Collection Development Policy

Introduction

The Culpeper County Library acquires, organizes, and makes available books and materials of an educational, informational, aesthetic, and recreational nature for the use of Culpeper area residents. In addition to the regular book collection, the library maintains collections of periodicals, audio-visual materials, and digital resources.

Since the library serves a diverse community whose interests, needs, and requests are numerous and varied, it is necessary to provide materials for as broad a spectrum of patrons as possible. In meeting this obligation, the library tries to satisfy present needs, as well as to anticipate future ones.

Mission Statement

The Culpeper County Library Board and staff improve the quality of life in the community by supporting educational, informational, and leisure needs and by making cultural opportunities available for every individual in the community.

Purpose

The purpose of the Culpeper County Library Collection Development Policy is to offer guidance to Library staff and to inform the public about general selection principles and to emphasize the Library’s commitment to intellectual freedom and unrestricted access to information.

Statement of Responsibility

The ultimate responsibility for materials selection and the development of the library collection rests with the Library Director, who operates within the framework of policies determined by the Library Board. Under the general supervision of the Director, the actual selection of materials is accomplished by library staff members who are qualified through education, training, and experience. Because the Director answers to the Library Board and the general public for actual selections made, the Director therefore has the authority to reject or select any item recommended by staff.

Selection Criteria

The library strives to maintain a diverse collection of materials responsive to community needs. Selection of materials, whether purchased or donated, is based upon the library’s mission statement. Selection is determined by factors such as budget, space, and the content of existing collections. While the library tries to maintain copies of standard and important works, it does not automatically replace all materials that have been lost or damaged. Each item must be considered in terms of its own excellence and the audience for whom it is intended. Materials are judged on total effect rather than specific illustrations, words, passages or scenes that in themselves may be considered by some to be offensive.

A policy, however detailed, cannot replace the judgment of individual librarians. Professional judgment and expertise are based on an understanding of user needs and knowledge of both authors and publishers. Reviews from professional, specialized and general periodicals are also consulted as part of the selection process. It is important to remember that selecting materials for the collection is more an art than a science and requires staff well-attuned to patron information needs, regional library collections, publishing industry trends, and a general history of recorded knowledge. Professional library staff members have the education, training, and work experience required to make important selection decisions. Material will not be excluded or included because of the race, nationality, or the political or religious views of the writer.

The following factors will be taken into consideration when selecting items for the collection:

Relevance to community needs and interests
Current and projected demand
Availability and suitability of physical format for library purposes
Suitability of presentation for intended audience
Relevance to existing subject coverage in the collection
Clarity, readability and ease of use
Timeliness or permanence of material
Accuracy and authenticity
Literary merit and inclusion in standard bibliographies and indices
Current and historical significance
Authority and reputation of the author, publisher, and/or producer
Local authorship
Initial and ongoing costs
Overall quality
Technical aspects of audiovisual materials
Regional availability and accessibility
Space and maintenance requirements
User interface and content of electronic products
Online, network, and remote access capabilities
System resource demands (hardware and personnel)
Vendor training, support guides and technical support
Lease or ownership of electronic products
Artistic quality
Relevance to the experiences and contributions of diverse populations

Specific Criteria for the Evaluation of Works of Imagination

Representation of important movement, genre, trend or national culture
Vitality and originality
Artistic presentation and experimentation
Sustained interest
Effective characterization
Authenticity of historical or social setting

Formats

The library acquires materials in a variety of formats and will select materials in the media most appropriate to their efficient use. In some circumstances the same work may be acquired in more than one format; for example, hardback, paperback, large print, audio, and digital versions of popular titles are often purchased to meet patron demand.

Special Considerations

Suggestion for Purchase

The Library welcomes requests and recommendations for purchase from patrons and staff members. Patrons may request a Suggestion for Purchase form (CCL7) from any service desk. If the Library elects to purchase the title, the patron will be put on the request list for the item. If the Library is unable to purchase the title, a staff member will notify the patron. Print titles under consideration for “Suggestion for Purchase” should be no older than one year. Older titles can be requested through Interlibrary Loan.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is the process of obtaining materials older than a year old from other libraries throughout the continental U.S. This service is available only to library patrons who are over 18 years old and residents of Culpeper County. Libraries of surrounding counties provide ILL services for residents of those counties.

In addition to being a county resident, patrons must also have a library card in good standing. Patrons requesting ILLs must provide a valid phone number (home phone, cell, or work phone) where they may be reached, as the lending library has the right to issue a recall on an item at any time. A patron may request no more than three interlibrary loan items at a time. Those items must be returned before additional requests are made.

ILL service is free, but the patron may be charged for any shipping fees or any other charges that the normal library rate postage does not cover.

ILL requirements and rules are stated on the current Interlibrary Loan form (ILL Patron Request Form 11-16), which the patron must agree to and sign.

Gifts and Donations

A gift for the library collection may consist of library material donations, monetary donations to purchase materials, equipment or support various library activities, or other material donations. Patrons may request a gift receipt.

Library Material Donations

On behalf of the Friends of the Library, the Library accepts donations of books and/or other library materials. Once items are donated, the Library reserves the right to make the final decision regarding how donations are used and distributed. Donations are accepted year-round, during the Library’s open hours. The Library has the right to refuse donations if they do not meet the above criteria.

Monetary and Memorial Donations

Specific requests for monetary or memorial donations will need to be discussed with the Library Director.

Monetary donations are generally added to the library's donation account.
Memorial donations such as gifts of money, materials or equipment may be donated in honor of a friend or relative. Materials may be marked with special bookplates. Library staff will be pleased to select appropriate titles in memory of a relative or friend.

Replacement of lost or missing copies

Works of non-fiction, literary classics, literary works by important contemporary authors, and items in demand are replaced as quickly as possible when they are worn out, lost, or stolen. Items that have a hold pending but have become missing are also replaced as soon as possible. If they are out-of-print, the Library attempts to acquire used copies in good condition.

Items not purchased

Manuscripts
Textbooks
Reader’s Digest Condensed Books
Books in braille

Collection Management

Deselection or, “weeding” is the regular, on-going, and systematic evaluation process whereby library materials are withdrawn from the collection based on specific criteria such as outdated, worn, damaged, and/or duplicated materials.

Request for Reconsideration of Materials

All requests for reconsideration of materials should be referred to the person-in-charge.
If a patron wants to file a reconsideration, have them fill out a “Patron Reconsideration of Library Materials” form (CCL14). Both the report form and the item in question should be given to the Director. The patron will be notified of the results of a complete re-evaluation of the material in question by the Director.
If the patron wishes to contest the decision, he or she may write a letter to the Library Board. The Board will then make a final decision, which will be reported to the patron.