Berlin Free Town Library
Collection Development Policy
The Berlin Free Town Library provides free, open, and equal access to culture, ideas, and information for all of the members of our community. The Library recognizes that it has a responsibility to carefully select and maintain its print and non-print collection and to contribute to a shared digital collection maintained by the Upper Hudson Library System in support of its mission to make its resources available to every patron regardless of national origin, age, background, gender, personal beliefs, or any federally protected classifications. The purpose of this policy is to provide direction for the development, maintenance, and weeding of the Library’s collections. The Library acquisition of resources will be a representation of various contemporary and historical points of view that are of current interest. These may reflect current conditions, trends, and/or controversies.
Responsibility for Selection
The ultimate responsibility for the selection of Library materials rests with the Library Director who operates within the framework of the Collection Development Policy approved by the Berlin Free Town Library Board of Trustees. This responsibility may be shared with other members of the Library community including staff, patrons, and Library trustees; however, the Library Director has the authority to select or reject any item contrary to the recommendations that are made.
Responsibility for the selection of materials in the UHLS shared digital collections is shared amongst all of the libraries in the Upper Hudson Library System. The following policy cannot be applied to items in the shared digital collection.
Criteria for Selection
The following criteria will apply to both purchased and/or donated resources as well as online websites.
1. Relevance to community needs
2. Current popularity
3. Suitability to the intended audience based upon subject, style, format, interest, and reading level
4. Budget allocations
5. Space considerations
The Berlin Free Town Library strives to acquire materials to meet the demand from patrons in a timely, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly manner. While the cost of materials is a significant consideration for acquisition, preference will be given to acquiring materials from local, independent, and/or environmentally friendly vendors when prices are similar or even if they might be slightly higher. The decision to acquire material does not constitute the Library’s endorsement of the material’s content.
Gifts and Donations
The Library accepts gifts of books and other materials in good condition with the understanding that they will be added to the collection only if deemed appropriate as well as needed with sufficient available shelf space. The Library reserves the right to refuse any gifts or donations. If they cannot be used for any reason, the Director may use discretion to dispose of them. All possible care will be taken to dispose of Library materials in an environmentally sustainable way.
Withdrawal of Materials
The process of removing items from a collection within the Library is an integral part of the collection development. Materials are withdrawn from the collection in order to maintain its usefulness, circulation, relevance, and condition. The responsibility for the collection maintenance and for the disposition of withdrawn resources rests with the Library Director or other person approved to do so. Withdrawn items may be sold, offered to other libraries or non-profit organizations, recycled, or discarded. All possible care will be taken to dispose of withdrawn Library materials in an environmentally sustainable way.
Reconsideration of Resources
Although materials are carefully selected, differences of opinion regarding suitable materials may arise. Patrons requesting that material be withdrawn from or restricted within the collection may submit their concerns in writing by delivering a paper copy or by emailing the Library Director at [email protected]. The inquiry will then be placed on the agenda for the upcoming regular meeting of the Berlin Free Town Library Board of Trustees. The Library Director will notify the patron of the results of the reconsideration.
The responsibility for the choice of reading materials for children lies with the child or children’s parents or legal guardians. A child’s access to any given book will not be restricted by any member of the Library staff. When selecting materials for a collection in the Library, discretion will be exercised, yet materials will not be restricted on the basis of the possibility that children will see or borrow a given material.
(See “Censorship Policy.”)