02.06

MATERIALS SELECTION POLICY OF UNION COUNTY LIBRARIES

PURPOSE AND GOALS

The overall mission of Union County Public Libraries is to provide: customer service that exceeds expectations; information in a variety of formats that educates, inspires, and entertains; and a welcoming environment for lifelong learning linking this community to the world.

The Union County Public Library System, free public libraries for all citizens, shall strive toward the following goals:

To assemble, preserve, and administer books and related educational, informative, and recreational material within the framework of the budget in order to promote an enlightened citizenship and enrich personal lives.

To serve the community as a center of reliable information.

To accumulate the best in literature, fiction, thought, and children's books for the use and benefit of the public.

To initiate activities which will encourage the most effective use of these selected materials.

To cooperate with educational, civic, and cultural groups and organizations whose aims are compatible with those of the library.

To provide opportunity and encouragement for children, young people, men, and women to educate themselves continuously.

To facilitate universal, life-long education for the general reader.

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Union County Libraries serve a population of approximately 48,000 in South Arkansas. Two-thirds of the population is Caucasian, one-third is African-American, Hispanic and/or other races. The education level of the citizens in the county is mixed - there are a community college in the county seat, one high school, two middle schools and seven elementary schools. The other eight county school districts have schools k-12. An active Literacy Council estimates that there are about 7000 adults with substandard reading skills. Religion is an integral part of the lives of area residents. In El Dorado and Union County there are about 60 churches representing 23 denominations. El Dorado is the county seat. Route 167, running north and south through the county, is a major highway linking Little Rock with South Arkansas and Louisiana. The county, bordering north Louisiana, is the site of lumber, oil/oil refining, and chemical industries. El Dorado is the educational, cultural, and medical center of the metropolitan area.

The Library Board realizes that the community is made of persons who have different interests, education backgrounds, and abilities. To meet this variety of needs, the Library must build a collection that contains books and materials suitable to such diverse groups within the limitations of budget, space, and availability of materials. Union County Public Libraries have access to the collections of other Arkansas public, special and university libraries through the Online Computer Library Catalog (OCLC). Through this subscription, patrons in Union County can borrow material from libraries in other counties, states and countries. Within the local area, patrons have access to the libraries of South Arkansas Community College, the public schools (for students), and AHEC, the University of Arkansas for Health Sciences Area Health Education Center library.

These local resources are considered as the library director selects materials. Unnecessary duplication of materials easily available elsewhere in the area wastes time and money and should be avoided.

The library director works with both college and high school librarians to provide cooperative purchasing and greater access to materials.

PURPOSE OF THE MATERIALS SELECTION POLICY

This Materials Selection Policy shall serve the following purposes:

To further the stated goals and functions of Union County Public Libraries.

To guide librarians in the selection of materials.

To inform the public about selection principles.

The policy will be reviewed regularly by the library staff to insure it remains current and useful.

RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY

Final responsibility and authority for materials selection rests with the Library Director who operates within a frame-work of policies adopted by the Barton Library Board of Trustees.

The library staff will be active in materials selection, using their knowledge of the collection, the needs of the community, and their critical judgement of materials available.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF MATERIALS

In general, these basic principles will guide the selection of materials:

Materials should possess qualities of:

A. Contemporary significance or permanent value;

B. Accuracy and objectivity of approach;

C. Authority of the author in the field;

D. Clear presentation & readability;

E. Social significance.

Works of imagination should possess qualities of:

A. Representation of important movements, genres, trends of national culture;

B. Vitality and originality;

C. Artistic integrity;

D. Effective characterization;

E. Authenticity of historical or social setting;

F. Sustained interest.

Specifically, materials considered for inclusion in the library's collection must meet one or more of the following standards:

A. Importance of the subject matter to the collection

B. Serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value

C. Permanence

D. Timely value

E. Purpose or intent of the material

F. Accuracy of content

G. Authenticity of content

H. Historical value

I. Readability

J. Scarcity of material on subject

K. Reputation and significance of author, illustrator, editor, artist, performer, etc.

L. Popularity

M. Local interest

N. Reputation and professional standing of publisher

O. Price

P. Format

Q. Availability of material

In addition to the above standards, periodicals will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

A. Interest as indicated by patron requests

B. Frequency of use

C. Reputation and quality of publication

D. New titles on subjects of current interest

E. Evaluation in MAGAZINES FOR LIBRARIES

The presence of materials in the library must not be construed as a personal endorsement of their contents by any member of the staff, the Library Board, the Quorum Court, or the City Council. The library has the responsibility of collecting materials expressing a variety of views and opinions, many of which the persons responsible for maintaining the library may find personally unacceptable.

The Library subscribes to the principles of the American Library Association's LIBARY BILL OF RIGHTS; FREEDOM TO READ STATEMENT; STATEMENT ON LABELING and FREE ACCESS TO LIBRARIES FOR MINORS. (See addenda for full texts)

The Library recognizes that many materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some patrons. Responsibility for the reading of children rests with their parents and legal guardians. Selection will not be inhibited by the possibility that books may inadvertently come into the possession of children. Selections will be made on the merits of the work in relation to the building of the collection and the interest of the community.

Certain items are not deemed suitable for the collection. These include but are not limited to:

A. Valuable first editions, manuscripts, and collector's items. The Library does not have the resources or staff necessary for this kind of collection and they are only included when they meet the library's selection criteria.

B. Philosophy and religion. While materials of philosophy and religion are necessary and welcome, works deemed to have as their primary purpose proselytizing converts rather than informing the reader will not be acquired.

C. Textbooks. The Library will not attempt to furnish needed for formal courses of study offered by elementary or secondary schools or institutions of higher learning, or to furnish textbooks unless they are useful to the general reader. Donated textbooks may be added to the collection depending on their condition, accuracy, datedness, and the value to the collection.

USE OF SELECTION AIDS

Ideally every book added to the Library should be read before purchase by a librarian with trained judgement, knowledge of the Library's present resources, and acquaintance with the requirements of local readers. Where circumstances make such reading impossible or unnecessary, the staff makes skilled use of selection aids such as basic general lists, current general lists, special bibliographies for reference books and particular subject materials, and book reviewing journals. While book reviews are a major source of information about new books, they are not followed blindly. No one publication is relied upon exclusively; the critical opinions of reviewers are checked against each other where feasible.

Professional librarians will use the following aids in the selection of materials:

A. PUBLIC LIBRARY CATALOG and other Wilson catalogs

B. BOOKLIST

C. PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY

D. LIBRARY JOURNAL

E. HORNBOOK

F. SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

G. NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

H. American Library Association bibliographies

I. MAGAZINES FOR LIBRARIES

PATRON REQUESTS

The Library welcomes patron interest in the collection and will seriously consider all requests that specific materials be acquired. The Library is under no obligation to fill any particular request if not deemed suitable to the collection.

A patron who has suggested a specific item be purchased should fill out a "SUGGESTED FOR PURCHASE" form. A sample form follows.

SUGGESTED FOR PURCHASE

I suggest the library purchase the following item:

* TITLE:_______________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

* AUTHOR:________________________________________________________

PUBLISHER:____________________________________________YEAR_______

* Where did you hear about this title? _________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Please give as much information as possible. All items starred (*) must be completed before the library can consider your suggestion. Thank you. If you would like to be notified, give your name and telephone number or address below.

NAME:

ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE NO:

PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO THE CIRCULATION DESK

TYPES OF MATERIALS AVAILABLE

The following types of materials will be selected according to the aforementioned Criteria for Selection:

A: Books

B: Recordings: including cassettes, CDs, etc.

C: Periodicals/Serials

D: Films/VHS videos, etc.

E: Microforms

F: Computer software

In addition, the library collection will include the following:

A. Government documents. Due to the federal government's method of selecting depository libraries, Union County Public Libraries are not federal depositories. Any government documents purchased by or given to the library will be treated in the same manner as any regular addition to the collection.

B. Pamphlets, maps, clippings: selected with regard to current interests and cost.

GIFTS

Gifts to the library in the forms of materials, money, or memorials, are welcome. Gifts, however, will be treated in the same way as all other materials.

This means:

A. All gifts are subject to the previously state Criteria for Selection;

B: The Library may refuse any material not deemed desirable;

C: Gifts will be handled while in the collection in exactly the same way as materials purchased with public funds;

D: When gift materials are deemed no longer useful the library will discard them on the same basis that it discards other materials.

The Library reserves the right to decide the conditions of display, housing, and access to materials.

A gift form for tax purposes will be given to the donor of materials if requested at the time the donation is made, acknowledging receipt of the gift only. (Sample form follows) The donor is responsible for declaring the value of the gift for tax purposes and keeping a list of the materials donated.

BARTON LIBRARY

GIFT MATERIALS RECEIPT FORM

_________________________20____

Gifts of materials are welcomed and accepted by the Library with the understanding that they/it may or may not be added to the Library's collection or they/it may be given to the Friends of the Library for its book sales. The decision to include gift materials will be based on the following considerations: Whether the materials meet the Library's standards of materials selection; whether the physical condition is satisfactory; whether the Library needs the title or added copies of the title.

Please understand that the Library cannot make a dollar evaluation of gifts. If you need a list of titles given, it should be made before donation of the materials and the list will be certified at the time of donation.

For income tax purposes this is to verify that

_________________________________________________________________

(donor)

______________________________________________________________

(address)

has donated the following material(s) to Barton Library:

Books

Trade Paperbacks/Soft cover

Mass Market Paperbacks/Paperbacks

Magazines

Book on tape

Other (kit, pamphlet, recording, audio-tape, video tape, CD, etc)

_____________________________________

Director, Barton Library

MAINTENANCE OF THE COLLECTION

The collection will be periodically examined for the purpose of weeding, binding or repair, to maintain a balanced, timely, and attractive stock. Reasons for withdrawal of materials are: poor physical condition; datedness and inaccuracy of information; lack of reader interest as evidenced by lack of use; duplicates not justified by demand; and items that do not meet the current selection criteria.

The controversial nature of materials shall not be deemed a sufficient reason for removal unless and until the material has been subjected to a full formal review as outlined below.

REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF MATERIALS

Because in a pluralistic society tastes and opinions differ, some materials the library acquires may be offensive to some patrons. In a democracy which incorporates the rights of free press and speech into its basic system of law, the minority does not have the prerogative of curtailing the free access to published materials by the minority. If, however, a patron objects to materials held by the library, she/he may submit a REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS. In no instance will material be removed on demand. All considerations of requests to remove materials will be reviewed using the principles of this selection policy statement as a guide.

In order to have his/her request considered, the patron must:

A. Be a registered borrower of Barton Library (El Dorado, Huttig, Junction City, Norphlet, Smackover, Strong);

B. File a completed REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS form with the Library Director.

C. Supply his/her full name and address. Anonymous complaints will not be considered.

After the completed complaint form is received, the Director will review the reasons for the complaint and the material in question. The Director will attempt to answer the complaint to the patron's satisfaction. If the patron is not satisfied with the Director's action, the patron may request that the material be reviewed by the Materials Review committee. This committee will be composed of the Director, two other library employees, and three members of the Library Board of Trustees. all members of the committee except the Director will be appointed by the President of the Library Board of Trustees.

The decision of the materials Review Committee shall be final.

CITIZENS REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF MATERIALS

(Please use back of paper if necessary)

Date:

Material questioned: Author/Artist:

Title:

Publisher(if known):

AV material type(CD, software, microfilm, microfiche, etc.

Request initiated by:

Telephone: Address: ___________________________________________________________

Patron represents (self or organization):

Registered library patron? Card #

1. Have you read or seen this material in its entirety?

2. To what do you object (please be specific; cite pages. Use back if necessary): ___________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

3. What do you believe is the main idea of this material? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

4. What do you feel might be the result of reading or using this material? ____

_____________________________________________________________________________

Why? __________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. In your judgement, is the material of any value?

6. What reviews of this material have you read? ______________________________________________________

7. In its place, what material of equal literary quality would you recommend that would convey as valuable a picture of and/or perspective on the subject? _________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

Signature of Complainant:

Received by Date:

MATERIALS EVALUATION COMMITTEE REPORT FORM

(Attach extra pages if needed to complete statement)

Physical description of challenged material (author, title, publisher, copyright, producer, etc.):

Justification for inclusion of material (include theme and purpose):

Critics' judgement of material (if possible include copies of reviews, indicating source):

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Materials Evaluation Committee's decision and comments (include statements from majority and minority positions):

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Copies sent to:

Signatures of Committee members:

Library Board Chair _____________________________________________

Committee _____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Complainant _____________________________________________________

OFFICIAL APPROVAL

This Materials Selection Policy is approved by the Barton Library Board of Directors as the official policy of Barton Library(El Dorado, Huttig, Junction City, Norphlet, Smackover, Strong). Revisions, additions, or deletions to this policy will be made through the Barton Library Board of Directors.