ITEM NUMBER: 13.01 a-c
CHAPTER 13: Collection
Development
CODE: Policy
COMPUTER ID: CD-1
Title: Collection Development Policy
Effective Date: 11-24-86
Authorized By: Library Board of Trustees/Library Director
Date of Last Revision: 6-2013
Collection Development Policy
The Marathon County Public Library uses a patron-driven collection development model
based on a shared collection and centralized selection. Primary authority for selection rests
in the hands of the Library Director, who shall establish Collection Development Procedure
according to the guidelines set forth in this policy.
Primary Collection Goals:
Materials for Lifelong Learning and Life Skills - We envision a world in which
everyone can read, write, evaluate information, and effectively apply technology to
lead healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives.
Materials that Incorporate Emerging Technologies - We empower the people of
Marathon County with the technology resources to connect to the world and the
future.
High Interest Materials for All Ages -We provide current high-interest materials in a
variety of formats.
Selection Principles:
The Library recognizes and celebrates that it serves all members of the Marathon County
community, regardless of age, political or social views, gender (including gender
expression), sexuality, race, ethnicity, or country of origin. As such, the Library further
recognizes that its patrons have diverse backgrounds, cultural heritages, interests, political
views, and social values. The Library seeks to build a collection to meet the needs of the
members of this diverse community, and to that end will routinely gather statistics and
community input to determine the characteristics, expectations, and needs of these users.
The Library will apply the latest tools and innovations to its collection development
practices.
All patrons are free to request materials from the Library, and all patron requests will be
evaluated according to the goals, principles, and standards contained in this policy, as well
as any procedure for collection development laid out by the Library Director.
ITEM NUMBER: 13.01b
The Library will give highest priority to those materials most needed by our patrons,
focusing on circulating materials for our diverse community in a variety of formats.
Selectors will emphasize a balance of materials in the shared collection; individual branch
collections may vary with local demand. Print reference collections will be reduced in favor
of circulating and online resources. New formats of materials will be integrated into the
collection as the patron demand increases.
The Library has adopted the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights,
Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights, and the Freedom to Read Statement, as well as
the Freedom to View Statement endorsed by the American Library Association. These
documents can be found in Chapter 4 of the Marathon County Public Library Operations
Manual & Personnel Policies & Procedures Manual, and are both adhered to and supported
by the Marathon County Public Library. The content of these documents is to be
understood as part of this and all other related policies and procedures.
Selection Standards:
Artistic or scholarly merit of material
Popular demand for or interest in subject
Requests for particular materials
Timeliness of content
Appropriateness and relevancy of material to the library's users
Favorable reviews in standard library reviewing sources
Reputation, authority, or qualifications of author, artist, producer, editor, or publisher
Importance of material in relation to existing collection in terms of balance or
completeness (including in terms of existing series')
Accessibility of material by library users (including reading level, ease of use of
electronic uses)
Historical value of material
Technical quality of A/V materials
Physical quality of material (packaging, binding, etc.)
Availability of material through vendors
Cost of material in relation to the quality and significance of above factors
Collection Maintenance:
The collection is reviewed and revised on an on-going basis to meet contemporary needs.
The level of use of an item in the present will take priority over the possibility that someone
may use it someday. Materials containing outdated or superseded information will be
removed from the collection. Current relevance and demand will be the
ITEM NUMBER: 13.01c
determining factor in how long materials are kept. The collection is neither archival nor
research oriented; the Library supplements the collection by borrowing from other libraries
as necessary to meet patron demands.
The Way We Do Business:
We act as good stewards of the public's tax dollars.
We provide equitable access to a broad array of content, as well as training and
assistance to help people successfully navigate and use information.
We operate as one system; unity provides value. The centralized approach to a
shared collection allows staff to concentrate on collections that are maximized
around the needs of patrons.
We routinely gather statistics and community input to determine user characteristics,
expectations and needs and will apply the latest tools and innovations to our
collection development practices.
We supplement our collections with additional materials by borrowing through
cooperative agreements with other libraries.
CHAPTER 13: Collection
Development
CODE: Policy
COMPUTER ID: CD-1
Title: Collection Development Policy
Effective Date: 11-24-86
Authorized By: Library Board of Trustees/Library Director
Date of Last Revision: 6-2013
Collection Development Policy
The Marathon County Public Library uses a patron-driven collection development model
based on a shared collection and centralized selection. Primary authority for selection rests
in the hands of the Library Director, who shall establish Collection Development Procedure
according to the guidelines set forth in this policy.
Primary Collection Goals:
Materials for Lifelong Learning and Life Skills - We envision a world in which
everyone can read, write, evaluate information, and effectively apply technology to
lead healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives.
Materials that Incorporate Emerging Technologies - We empower the people of
Marathon County with the technology resources to connect to the world and the
future.
High Interest Materials for All Ages -We provide current high-interest materials in a
variety of formats.
Selection Principles:
The Library recognizes and celebrates that it serves all members of the Marathon County
community, regardless of age, political or social views, gender (including gender
expression), sexuality, race, ethnicity, or country of origin. As such, the Library further
recognizes that its patrons have diverse backgrounds, cultural heritages, interests, political
views, and social values. The Library seeks to build a collection to meet the needs of the
members of this diverse community, and to that end will routinely gather statistics and
community input to determine the characteristics, expectations, and needs of these users.
The Library will apply the latest tools and innovations to its collection development
practices.
All patrons are free to request materials from the Library, and all patron requests will be
evaluated according to the goals, principles, and standards contained in this policy, as well
as any procedure for collection development laid out by the Library Director.
ITEM NUMBER: 13.01b
The Library will give highest priority to those materials most needed by our patrons,
focusing on circulating materials for our diverse community in a variety of formats.
Selectors will emphasize a balance of materials in the shared collection; individual branch
collections may vary with local demand. Print reference collections will be reduced in favor
of circulating and online resources. New formats of materials will be integrated into the
collection as the patron demand increases.
The Library has adopted the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights,
Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights, and the Freedom to Read Statement, as well as
the Freedom to View Statement endorsed by the American Library Association. These
documents can be found in Chapter 4 of the Marathon County Public Library Operations
Manual & Personnel Policies & Procedures Manual, and are both adhered to and supported
by the Marathon County Public Library. The content of these documents is to be
understood as part of this and all other related policies and procedures.
Selection Standards:
Artistic or scholarly merit of material
Popular demand for or interest in subject
Requests for particular materials
Timeliness of content
Appropriateness and relevancy of material to the library's users
Favorable reviews in standard library reviewing sources
Reputation, authority, or qualifications of author, artist, producer, editor, or publisher
Importance of material in relation to existing collection in terms of balance or
completeness (including in terms of existing series')
Accessibility of material by library users (including reading level, ease of use of
electronic uses)
Historical value of material
Technical quality of A/V materials
Physical quality of material (packaging, binding, etc.)
Availability of material through vendors
Cost of material in relation to the quality and significance of above factors
Collection Maintenance:
The collection is reviewed and revised on an on-going basis to meet contemporary needs.
The level of use of an item in the present will take priority over the possibility that someone
may use it someday. Materials containing outdated or superseded information will be
removed from the collection. Current relevance and demand will be the
ITEM NUMBER: 13.01c
determining factor in how long materials are kept. The collection is neither archival nor
research oriented; the Library supplements the collection by borrowing from other libraries
as necessary to meet patron demands.
The Way We Do Business:
We act as good stewards of the public's tax dollars.
We provide equitable access to a broad array of content, as well as training and
assistance to help people successfully navigate and use information.
We operate as one system; unity provides value. The centralized approach to a
shared collection allows staff to concentrate on collections that are maximized
around the needs of patrons.
We routinely gather statistics and community input to determine user characteristics,
expectations and needs and will apply the latest tools and innovations to our
collection development practices.
We supplement our collections with additional materials by borrowing through
cooperative agreements with other libraries.