Marlboro County Library

Collection Development Policy

Approved by Board - August 25, 2005
evisions in Bold ! August ", 20#0
$%e Board o& $rustees o& t%e Marlboro County Public Library 'Marian Wright
Edelman Public Library) believes t%at ideally t%e public library s%ould strive to
&urnis% any boo( re)uested by any person, but ac(no*ledges t%at in practice,
limitations o& &unds, sta&&, and space ma(e t%is impossible+ $%e board also believes
t%at in t%e selection o& boo(s &or c%ildren and young people, guidance is indicated+
$%e literary collection, must, t%ere&ore, be selective rat%er t%an inclusive+
$%e &ollo*ing general principles o& materials selection are adopted,
$%e selection o& all library materials s%ould be as ob-ective as possible *it%
selections being made &rom standard sources recommended by t%e American
Library Association and t%e .out% Carolina .tate Library, (eeping in mind t%e
needs and interests o& t%e community+
/n selecting boo(s o& a controversial nature, t%e library s%ould attempt to
present all available sides o& t%e issue+
$%e boo( budget s%ould be e0pended in suc% a *ay t%at t%e various demands
made upon it are proportionately served+
Boo(s given to t%e library s%ould be accepted *it% no strings attac%ed and
-udged upon t%e same basis as t%ose t%at are purc%ased+
esponsibility &or .election
$%e selection o& materials is t%e responsibility o& t%e Director+ Staff
members and patrons may make suggestions for materials to have.
Met%od o& Materials .election
Any material selection policy must be general in nature+ $%e librarian's1
must e0ercise (no*ledge and e0perience o& library materials and o& t%e
community served+ Met%ods and principles s%ould be &ollo*ed as closely as
possible+
Criteria, 2ac% type o& material must be considered in terms o& its o*n merit
and intended audience+ 3o boo( or library materials s%all be
e0cluded because o& race, nationality, or t%e political or social
vie*s o& t%e aut%or+ All selections, bot% purc%ases and gi&ts, must
meet t%e &ollo*ing criteria,
appeal to t%e interests and needs o& individuals in t%e
community
permanent value as source material or interpretation
vitality and originality o& t%oug%t
contemporary signi&icance
artistic e0cellence
entertaining presentation
accuracy and ob-ectivity
suitability o& p%ysical &orm to library use
competence and purpose o& t%e aut%or
relation to ot%er materials and e0isting areas o& coverage in
order to maintain a *ell-balanced collection
tec%nical )uality in selection o& non-boo( material
evie*s, evie*s in standard sources recommended by t%e American
Library Association 'ALA1 and t%e .out% Carolina .tate Library,
as *ell as pro&essionally recogni4ed periodicals, are a primary
source &or materials selection+ .tandard bibliograp%ies, boo(lists
by ot%er recogni4ed aut%orities and t%e advice o& competent people
in speci&ic sub-ect areas *ill be used+
e)uests, All re)uests &rom patrons &or speci&ic titles or sub-ects *ill be
considered+ 5%enever t%ere is enoug% demand or interest in a title
or sub-ect, an item *it% un&avorable revie*s may be purc%ased
unless t%e sub-ect is completely and ade)uately covered by better
materials+ Reuests !ill be filled as funds allo! and if material
meets selection criteria.
.peciali4ed
Materials, Boo(s or subscriptions o& special interest or value to t%e
community not &ound in t%e above revie* sources may be
purc%ased *it% available &unds ot%er t%an .tate Aid+ 6t%er
speciali4ed materials o& limited community interest *ill not
ordinarily be purc%ased+ e&erral to ot%er library collections and
interlibrary loan *ill be used to supply patrons *it% t%ese
materials+ .upplementary materials &or students and in&ormation
&or specialists are provided in a limited number o& &ields, *it% t%e
library ta(ing cogni4ance o& and avoiding t%e special prerogative
o& ot%er community resources+
eplacement, $%e library (eeps its collection vital and use&ul by retaining or
replacing essential material, and removing on a systematic and
continuous basis t%ose *or(s *%ic% are *orn, outdated, or no
longer in demand+
Disposal, Adult &iction boo(s *%ic% are no longer in print *ill be o&&ered to
t%e designated libraries o& .out% Carolina *%o are in t%e 7iction
Cooperation Last Copy Depository+ "ther materials !ill be
donated to the #riends of the Library or discarded at the
discretion of the $irector.
Access, Processing and s%elving o& materials s%all in no *ay re&lect a value
-udgment o& materials+ $%ere *ill be no labeling o& any item or its
catalog entry to indicate its point o& vie* or bias+ All materials *ill
be s%elved in t%eir proper order on open s%elves, e0cept &or some
out-o&-print materials *%ic% cannot be replaced+
$%e library assures &ree access to its %oldings &or all patrons *%o
are &ree to select or re-ect &or t%emselves an item or type in t%e
collection+
C%ildren are not limited to t%e -uvenile collection, alt%oug%
-uvenile materials are (ept toget%er to &acilitate use+ esponsibility
&or a c%ild8s reading must rest *it% parents or guardian, not *it%
t%e library+
Controversial
Material, /n selecting boo(s o& controversial nature t%e library s%ould
present all available sides o& t%e issue+
.tatement o& .peci&ic Policies in .elected Areas
Adult
7iction, $%e &iction collection provides boo(s in t%e 2nglis% language or
ot%er languages prevalent in t%e community &or a *ide range o& t%e
general reading public, including classics, titles representing
periods o& *riting and t%ose meeting t%e popular demand o& lig%t
reading+ Boo(s *%ic% are obviously pornograp%ic, *%ic% come
*it%in t%e .out% Carolina de&inition o& obscenity as stated in 16-
15-150, s%ould be e0cluded, but no boo( s%ould be eliminated
because o& coarse language, or violence, or &ran( discussion o&
se0ual episodes, any one o& *%ic% may be ob-ectionable to some
people, i& t%e aut%or is -usti&ied in *%at %e portrays, or *%en suc%
episodes are pertinent to t%e plot or c%aracter delineation in a boo(+
/t is t%e library8s responsibility to protect t%e rig%ts o& mature
readers+
eligion, $%e library attempts to maintain a *ell-balanced collection
representing all t%e ma-or religions and t%eir sacred scriptures+
Aut%oritative material *%ic% introduces and e0plains t%e basic
concepts and practices o& various religions and belie&s is also
included+ $%e library does not add materials o& a strictly
proselyti4ing nature+ $%e collection encompasses popular studies
on ne* ideas and movements t%at are ta(ing place in religion
today+ Boo(s on astrology, *itc%cra&t, and ot%er occult sciences
s%all be limited to t%e best and most reasonably presented+
9ealt% and
Medicine, $%e library generally purc%ases standard and popular materials in
%ealt%, nutrition, %ygiene, diseases and medicine t%at are primarily
o& interest to persons outside t%e medical pro&ession+ Aut%oritative,
scienti&ic and popular materials about se0 are provided &or t%e
general reader at various age and reading levels+ Boo(s catering to
morbid, esoteric or sensational interests do not come *it%in t%e
scope o& t%e collection+
La*, $%e library purc%ases standard and popular materials *%ic% deal
*it% t%e p%ilosop%y o& la* suc% as real estate, ta0ation, marriage,
and divorce &or t%e lay reader+ La*s and regulations &or .out%
Carolina and Marlboro County are included in t%e collection+
.imilar materials &or ot%er counties and states are not included+
Politics, /n addition to a balanced collection on modern American and
international politics and government, t%e basic documents o& all
political systems t%at %ave in&luence, and do in&luence people
s%ould be available to t%e public+ 6utrig%t propaganda s%ould be
avoided e0cept &or a &e* representational items+
:enealogy, 20cept &or a &e* elementary te0ts on genealogical searc%ing, t%e
library buys only materials *%ic% %ave general re&erence value, or
*%ic% are o& value to general readers+ %he genealogy collection is
housed in a separate room and many of these materials do not
circulate. %he library does not have the funds to subscribe to
online genealogy services. Patrons are directed to use these
resources in house at other libraries !ithin the Palmetto
&onsortium until funds become available locally to subscribe
to services such as 'eritage (uest.
.elections &or eaders o& Limited .(ill or *it% 6t%er eading Problems,
$%e library is alert to t%e need &or easy reading materials &or t%e
less s(illed adult reader+ Materials to &ill t%is need *ill be care&ully
selected &rom recommended sources+ %o meet the needs of
readers !ith visual or other concerns) the library maintains
and regularly adds to its collection of large print books both
for adults and young adults.
;oung Adult
Materials, * +oung *dult &ollection has been developed for patrons ,- to
,. and these materials are housed in a separate area of the
library. .peciali4ed revie* sources may be consulted as *ell as
t%e standard -ournals+
<uvenile
Materials, $%e C%ildren8s Division selects materials on sub-ects o& interest to
and *it%in t%e compre%ension o& c%ildren &rom pre-sc%ool t%roug%
t%e &i&t% grade+ Abridged editions o& t%e classics are purc%ased only
*%en t%ey retain t%e )uality and &avor o& t%e original+ /n addition, a
&e* easy reading ep%emeral boo(s are purc%ased+ A &e* adult
boo(s o& interest to students o& c%ildren8s literature, parents, and
people *or(ing *it% c%ildren are also purc%ased+ $%ese include
%istorical perspectives o& c%ildren8s literature, in&ormation on
c%ildren8s aut%ors and illustrators, and bibliograp%ies o& materials
&or c%ildren+
20tension
Materials, $%e entire library collection is available &or use on t%e boo(mobile+
3on-boo(
Materials, $%e library sta&& considers t%at non-boo( materials, suc% as
Playa*ays and electronic boo(s, represent an alternative &ormat
and may be selected *%en t%at &ormat best meets t%e needs o& t%e
community+ /n general, t%e same selection policies *ill apply+
Periodicals=3e*spapers,
$%e library endeavors to provide t%e most representative
periodicals in a *ide range o& sub-ects o& re&erence value
and recreational interest+ Particular emp%asis is given to
titles included in periodical inde0es+ .peciali4ed titles are
considered in relation to sub-ect needs and t%eir availability
in area and regional libraries+ $%e library maintains bac(
issues o& t%e Marlboro Herald-Advocate+
Micro&orms,
Micro&ilm and micro&ic%e o& census records are maintained
&or use by all patrons+
Copies may be made &or a small &ee+
ecordings,
A small collection o& music CD recordings is available &or
circulation+ A collection o& boo(s on CD and D>D is also
available &or circulation+
>ideos and D>Ds,
$%e library purc%ases non-&iction videos and D>Ds t%at
&ul&ill t%e representative needs o& t%e patrons+ $%e library
purc%ases &iction videos and D>Ds t%at are literary based,
meet informational or recreational needs of patrons) are
reuested and/or %ave relevance to .out% Carolina+
C23.6.9/P
Censors%ip can result &rom outside pressures being imposed, or by over
cautious librarians selecting boo(s+ /n eit%er case it is a problem &or t%e public
because in&ormation t%ey may *ant or need is *it%%eld &rom t%em+ $%e &ollo*ing
recommendations %ave been prepared as practical guidelines to &ollo* in a
censors%ip con&rontation,
Do not panic+
Be &riendly+ :reet t%e patron *it% dignity+ $a(e t%em to t%e best and most
important o&&ice to *%ic% you %ave access+ Ma(e sure everyt%ing is
com&ortable+
6btain &ull in&ormation+ Ma(e sure to get t%e *ould-be censor8s name,
address and *%o t%ey represent+
3ever argue+
/n&orm t%em o& t%e Library Bill o& ig%ts and t%e library8s responsibility to
o&&er &ree access to t%e &ull range o& man8s t%oug%t+ /& c%arges are not
dropped, proceed as &ollo*s,
--As( t%at t%eir complaint be submitted in *riting and signed+
--20plain t%at you cannot ta(e steps in t%is case, but must re&er it to t%e
director and board+
--Be courteous and assure t%em t%eir re)uest *ill be given prompt
attention+
--/n&orm your superior immediately+ Library sta&& s%ould leave a dated and
signed note in t%e Director8s mailbo0+
--D6 36$ 2M6>2 $92 B66? /3 @A2.$/63 76M $92 .92L7+
3ote, Be a*are t%at at one point one o& t%e censors mig%t ta(e t%e boo('s1 a*ay
*it%out t%e library sta&& being a*are+
D63A$/63., M2M6/AL., A3D :/7$.
Donations
Boo(s or related materials may be donated at any time at t%e Marlboro
County Library or t%e Boo(mobile+ All donations o& materials *ill be accepted
only a&ter t%e donor understands t%e terms under *%ic% donations are accepted+
Copies o& t%e statement *%ic% &ollo*s belo* are to be (ept at t%e circulation des(
and on t%e Boo(mobile+
Marlboro County Library Donations Policy Statement
!e Marlboro County Library is !onored to receive donations o" boo#s
and ot!er materials$ %t is t!e &olicy o" t!e library to acce&t donations only 'it!
t!e understandin( o" t!e donor t!at )1* t!e item 'ill be added to t!e collection
only i" needed and must meet t!e same selection standards o" ot!er library
materials+ and ),* all donated materials become e-clusive &ro&erty o" t!e library
and 'ill not be returned to donor$ Marlboro County Library reserves t!e ri(!t to
dis&ose o" by standard library &rocedures )suc! as boo# sale* any item t!at does
not 'arrant inclusion in t!e collection$ !e library does not (ive cost evaluations$
Ho'ever+ i" re.uested+ a statement certi"yin( recei&t o" t!e number o" items
donated 'ill be (iven to t!e donor$ Donor 'ill be res&onsible "or t!e ori(inal
count o" t!e donated materials$/
$AB D63A$/63 76M
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
'3ame o& donor1 'Date1
$%e Marlboro County Library grate&ully ac(no*ledges your donation o&,
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC 9ardbac( boo(s
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Paperbac( boo(s
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC 6t%er, CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
;our support o& Marlboro County Public Library is greatly appreciated+
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Librarian=.ta&&
Member
Memorials
Marlboro County Library *elcomes donations &or t%e purc%ase o& library
materials as memorials or &or t%e purpose o& %onoring someone+ All c%ec(s s%ould
be made payable to Marlboro County Library+ $%ese &unds may be dispersed by
t%e Director upon approval o& suggested purc%ases by t%e Board o& $rustees+
$%ese &unds *ill be %andled t%roug% t%e /n-9ouse 7unds account and sub-ect to
all County &iscal re)uirements+
$%e donor may designate t%e sub-ect &ield in *%ic% a memorial item is to
be c%osen+ 6t%er*ise, t%e library *ill select appropriate material's1 &ollo*ing
usual procedures+ Patrons are to be discouraged &rom c%oosing materials
t%emselves as materials must meet t%e Library8s selection criteria+
Persons interested in contributing to t%e materials memorial &und s%ould
contact t%e library Director+ $%e Director *ill obtain all t%e necessary in&ormation
&or ordering and noti&ication+ Appropriate mention *ill be placed in t%e material
itsel&+ A listing o& memorials is (ept in a special memorial boo(+
Ac(no*ledgements o& t%e gi&t *ill be sent to t%e donor and noti&ication o& t%e
memorial *ill be sent to &amily+
:i&ts
Boo(s and ot%er materials *ill be accepted on t%e condition t%at t%e
Director %as t%e aut%ority to ma(e *%atever disposition %e=s%e deems advisable+
:i&ts o& money, real property, and=or stoc( *ill be accepted i& conditions
attac%ed t%ereto are acceptable to t%e Marlboro County Library Board o& $rustees+
Personal property, art ob-ects, portraits, anti)ues, and ot%er museum
ob-ects must be %andled by Art Committee+