Hennepin County Library

Board Policy

Page 1 of 6

Section: LB1


COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

 

Tracking Record:

Date Approved: 11/29/06
Previous Policy Dated: 12/3/03
Review Date: 11/11

BACKGROUND

HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY MISSION: The Hennepin County Library promotes full and equal access to information and ideas, the love of reading, the joy of learning, and engagement with the arts, sciences and humanities.

HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY VISION: The Hennepin County Library staff, Board, and community envision a future where all individuals and families are eager and engaged lifelong learners.

The Library materials collection, one of Hennepin County Library's major assets, is developed and managed to meet the majority of the cultural, informational, educational, and recreational needs of library customers in suburban Hennepin County. Library staff builds and maintain a customer-focused collection by anticipating and responding to needs and expectations. Staff recognizes the necessity of balancing budget, staffing, and building concerns when making decisions either to acquire or to provide access to materials and information. Materials budget allocation is set annually. Allocation decisions are based on factors including demand, cost of materials, publishing trends and changes in the marketplace, Hennepin County Library allocation formulas and Hennepin County Library overarching goals, especially the following:
  1. People of all ages are engaged learners supported by a knowledgeable staff, a dynamic and broad collection of books, magazines, and audio-visuals, with access to state of the art electronic resources.
  2. People achieve life success by relying on libraries to meet their information needs through essential collections, information services, readers advisory, school support initiatives, classes and programs.
  3. Children's early literacy, teen and adult reading and writing skills, and information services are supported through multi-lingual library resources and collections designed to reach citizens of all ages and skill-levels through an informed staff, electronic databases, community outreach, and programs.
PURPOSE

This policy guides staff in and informs the public of the principles upon which collection development and management decisions are based. Collection development is the ongoing process of assessing the materials available for purchase or licensing and making the decision, first, on their inclusion, and, second, on their retention. This policy describes the role of collection development and management in achieving the Library's mission and strategic objectives. It defines the scope of the collection, provides a plan for the continuing development of resources, and identifies collection strengths. It outlines the relationship of collection development and management to the Library's goals and intellectual freedom principles.

SCOPE OF COLLECTION

The collection offers materials in choices of format, treatment, language and level of difficulty. "Materials" has the widest possible meaning and includes but is not limited to print, audiovisual, and electronic formats. "Collection" is defined as materials that are selected for the Hennepin County Library system; those selected materials may be physically owned by Hennepin County Library or may be accessed via the Internet. "Selection" refers to the decision that must be made to add a given item to the Hennepin County Library collection and made accessible either in a physical location or via the Internet. Not all materials and information found via the Internet are part of the collection. Only web-based resources accessed over the Internet that are specifically selected using the criteria outlined in this policy are a part of the collection.

Collection development and management is a participative effort within the larger community of libraries throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area, state and nation. Hennepin County Library collects, organizes, and makes available materials of contemporary significance and long-term value. The collection is reviewed and revised on an ongoing basis to meet contemporary needs. Collections are current and popular, not archival, nor are materials needlessly duplicated. Collections provide general coverage of subjects and reflect the characteristics of the community. Materials are withdrawn from the collection to maintain the collection's usefulness, currency, and relevance. Withdrawn materials may be sold or used in collaboration with other government agencies.

The Library strives to meet the collection goals described in the current edition of Standards for Minnesota Public Libraries. The Library recognizes and respects intellectual property rights and conforms to legislative mandates regarding copyright protections.

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT CRITERIA

To build a collection of merit, materials are evaluated according to one or more of the following criteria. An item need not meet all of these criteria in order to be acceptable.

General criteria:
  • present and potential relevance to community needs
  • suitability of physical form for library use
  • suitability of subject and style for intended audience
  • cost
  • importance as a document of the times
  • relation to the existing collection
  • relation to other material on the subject
  • attention by critics and reviewers
  • potential user appeal
  • requests by the public.
Content criteria:
  • authority
  • comprehensiveness
  • skill, competence, and purpose of author
  • reputation and significance of the author
  • objectivity
  • consideration of the work as a whole
  • clarity
  • currency
  • technical quality
  • representation of diverse points of view
  • representation of important movements, genres, or trends
  • vitality and originality
  • artistic presentation and/or experimentation
  • sustained interest
  • relevance and use of the information
  • effective characterization
  • authenticity of history or social setting
Special considerations for electronic information sources:
  • ease of use of the product
  • availability of the information to multiple, concurrent users
  • technical requirements to provide access to the information
  • technical support and training.
COLLECTION STRUCTURE

The Library provides a system wide collection in a variety of environments: library buildings throughout suburban Hennepin County, a public website, a Children's Readmobile, and Outreach Services.

Collection management and development reflects the organizational structure of Hennepin County Library. System wide and individual library roles and services further define collection development and extend the physical and digitized boundaries of the Library.

COLLECTION RESPONSIBILITIES

Staff responsibility for the collection rests with the Library Director, who operates within the framework of the Hennepin County Library Board's Collection Development and Management Policy. Securing funds for materials is included in the Library's annual budget process. The Director delegates to staff members authority to interpret and apply this policy in daily operation. Those staff members have the specific responsibility to prepare a detailed collection spending plan for annual administrative review.

Staff in a centrally organized collection development unit provides continuity in collections through an organized structure for planning, budgeting, selecting, acquiring, and managing library materials. Staff in each library participates in collection development and management either individually or in groups.

All staff contribute to the development of a collection driven by customer needs and expectations by:
  • engaging in open, continuous two-way communication with customers and other staff
  • recognizing that individuals have different ways of expressing their needs because of age, language, economic status, culture, or other characteristics
  • interacting with understanding, respect, and responsiveness to all
  • handling all requests equitably
  • working in partnership with one another to understand and respond to needs
  • understanding and responding to rapidly changing demographics, as well as societal and technological changes
  • recognizing that materials of varying complexity and format are necessary to satisfy diverse needs
  • balancing individual and community needs
  • seeking continuous improvement through ongoing measurement
The community has a role in shaping library collections by participating in the collection development process through suggestions and feedback.

INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM

A democracy presupposes an informed citizenry, and the public library has an integral role in achieving that goal. The Library provides an impartial environment in which individuals and their interests are brought together with the universe of ideas and information spanning the spectrum of knowledge and opinions. The American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read and Freedom to View statements are included in this policy and guide acquiring and managing collections.

Collection development and management decisions are based on the merit of the work as it relates to the Library's mission and its ability to meet the expressed or anticipated needs and interests of the community; decisions are not made on the basis of any anticipated approval or disapproval of the material. The inclusion of an item in the library collection in no way represents an endorsement of its contents. Library materials are not marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of the contents, nor are materials sequestered except for the purpose of protecting them from damage or theft.

The Library recognizes that many materials may be controversial and that any given item may offend some. Only individuals can determine what is most appropriate for their needs and can define what material or information is consistent with their personal or family values. Individuals can apply those values to the use of library materials only for themselves. Parents and legal guardians have the responsibility for their children's use of library materials.

ACCESS TO COLLECTION MATERIALS

All library materials are available for use by all customers. Access to materials is ensured by the way materials are organized, managed, and displayed, through staff interaction, and through the delivery of materials.

The Library organizes its collection through a standards-based cataloging and classification system. Staff is available to assist customers in the selection and location of materials of interest. The Library participates in interlibrary loan networks to make materials not in the collection available for customers. Electronic resources are also made accessible through web-based environments.

To ensure equitable and efficient access, materials may be subject to use limitations. Remote electronic access to the library catalog and electronic resources is provided within technical, budgetary, and licensing constraints.

RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS

Individuals may request reconsideration of a selection decision of library material by submitting a written request for reconsideration to any Hennepin County Library using established Library procedures and guidelines, available at any Library Information Services desk. Library Administration responds in writing to an individual's written request.

The Hennepin County Library Board, upon request, hears appeals of the Director's written response. Appeals must be presented in writing to the Library Board at least ten days in advance of the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board. Decisions on appeals are based on careful review of the objection, the material, and Hennepin County Library Board policies including: this policy, the Library Bill of Rights, the Right to Read and the Right to View and the American Library Association's guidelines on intellectual freedom. The final decision on appeals rests with the Hennepin County Library Board.

 

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