Collection Development Policy

Latest revision as of 09:18, 14 March 2013

Statement of Philosophy

The Portsmouth Public Library provides materials, programs, and services to meet the educational, informational, and recreational needs of residents of all ages. Particular emphasis is placed on delivering quality reference services and providing popular materials of high interest. The library also serves to stimulate young children’s interest and appreciation for reading and learning.

The Portsmouth Public Library Board of Trustees, working with the staff of the library, affirms the following objectives:

• To serve all people
• To provide a variety of materials and programming for everyone’s informational, educational, recreational, and cultural needs
• To provide qualified staff to give guidance in the use of materials
• To provide access for all people
• To inform the public of library resources and services
• To support intellectual freedom
• The Portsmouth Public Library supports the principles of the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to View, and the Freedom to Read statements adopted by the American Library Association.

The public library is the institution that provides individuals with free access to information on different points of view so that they may decide which ideas are meaningful to them. The library, consequently, has the responsibility for selecting materials that reflect a wide variety of ideas and may contain controversial points of view. Since the library has a responsibility to protect the rights of all users, it does not limit the use of its collection. Although library employees may offer guidance in selection of materials, it is the responsibility of the parents or legal guardians to monitor the reading, listening, and viewing of materials by their children.

The needs, interests, and points of view of the Portsmouth Public Library’s community range over the spectrum of all subjects inherent to contemporary society. The Portsmouth Public Library has a responsibility to provide a diversity of materials in both print and non-print forms. Materials are selected to reflect changes in educational, cultural, and intellectual ideas and the impact of new technology within the limitations of budget and space.

Criteria for Selection

While a single standard cannot be applied to each potential item for selection, materials are judged by appropriate criteria. In some instances, these criteria include artistic merit, scholarship, or the value of the materials to the informational needs of the community. In other instances, the criterion may be substantial or popular demand. To build a diversified collection that supports the library’s mission, the following criteria are used. The criteria apply to purchased and donated materials as well as special collections.

• Availability and suitability of format
• Suitability of subject, style, and level for the intended audience
• Critics’ and staff’s reviews
• Reputation of the publisher or producer; authority and significance of the author, composer, filmmaker, etc.
• Timeliness or permanence of the material
• Quality of writing, design, illustrations, or production
• Relevance to community needs
• Potential and/or known demand for the material
• Relative importance in comparison with existing materials in the collection on the same subject.
• Availability and accessibility of the same material in the local area
• Standard reviewing sources including Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal, Books in Print, Booklist, and others will be used to aid in

the selection of materials.

Special Collections

Occasionally, the Portsmouth Public Library may establish a special collection on a temporary or permanent basis. A special collection may be developed to meet a particular need in the community or may be established to provide a comprehensive collection of works to address a topic in greater detail. The rules governing the purchase of materials for the general collection will be applied to special collections.

Weeding

The Portsmouth Public Library weeds its collection on a regular basis to keep the collection current and maintain a timely, accurate resource for the community. The library staff will generally follow the principles established in The CREW Manual for detailed guidelines for weeding.

Gifts and Donations

The library welcomes gifts of materials from individuals and groups. The library however, reserves the right to make the final selection for any materials that will be added to the collection. The library also reserves the right to withdraw donated materials from the collection when they are no longer appropriate under this collection development policy.