Collection Development Policy
LEWISTON PUBLIC LIBRARY POLICY
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
Adopted: October 11, 2000
Revised: May 16, 2007
Revised: April 2, 2018
I. Mission
The Mission Statement of the Library is: “Preserving our history, connecting our community, and enriching the life of the mind.” The Library’s collection of materials will be developed to support the Library’s mission.
II. Purpose
The purpose of this Collection Development Policy is to guide the Library staff in the development of the Library’s collection of materials and to inform the public about the principles upon which these decisions are made. This Policy was developed by a Committee with representation from both the Board of Library Trustees and the Library staff and was adopted by the entire Board of Library Trustees. Revisions are made by the Library staff and approved by the Board of Library Trustees.
III. Intellectual Freedom
The Board of Library Trustees believes that the materials collection must represent all points of view, especially concerning controversial issues, and must not exclude items because of their origin or viewpoint or the views of those contributing to their creation. Furthermore, materials will not be marked or labeled in any way to show approval or disapproval, either by the Library or any other organization. In support of this end, the Board has reviewed and endorses the Library Bill of Rights as adopted by the American Library Association; the Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors, an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights as adopted by the American Library Association; and the Freedom to Read Statement as adopted by the American Library Association and the Association of American Publishers.
The Board recognizes that in carrying out the spirit and letter of this policy, materials which are considered controversial will be added to the Library collection. The Library will not remove from the shelves items purchased in accordance with the policy outlined here, even though one or more persons may take issue with the selection of an item. However, any Lewiston resident will have the right to question the Library’s decision to include or not include any item in the collection (see section X, this policy).
Selection of materials will not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may come into the possession of children. It is the responsibility of parents or guardians to screen materials used by their minor children, if they so desire.
IV. Collection Goals
The Library’s materials collection will contain current, quality, print and non-print resources to support the informational, educational, and recreational needs of individuals and organizations in Lewiston. The primary goals of the collection will be as follows:
- To provide practical information to meet the educational needs of the Library’s users.
- To provide popular materials to meet the personal interest, entertainment, and recreational needs of all age groups.
- To develop most subject areas with accessible, scholarly materials to support an undergraduate college level of learning.
- To maintain a collection of the recognized classic written works of literature and of all areas of knowledge.
- To provide materials that promote literacy in all its forms.
The Lewiston Public Library will work closely with other libraries statewide to provide local citizens with enhanced access to information and resources.
V. Criteria for Selection
The following criteria will be given full consideration by the Library staff in making selections of new materials:
- Accuracy and quality of the information or the degree of literary excellence
- Community needs and interests including requests from individuals and/or local organizations
- Authority of the author and/or the publisher
- Reviews in professionally recognized periodicals
- Prizes, awards, or honors received
- Relation of the work to the existing collection
- Price, media format, ease of use, and/or quality of actual media (e.g., book binding, video editing, etc.)
- Availability of similar materials or information within the Library’s resources or that of the state library system
- The Library will acquire a sufficient number of copies of new, popular books to meet public demand. (At a minimum, one additional copy should be purchased for every four requests.)
- Budgetary constraints
VI. Specific Selection Policies
A. Print Materials
- Fiction. The fiction collection will be developed to support the recreational reading interests of Library patrons and to provide a quality collection of contemporary and classic materials.
- Nonfiction. The nonfiction collection will be developed to support the educational and informational needs of Library patrons.
- Large Print. This collection will be developed to keep up with the demand for materials in this format using the specific criteria for fiction and nonfiction above.
- Paperbacks. This is primarily a collection of current, popular works with an emphasis on best sellers and genre fiction by popular authors and TV or movie tie-ins. A secondary goal for this collection is to supplement the hardcover fiction collection.
- Reference. The reference collection is a non-circulating collection of resources designed to support the basic research and information needs of the community in accordance with the criteria established for the selection of library materials. Reference materials selected are usually comprehensive in scope, concise in treatment, and arranged to facilitate the quick and accurate finding of information. Selection will emphasize keeping up-to-date in the most heavily used areas, while also purchasing well-reviewed new titles. A Maine Reference collection is also maintained for valuable historical items for in-house use only. In order to maximize both accessibility to reference publications and cost effectiveness, digital formats may replace or supplement print materials provided the digital version is complete, official, and permanently accessible.
- Foreign Language Materials. Because of Lewiston’s strong French heritage and proximity to French Canada, the Library will maintain a collection of materials in the French language. This collection will continue to be developed with quality popular materials in both fiction and nonfiction. The Library will stay alert to the increasing diversity in Lewiston and will acquire materials in other foreign languages as warranted.
- Periodicals. A variety of general-interest, popular magazines will be purchased which will serve primarily as a browsing collection. The Library will also subscribe to the major Maine and some Northeast region newspapers.
- Local History. The Library will continue to develop a comprehensive collection of materials relating to the history of Lewiston-Auburn and Androscoggin County. The Maine history collection will continue to be developed by acquiring historical information of a general nature for the state as a whole.
- Genealogy. The Library will continue to acquire materials to assist our patrons in conducting genealogical research. A particular emphasis will be given to Franco-American and Maine-related genealogy.
- Literacy Support. The Hi-Lo (High Interest-Low Reading Level) collection will be developed with current, interesting materials to engage new readers and English Language Learners in expanding their reading skills. Other Library collections will be developed to assist with literacy in the community.
- Archival Materials. The Library with the concurrence of the Board of Library Trustees may accept, preserve and make available papers and records relating to the history of Lewiston. New collections may be accepted provided that the resources exist to preserve, house, and service the records and they are deemed to have historical value.
- Graphic Novels. The Library develops collections in the graphic novel and manga formats to serve the informational and recreational interests of children, teens, and adults. The collections will comprise a variety of genres, subject matter, and sequential art styles, and strive for a mix of popular, well-reviewed, and classic titles.
- Children’s Materials. The collection serves children through grade eight. Books on parenting are also collected. Children’s books are chosen with an eye to promoting literacy and critical thinking. Equal emphasis is given to popularity of print materials and educational value. Special collections of magazines and paperbacks will be provided for this age group.
- Teen Materials. These items should be selected with an understanding of the needs, interests, and reading levels of young people in middle school and high school. Special collections of magazines and paperbacks will be provided for this age group.
B. Audiovisual Materials and Digital Resources
- Nonfiction and instructional media. Nonfiction videos in DVD and Blu-ray formats, compact discs, and other audiovisual media will be purchased when appropriate to meet the collection goals stated above.
- Entertainment videos in DVD and Blu-ray formats. This collection is intended to provide quality entertainment materials for home use. The primary emphasis will be on acquiring well-reviewed popular materials including independent and foreign language films.
- Audiobooks. This collection will be composed of popular fiction and nonfiction books in compact disc format.
- Music compact discs. This collection is intended to provide quality renditions and popular releases in a variety of musical traditions.
- E-books and e-audiobooks will be purchased in both fiction and nonfiction according to the guidelines set forth for the purchase of print materials.
- Digital and streaming resources. When appropriate and cost effective, access to proprietary Internet services will be acquired to meet the informational, educational, and recreational needs of Library patrons. Whenever possible, community-wide licenses should be purchased to allow Library cardholders to access these resources from outside the Library.
C. New Technologies and Media
Library staff will maintain a knowledgeable awareness of all new and emerging technologies and media being used for the delivery of information. New technologies and media will be incorporated in the Library’s collection and services whenever: a) such incorporation would meet the goals stated in this Policy; b) a significant number of Library users would utilize the service; and c) the cost of implementing the new service is in line with the value of the new resource.
VII. Responsibility for Collection Development
The responsibility for implementing this Collection Development Policy lies with the Library Director. Library staff will have regular, direct input into the selection of all materials. All Library staff members directly involved in the selection of materials have an obligation to stay informed on Library user habits and patterns; community needs and interests; the current collection of materials; and to regularly read the major reviewing sources.
VIII. Re-evaluation of Materials
All materials in the Library collection should be reviewed and re-evaluated at least every ten years to check on their physical condition and to make sure that the material still meets the general criteria for selection. When materials no longer meet these criteria, they should be discarded. A decision to discard an item should also be based on the following considerations:
- Inclusion in Core Collections or other standard bibliographies.
- Datedness.
- Recent circulation history.
- Physical condition.
- Ease of borrowing materials from other libraries.
Discarded materials will be made available to other libraries when appropriate or sold to benefit the Friends of the Lewiston Public Library or given to other organizations that may distribute them for the promotion of literacy.
IX. Gifts
Gifts of materials for the Library’s collection will be added only if they meet the criteria stated in this policy. For further details on the handling of gifts relating to the materials collection, refer to the Library’s Gifts Policy.
X. Requests for Reconsideration of Materials
If a Lewiston resident or taxpayer wishes to have the decision to include or not include an item in the Library collection reconsidered by the Library staff, they must complete in full a Request for Reconsideration of Library Material Form form. Library staff directly involved in selection will reconsider the item and inform the person making the request of their decision.
If that person is not satisfied with the decision of the Library staff, the request may be appealed to the Board of Library Trustees. The decision of the Board is final.
XI. Review of Collection Development Policy
This Collection Development Policy should be periodically reviewed by the Board of Library Trustees and the Library Staff. At a minimum, this review should take place every five years.
