Collection Development Policy | Mazomanie Free Library

Mission Statement
Use of Library
Confidentiality of Library Records
Services of the Library
Responsibilities for Collection Development
Guidelines for Selection
Criteria for Selection of Library Materials
Weeding/Discard of Library Materials
Gifts Given to the Library
Intellectual Freedom and Reconsideration of Library Materials
Reevaluation of Collection Development Policy

Mission Statement
1. The mission of the Mazomanie Free Library is an affirmation of the library’s purpose and is the main guiding force in the development of the library’s collection.
2. The mission statement sets forth the following philosophy of service: the purpose of the Mazomanie Free Library is to serve all area residents by providing materials and services to meet their educational, recreational, and informational needs. Mazomanie Free Library does this by providing the opportunity to stimulate interest in reading and learning, encouraging educational self-development, and giving the answers to informational needs.
3. Because of the volume of publishing, as well as the limitations of budget and space, the Mazomanie Free Library must have a collection development policy and with which to meet community interests and needs if it is to fulfill its objective.
4. This policy is used by library staff to select, maintain and weed materials. It also serves to acquaint the general public with the principles of collection development.
Use of the Library
1. The Mazomanie Free Library will serve all residents of the community and its surrounding areas. Services and resources will not be denied or abridged because of a person's racial, religious, social, economic or political status, sexual orientation, or age.
2. The use of the library may be denied for due cause. Such cause may be failure to return library materials or to pay fines, the destruction of library materials, resources or belongings, disturbance of other patrons or any other objectionable conduct on library premises, improper or illegal use of computers or other types of technology, in accordance with the public access computer policy.
Confidentiality of Library Records
All Mazomanie Free Library and other records which indicate the identity of library users, especially as they connect library users with material or services used, are confidential. This confidentiality extends to information sought or received, including library materials consulted or borrowed, database search records, reference interviews, circulation records, registration records and all other personally identifiable uses of library materials, facilities or services.

Such information may not be disclosed, except to an agency or individual or any local, state or federal government, pursuant to a process, subpoena or court order authorized pursuant to a federal, state or local law relating to civil, criminal, administrative or legislative investigative power. Library staff will seek legal counsel in the event of such request for release of library records and will respond to the request according to the advice of counsel.

See below: Wisconsin Statute 43.30, Public Library Records, and statement from the American Library Association on release of records.

Wisconsin Statute 43.30. Public Library records:
1. Records of any library which is in whole or in part supported by public funds, including the records of a public library system, indicating the identity of any individual who borrows or uses the library’s documents or other materials, resources or services may not be disclosed except by court order or to persons acting within the scope of their duties in the administration of the library or library system, to persons authorized by the individual to inspect such records or to libraries as authorized under subs. (2) and (3).
2. A library supported in whole or in part by public funds may disclose an individual’s identity to another library for the purpose of borrowing materials for the individual only if the library to which the individual’s identity is being disclosed meets at least one of the following requirements:
  1. The library is supported in whole or in part by public funds.
  2. The library has a written policy prohibiting the disclosure of the identity of the individual except as authorized under sub. (3).
  3. The library agrees not to disclose the identity of the individual except as authorized under sub. (3).
  4. A library to which an individual’s identity is disclosed under sub. (2) and that is not supported in whole or in part by public funds may disclose that individual’s identity to another library for the purpose of borrowing materials for that individual only if the library to which the identity is being disclosed meets at least one of the requirements specified under sub (2) (a) to (c)
History: 1981 c. 335; 1991 a. 269.

From the American Library Association:

"Confidential library records should not be released or made available in any format to a federal agent, law enforcement officer, or other person unless a court order in proper form has been entered by a court of competent jurisdiction after a showing of good cause by the law enforcement agency or person seeking the records."
Services of the Library
1. The library provides books and other media formats for information, entertainment, intellectual development, and enrichment of the people of the community. The library should endeavor to:
  1. Select, organize, and make available necessary books, materials, and services.
  2. Provide guidance and assistance to patrons.
  3. Initiate programs, exhibits, displays, book lists, etc.
  4. Cooperate and coordinate with other community agencies and organizations.
  5. Secure information and services beyond its own resources when needed.
  6. Participate in the country and coordinate library systems.
  7. Provide services to patrons with special needs.
  8. Maintain a balance in its services to various age groups.
  9. Cooperation with, but not perform the functions of, school or other institutional libraries.
  10. Provide services during hours that best meet the needs of the community, including evening and weekend hours.
  11. Review services being offered on a regular basis.
  12. Use media, etc. to promote new books, periodicals, non-print materials, and services available from and at the library.
Responsibilities for Collection Development
1. The ultimate responsibility for collection development, as with all library activities, rests with the Library Director, who operates within the framework of policies determined by the Library Board.
2. The responsibility is shared with other members of the staff as assigned by the Library Director.
3. Because the Library Director must be able to answer to the Library Board and the general public for selections made by the staff, he/she has the authority to reject or select any item contrary to the recommendations of the staff.
Guidelines for Selection
1. The selection of any material for the library's collection does not constitute an endorsement of its contents. The library recognizes that many materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some patrons. Decisions are not made on the basis of any anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the merits of the work in relation to the building of the collection and serving the interests of the patron.
2. Final responsibility for the children's (persons under 18 years of age) use of library materials rest with their parents or legal guardians. Selection decisions are not influenced by the possibility that material may be accessible to use by children and young adults. For purposes here, adults are people 18 years of age or older, Young Adults are people ages 14-17, and children are people under 14 years of age.
3. The library recognizes the purposes and resources of other libraries in the South Central Library System and will not needlessly duplicate materials.
4. The library does not attempt to acquire textbooks or other curriculum-related materials, except as such materials that also serve the general public.
5. The library acknowledges a particular interest in local, county, and state history. It takes a broad view of works by and about Wisconsin authors as well as general works relating to the state of Wisconsin. The library will add to its collection works produced by authors, printers, or publishers with Wisconsin connections that meet the purpose and objective of this policy.
6. The library always seeks to select materials of varying complexity and format because it has a potential public embracing a wide range of ages, educational backgrounds, interests, sensory preferences, and reading skills.
7. The Library pays due regard to the special civic, commercial, cooperative, cultural, industrial, and labor activities of each of the communities it serves.
8. Library materials are not marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of the contents and materials are not sequestered except for the purpose of protecting them from damage or theft. The library will reconsider any material in its collection.
Criteria for Selection of Library Materials
1. The selection of library materials involves the following factors and considerations:
  1. The experience and knowledge of staff selectors.
  2. Familiarity with the community, its needs and its interests.
  3. Holdings and availability of the other area library resources.
  4. The librarys’ existing collections and its materials budget.
2. The following criteria are used for judging materials:
  1. Materials are judged on the basis of the work as a whole, not on a part taken out of context.
  2. Reviews in professional journals such as BOOKLIST, LIBRARY JOURNAL, and PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY are used in the selection process and are sought whenever possible.
  3. Opinions on selected works may also be solicited from area authorities or from electronic discussion groups.
  4. The lack of a review or an unfavorable review is not sufficient reason to reject a title for which there is demand.
3. Some of the specific criteria for selection are:
  1. Qualification of the author in the subject field.
  2. Scope and authority of the subject matter.
  3. Quality of the writing in terms of style, readability, etc.
  4. Appeal to the reader.
  5. Reputation of the publisher.
  6. Organization of the contents.
  7. Price.
  8. Relationship to the existing collection.
  9. Literary merit.
  10. Popular demand.
  11. Accuracy, objectivity, scope, timeliness.
  12. Preservation of a balanced viewpoint within the collection.
Weeding/Discard of Library Materials
1. Weeding is necessary to maintain a vital, useful, and up-to-date collection. This task takes time, skill, care, and knowledge of materials to do a competent job.
2. Selection of materials for weeding is based on the following criteria:
  1. Materials are worn through use.
  2. Materials are no longer timely or accurate.
  3. Materials have had little recent use.
Gifts Given to the Library
1. Books, pamphlets, periodicals, audio visual materials, and other items are accepted by the Mazomanie Free Library with the understanding that the library has the authority to make whatever disposition of the materials deemed advisable, and discarding them if conditions warrant.
2. The Mazomanie Free Library does not accept loans of materials from library patrons.
Intellectual Freedom and Reconsideration of Library Materials
1. The Mazomanie Free Library does not promote any particular belief or point of view. The library does provide information from a variety of points of view so that an individual can examine issues freely and make his or her own decisions. The selection of library materials is predicated on the individual's right to read and his or her freedom from censorship by others. Many materials are controversial and any given item may offend some people. Selection for this library, however, will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval. Selection will be based solely on the merits of the material in relation to the building of the collection and to serving the needs and interests of the community.
2. The Mazomanie Free Library holds that censorship is purely an individual matter and declares that, while anyone is free to reject for himself or herself materials of which he or she does not approve, he or she cannot restrict the freedom of others to have access to them. With respect to the use of library materials by individuals under the age of 18, the decision as to what a said minor may read, hear, or view is the responsibility of his or her parent or legal guardian. Selection will not be inhibited by the possibility that controversial materials may come into the hands of those under 18 years of age. Library materials will not be marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of the contents. Materials are not sequestered except for the purpose for protecting them from damage or theft.
3. The Mazomanie Free Library adopts the following intellectual freedom policies:
  1. The American Library Association Library Bill of Rights
  2. Freedom to Read Statement
4. The Mazomanie Free Library welcomes comments, suggestions, and criticisms of its collection. However, no individual in a democracy has the right to prevent another from reading a specific book, listening to specific record, tape, DVD or CD, or viewing a specific film, video or DVD by demanding its removal from the library. The Mazomanie Free Library Board declares as a matter of firm principle that no challenged library materials shall be removed from the Mazomanie Free Library without a fair review of the challenged material, as detailed below.
5. When a request for reconsideration of library material is made by a patron, the following procedure will be instituted:
  1. The Director will explain the selection policy and the principle of intellectual freedom that the library espouses to the patron. If the patron wishes, he or she may submit a written Request for Reconsideration of Library Material to the Library Director and the Library Board.
  2. The completed form will be reviewed by the Library Director and one or more members of the Library Board. They will objectively review the material in question ascertain that the selection criteria and principles were applied in the selection of the resource. The Library Director will make a written response to the requester within 14 days of the date the reconsideration request was submitted.
  3. If the requester is not satisfied with the decision of the Library Director and the Library Board Member, the request may be resubmitted and will be reviewed by the Library Board and a consultant from the South Central Library System.
  4. If the requester is not satisfied with the decision of the Library Board and the South Central Library Consultant, further legal steps may be considered at such time.
Reevaluation of Collection Development Policy
1. This policy will be reviewed and appended, if needed, on a yearly basis.

(adopted: 8/2003)