Gleason Public Library Collection Development Policy

Mission Statement:
The Gleason Public Library is a small public library serving a suburban community with rural overtones northwest of Boston. The mission of the Gleason Public Library is to be an integral part of this community by offering a wide variety of popular and reference materials in various formats to meet the recreational, informational, educational and cultural needs of Carlisle's citizens. In addition to encouraging life-long learning for members of the community, the Library serves as a supplemental resource for students of all ages and as a resource for community information.

Purpose of the Collection Development Policy:
This document provides the staff and public with an understanding of the purpose and nature of the Library's collection. It explains the criteria staff use for making decisions to add or withdraw items in the collection.

Responsibility:
The Board of Library Trustees has the ultimate legal responsibility for the Library's collection. Collection development and management activities are administered by the Library Director and implemented by staff.

Principles:
We are dedicated to the free and open distribution of ideas. The Library is a government-funded agency. The First Amendment of the Constitution insures that ideas, even ideas that some find offensive, cannot be restricted by the government. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the Library to provide a wide-range of ideas, opinions and information necessary for the functioning of a democratic society.

We are dedicated to free and open use for all. No restriction is placed on the use of the Library's collection based on age, race, sex, nationality, educational background, physical limitations, or any other criteria that may be the source of discrimination.

We are dedicated to protecting individuals’ rights to decide for themselves and for their own children what library materials to use. Materials will not be added or removed from the collection, based upon protecting users from the contents of the materials. We strongly encourage all parents who wish to restrict their own children’s use of the Library to establish guidelines for their own children's use of library materials.

The inclusion of any item in the Library's collection does not constitute an endorsement by the Library or the Town of the item's contents. The Board of Library Trustees upholds the principles of intellectual freedom as stated in the American Library Association's "Library Bill of Rights" and the Freedom to Read Statement. (See links at end of document.)

Community Analysis and User Groups:
Carlisle is a community located in Middlesex County approximately 30 miles northwest of Boston. Carlisle was first settled in 1650, and twice became a district, first in 1754 and then again in 1780, just after the American Revolution, before incorporation as a town in 1805. The Town is approximately 15 square miles in area. Approximately 25% of the town is protected conservation land.

The Office of the Town Clerks, Town Census records as of March 27, 2006 numbers the total town residents at 5503. The largest age group is 1086 people ages 50-59, followed by 1016 people 40-49, and 1008 people 10-19 years of age. Approximately 50.8% population is women and 49.2% men.

Data from the 2000 U.S. Census race and ethnicity statistics shows a large majority of residents are white, 8 are Black, 3 are American Indian or Alaskan Native, 228 are Asian, 2 are Pacific Islanders and 67 are “other.” The 2000 census also reported1,618 households with 79% reported as a married couple family. The median family income is $142,350, compared to $50,502, the state average.

The Carlisle public school is a K-8 school; high school students attend Concord-Carlisle High School. Many K-8 students use the library for assignments and reports. Other users include professionals, consultants, the unemployed, retired people, parents and their children.

Library Programs and Services:
The Gleason Public Library offers a variety of programs and services that increase the need for certain types of materials.

Free literature on topics of educational, cultural, social and recreational concern selected for its information value to the community is distributed at various locations in the library. A bulletin board offers notices meeting these criteria as well.

Internet access for the public is provided through COMCAST and the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium. Access is available through public terminals or using wireless with computers or devices brought in by the public.

Business and law information is provided through a variety of sources including print, database and Internet. Other topics covered in the collection include investment information, automotive manuals, construction specifications, literary and historical information, and accounting and management information.

The Library maintains close links with the Carlisle public school in order to provide support services for their educational programs, but serves only as a supplementary resource.

The Children's Department offers a variety of programming. Multi- week sessions of story hours are offered three times per year for children aged infant through six. Drop-in story hours are open to all on a drop-in basis once a month. Special programs for children are offered throughout the year, including sing-alongs and performances. Summer Reading programs are featured during the summer months.

The Library also provides programming for adults on an irregular basis. Programs have included lectures, musical presentations and authors' talks.

The local history collection is a unique and valuable source of local history available for both residents and non-residents of Carlisle who are interested in the town, its people, and heritage. The small collection focuses on information about the town of Carlisle, with a valuable set of notebooks containing information about Town houses and genealogies. Reference staff will assist patrons to use the collection in the Hollis Room on the third floor of the Library.

The Library makes available its meeting rooms to groups and organizations, so long as such use does not interfere with regular library services or programs. (See Hollis Room policy for guidelines.)

The Friends of the Gleason Public Library and other donors provide the library with museum passes which allow library users free or discounted museum admission. Carlisle residents may reserve passes in advance and patrons of other neighboring libraries may reserve and checkout the passes if they are still available the day before. The Friends also support a variety of programs for children and adults.

Overview of the Collection:
As of July 2005, the Gleason Public Library collection consisted of approximately 55,269 items. The Library subscribes to 170 periodical titles. The Library owns 2,979 music compact discs, 1,028 books on tape or CD, and 3,815 videos and DVDS. The collection is an evolving one and as new media types become readily available the Library may choose to collect in other formats as well.

The Adult collection consists of Fiction, Nonfiction, Large Print, Biography, Reference, Periodicals, Videos and DVDS, Compact Discs, Books on Tape and CD, CD-ROMS, and Online Databases.

The Children's collection consists of Juvenile Fiction, Juvenile Nonfiction, Easy Readers, Picture Books, Paperbacks, Board Books, Reference, Young Adult Materials, Videos, Audio Cassettes, Books on Tape and CD, Compact Discs, Computer CD-ROMs, and kits of mixed media.

The primary format of materials is print, but is not limited to print. Most materials are at a Basic Information Level suitable for informational or recreational use.

Cooperative Collection Development:
To supplement its collection, the Gleason Public Library makes use of materials borrowed from other libraries through cooperative agreements for Interlibrary Loan (ILL). The Gleason Public Library belongs to the Northeastern Massachusetts Regional Library System (NMRLS) and is a member of the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium (MVLC).

MVLC is a multi-type automated library consortium that facilitates efficient resource sharing and rapid access to information for users of its member libraries through the provision of high quality computer and support services. MVLC now has 35 members. The database contains over three million items.

Through MVLC, member libraries can call upon the resources of other members for materials not owned locally. A daily delivery service, provided by NMRLS and funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, delivers the ILL materials to libraries that are members of the Region. NMRLS also provides links to other library consortia and networks to obtain materials not found in the MVLC database. In FY2005, 10,608 items were borrowed by the Gleason Public Library through ILL, and 13,136 were lent to other libraries by the Gleason Public Library through the same process.

Interlibrary Loan, however, is not a substitute for the development of adequate collections based on the needs of a member library's service area and patrons. Requests for titles are evaluated for potential use and cost- effectiveness, and may be added to the collection despite the existence of copies in other MVLC libraries. In addition, when areas in the collection are inadequate to meet regular patron demand, purchases are made to correct the situation rather than relying on Interlibrary Loan.

The Gleason Public Library cannot expect to fill every patron request from its own shelves. Libraries are being used more than ever before, and more is being printed and produced in other formats. The purpose of cooperative collection development is to assist the Library in meeting patron demands for materials that lie outside the scope of the Library's collection.

Chronological and Retrospective Coverage:
The Library collects only current materials in the areas of Health, Medicine, Science, Travel Guides, Technology, Law, Business, Computer Science, Language, and Sports. The only exception to these would be historical works on these subjects. "Current" is defined as information that is pertinent and timely, or materials that have significance “today. "

The Fiction, Philosophy, History, Audiovisual, Cookery, Religion, Sociology, Literature, Art and Architecture, Games, Gardening and Biography collections offer broader chronological coverage. The Library collects classic materials in these areas as well as current materials.

The Gleason Public Library collects a variety of periodicals. Selection of these periodicals is based primarily on public demand and use. The Library retains 1-3 years of current periodicals. Exceptions to this are local newspapers, which are kept indefinitely. Many periodicals purchased by the Library, and others that are not, are available via online databases at the Library or through the Internet.

The local history collection is primarily research and historical in nature. Local history and genealogical materials relating to Carlisle are particularly sought for this collection whether they are current or retrospective. Histories, local newspapers, vital records, town reports, yearbooks, photographs, and books about the area are all collected for the historical room. The local newspaper is collected on microfilm for permanent preservation and research. The Library works in partnership with the Carlisle Historical Society to make materials accessible; the society collects and preserves appropriate artifacts. (See Carlisle History Collection policy.)

Format:
The Gleason Public Library collects a variety of formats including but not limited to books, microfilm, microfiche, periodicals, CD-ROMS, audiocassettes, videocassettes, DVDS, compact disks, loose-leaf financial services and CD-ROM databases. The library also provides access to a number of online databases. As demand for new technologies or formats increase the library may begin collecting other formats.

As the cost of books continues to rise, paperback materials become a cost effective alternative to hardcover books. Trade paperbacks and some mass-market paperbacks are purchased to meet heavy demand for hardcover materials, or as duplicates for titles on school reading lists. Titles only available in paperback may be purchased to meet a specific need. Because paperbacks are inexpensive, and because they are easily damaged, they are weeded regularly. Paperback materials are fully processed and cataloged to make them available for searching in the database.

The library will purchase limited textbooks based on the recommendations of the school librarians; particularly in subjects where materials in another form are not conveniently available.

Collection decisions are based first on the needs of the community, and then attention is focused on the content required to meet the need. Only after the content need has been determined should the actual package or format be considered. The best format to fit the nature of the content and uses to which it will be put determines the format of the information that is purchased. To help determine the need the Librarian will ask questions such as: Does the user just want a piece or part of the content? Does the user need to spend considerable time with the content?

It is the Library's responsibility to weave many considerations when purchasing an item. These areas include the content, the potential use, the need, the purpose, the medium, and the format of the content to best meet the users need. Other considerations in selecting a format include cost and available space for storage and display. New formats purchased by the Gleason Public Library are based on these user needs. Therefore periodical online databases, CD-ROMS, or print materials may be determined as the best format to provide certain information to Library users.

Funding:
Materials purchased for the collection of the Gleason Public Library are paid for with funds provided through the annual operating budget from the Town and with state funds received via the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. State funds are received contingent upon qualifying for the Library Incentive Grant, the Municipal Equalization Grant and the Nonresident Lending Offset program. In order to receive these funds, the Gleason Public Library must meet minimum standards set by the Commonwealth for public libraries.

Monetary donations made to the Library for the purchase of materials are placed in a Gift Fund, the Friends of the Gleason Public Library, or the Library Endowment fund. All gifts made to the Gleason Public Library are expended in a manner consistent with the Collection Development policy. The Library makes every effort to purchase items in subject areas or formats specified by the donor. However, we cannot guarantee that particular titles will be purchased. All items will be subject to the same criteria as other areas of the collection including the perceived need and use to potential customers. The Library will identify materials purchased with donated funds by means of a bookplate that names the donor.

If library materials are lost or damaged, the person who borrowed the item pays the replacement cost to the Town.

Gifts:
All books and other items given as gifts will be received with the understanding that they are accepted subject to the approval of the Board of Library Trustees. The Gleason Public Library accepts gift books, and other items donated for the collection, with the understanding that the gift will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria by which purchased materials are judged. Donated materials are considered with the explicit understanding that such factors as duplication, lack of community interest, processing costs, or inadequate shelf space may prevent their addition to the collection or permanent retention on the shelves.

The Library will not agree to separate treatment for gift materials. Donated materials will not be placed on special shelves, or separated from other similar materials already in the library collection.

Gifts are accepted with the understanding that the Library, if it cannot use them, may at any time discard them in any way it deems appropriate. Materials not of use in the library collection are frequently given to non-profits with a literacy objective and to the Friends of the Library for their book sale. The Library does not appraise donated books or other gifts.
(See Donations & Gifts policy.)

Selection Process:
Materials are selected after members of the Gleason Public Library staff consult a variety of print and online media reviews. Responsibility for the Children's collection lies with the Children's Librarian and responsibility for the Adult collection lies with the Director. Additional staff may work on the weeding, ordering, and collection management of the library collections.

When selecting non-fiction materials for the collection, considerations include the author's competency, overall excellence of the material (artistic, literary, etc.), superiority in treatment of controversial issues, ability to stimulate further intellectual and social development, appropriateness to the level of user, and potential usefulness to the Library's collection. The same criteria are used for all other media with the additional requirement of clarity of sound and performance.

First, the Library staff attempts to meet patrons' demands. Second, material is purchased that is both pertinent and timely. The Mission Statement of the Library, Library programs and services and community needs are all factors in selecting materials for the collection.

Because of limited resources and because the Library has access to other libraries' collections through Interlibrary Loan, the relevance of material to our collection is especially considered. Material that receives positive reviews might not be purchased if it duplicates material already owned.

The Library attempts to purchase a wide variety of fiction titles to satisfy the needs of all our borrowers. The library staff chooses titles based on reviews that consider, among other things, the appeal of a book for a specific audience, the artistic skill evident in its rendering, and the literary reputation of the author.

The following bibliographies and review media are consulted in the selection of materials, but selection is not limited to these sources:

Booklist
Hornbook
Library Journal
New York Times Book Review
School Library Journal
Children's Catalog

The Library purchases audio-visual materials as part of its collection development. Selection of audio-visual materials will be based on the same criteria used throughout the selection process.

The Library welcomes requests for purchase of materials for the library, and requests will be subject to the same criteria for selection as other considered materials.

Selection of materials for the Library collection is an ongoing process which includes the removal of materials no longer appropriate and the replacement of lost and worn materials that are still of value for informational or recreational needs.

Weeding:
The term weeding is used to describe the activity of seeking out items that are no longer useful or appropriate for the collection. These items are then discarded and may or may not be replaced.

Weeding the library collection is as much a routine as the acquisition of new books. The purpose of discarding materials from the collection is to maintain an accurate and up to date collection for library patrons. Materials which are inaccurate, outdated, unused, or in poor condition detract from the usefulness and aesthetic appeal of the collection. These materials take up shelf space that could be occupied by needed and requested materials.

Weeding the collection is an ongoing process and is the responsibility of the librarians. The goal of the Gleason Public Library is that each section of the collection is to be weeded on an annual basis to keep the collection accurate. Special attention is paid to Medical, Computer Science and Technology, and travel materials, as they become dated rapidly.

Materials are discarded from the collection using the CREW guidelines for weeding. The acronym CREW stands for Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding. Items that are weeded from the collection include ones that are: misleading or factually inaccurate; damaged, soiled or worn; outdated or superseded by a new edition or newer title on the same subject; trivial or have no discernible literary or scientific merit; irrelevant to the needs and interests of the community or contain information that may be obtained more easily elsewhere. Materials that have not circulated in a chosen time period, duplicate titles no longer needed, or damaged materials are also considered for discarding.

Items in damaged or outdated condition will be thrown away. Items in good condition may be donated to charitable agencies.

Preservation:
The Gleason Public Library is committed to providing appropriate physical and environmental care to the materials in its current collection. Appropriate temperature and protection from the elements, as well as shelving, dusting, and storage of books will help protect the collection from deterioration.

This document refers to the following:

Library Bill of Rights from the American Library Association website.
Freedom to Read in pdf from American Library Association website.

Statement of Concern form (pdf) - For use by those concerned about material in the Library collection.

Approved 5/04/06