removed from the collection (weeded) using the CREW Method. Materials that are still useful but are in bad condition will, if possible, be replaced.
Weeding, done on a continual basis, will cover the entire collection every year. Inventory will be conducted on a rolling basis annually. Primary responsibility for weeding rests with the Director (for adult collections) and Youth Services Librarians (for youth collections).
In weeding, the Director and designates use subject knowledge, familiarity with the community and its information needs, reports from C/WMARS, and tools such as the ALA’s Standard Catalog.
Books that should be withdrawn from the collection are as follows:
- Outdated contents
- Duplicates
- Lack of use
- Damaged items
- Space needs
Disposal of books will take one of several forms:
- Mend. Mending may be the only option for out-of-print titles with lasting value.
- Rebind. Popular items with sufficient inside margins and in good condition may be candidates for rebinding.
- Replace, if still in print and desirable as part of the collection.
- Give away or exchange with other libraries.
- Donate to the Friends of the Library for its book sale.
- Recycle
Material that is time sensitive will be weeded as follows:
- Encyclopedias: two years
- Almanacs and yearbooks: current year only
- Travel: two years (unless the title is of historical value)
- Periodicals: as noted in the selection policy.
Superseded items will not be kept.
COMPLAINTS AND CHAIN OF AUTHORITY, and REQUESTS FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS
The Library recognizes the right of community residents to question library materials, programs, and services. The Library will not consider requests submitted by individuals who are not residents of Bolton, MA.
Completion of a Request for Reconsideration Form is required to initiate the process. Completed forms can be emailed to [email protected].
Completed forms will be submitted to the appropriate member of the professional staff, usually the Director.
All requests for reconsideration are considered confidential. The Director will attempt to resolve complaints in a respectful and fair manner in light of Library policy and First Amendment rights, and disregarding personal beliefs or values.
The Library reserves the right to discuss a request for reconsideration with a third party such as a Library System Consultant or other authority.
In evaluating a Request for Reconsideration, the Director will consider the following:
- Accuracy and currency of content
- Reputation, qualifications, and/or significance of the author, creator, presenter, etc.
- Relevance to the community’s informational and recreational needs and interests
- Availability of similar materials or programs
- Representation of diverse viewpoints
- Artistic, literary, or technical merit
- Appropriateness of material for its intended audience
- Reviews from authoritative sources
- Relevance to the Library’s mission and goals
Factors which will not be considered in re-evaluation of material, services, or programs:
- An individual or group’s personal disagreement or feelings of office with the content or its presentation based on their own personal beliefs
- The origin, personal history, and/or views of the author, creator, presenter, etc.
- The fact that the content is controversial, graphic, or explicit, or includes profane language or sexual content
- Content considered inappropriate for children or teenagers that is in the adult sections of the collection, presented as part of an event aimed at adults, or labeled with a rating of PG, PG-13, or R.
Evaluation will include the item or program as a whole, not selected sections. The library will not alter or expunge any section or sections of a work. No item will be removed from standard shelving and placed in a restricted-access area. Items that have become missing or lost but that are deemed to be appropriate for the collection will be replaced. No program will be canceled or item removed or restricted while under reconsideration or because of a complaint.
The Director will issue a written response to a complaint. In all cases, detailed and confidential written records will be kept about all interactions surrounding the complaint.
The Director will notify the Board of Trustees and Massachusetts Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee of any challenge to library material or services.
Adopted by the Library Board of Trustees 8/3/2022
Request for Reconsideration | |
File Size: | 22 kb |
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