Minutes - 2024 - Eagle Public Library Board - 01/25/2024 - Workshop THE CITY OF EAGLE
EAGLE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD
WORK SESSION
MINUTES
Eagle City Hall, 660 E. Civic Lane, Idaho
January 25, 2024 6:00 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER:
Meeting called to order at 6:00 pm.
2. ROLL CALL: LEWIS, HOPKINS,TAYLOR,ALMON,HAYES.
All present
3. WORK SESSION:
A. Discussion Regarding Library Policies.
General discussion of library policies and goals.
Discussion regarding whether to link to directly to the American Library Association website in the library's
policies.
Discussion of possible Reconsideration Committee.
Work session tentatively scheduled for February 21,2024,7:00 pm.
Proposal for March 20,2024 meeting to be rescheduled March 13, 2024, at 6:00 pm
4. ADJOURNMENT:
Meeting adjourned at 7:24 pm
Respectfully submitted,
C
Brian Almon,Secretary
andice Hopkins,Chair
Constitutional Protection
The Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees believes that the freedom to read is essential to our democracy and
that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society. To ensure free communication and the
rights of the residents of Eagle to a broad range of ideas and concepts, the Board of Trustees endorses the
American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, the Freedom to View
Statement, and Free Access to Libraries for Minors.
Censorship and Reconsideration of Library Materials
The Board of Trustees maintains that while anyone is free to reject for themselves materials of which they do not
approve, they cannot exercise censorship to restrict the freedom of use and access to others. The choice of
library materials to use is also an individual matter. The responsibility for the reading and use of library materials
by minors rests ultimately and completely with their parents or legal guardians. It is the duty and responsibility
of the library staff to provide advice and reading guidance, but library staff may not deny use of materials to
minors, thus upholding the rights of minors and those of their parents or legal guardians.
Items in any format are not necessarily excluded because of language, frankness, sexually explicit passages,
images, or because of objections by staff, trustees, or the public. Individual passages or illustrations, in whatever
format or medium, when taken out of context or purpose, are not considered adequate reason for the rejection
or removal of an item.
The Eagle Public Library strives to maintain materials representing all sides of an issue in a neutral, unbiased
manner. Selection of materials by the Library does not mean endorsement of the contents or views expressed in
those materials. The existence of a particular viewpoint in the collection is a reflection of the Library's policy of
intellectual freedom, not an endorsement of that particular point of view.
The Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees recognizes the right of an individual or group from within the City of
Eagle to make their objections known to the Library. Whenever an Eagle Public Library patron has questions
regarding the presence or absence of any library material, they can discuss their concerns with the library's
director. Following the discussion, if the patron desires, a Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form,
must be completed in its entirety. Only requests made by City of Eagle tax payers regarding items in the
collection of the Eagle Public Library will be considered.
The Director, with appropriate professional staff will review the title in question and determine if its selection is
in accordance with the criteria stated in the Collection Development Policy. The Director will make a decision
and send a letter to the person who requested the reconsideration of a title, stating the reasons for the decision.
The Decision of the Director may be appealed to the Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees by requesting in a
letter to the Director that the request for reconsideration by referred to the Board of Trustees. The Director will
forward the request and the title reconsideration form to the President of the Board of Library Trustees who will
place the matter on a Library Board meeting agenda as soon as practical. The decision of the Board will be final
and will be sent in writing to the person who requested reconsideration of a title.
Challenged materials will generally not be removed during the review and appeal process.
Idaho Falls Public Library
Circulation Policy
https://www.ifpl.org/circulation/
Registration and Library Cards
Parents/Legal guardians are legally responsible for all Library materials borrowed on their
dependent's card(s). Parents/legal guardians are responsible to supervise and monitor their
child/children's use of the Library and Library materials.
A parent or legal guardian now selects either a restricted or unrestricted Library card to be issued
to a child registering for a Library card.
• Unrestricted Card: An unrestricted card allows a child access to everything in the Library,
except for adult graphic novels, Blu-Ray and DVD movies.
• Restricted Card: A restricted card allows a child to check out materials ONLY from the
children's Library collection located on the first floor of the Library,
• Note: Adult graphic novels and DVD/8lu-Ray movies may only be checked out by Library
cardholders who are over eighteen (18) years of age and only using the library card issued to
them.
Library cardholders who loan their cards to others may be subject to a suspension, restriction, or
Toss of their borrowing privileges.
Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
The American Library Association supports equal and equitable access to all library resources and services by
users of all ages. Library policies and procedures that effectively deny minors equal and equitable access to all
library resources and services available to other users is in violation of the American Library Association's Library
Bill of Rights. The American Library Association opposes all attempts to restrict access to library services,
materials, and facilities based on the age of library users.
Article V of the Library Bill of Rights states, "A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged
because of origin, age, background, or views." The right to use a library includes free access to, and unrestricted
use of, all the services, materials, and facilities the library has to offer. Every restriction on access to, and use of,
library resources, based solely on the chronological age, apparent maturity, educational level, literacy skills,
emancipatory or other legal status of users violates Article V. This includes minors who do not have a parent or
guardian available to sign a library card application or permission slip. Unaccompanied youth experiencing
homelessness should be able to obtain a library card regardless of library policies related to chronological age.
School and public libraries are charged with the mission of providing services and resources to meet the diverse
interests and informational needs of the communities they serve. Services, materials, and facilities that fulfill the
needs and interests of library users at different stages in their personal development are a necessary part of
providing library services and should be determined on an individual basis. Equitable access to all library
resources and services should not be abridged based on chronological age, apparent maturity, educational level,
literacy skills, legal status, or through restrictive scheduling and use policies.
Libraries should not limit the selection and development of library resources simply because minors will have
access to them. A library's failure to acquire materials on the grounds that minors may be able to access those
materials diminishes the credibility of the library in the community and restricts access for all library users.
Children and young adults unquestionably possess First Amendment rights, including the right to receive
information through the library in print, sound, images, data, social media, online applications, games,
technologies, programming, and other formats. Constitutionally protected speech cannot be suppressed solely
to protect children or young adults from ideas or images a legislative body believes to be unsuitable for them.
Libraries and their library governing bodies should not resort to age restrictions in an effort to avoid actual or
anticipated objections, because only a court of law can determine whether or not content is constitutionally
protected.
Article VII of the Library Bill of Rights states, "All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess
a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use." This includes students and minors, who have a right to
be free from any unreasonable intrusion into or surveillance of their lawful library use.
The mission, goals, and objectives of libraries cannot authorize libraries and their governing bodies to assume,
abrogate, or overrule the rights and responsibilities of parents and guardians. As "Libraries: An American Value"
states, "We affirm the responsibility and the right of all parents and guardians to guide their own children's use
of the library and its resources and services." Libraries and their governing bodies cannot assume the role of
parents or the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between parent and child. Libraries and
their governing bodies shall ensure that only parents and guardians have the right and the responsibility to
determine their children's—and only their children's—access to library resources. Parents and guardians who do
not want their children to have access to specific library services, materials, or facilities should so advise their
own children. Libraries and library governing bodies should not use rating systems to inhibit a minor's access to
materials.
Libraries and their governing bodies have a legal and professional obligation to ensure that all members of the
communities they serve have free and equitable access to a diverse range of library resources and services that is
inclusive, regardless of content, approach, or format. This principle of library service applies equally to all users,
minors as well as adults. Lack of access to information can be harmful to minors. Libraries and their governing
bodies must uphold this principle in order to provide adequate and effective service to minors.
LEGISLATURE OF THE, STATE, OF IDAHO
Sixty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session - 2024
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL NO. 384
BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO MINORS; AMENDING SECTION 18-1514, IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE A DEFI-
3 NITION, TO DEFINE A TERM, AND TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CORRECTION; AMENDING
4 CHAPTER 15, TITLE 18, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION
5 18-1517B, IDAHO CODE;, TO PROVIDE, A SHORT TA LE;, TO PROHIBIT CERTAIN
6 MATERIALS FROM BEING PROMOTED, G.I VHN, OR MADE,, AVAILABLE TO A MINOR BY A
7 SCHOOL OR PUBLIC LIBRARY, TO PROVIDE FOR A CAUSE OF ACTION, TO PROVIDE
8 FOR DAMAGES, TO PROVIDE FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, TO PROVIDE FOR AFFIR-
9 MATIVE DEFENSES, AND TO PROVIDE FOR HOW AN ACTION MAY BE BROUGHT; AND
10 DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
12 SECTION 1. That Section 18-1514, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
13 amended to read as follows:
14 18-1514. OBSCENE MATERIALS -- DEFINITIONS. The following definitions
15 are applicable to this act:
16 "1 . "Minor" means any person less than eighteen (18) years of age.
17 2. "Nudity" means the showing of the human male or female genitals, pu-
18 bic area or buttocks with less than a full opaque covering, or the showing
19 of the female breast with less than a full opaque covering of any portion
20 thereof below the top of the nipple, or the depiction of covered male geni-
21 tals in a discernibly turgid state.
22 3. "Sexual conduct" means any act of masturbation, homosexuality, sex-
23 ual intercourse, or physical contact with a person's clothed or unclothed
24 genitals, pubic area, buttocks or, if such person be a female, the breast.
25 4. "Sexual excitement" means the condition of human male or female gen-
26 itals when in a state of sexual stimulation or arousal.
27 5. "Sado-masochistic abuse" means flagellation or torture by or upon a
28 person who is nude or clad in undergarments, a mask or bizarre costume, or the
29 condition of being fettered, bound or otherwise physically restrained on the
30 part of one who is nude or so clothed.
31 6. "Harmful to minors" includes in its meaning one or both of the fol-
32 lowing:
33 (a) The quality of any material or of any performance or of any descrip-
34 tion or representation, to whatever form, of nudity, sexual conduct,
35 sexu.al excitement, or sado-masochistic abuse, when it:
36 (1) appoalti, Appeals to the prurient interest of minors as judged
37 by the average person, applying contemporary community standards;
38 and
39 (2) depicts Depicts or describes representations or descriptions
40 of nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sado-masochistic
41 abuse which are patently offensive to prevailing standards in the
42 adult community with respect_ to what is suitable material for mi-
2
1 nors and includes, but is not limited to, patently offensive rep-
2 resentations or descriptions of:
3 (i) in t-e Intimate sexual acts, normal or perverted, ac-
4 tual or simulated; or
5 (ii) Masturbation, excretory functions or
6 lewd exhibition of the genitals or genital area. Nothing
7 herein contained is intended to include or proscribe any
8 matter which, when considered as a whole, and in context
9 in which it is used, possesses serious literary, artistic,
10 political or scientific value for minors, aecono ng t3 pno
11 vailing standards in the adult community, ►a--th respect to
12 suitable for rninor.
13 (b) The quality of any material or of any performance, or of any de-
14 scription or representation, in whatever form, which, as a whole, has
15 the dominant effect of substantially arousing sexual desires in persons
16 under the age of eighteen (18) years.
17 7. "Material" means anything tangible which is harmful to minors,
18 whether derived through the medium of reading, observation or sound.
19 8. "Performance" means any play, motion picture, dance or other exhibi-
20 tion performed before an audience.
21 9. "Promote" means to manufacture, issue, sell, give, provide, de-
22 liver, publish, distribute, circulate, disseminate, present, exhibit or
23 advertise, or to offer or agree to do the same.
24 10. "Knowingly" means having general knowledge of, or reason to know, or
25 a belief or reasonable ground for belief which that warrants further inspec-
26 tion or inquiry.
27 11. "School" means any public or private school providing instruction
28 for students in kindergarten through grade 12..
29 SECTION 2. That Chapter 15, Title 18, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
30 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
31 ignated as Section 18-1517B, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
32 18-1517B. CHILDREN'S SCHOOL AND LIBRARY PROTECTION. (1) This section
33 shall be known and may be cited as the "Children' s School and Library Protec-
34 tion Act."
35 (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school or public li-
36 brary, or an agent thereof, shall not promote, give, or make available to a
37 minor:
38 (a) Any picture, photograph, drawing, sculpture, motion picture film,
39 or similar visual representation or image of a person or portion of the
40 human body that depicts nudity, sexual conduct, or sado-masochistic
41 abuse and that is harmful to minors;
42 (b) Any book, pamphlet, magazine, printed matter however. reproduced,
43 or sound recording that contains any matter pursuant to paragraph (a) of
44 this subsection or explicit and detailed verbal descriptions or narra-
45 tive accounts of sexual excitement, sexual conduct, or sado-masochis-
46 tic abuse and that, taken as a whole, is harmful to minors; or
47 (c) Any other material harmful to minors.
48 (3) Any minor who obtains material, or parent or legal guardian whose
49 child obtained material, in violation of the provisions of subsection (2)
3
1 of this section from a school or public library shall have a cause of action
2 against such institution if:
3 (a) The institution gave or made available material harmful to minors,
4 or the institution fai Led to take reasonable steps to restrict access by
5 minors to material harmful to minors;
6 (b) Prior to the filing of a cause of action, the minor, parent, or le-
7 gal guardian has provided written notice to the school or public library
8 asking for the relocation of such material to a section designated for
9 adults only within thirty (30) days of receipt of the written notice;
10 and
11 (c) Upon receipt of written notice and subsequent to the expiration of
12 thirty (30) days, the institution's library board or board of trustees
13 failed to relocate the material harmful to minors to an area with adult
14 access only.
15 (4) Any minor, parent, or legal guardian who prevails in an action
16 brought under this section may recover two hundred fifty dollars ($250) in
17 statutory damages as well as actual damages and any other relief available
18 by law, including but not limited to injunctive relief sufficient to prevent
19 the defendant school or public library from violating the requirements of
20 this section.
21 (5) A county prosecuting attorney or the attorney general shall have a
22 cause of action for injunctive relief against any school or public library
23 that violates the provisions of subsection (2) of this section. The injunc-
24 tion shall be sufficient to prevent the defendant school or public library
25 from violating the requirements of this section.
26 (6) It shall be an affirmative defense to civil liability under this
27 section that the defendant:
28 (a) Had reasonable cause to believe that the minor involved was eigh-
29 teen (18) years of age or older or such minor exhibited to the defendant
30 a draft card, driver's license, birth certificate, or other official or
31 apparently official document purporting to establish that the minor was
32 eighteen (18) years of age or older; or
33 (b) Verified the minor involved was accompanied, at the time of the act,
34 by his parent or legal guardian, or by another adult and the adult rep-
35 resented that he was the minor's parent or legal guardian and signed a
36 written statement to that effect.
37 (7) Any action brought pursuant to this section by or on behalf of a mi-
38 nor shall be in accordance with the provisions of chapter 9, title 6, Idaho
39 Code, section 5-306, Idaho Code, and rule 17 of the Idaho rules of civil pro-
40 cedure.
41 SECTION 3. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby
42 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after
43 July 1, 2024.
e f
(208)939-6814 1100 N Stierman Way,Eagle,Idaho 83616
Hours:S-in ipnt-5pm Mon-Thur9arn-8pm Fri 9am-6pm I Sat 9am-5pm
Home Catalog Get A Card v My Account Digital Library'- Classes&Reader's Activities'- Newsletters Support
Curbside Pickup Doorstep Delivery Family Place.. Additional Services'' About us v FAQs Contact&Find Us
You are here:Home/Board of Trustees/Policies/Collection Development Policy
Collection Development Policy
Adopted by the Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees,November 18,2020
Reviewed and reaffirmed October 19,2022
Purpose
The purpose of the Collection Development Policy is to ensure that library materials and access to information meet the information and
learning needs of the residents of the City of Eagle.
While the policy does not replace the judgment of staff responsible for the selection of library resources,it does:
• provide a written framework for planning,building,and selecting and maintaining the library's information resources in a
responsible,cost-effective and user-relevant manner,
• spell out limits of acceptable action and grants freedom to exercise professional judgment when operating within those limits,
• describe how materials for the library are selected,maintained and evaluated,and
• inform the public about the principles of material selection and the use of criteria to select and remove materials.
Definitions
The collection offers materials in choices of format,treatment,language and level of difficulty."Materials"has the widest possible
meaning and includes but is not limited to print,audiovisual,and digital formats."Collection"is defined as materials that are selected for
the Eagle Public Library;those selected materials may be physically owned by the Library or may be accessed digitally."Selection"refers
to the decision that must be made to add a given item to the Library collection and made accessible either in a physical location or C
through digital means. (-h
0
Background
Located in the Treasure Valley of southwest Idaho,Eagle is a suburb of Boise,Idaho. The population in 2013 was 21,646 with
CU
approximately 7,600 households. According to the 2010 U.S.Census,the racial makeup of the city was 94.4%White,0.3%African
American,0.5%Native American,1.6%Asian,0.1%Pacific Islander,1%from other races,and 2%from two or more
races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.7%of the population. Forty-two percent of the households had children under 18 years of
age living in them. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.2. The median age in the city was 40.6 years
of age,with 30.8%of the residents under the age of 18,5.4%between the ages of 18 and 24,21.3%from ages 25 to 44,30.3%from ages
45 to 64,and 12.1%over the age of 65.The percentage of the population over the age of 25 with Bachelor's degrees was 48.6%.
Responsibility
The Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees delegates to the Library Director the authority and responsibility for the selection of all
collection materials. Responsibilities for actual selection are assigned to appropriately trained personnel who select materials within the
guidelines of this policy. Patrons are encouraged to suggest titles for addition to the library's collection.
Selection and Deselection Criteria
Selection
Materials available in the library present a diversity of viewpoints,allowing people of all ages access to the information needed to make
informed choices. The Eagle Public Library will routinely gather statistics to determine user characteristics,expectations and needs,and
to maintain a well-rounded collection. Anticipating the community's evolving interests and needs,observing the patron responses to
innovations,and acting quickly in response to these needs will serve as the underlying framework for materials selection and practices.
Collection strategies may include:
• purchasing multiple,or additional,copies of titles in a variety of formats in response to demand,
Privacy-Terms
• enhancing collections to meet defined service responses,and
• monitoring trends,format trends and new technologies.
Selection is a subjective process which requires a general knowledge of the subject and an understanding of the needs of the
community. Library materials,which are selected for their value as informational,educational,cultural and recreational resources,are
judged on the basis of the content and style of the work as a whole,not by selected portions or passages. In making any selection
decision,selectors employ the standards and criteria of professional librarianship.
The following general criteria are used in selecting materials for addition to the collection.The criteria are not listed by order of
importance,and the list is not comprehensive.
• The demonstrated or perceived interest,need,or demand by Library users or potential users of the item.
• The item's contemporary significance.
• The item's likely permanent value.
• The item's relevance to the experiences and contributions of diverse populations.
• The item's quality,including its accuracy,clarity,and usability.
• The critical reviews,bibliographies,and awards concerning the item.
• The significance,authority,and competence of the item's creator.
• The items'importance as a document of the times.
• The item's timeliness and accuracy of information.
• the item's format,durability,and ease of use.
• The item's scarcity of availability elsewhere.
• The item's value in relation to its cost.
• Professional reviews(Eagle Public Library's primary sources of reviews are Library Journal,Booklist,Kirkus,School Library
Journal,Ingram Advance,Baker and Taylor's Forecast,and Midwest Buyer's Guide).
The primary consideration regarding the selection of an item is whether the information falls within the subject areas of the Library's
collection.Additionally,the selector also considers the following when deciding on format:
• The item's frequency of use.
• The space and storage capacity of the Library.
• The item's frequency of publication.
• The resource sharing capabilities of the Library.
• The Library's prior holdings.
• Currency and use of the item's technology.
rr—t
Formats collected include print,music CDs,DVDs,databases,audio books,magazines,and newspapers.An increasing number of 0
materials are purchased in digital format,including books,audiobooks,magazines,movies,and music,and are accessible through the
library's website. Ui
To assure the acquisition of resources desired by Eagle Public Library account holders,suggestions are always considered for addition to
the collection. Purchase decisions are made in accordance with the Library's budget and this policy.A request may be made by
completing a suggestion form or by contacting the Library.
Self-Published Books
The Library normally does not purchase books printed and distributed through self-publishing services(e.g.,CreateSpace,Lulu.com,
AuthorHouse,Book Bay,Xlibris,Kindle Direct Publishing,etc.)because such titles are not reviewed in established review sources,and
because staff are unable to order through pre-approved book wholesalers.
However,the Library may accept gifts of self-published books that support the Library's mission. The Eagle Public Library will review
donated materials,but the Library does not guarantee their inclusion in the Library's collection. Once donated,items become the
property of the Library and will not be returned. Items not included in the Library's collection will be repurposed in accordance with the
Donations Policy.
Local Authors'Works
Local authors are defined as writers who currently reside or have spent a significant part of their lives in Eagle or the adjacent cities.
Pending evaluation,the Library may accept one donated copy of a local author's work for inclusion in the appropriate Library collection.
All such donated works are subject to the same criteria for removal as other materials. Items requested to be purchased by the Library
are subject to the same collection development criteria as any other work.
The Eagle Public Library will review donated materials but does not guarantee their inclusion in the Library's collection.Once donated,
items be come the property of the Library and will not be returned.Items not included in the Library's collection will be re-purposed in
accordance wit the Donations Policy.
Donation Guidelines for local authors
• Material must be bound and formatted in a way that enables circulation,ease of use,and durability.The Library Will only accept
physical formats.Items must be in new condition.
• The Library will apply the same inclusion and retention guidelines as stated in the general collection development policy.The library
reserves the right to include or exclude any title from the collection for any reason,at any time.
• All donated materials become the property of the Eagle Public Library and cannot be returned to the donor for any reason.
• The Library cannot acknowledge receipt of an author's work,nor can the Library notify the author of the final decision.Library staff
cannot meet with individuals to discuss the author's work.
• The Library will not provide professional reviews,promotion,or marketing or an author's work,whether the materials are included
or excluded.
• Local authors must complete the Request for Consideration for Inclusion form(which asks for the author's name,address,
telephone number,email,website URL,title of the book,publisher,year of publication,intended audience,the item's genre,a brief
summary,a list of reviews and media coverage the work received,and,if non-fiction,the credentials or description of the authors'
expertise int he area).
Collection Maintenance
In order to provide the best service to our community,the collection is regularly evaluated. To keep the collection fresh and relevant the
Library maintains a schedule of evaluation.
The following is the criteria for withdrawal from the collection:
• materials that are worn,stained,or damaged beyond repair,
• materials that are out of date,contain inaccurate data,or are not historically significant,
• new and more current or more comprehensive resources are available,
• a more desirable format of the content is available,
• duplication,or
• low circulation.
The professional staff of the library,under the authority of the Library Director,will be solely responsible for the weeding of the
collection. Evaluation and management of the collection is guided by professional manuals and guidelines. C
Materials discarded from the collection are disposed of at the library's discretion. Options include,but are not limited to,making 0
discarded materials available to the Friends of the Eagle Public Library for book sales or offering to other libraries or non-profit
organizations. Books that are donated to the Friends of the Eagle Public Library that are not sold by the Friends will be disposed of at the
discretion of the Friends of the Eagle Public Library. —�
Placement of Material
The library collection is organized and maintained to facilitate ease of public access. The Eagle Public Library uses the Dewey Decimal
Classification(DDC)system and the Library of Congress subject headings(LCSH)to place materials in the proper subject area and to
assign them to shelving categories. Selectors take into account age recommendations in reviews as they assign classification(s)and
location(s)of materials.
The Eagle Public Library's areas are divided into areas such as Children's Fiction,and DVDs for ease of use,but library guests of any age
may utilize materials from all sections of the library. It is the responsibility of parents or legal guardians,not Eagle Public Library staff,to
monitor library use by minors.
Cooperative Agreements
The Eagle Public Library makes every effort to satisfy the needs of its customers through its own collection or other local resources. To
that end,the Library:
• supports cooperative collection development activities when feasible as a means of providing the best access to the most
information for its users,
• is a member of the LYNX!Consortium and serves customers of the participating libraries as outlined in the Consortium agreement,
• offers Interlibrary Loan as a means of providing access to specialized,out-of-print,and other materials neither in its collection nor
available locally,and
• encourages patrons to suggest titles for consideration to be added to the library's collection.
Constitutional Protection
The Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees believes that the freedom to read is essential to our democracy and that free communication
is essential to the preservation of a free society. To ensure free communication and the rights of the residents of Eagle to a broad range
of ideas and concepts,the Board of Trustees endorses the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights,the Freedom to Read
Statement,the Freedom to View Statement,and Free Access to Libraries for Minors.
The Library Board of Trustees considers all materials selected under this policy to be constitutionally protected under the First
Amendment of the United States Constitution and the Idaho State Constitution.
If a court having jurisdiction over the Eagle Public Library decides that any material in the collection is not constitutionally protected,such
material will be removed. Material under court consideration will remain available to patrons until a final court ruling is made after all
appeals are exhausted.
Censorship and Reconsideration of Library Materials
The Board of Trustees maintains that while anyone is free to reject for themselves materials of which they do not approve,they cannot
exercise censorship to restrict the freedom of use and access to others. The choice of library materials to use is also an individual
matter. The responsibility for the reading and use of library materials by minors rests ultimately and completely with their parents or
legal guardians. It is the duty and responsibility of the library staff to provide advice and reading guidance,but library staff may not deny
use of materials to minors,thus upholding the rights of minors and those of their parents or legal guardians.
Items in any format are not necessarily excluded because of language,frankness,sexually explicit passages,images,or because of
objections by staff,trustees,or the public. Individual passages or illustrations,in whatever format or medium,when taken out of context
or purpose,are not considered adequate reason for the rejection or removal of an item.
The Eagle Public Library strives to maintain materials representing all sides of an issue in a neutral,unbiased manner. Selection of
materials by the Library does not mean endorsement of the contents or views expressed in those materials. The existence of a
particular viewpoint in the collection is a reflection of the Library's policy of intellectual freedom,not an endorsement of that particular
point of view.
The Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees recognizes the right of an individual or group from within the City of Eagle to make their
objections known to the Library. Whenever an Eagle Public Library patron has questions regarding the presence or absence of any
library material,they can discuss their concerns with the library's director. Following the discussion,if the patron desires,a Request for
Reconsideration of Library Materials form,must be completed in its entirety. Only requests made by City of Eagle tax payers regarding
items in the collection of the Eagle Public Library will be considered.
C
The Director,with appropriate professional staff will review the title in question and determine if its selection is in accordance with the t-t•
criteria stated in the Collection Development Policy. The Director will make a decision and send a letter to the person who requested the 0
reconsideration of a title,stating the reasons for the decision.
•
The Decision of the Director may be appealed to the Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees by requesting in a letter to the Director that
the request for reconsideration by referred to the Board of Trustees. The Director will forward the request and the title reconsideration
form to the President of the Board of Library Trustees who will place the matter on a Library Board meeting agenda as soon as practical.
The decision of the Board will be final and will be sent in writing to the person who requested reconsideration of a title.
Challenged materials will generally not be removed during the review and appeal process.
THIS WEBSITE AND PROGRAM ARE BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE IDAHO COMMISSION FOR LIBRARIES AND MADE POSSIBLE,IN PART,BY THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES(IMLS).
Idaho
ww�""ium'..uaiy Commission
for Libraries
TOP I LOG IN
Eagle Public Library - Request for
THE CITY OF
EAGLE Reconsideration
Date` 1/25/2024
First Name*
Last Name*
Physical Address
Street Address*
City*
State*
Zip*
Is your physical address the same as your mailing address?*
Q Yes 0 No
Mailing Address
Street Address*
City*
Mailing State*
Mailing Zip*
Phone&Email
Phone*
Use 111-111-1111 format
Email*
0 I have verified the email listed above is correct
Do you represent yourself or an organization?*
Q Self 0 Organization
Resource for Reconsideration
What is the resource on which you are commenting?*
Name of Resource*
What brought this to your attention?*
Have you examined the entire resource?*
0 Yes 0 No
Cite objectionable pages,passages,portions,or anything that will identify the
objectionable portion of the resource.*
What concerns you about the resource?*
Are there resources you can suggest to provide additional information and/or other
viewpoints on this topic?*
0 Yes 0 No
Additional Information and/or viewpoints on this topic*
What actions are you requesting the Library to consider?*
Submit
Request for Consideration for Inclusion
Local authors,defined as writers who currently reside or have spent a significant part of
their lives in Eagle or the adjacent cities,may request the Library to add their work to the
collection.Pending evaluation,the Library may accept one donated copy of a local
author's work for inclusion in the appropriate Library collection. All such donated works
are subject to the same criteria for removal as other materials. Items requested to be
purchased by the Library are subject to the same collection development criteria as any
other work.
The Eagle Public Library will review donated materials,but does not guarantee their
inclusion in the Library's collection. Once donated,items become the property of the
Library and will not be returned. Items not included in the Library's collection will be
repurposed in accordance with the Donations Policy..
For additional details,see the Eagle Public Library's Collection Development Policy..
Author's Name*
First Name Last Name
Author's Address*
Street Address
Street Address Line 2
City State/Province
Postal/Zip Code
Author's Phone Number*
Area Code Phone Number
Author's Email*
exam pie exam ple.com
Author's Website URL*
Title of Book*
Publisher*
Year of Publication*
Intended Audience*
Work's Genre*
Provide a Brief Summary of the Work•
List of Reviews and Media Coverage the Work Received•
If the Work is Non-Fiction,List the Credentials or Description of the Author's Expertise in
the Subject Area*
Submit
Powered byJotform
Can't find what you want in the
Catalog?
Looking for something but can't find it in your Library's catalog? Complete the below form;we
may decide to purchase it for the collection.If not,we'll attempt to borrow the item for you from
another library.Requests for items ultimately borrowed from other libraries are subject to the
Eagle Public Library's Interlibrary Loan Policy.
Due to the high volume of suggestions,we are unable to purchase all suggested materials.Only
suggestions from City of Eagle residents will be considered. Please contact your local library if
you are not a City of Eagle resident.
City of Eagle resident suggestions not fulfilled through purchase will be forwarded to the Library's
Interlibrary Loan service and are subject to the interlibrary Loan Policy. City of Eagle
residents with a current Eagle Public Library account in good standing(fines and fees at$10.00 or
less,no overdue items,and no account blocks)may make requests for interlibrary loan service.
Today's Date*
01 - 25 - 2024 -1
Date item will no longer be needed:
Mo;t Dav V:-ar
Title(one title per completed form)
Author:
Publisher:
Format:
(Book,CD,DVD,etc.)
ISBN/ISSN:
Other info that may help identify this item:
Your Name:*
First Name Last Name
Your 14-digit Library Card Number(Eagle Public Library cards begin with 20076;if your card
number begins with different numbers,please contact your local library to request this
item):*
No spaces
Your Phone Number:•
Area Code Phone Number
Your Email Address:•
Submit
Powered by Jotlorm
FAQ
O D
Ada Community Library
Home
Policy for Selecting and Discarding Materials
Policy for Selecting and Discarding Materials
Mission:
"Dreams,Ideas and Information"
We are a comfortable place for the community to connect,create and be inspired.
Objectives of the Collection:
Materials/resources will be selected for the collection to help fulfill the Mission and the Strategic Plan of the Ada Community Library.Books
and other library resources of requisite and appropriate quality are provided for the interest,information,enjoyment,and enlightenment of
patrons in the library's service area.
The collection,taken as a whole,will be an unbiased and diverse source of information representing different viewpoints and cultures.The Ada
Community Library selects,makes readily available,and promotes the free use of library materials,whatever the format,which:
i.Meet the up-to-date informational needs of patrons in the community.The collection is not designed to support most in-depth
research.
2.Meet the basic recreational needs of patrons in the community.
3.Supplement formal and informal study,homeschool study and literacy.
4.Reflect a variety of opinions on a subject.
5.Support business,cultural,recreational,and civic activities in the community.
6.Stimulate self-understanding and growth;enhance basic job-related knowledge and skills.
7.Increase knowledge of and participation in the affairs of the community,the country,and the world.
Authority and Responsibility for Collection Development:
The Library Board has delegated responsibility for the selection of library materials to the Library Director who,in turn,may appoint staff to assist.
Authority for the determination of policy in the selection and acquisition of materials is vested in the Ada Community Library Board of Trustees.Furthermore,
notwithstanding this delegation of responsibility to the Library Director and staff,the Board of Trustees reserves the sole and exclusive authority to determine
what materials are obtained or retained in the library,irrespective of the criteria or objectives set forth herein.
Criteria for Selection:
The evaluation of materials is characterized by flexibility,open mindedness,and responsiveness to the needs of patrons of the library district.Materials are
evaluated as a whole and not on the basis of a particular passage or passages.All acquisitions,whether purchased or donated,are considered in terms of the
following standards.Clearly,however,an item need not meet all of the criteria to be acceptable.The following general criteria are used:
1.Popularity as measured by lists,such as the New York Times Book Review Best Sellers,and Retailing Top Sellers.
2.Critics'and staff members'positive reviews.
3.Patron demand for the material
4.Community relevance
5.Suitability of subject,style,and reading level for the intended audience,including compliance with Idaho law(see"Controversial
Material",below).
6.Insight into human and social conditions
7.Creativity and imagination
8.Current or historical significance of author or subject
9.Diversity of viewpoint
io.Existing subject coverage in collection
ii.Availability and accessibility of the same materials in other Treasure Valley area libraries
Patron Requests:
The library encourages its patrons to suggest items,topics,or authors they would like to see included in the collection.Patrons may submit
requests using the online form.Serious consideration will be given to purchasing patron requested materials when these requests meet the above general
criteria.Reviews or information about the materials will be considered prior to purchasing,or in the case of donated materials,before adding them to the
collection.Requests not purchased maybe met through resource sharing with other libraries,electronic retrieval or other means.
Requests to Add Self-Published Books:
If patrons wish to have their book added to the collection it is considered a donation,with the understanding that donations become the property of
Ada Community Library.The library staff determine whether it becomes part of the library collection using guidelines set in this Selection Policy.Not every book
received will be added,but may become part of the Friends of the Library book inventory.
Gifts of Materials:
The library appreciates and encourages donation of materials in good condition.The library accepts books and materials donated with the
understanding that they become the property of the Ada Community Library.The library staff determine whether the materials are added to the collection using
this Selection Policy.If not appropriate for circulation,materials maybe made available to the Friends of the Library for their inventory,or disposed of at the
library's discretion.The library does not provide an appraisal for gifts;instead,a letter of acknowledgement for receipt of the number of items received is given to
the donor.
Maintenance of Collection and Discarding of Materials:
The Library board has given authority to staff to evaluate and weed to maintain an accurate,current collection that is in good physical condition.
Several criteria will be considered when evaluating the collection such as,but not limited to:physical condition,relevance and accuracy,usage,scope
and duplication within the collection or in other area libraries,space considerations.Maintenance is ongoing and selectors formally evaluate and weed their
collections annually.Material discarded from the collection are disposed of at the library's discretion.Options include,but are not limited to:making discarded
materials available to the Friends for book sales,offering to other libraries,or non-profit organizations or,for items in poor condition,recycling.
Controversial Material:
The library recognizes that some materials maybe controversial to some patrons.The inclusion of an item in the collection is not to be considered
an endorsement,official or otherwise,by the Library.The choice and use of library materials by patrons is a personal matter.Children and young adults
have access to all materials in the Library,regardless of their location within the Library.Legal guardians are solely responsible for the materials minors check-out
from the library.The Library does not act"in loco parentis."
Materials selected for the collection shall comply with Idaho law,including those statutes on obscenity as well as those defining what is harmful to minors.
Reconsideration Procedures:
The Library recognizes the right and responsibility of individuals to choose their own reading materials.This necessarily permits an individual to
reject materials for themselves and their minor children while preserving access to those materials by others.
The Library recognizes the right of the individual or group in the local community to make their objections known to the Library.Patrons wishing
formal reconsideration of library resources must complete the"Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources"form,available at Service Desks and from the
Administration Office.Patrons may also receive a copy of the selection policy if they wish.Requests for reconsideration are only accepted from Ada Community
Library District residents for materials owned by Ada Community Library.The form must be completed in its entirety and submitted to the Library Director.The
Director and relevant staff will determine whether the resource was appropriately included under existing library selection policy and check general acceptance of
the resource by gathering available reviews of the materials,checking other library holdings,or conducting other research.Once a decision has been made
regarding the retention or removal of the material,a letter will be sent to the patron explaining the decision.If the patron is dissatisfied with the resolution,they
may appeal in writing to the Library Board of Trustees.The Board will receive this appeal request along with staff recommendations.After
reading/viewing/hearing the item in question in its entirety,the Board will review the decision of the Library staff.The complainant shall be notified in writing
of the Board's decision.The Board's decision on the matter is final.Generally,access to challenged resources shall not be restricted during the review process.
Approved by the Board Trustees,February 18,1998
Revised,June 15,2005;Revised,September 20,2011;Revised,January 21,2014;Revised,February 21,2017;Revised June 20,2017;
Revised April 19,2022;Revised October 18,2022;Revised February 21,2023.
Home n About n Board of Trustees a Plans&Policies a Library Policy Manual
Library Policy Manual
By Idaho State law,our Board of Trustees is responsible for setting library policy and hiring the library's director.Library policies
are reviewed on an annual basis and revised as necessary by the Board.Please see individual policies for date of last revision.
The Library Board By-Laws can be viewed here.
• SECTION 1.00-BOARD OF TRUSTEES
• 1.01 Board of Trustees
• 1.02 Public Complaints
• SECTION 2.00-PERSONNEL
• 2.01 Personnel
• 2.02 Continuing Education
• SECTION 3.00-SERVICES
• 3.01 Service Priorities
• 3.02 Service Hours
• 3.03 Services for Schools
• 3.04 Interlibrary Loan m
.o
• 3.04a Scope of Interlibrary Loan Service F�-
• 3.05 Home-based Services
• 3.05a Scope of Home-based Services
• 3.06 Unscheduled Closures and Cancellations
• SECTION 4.00-USE OF THE LIBRARY
• 4.01 Use of the Library
• 4.02 Circulation
• 4.02a Library Cards
• 4.02b Limits on Borrowing Services
• 4.03 Fees
• 4.04 Secudty
• 4.04a Rules of Conduct
• 4.04b Security Appeal Process
• 4.05 Use of Technology
• 4.05a Hardware and Software
• 4.05b Prohibited Uses
• 4.06 Public Internet Access and Safety
• 4.06a Internet Access via Personal Device
• 4.06b Internet Access via Library Device
• 4.07 Confidentiality of Records
• SECTION 5.00-COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT&MAINTENANCE
• 5.01 Collection Development and Maintenance
• 5.01a Library Bill of Rights
• 5.01 b Freedom to Read Statement
• 5.01c The Nature and Quality of Materials
• 5.02 Reconsideration of Materials
• 5.02a Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials
• SECTION 6.00-GIFTS&BEQUESTS
• 6.01 Gifts
• 6.02 Facility Naming
• SECTION 7.00-USE OF MEETING ROOMS
• 7.01 Meeting Rooms
• 7.01a Meeting Room Rules and Guidelines
• SECTION 8.00-DISPLAYS&EXHIBITS
• 8.01 Displays
• 8.01 a Display Cases
• 8.01 b Display Form
• 8.02 Bulletin Boards
• 8.02a Bulletin Board Guidelines
N
r0
O
I—
Document Type: Policy
Number: 5.01
Effective: 03-01-2011
Revised: 05-10-2023
Last Reviewed: 12-13-2023
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
The purpose of this policy is to articulate the role of the Library's collection inthe
community and provide direction to staff members in their role as selectors. The Board
endorses and incorporates as a part of this policy the American Library Association's
Library Bill of Rights (Exhibit 5.01a) and Freedom to Read Statement(Exhibit 5.01b).
The Board recognizes that the citizens of Boise possess widely diverse and separate
interests,backgrounds, cultural heritages, social values and needs. This policy is
designed to support the Library's mission and service priorities,within budgetary and
space limitations, and serve the needs of all citizens of Boise regardless of age, sex,
race,religious creed, national origin, ancestry,physical or mental disability, sexual
orientation, gender identity, or political or social views. This policy is meant to
document current collection management policy and further public understanding of the
purpose,nature and philosophy behind the library's collection management practices.
This policy includes all material in any format.
The Collection Development staff will continually assess the collection using the
associated board approved policies and regulations. Selectors choose popular
materials for varying levels of entertainment, education,reading levels, age level
interests, differing social/religious customs and languages. The collection offers
users a variety of formats,viewpoints and subjects.
Specifically, staff will acquire, make available, and encourage the use of materials in all
media that:
1. help people know more about themselves and their world;
2. encourage informal self-education;
3. meet the diverse informational needs and recreational interests of all people in
the community;
4. stimulate thoughtful participation in the affairs of the community,the
country, and the world;
5. give access to a variety of opinions on matters of current interest and
encourage freedom of expression;
6. support educational, civic, and cultural activities within the community;
7. aid in learning and improving job-related skills; and
8. assist the individual to grow intellectually and enjoy life more fully.
There is no single standard which can be applied in all cases when making an
acquisition decision. Each type of material will be considered in terms of its own kind
of excellence and the audience for which it is intended. Some materials will be judged
primarily in terms of artistic merit, scholarship, or value as human documents; others
will be selected to satisfy the recreational and entertainment needs of the community.
Some materials evaluated are subject to widespread or local demand; items
experiencing such demand may be added to the collection even though they do not meet
the general and specific criteria routinely used by staff in making selection decisions.
The Board encourages public input on Library collections and invites Boise residents to
make recommendations for purchases. Such recommendations will be given serious
consideration by Library staff in accordance with the general and specific criteria used in
making selection decisions. Due to budget considerations, the Library may add only one
format of a title(e.g. a physical print book may be offered rather than a digital
audiobook).
The Director or designee shall examine the collection regularly for the purpose of
selection, assessment and retention of materials. The same criteria will be used in
weeding materials from the collection as are used in their acquisition. The
collection is not intended to be archival in nature. Worn, damaged, and outdated
materials as well as unnecessary duplicate copies are weeded from the collection
on a regular basis. Due to space limitations, materials may also be withdrawn if
they are not used or are superseded by a new edition or a more authoritative work
on the same subject. Items may also be deleted if a more desirable format has been
added to the collection.
The ultimate responsibility for selection rests with the Director, who operates within the
framework of this policy.
Document Type: Exhibit
Number: 5.01 a
Effective: 03-01-2011
Revised: 03-09-2022
Last Reviewed: 12-13-2023
LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS_
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information
and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.
I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest,information,
and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials
should not be excluded because of the origin,background, or views of those
contributing to their creation.
II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on
current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed
because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to
provide information and enlightenment.
IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting
abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
V. A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin,
age,background, or views.
VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they
serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis,regardless of the
beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.
VII. All people,regardless of origin, age,background, or views,possess a right to
privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for,
educate about, and protect people's privacy, safeguarding all library use data,
including personally identifiable information.
Adopted June 19, 1939,by the ALA Council; amended October 14, 1944; June 18, 1948;
February 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; January 23, 1980; January 29, 2019.
Inclusion of"age"reaffirmed January 23, 1996.
For more information about the Library Bill of Rights please visit the American Library
Association (ALA) website at ala.org.
Document Type: Exhibit
Number: 5.01b
Effective: 03-01-2011
Revised: 03-09-2022
Last Reviewed: 12-13-2023
FREEDOM TO READ STATEMENT
The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack.Private
groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or
limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools,to label"controversial"
views, to distribute lists of"objectionable" books or authors, and to purge libraries. These
actions apparently rise from a view that our national tradition of free expression is no
longer valid; that censorship and suppression are needed to counter threats to safety or
national security, as well as to avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of
morals. We, as individuals devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible
for disseminating ideas, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the
freedom to read.
Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy:
that the ordinary individual,by exercising critical judgment,will select the good and
reject the bad. We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to
make their own decisions about what they read and believe. We do not believe they are
prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be "protected" against what
others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and
expression.
These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought
against education,the press, art and images, films, broadcast media, and the Internet.The
problem is not only one of actual censorship. The shadow of fear cast by thesepressures
leads,we suspect,to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who
seek to avoid controversy or unwelcome scrutiny by government officials.
Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change.And
yet suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension.Freedom
has given the United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path of
novel and creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a
heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of
our society and leaves it the less able to deal with controversy and difference.
Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms. The freedom to
read and write is almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners
of expression that can initially command only a small audience. The written word is the
natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come the original
contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that serious
thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized
collections.
We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a
creative culture. We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of
limiting the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our
culture depend. We believe that every American community must jealously guard the
freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read.We
believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to
that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety
of offerings.
The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution. Those with faith in free people
will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the
responsibilities that accompany these rights.
We therefore affirm these propositions:
1. It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the
widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox,
unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority.
Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different. The bearer of
every new thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested.Totalitarian
systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of
any concept that challenges the established orthodoxy. The power of a democratic
system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to
choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them. To stifle
every nonconformist idea at birth would mark the end of the democratic process.
Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the
democratic mind attain the strength demanded by times like these. We need to
know not only what we believe but why we believe it.
2. Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or
presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public interest for
them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for
determining what should be published or circulated.
Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make
available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the
increase of learning. They do not foster education by imposing as mentors the
patterns of their own thought. The people should have the freedom to read and
consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any single
librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read
should be confined to what another thinks proper.
3. It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to
writings on the basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author.
No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or
private lives of its creators. No society of free people can flourish that draws up
lists of writers to whom it will not listen,whatever they may have to say.
4. There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine
adults to the reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the
efforts of writers to achieve artistic expression.
To some,much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself
shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing
with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the
young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed,
as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves.
These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing
them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters
values differ, and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that
will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.
5. It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the prejudgment ofa
label characterizing any expression or its author as subversive or dangerous.
The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with
wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad for others. Itpresupposes
that individuals must be directed in making up their minds about the ideas they
examine. But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.
6. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people's
freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or
groups seeking to impose their own standards or tastes upon the community at
large; and by the government whenever it seeks to reduce or deny public access to
public information.
It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political,the
moral, or the aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide
with those of another individual or group. In a free society individuals are free to
determine for themselves what they wish to read, and each group is free to
determine what it will recommend to its freely associated members. But no group
has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of
politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society. Freedom is no
freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive. Further,
democratic societies are more safe, free, and creative when the free flow of public
information is not restricted by governmental prerogative or self-censorship.
7. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the
freedom to read by providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of
thought and expression. By the exercise of this affirmative responsibility, they can
demonstrate that the answer to a "bad"book is a good one, the answer to a "bad"
idea is a good one.
The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter
fit for that reader's purpose. What is needed is not only the absence of restraint,
but the positive provision of opportunity for the people to read the best that has
been thought and said. Books are the major channel by which the intellectual
inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of its testing and growth.
The defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the
utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all Americans the fullest of their support.
We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations. We here stake out
a lofty claim for the value of the written word. We do so because we believe that it is
possessed of enormous variety and usefulness,worthy of cherishing and keeping free.We
realize that the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and
manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons. We do not state these
propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We believe
rather that what people read is deeply important;that ideas can be dangerous;but that the
suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society.Freedom itself is a dangerous way of
life,but it is ours.
This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of
the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council,which in
1970 consolidated with the American Educational Publishers Institute to become the
Association of American Publishers.
Adopted June 25, 1953,by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read
Committee; amended January 28, 1972; January 16, 1991; July 12,2000; June 30,2004.
For more information about the Freedom to Read Statement please visit the American
Library Association (ALA) website at ala.org.
Document Type: Regulation
Number: 5.01 c
Effective: 03-01-2011
Revised: 05-10-2023
Last Reviewed: 12-13-2023
THE NATURE AND QUALITY OF MATERIALS
To build a collection of merit and significance consistent with the Library's mission and
strategic objectives, the Director or designee will evaluate materials against general and
specific criteria; selections are made in accordance with one or more of these criteria:
General Criteria
1. suitability of physical form for library use
2. suitability of subject and style for intended audience
3. present and potential relevance to community needs
4. appropriateness of medium to content
5. insight into human and social condition
6. importance as a document of the times
7. relation to existing collection and other material on subject
8. reputation and/or significance of author
9. skill, competence, and purpose of author
10. attention of critics, reviewers, and public
11. currency
12. affordability
Specific Criteria for Works of Non-Fiction, Regardless of Format
1. scope and authority of subject matter
2. comprehensiveness and depth of treatment
3. objectivity
4. accuracy and logic of presentation
5. clarity of style
6. representation of challenging,though extreme or minority,point of view
7. scarcity of information in subject field
8. self-published materials are generally not added due to lack of editor
oversight and fact checking
Specific Criteria for Works of Fiction,Regardless of Format
1. representation of important movement, genre,trend, or national culture
2. vitality and originality
3. artistic presentation
4. sustained interest
5. effective characterization and/or a realistic portrayal of life
6. authenticity of historical or social setting
7. representation of diverse points of view
8. entertaining and imaginative appeal to the general-interest reader
Staff will also consider the adequacy and availability of materials in other community
agencies when making selection decisions. To avoid unnecessary duplication of
materials, established special collections that are available for public and/or professional
use (e.g.,public universities; State Law Library, corporate libraries)will be considered
the primary sources for academic and specialized materials. Library materials are
selected for the general reader rather than the specialist.
Although the Library attempts to provide material on many subjects and grade levels,no
attempt is made to match the collection to a particular curriculum. The provision of
curriculum-related materials is generally the responsibility of the schools or
homeschooling family. The Library may provide materials that supplement and enrich
curriculum-related materials when community demand indicates the need for resources
for individual use as opposed to school classroom use. Materials may be purchased to
meet these needs to the extent funds allow without creating a collection imbalance in
other areas.
Document Policy
Type: Number: 5.02
Effective: 03-01-2011
Revised: 12-13-2023
Last Reviewed: 12-13-2023
RECONSIDERATION OF MATERIALS
The Boise Public Library will review materials in its collection upon receipt of a Request for
Reconsideration of Library Materials form (Exhibit 5.02a) filled out and submitted by a Boise
resident with a current Boise Public Library card.
Boise Public Library is a member of the Lynx Library Consortium. As part of the Lynx
Library Consortium,Boise Public Library shares and receives materials from other member
libraries. Boise Public Library only processes Requests for Reconsideration of Library
Materials for materials owned by the Boise Public Library.
When a complete and valid Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form(Exhibit
5.02a) (hereinafter a"Request") is filed, the Library will begin its reconsideration process.
This process consists of the following steps:
1. Staff will review the Request, the materials requested for reconsideration, and Section
5.00 of the Boise Public Library Policy Manual. Staff may gather additional materials
it deems relevant to its review. Staff shall include reference to all materials used to
form its decision in the written Staff decision. Materials referenced in Staffs decision
shall become part of the record for review in the appeals that follow. Staff will
communicate its decision to the resident in writing within 30 business days from
receipt of the complete and valid Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials.
2. The resident may submit a written request for Director review within 21 days of
receiving the written Staff decision. The written request for Director review shall
state the reasons the resident disagrees with the Staff decision. The Director will
review the material in question,the Staff decision, the Request,the written request
for Director review, all materials referenced by Staff in the Staff decision, and
relevant statutes, caselaw, and legal materials. The Director will conduct an
independent review of Staffs decision. The Director will review the record as
described above and will communicate his or her decision to the resident in writing
within 30 business days of receiving a timely request for Director review.
3. The resident may appeal the Director's decision to the Boise Public Library
Board of Trustees by submitting a written request for Board review within 21
days of receiving the Director's final written decision. The request for Board
review shall state the reasons why the resident disagrees with the Director's
decision. The Board will review the material in question,the request for Board
review, the Director's decision, and all materials in the record relied on by the
Director. The Board will ensure the Director's decision is based on substantial
evidence in the record, is not arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion,
and does not violate the state or federal Constitution. The Board may employ
whatever public processes it deems necessary and appropriate to fully develop
the record to make its decision including public hearing,hearing from the
resident, staff, and/or the Director,remand to Staff to further develop the
record,remand to the Director for further consideration, or other such processes
not in conflict with Idaho law. The final written decision of the Board will be
communicated to the resident and will be final.
In reviewing Requests, Staff, the Director, and the Board will ensure the request and appeals
follow the procedures and timelines listed in this Policy 5.02, will review each work as a
whole and individual passages will not be treated out of context, and will apply the standards
found in this Section 5.00 of the Boise Public Library Policy Manual.
Document Type: Exhibit
Number: 5.02a
Effective: 03-01-2011
Revised: 12-13-2023
Last Reviewed: 12-13-2023
REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS FORM
To request the Boise Public Library reconsider the inclusion of materials in its collection—or
the location of materials in its collection—a Boise resident with a current Boise Public Library
card may fill out this form and return it to the circulation desk at any Boise Public Library
location. Or,this form can be submitted by mail to:
Boise Public Library
ATTN: Acquisitions Manager
715 S. Capitol Blvd.
Boise, ID 83702
Boise Public Library is a member of the Lynx Library Consortium. As part of the Lynx
Library Consortium, Boise Public Library shares and receives materials from other member
libraries. Boise Public Library only processes Requests for Reconsideration of Library
Materials for materials owned by the Boise Public Library.
Upon receipt of this Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form filled out and
submitted by a Boise resident library cardholder for the reconsideration of materials in the
Boise Public Library collection (hereinafter a"Request"),the Boise Public Library will begin
its review of the materials.
The reconsideration process consists of the following steps:
1. Staff will review the Request,the materials requested for reconsideration, and Section
5.00 of the Boise Public Library Policy Manual. Staff may gather additional materials
it deems relevant to its review. Staff shall include reference to all materials used to
form its decision in the written Staff decision. Materials referenced in Staffs decision
shall become part of the record for review in the appeals that follow. Staff will
communicate its decision to the resident in writing within 30 business days from
receipt of the complete and valid Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials.
2. The resident may submit a written request for Director review within 21 days of
receiving the written Staff decision. The written request for Director review shall
state the reasons the resident disagrees with the Staff decision. The Director will
review the material in question, the Staff decision, the Request,the written request
for Director review, all materials referenced by Staff in the Staff decision, and
relevant statutes, caselaw, and legal materials. The Director will conduct an
independent review of Staffs decision. The Director will review the record as
described above and will communicate his or her decision to the resident in writing
within 30 business days of receiving a timely request for Director review.
3. The resident may appeal the Director's decision to the Boise Public Library
Board of Trustees by submitting a written request for Board review within 21
days of receiving the Director's final written decision. The request for Board
review shall state the reasons why the resident disagrees with the Director's
decision. The Board will review the material in question,the request for Board
review, the Director's decision, and all materials in the record relied on by the
Director. The Board will ensure the Director's decision is based on substantial
evidence in the record,is not arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion,
and does not violate the state or federal Constitution. The Board may employ
whatever public processes it deems necessary and appropriate to fully develop
the record to make its decision including public hearing,hearing from the
resident, staff, and/or the Director,remand to Staff to further develop the
record, remand to the Director for further consideration, or other such processes
not in conflict with Idaho law. The final written decision of the Board will be
communicated to the resident and will be final.
Please fill out the following information as completely and accurately as possible. The
information you provide will be an important part of the library's review of the materials. If you
need additional space to answer the questions, you may attach additional pages.
TITLE
AUTHOR/PERFORMER
PUBLISHER/COPYRIGHT DATE
ITEM BARCODE
Request initiated by
Address
City State
Zip Code Telephone
Email address
Library Card number _
Do you represent:
Yourself
An Organization(name)
Other group(name)
1. To what in the material do you object? Why do you object? (Please be specific; for
example, cite pages and specific passages.)
2. Did you read,view or listen to the entire work? If
not,what parts did you read, view or listen to?
3. What do you feel would be the result of reading, viewing, or listening to this material?
4. What parts of the work do you think are accurate and valuable?
5. What do you believe the theme of this work to be?
6. Are you aware of judgments of this work by professional critics?
7. For what age group would you recommend this work?
8. What action are you requesting the library take in regard to this work?
Signature Date
By signing this form I attest that I am a Boise resident and a Boise Public Library cardholder and I understand
that I am making a formal complaint to the Boise Public Library about an item available for checkout.I
acknowledge that this document will become a public record as soon as it is received by Library staff. I
understand that to complete the process I must follow the above-mentioned steps in the timeline stated.
Collection Development I
Purpose
The purpose of the Collection Development Policy is to serve as an official statement of the
Caldwell Public Library's commitment to meeting the informational and recreational needs of
the community. Additionally,the Collection Development Policy will also be used to guide staff
and inform the public regarding collection activities, provide a framework for selection and
evaluation of the Library's collection,and declare the Library's commitment to the principles of
free access to ideas and information.
Responsibility for Selection
The Caldwell Library Board of Trustees is legally responsible for all matters relating to the operation of
the library. It delegates the responsibility for selection of library materials to the Director. The Director
may choose to delegate the actual selection and deselection of materials to qualified library employees.
Suggestions for the library collection are welcomed from patrons.
Selection Criteria
The general criteria listed below apply to the selection of all materials for the Caldwell Public Library.
Not all titles selected will meet all the criteria listed, but will fall into at least one of these categories:
• Public demand and interest
• Currency&accuracy of information
• Availability
• Format
• Evaluations in professionally recognized critical review sources
• Special local interest or community relevance
• Relation to existing collection
• Replacement of lost copies and/or updating to current information
• Availability of information elsewhere
• Impact on materials budget
• Support of the Library's mission
Deselection Criteria
Ongoing reevaluation of materials is necessary in order to maintain a current,accurate and inviting
collection. Deselection improves the accessibility of the remaining materials, enhances the appearance
of the collection,and helps improve the overall circulation and turnover rates of materials.
Discarded materials may be sold by the Library for fund raising purposes or discarded at the Library's
discretion.
The following criteria will be used when deselecting materials:
Approved by the Caldwell Public Library Board of Trustees: 2/2015
Updated: 3/17/22
Collection Development I
• Frequency of circulation and/or potential use
• Outdated or inaccurate information
• Interlibrary loan circulations
• Subject matter no longer of current interest or historical or literary significance
• Availability of other materials in the field
• Physical appearance/condition relative to other factors of importance
• Multiple copies of title no longer in demand
Gifts and Donations
The Caldwell Public Library accepts donations of books, DVDs, and other items.The Library staff will
determine which items will be added to the collection,which items will be sold or donated to other
organizations,and which items will be discarded. The Library is unable to appraise donations or assign
monetary value to your gift, but we will provide acknowledgement of your donation upon request.
Donated items chosen for the library collection must meet the same criteria as purchased materials, and
they are subject to the following conditions:
•The library assumes unconditional ownership of the gift.
•The library makes the final decision regarding use or other disposition of the item.
•The library reserves the right to determine conditions of display and access to the gift.
Donors may suggest subjects or titles to be acquired with their gift at the time of the donation, but the
library reserves the right to final decision.
Donations can be made to the Library for the purchase of items to honor or memorialize loved ones or
friends. In the case of a cash gift for the purpose of memorial,tribute or other recognition,the donor
has the option of helping select the subject and/or audience of the item(s)to be purchased.Should the
donor indicate no preference for a specific use of the gift,the donation will be used for materials,
equipment or programs that are deemed to be of greatest need to the library. Donors may be
recognized with book plates or with such other recognition as the Library Director may deem
appropriate.
Restricted gifts of materials,such as those that require an item be added to the collection or maintained
for a certain period of time will not be accepted without the prior approval of the Library Director.
Approval of restricted gifts will be granted only in exceptional circumstances.
Request for Reconsideration
The Library will review decisions regarding specific titles upon written request from a Caldwell resident.
Request for Reconsideration forms are available at all public service desks within the Caldwell Public
Library. When a Caldwell resident submits a completed Request for Reconsideration form,the Director
will review the materials under consideration and communicate its decision to the patron in writing
within 15 business days. The patron may appeal the-decision in writing to the Library Board of Trustees
within 30 days of the written response.After consultation with legal counsel,the Board will determine
whether the staff's decision should be upheld, modified, or overturned.The decision of the Board is
final.The Board will provide written notice of the decision to the patron.
Approved by the Caldwell Public Library Board of Trustees: 2/2015
Updated: 3/17/22
Collection Development I
Caldwell Public Library is a member of the LYNX! Library Consortium,sharing and receiving materials
from the other member libraries. Requests for reconsideration are only accepted from Caldwell Public
Library residents for Caldwell Public Library owned materials.
Approved by the Caldwell Public Library Board of Trustees: 2/2015
Updated: 3/17/22
Collection Development I
Library Bill of Rights
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that
the following basic policies should guide their services.
I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment
of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the
origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and
historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal
disapproval.
III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information
and enlightenment.
IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free
expression and free access to ideas.
V.A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background,
or views.
VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should
make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals
or groups requesting their use.
Adopted June 19, 1939, by the ALA Council; amended October 14, 1944;June 18, 1948; February 2,
1961;June 27, 1967;January 23, 1980; inclusion of"age" reaffirmed January 23, 1996.
A history of the Library Bill of Rights is found in the latest edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual.
Approved by the Caldwell Public Library Board of Trustees:2/2015
Updated: 3/17/22
Collection Development I
The Freedom to Read Statement
The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack. Private groups and
public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading
materials,to censor content in schools,to label "controversial"views,to distribute lists of
"objectionable" books or authors, and to purge libraries.These actions apparently rise from a view that
our national tradition of free expression is no longer valid;that censorship and suppression are needed
to counter threats to safety or national security,as well as to avoid the subversion of politics and the
corruption of morals.We,as individuals devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible
for disseminating ideas,wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.
Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy:that the
ordinary individual, by exercising critical judgment,will select the good and reject the bad.We trust
Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what
they read and believe.We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in
order to be"protected" against what others think may be bad for them.We believe they still favor free
enterprise in ideas and expression.
These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against
education,the press,art and images,films, broadcast media, and the Internet.The problem is not only
one of actual censorship.The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads, we suspect,to an even
larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy or unwelcome
scrutiny by government officials.
Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change.And yet
suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension. Freedom has given the
United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path of novel and creative
solutions,and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an
orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with
controversy and difference.
Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms.The freedom to read and write is
almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially
command only a small audience.The written word is the natural medium for the new idea and the
untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended
discussion that serious thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into
organized collections.
We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative
culture.We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and
variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend.We believe that
every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to
preserve its own freedom to read.We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound
responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose
freely from a variety of offerings.
Approved by the Caldwell Public Library Board of Trustees: 2/2015
Updated: 3/17/22
Collection Development I
The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution.Those with faith in free people will stand firm on
these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany
these rights.
We therefore affirm these propositions:
1. It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of
views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous
by the majority.
Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different.The bearer of every new
thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested.Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain
themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the established
orthodoxy.The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the
freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them.
To stifle every nonconformist idea at birth would mark the end of the democratic process.
Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic
mind attain the strength demanded by times like these.We need to know not only what we
believe but why we believe it.
2. Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation they
make available. It would conflict with the public interest for them to establish their own political,
moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated.
Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge
and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning.They do not foster
education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought.The people should have
the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any
single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read should
be confined to what another thinks proper.
3. It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the
basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author.
No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its
creators. No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not
listen,whatever they may have to say.
4. There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine adults to the
reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve
artistic expression.
To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking?We cut
off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and
teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life
to which they will be exposed,as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically
for themselves.These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing
Approved by the Caldwell Public Library Board of Trustees:2/2015
Updated: 3/17/22
Collection Development I
them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ,
and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one
group without limiting the freedom of others.
5. It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the prejudgment of a label
characterizing any expression or its author as subversive or dangerous.
The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to
determine by authority what is good or bad for others. It presupposes that individuals must be
directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need
others to do their thinking for them.
6. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people's freedom to read,
to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their
own standards or tastes upon the community at large;and by the government whenever it seeks
to reduce or deny public access to public information.
It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political,the moral, or the
aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another
individual or group. In a free society individuals are free to determine for themselves what they
wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely
associated members. But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands,and to
impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society.
Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive. Further,
democratic societies are more safe,free, and creative when the free flow of public information
is not restricted by governmental prerogative or self-censorship.
7. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the freedom to read by
providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise
of this affirmative responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a "bad"book is a
good one, the answer to a "bad"idea is a good one.
The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that
reader's purpose.What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision
of opportunity for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the
major channel by which the intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of
its testing and growth.The defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and
librarians the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all Americans the fullest of their support.
We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations.We here stake out a lofty claim
for the value of the written word.We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous variety
and usefulness,worthy of cherishing and keeping free.We realize that the application of these
propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to
many persons.We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is
unimportant.We believe rather that what people read is deeply important;that ideas can be
dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a
dangerous way of life, but it is ours.
Updated: 3/17/22
Collection Development I
This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of the American
Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council,which in 1970 consolidated with the
American Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American Publishers.
Adopted June 25, 1953, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee; amended January
28, 1972;January 16, 1991;July 12, 2000;June 30, 2004.
A Joint Statement by:
American Library Association
Association of American Publishers
Subsequently endorsed by:
American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
The Association of American University Presses, Inc.
The Children's Book Council
Freedom to Read Foundation
National Association of College Stores
National Coalition Against Censorship
National Council of Teachers of English
The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression
Approved by the Caldwell Public Library Board of Trustees: 2/2015
Updated: 3/17/22
ardeK (NTputer network and access to the Internet in
.hildren's Internet protection Act.
7c)4è. £( Lirr (if modifying any technology protection measures
ary Director or designated representatives.
irary policy will be posted in a conspicuous place
jbserve.
havior by another Library patron they should bring it
ould be addressed with the Library Director who will
in turn bring it to the Board.
These procedures and guidelines will be adhered to by Library staff to enforce the
requirements of state, local, and federal law, including but not limited to Idaho Code
33-2741 and the Children's Internet Protection Act.
*Adopted 09/09/2015, Revised 06/12/2019, 12/11/2019
Virtual Reality
The Library will provide patrons with the health and safety guidelines provided by the
manufacturer(s) of the virtual reality equipment. The patron who checks out the
equipment is ultimately responsible for ensuring the health and safety guidelines are
followed. The Library is not responsible for any financial, physical, or mental injury that
results from not following the provided guidelines.
The Library is not responsible for monitoring the content that minors access with virtual
reality equipment. Responsibility for children's and teen's use of Library materials rests
with their parents or legal guardians.
Virtual Reality equipment will only be checked-out to patron accounts owned by those
age thirteen (13) and older for in-house use only. Circulation policies apply.
*Adopted 10/11/2017, Revised 01/13/2021
VI. MATERIALS COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
The purpose of the Collection Development Policy is to serve as an official statement of
the Garden City Public Library's commitment to meet the informational, recreational and
Page 24 of 29
educational needs of the community. The Collection Development Policy will also guide
staff and inform the public regarding collection activities, provide a framework for
selection and evaluation of the Library's collection, and declare the Library's
commitment to the principles of free access to ideas and information.
The Garden City Public Library Board of Trustees delegates the authority and
responsibility for the selection of all collection materials to the Library Director. The
Director may choose to delegate the actual selection and deselection of materials to
qualified Library employees. Suggestions for the Library collection are welcomed from
patrons.
*Adopted 04/13/2016, Reviewed 02/12/2020
Constitutional Protection
The Board believes that the freedom to read is essential to our democracy; and that
free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society. To ensure free
communication, and the rights of the residents of Garden City to a broad range of ideas
and concepts, the Board endorses the American Library Association's Library Bill of
Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, the Freedom to View Statement, and Free
Access to Libraries for Minors. The Board maintains that while people are free to reject
for themselves materials of which they do not approve; they cannot exercise censorship
to restrict the freedom of use and access to others.
*Adopted 04/13/2016, Reviewed 02/12/2020
Cooperative Agreements
The Garden City Public Library makes every effort to satisfy the needs of its customers
through its own collection or other local resources. To that end, the Library:
• supports cooperative collection development activities when feasible as a means
of providing the best access to the most information for its users,
• serves customers of participating LYNX! Libraries, as outlined in the LYNX!
Agreement,
• offers Interlibrary Loan as a means of providing access to specialized, out-of-
print, and other materials neither in its collection nor available locally,
• encourages patrons to suggest titles for consideration to be added to the
Library's collection.
*Adopted 04/13/2016, Reviewed 02/12/2020
Donations and Gifts
The Garden City Public Library accepts donations of books, DVDs, and other items. The
Library is unable to appraise donations or assign monetary value to gifts, but will
provide acknowledgement of the donation via a gift receipt.
Page 25 of 29
Library staff will determine which items will be added to the collection, which items will
be donated to the Friends of the Garden City Public Library or other organizations, and
which items will be discarded. Donated items chosen for the Library collection must
meet the same criteria as purchased materials, and they are subject to the following
conditions:
• The Library assumes unconditional ownership of the gift.
• The Library makes the final decision regarding use or other disposition of the
item.
• The Library reserves the right to determine conditions of display and access to
the gift.
Donors may suggest subjects or titles to be acquired with their monetary gift at the
time of the donation, but the Library reserves the right to final decision. Donations can
be made to the Library for the purchase of items to honor or memorialize loved ones or
friends. In the case of a cash gift for the purpose of memorial, tribute or other
recognition, the donor has the option of helping select the subject and/or audience of
the item(s) to be purchased. Should the donor indicate no preference for a specific use
of the gift, the donation will be used for materials, equipment or programs that are
deemed to be of greatest need to the Library. Donors may be recognized with book
plates or with such other recognition as the Library Director may deem appropriate.
Restricted gifts of materials, such as those that require an item be added to the
collection or maintained for a certain period of time will not be accepted without the
prior approval of the Library Director. Approval of restricted gifts will be granted only in
exceptional circumstances.
*Adopted 04/13/2016, Reviewed 02/12/2020
Reconsideration of Library Materials
The Board shall consider with respect any complaint presented in good faith and in a
reasonable manner by any Garden City Public Library patron who possesses a current
Library card. Patrons requesting that material in the collection be reconsidered shall
complete a "Material/Program Selection Inquiry Form."
The inquiry will be placed on the agenda of the next regular meeting of the Board.
Complaints shall be presented to the Board by the Director. The Board shall review the
item and the complaint. Their decision shall be based upon this selection policy and not
on the anticipated approval or disapproval of any group of patrons. Material under
reconsideration will remain available to patrons until a final ruling is made. Notice of
action to retain or to remove an item shall be sent to the complainant(s) in writing.
Decisions made by the Board shall be final.
*Adopted 04/13/2016, Reviewed 02/12/2020
Page 26 of 29
Selection and Deselection Criteria
Selection Criteria
The Library shall strive to present a diversity of viewpoints; allowing people of all ages
access to the information needed to make informed choices. In no case should any
material be excluded because of sex, sexual identity, age, race, nationality, religion,
disability or political affiliation. The Library will not monitor nor restrict use by minors.
Responsibility for children's and teen's use of Library materials rests with their parents
or legal guardians.
All acquisitions, whether purchased or donated, are considered in terms of the
standards listed below. However, an item need not meet all of the criteria in order to be
acceptable. Materials are evaluated on the significance of the entire work rather than
individual parts. When given a choice the Library shall select material that most closely
resembles the writer's/artist's intent. When judging the quality of materials, several
standards and combinations of standards may be used.
The following criteria will guide selection:
• Public demand and interest,
• Professional reviews,
• Contemporary significance or permanent value,
• Local interest and community relevance,
• Format and ease of use,
• Cost and impact on materials budget,
• Reputation and/or authority of the author, editor, or illustrator,
• Relation to existing collection and availability of information elsewhere,
• Replacement of lost copies and/or updating to current information.
Deselection Criteria
Ongoing reevaluation of materials is necessary in order to maintain a current, accurate
and inviting collection. Deselection improves the accessibility of the remaining materials,
enhances the appearance of the collection, and helps improve the overall circulation
and turnover rates of materials.
Material of sound factual authority should not be removed from the Library shelves
because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. Materials discarded from the collection are
disposed of at the Library's discretion. Options include, but are not limited to, making
discarded materials available to the Friends of the Garden City Public Library for book
sales or offering to other libraries or non-profit organizations. Books that are donated to
the Friends of the Garden City Public Library that are not sold by the Friends will be
disposed of at the discretion of the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.
The following criteria will be used when deselecting materials:
• Frequency of circulation,
• Outdated or inaccurate information,
Page 27 of 29
• Duplication,
• Physical appearance/condition relative to other factors of importance,
• Interlibrary loan circulations,
• Subject matter no longer of current interest or historical or literary significance,
• Availability of other materials in LYNX!,
• Availability of more current or more comprehensive resources.
*Adopted 04/13/2016, Reviewed 02/12/2020
VII. VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer services provide a valuable resource to the Library and the community.
Volunteers allow the Library to provide quality service to the community, connect the
Library to niches within the community, and advocate for the Library. In turn, by
providing volunteer services the Library provides job experience, connects community
members, and creates a platform for members to give back to society. The Board of
Trustees deem these benefits worthy of staff time and resources when feasible.
• The Library will designate a staff member to oversee the volunteer program.
• Volunteers will not take the place of paid staff. They will provide special and
supplemental services.
• Volunteers may not staff public service desks, use staff computers, or access
patron records.
* Volunteers must fill out an application, which includes a City of Garden City
Volunteer Waiver. Active applications will be stored under lock and key by the
Volunteer Coordinator. Retention and destruction of applications will comply with
City of Garden City policy.
• Volunteers must be at least fourteen (14) years of age. Parents or guardians
must sign a consent form for children under eighteen (18) years of age.
• Volunteers must record their hours of service in the"Volunteer Log Book".
• Volunteers must wear a badge or lanyard while working, in order to identify
them as volunteers.
• Volunteers are expected to follow the same work, dress, and behavior codes as
employees and patrons.
• Volunteer hours may be limited by the projects occurring and the amount of staff
supervision time available.
• Library Director approval is required prior to accepting volunteers requiring
court-ordered community service.
• Both the volunteer and the Library have the right to terminate the volunteer
agreement at any time, for any reason, with or without cause.
*Adopted 07/13/2016, Revised 04/12/2017, Revised 01/13/2021
Page 28 of 29
Non-Profit Organizations
Two (2) non-profit organizations support the Library, each of which is listed below.
These organizations have structures and bylaws independent of the Library and the
Board of Trustees. The primary purpose of each of these organizations is to provide
financial assistance to the Library. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) should be
completed for each organization every five (5) years.
Library strategic planning remains at the hands of the Board, as stated in 33-2607,
Idaho Code. The Board recognizes the crucial role of these groups and encourages staff
to assist in tasks such as volunteer recruitment when feasible. The operation of the
Library should always be the first priority of the staff.
Garden City Public Library Foundation
The Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation. The Foundation exists to support
the Garden City Public Library Board of Trustees and staff in their efforts to fulfill their
own mission and goals, which include offering a welcoming environment with access to
Library services and materials, which encourage early literacy and lifelong learning for
patrons. The Foundation does this by raising monies for special programs and capital
improvements outside of the Library's City-approved operating budget.
Funds are primarily used to provide Library programs and outreach, the largest of which
is the Bells for Bus program, but may be used for other library needs.
Friends of the Garden City Public Library
The Friends group is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation. The purpose of the Friends is
to earn monies through local and online sales and, as appropriate, sales of other items,
while working closely with the Library.
Funds are primarily used to supplement the Library's collection development budget,
but may be used for other library needs.
*Adopted 07/13/2016, Revised 04/12/2017, Revised 01/13/2021
VIII. AMENDMENTS
The Garden City Public Library Policy Manual will be reviewed on a rotating three (3)
year cycle.
The Garden City Public Library Board of Trustees may amend the provisions of this
policy manual, at any time, by majority vote.
*Adopted 07/13/2016, Reviewed 01/13/2021
Page 29 of 29
Y .
--Nee Collection Development Policy
Kuna Library District
,auew roe
The collection development policy of the Kuna Library District supports the general mission of the Library,the
Library Strategic Plan,the Library Bill of Rights*and the Freedom to Read Statement*which affirms
protection of Constitutional First Amendment freedoms.
All acquisitions,before being purchased or accepted as gifts, are evaluated in terms of the following criteria and
in the context of economic and space considerations.An item will not necessarily be judged against all criteria,
but against those appropriate and applicable to it.These same standards determine the replacement,
duplication, and withdrawal of materials.
The Library will:
• Provide a diverse and inclusive collection that contains content by and about a wide array of people and
cultures to authentically reflect a variety of ideas,information,stories,and experiences
• Provide a collection that anticipates the needs and numbers of potential users
• Consider public demand,both specific and general,as expressed through requests,suggestions, and use
to develop the collection
• Consider the availability of the same,or similar,materials in other libraries or agencies.
• Consider the need for all subjects covered and viewpoints expressed
• Consider the effect that subjects and viewpoints selected have on developing a balanced collection
• Consider the appropriateness to scope of the collection as it is developed
• Accept only donations that are outright gifts
• Withdraw items from the collection that are worn, damaged,outdated, duplicate,no longer accurate,or
no longer used
Selectors will consider these characteristics when selecting:
• Literary or stylistic quality
• Content created by and representative of marginalized and underrepresented groups
• Reputations,qualifications, and significance of author,producer, or publisher
• Accuracy,currency,timeliness, and validity
• Attention of critics,reviewers, awards and public
• Resources from self-published,independent,small,and local producers
• Physical quality and effectiveness of format and appropriateness of format to subject
• Cost,as measured against competing materials on the same subject
• Availability of discounts and efficiency in vendors used for purchasing
• Suitability for intended audience
• Availability of subscriptions and standing orders for popular materials,reference and nonfiction items
published or released annually
The Kuna Library District staff uses the Dewey Decimal Classification system and Library of Congress subject
headings to place materials in the proper subject area and assign them to shelving categories. Selectors take
into account age recommendations in reviews as they assign classification(s) of materials.
*As adopted by the Council of the American Library Association
Adopted by the Kuna Library Board of Trustees:November 1994 1
Revised: May 2022
The Kuna Library District's shelving areas are divided into sections such as,but not limited to; Easy Reading,
Young Adult,Teen,Fiction, and DVDs for ease of use,although patrons of any age may utilize materials from
all sections of the library. It is the responsibility of parents or legal guardians,not Kuna Library staff,to
monitor library use by minors.
No material will be excluded from the selection because of race, ancestry,place of origin, color, ethnic origin,
citizenship, creed, sex,sexual orientation,gender identity, age,marital status,receipt of public assistance,
political affiliation,disability, educational background and/or socio-economic status of the creator of the work.
Expressions of Concern and Reconsideration of Materials:
Pursuant to Title 33, Chapter 27 of the Idaho Code,the Board of Trustees has among its powers the authority to
establish policies for the governance of the Library. The responsibility for selection of library materials rests
with the library staff as assigned through the Library Director.
The library's role is to provide opportunities that will allow individuals to freely examine subjects and make
their own decisions. Kuna Library District does not endorse particular ideas,beliefs,or views.While patrons
are free to reject for themselves what that they do not approve of,they cannot exercise this right of censorship
to restrict the freedom of access to others. Removing library material solely on the basis of its content may
amount to censorship in violation of the First Amendment.
The Kuna Library District is a member of the Lynx Consortium,sharing and receiving materials from the other
member libraries. Requests for reconsideration are only accepted from Kuna Library District residents for
Kuna Library District owned materials.
The Kuna Library District Director and the Board of Trustees are aware that patrons may take issue with the
inclusion of specific items,programs,or practices,and they welcome the expression of concern by our patrons.
Patron concerns will be dealt with promptly and courteously as detailed in the following process:
• The Kuna Library District staff will listen to the concern and assist the patron in finding a different item
that interests the patron.
• After discussion with the Library staff member,a patron who requests further action will complete a
"Request for Reconsideration of a Library Resource"form, (available at the circulation desk or at the
libraries website)which will be submitted to the Director.
• The Director will contact the patron and schedule an appointment to discuss the completed"Request
for Reconsideration of a Library Resource"form.
• After the scheduled appointment,the Director will review the materials under consideration and
communicate its decision to the patron in writing within 3o business days. The Director shall consider
each work as a whole,and individual passages will not be treated out of context. The Director will also
consider the literary merit of works recognized as classics,even though classic works may contain words
or sentiments which,today, are unacceptable. No materials shall be excluded from the library's
collection solely because of coarse language or implicit or explicit treatment of certain situations,if a
reasonably accurate picture of human experience is portrayed,if the work is deemed a significant
artistic endeavor,or if the work meets the criteria outlined in this policy.
• After the Director has made the decision,an individual or group still seeking further action may appeal
the decision and will have their"Request for Reconsideration of a Library Resource"form considered by
the Board of Trustees at a regular meeting.
• The Board of Trustees will make a ruling on the concern and send a written response to the individual
or group.The decision of the Board is final.
Adopted by the Kuna Library Board of Trustees:November 1994 2
Revised: May 2022
Request for Reconsideration of a Library Resource
Kuna Library District
' NAUBRARYD4
The Kuna Library District recognizes the right of the individual or group in the local community to make their
objections known to the library. Patrons wishing reconsideration of library resources must complete this form
and return to: Kuna Library Director 457 N.Locust, Kuna,Idaho 83634
Author: Date of Request:
Title: Publisher:
Format: (Book,CD,Audiotape, DVD,etc.)
Your name: Telephone#or email
Address: City: Zip Code:
1. How was the resource brought to your attention?
2. How does this material not meet the criteria identified in the Collection Development Policy?
3. Did you read,view,listen or etc.the entire resource? If not,which parts?
4. Are you considering the resource as a whole?
5. What,in your opinion,is the theme of the resource?
6. What do you object to in the resource? (Please be specific, cite pages,songs,etc. Continue on back
if necessary)
7. Have you read or heard any reviews of the resource?
8. In your opinion,is there anything constructive about the resource?
9. What alternate work would you recommend that would convey as valuable a picture and
perspective of the subject treated?
10. How would you like the library to respond to your request about the resource?
Signature
Adopted by the Kuna Library Board of Trustees:November 1994 3
Revised: May 2022
meridian
library
d •ist •rict
All Hours a Location j Support Us My Account
®Catalog 0 Webslte
Keywords,Title,Author,and more! Search
Collection Development Policy
Last Updated Date
October 18,2023
Policy Type
ILBrary Information
The Collection Development Policy of the Meridian Library District(District)supports the guiding principles and Strategic Plan adopted
by the Board of Trustees(Board)while adhering to the LihtaeyJIJLa Blghta,and the freedom to Read Statement.
All acquisitions,before being purchased or accepted as gifts,are evaluated in terms of the following criteria and In the context of
economic and space considerations.An Item will not necessarily be judged against all criteria,but against those appropriate and
applicable to it.These same standards determine the replacement,duplication,and withdrawal of materials.
Inclusion in the Library's collection is constrained by budget and space limitations.Other libraries In the Lynx Library Consortium may
offer specialized and comprehensive collections.Patrons maybe able to access these collections through reciprocal borrowing or
Interlibrary loan.
The presence of materials and other resources In the collection,or their labeling,does not Indicate endorsement of their contents by the
District The Meridian Library District uses labels as a means of organizing resources;labels serve as directional aids intended to
facilitate access by making it easier for patrons to locate resources.
•As adopted by the Council of the American Library Association in 1953 with amendments In 7972,1991,2000,and 2004
A.THE DISTRICT WILL
• Provide a diverse and inclusive collection that contains content by and about a wide array of people and cultures to authentically
reflect a variety of Ideas,information,stories,and experiences
• Provide a collection that anticipates the needs and numbers of potential users
• Consider public Interest of Item,both specific and general as expressed through requests**,suggestions,and use to develop the
collection
• Consider the availability of the same,or similar,materials in other libraries or agencies
• Consider the need for all subjects covered and viewpoints expressed
• Consider the effect that subjects and viewpoints selected have on developing a balanced collection
• Consider the appropriateness to scope of the collection as It Is developed
• Consider the unique nature of each branch In developing the overall District collection
• Consider the unique nature of digital materials in developing the overall District collection
• Accept only donations that are outright gifts***
•ehttos:/ro w.mld.ory/reauesis
**•ttems received as gifts will need to meet Collection Development Policy criteria before adding to MLD's collection-items that do not
meet the criteria will be donated to the Friends of the Meridian Library for sale
B.SELECTORS WILL CONSIDER THESE CHARACTERISTICS WHEN SELECTING
• Literary or stylistic quality
• Content created by and representative of marginalized and underrepresented groups
• Reputations,qualifications,and significance of author,producer,or publisher
• Accuracy,currency,timeliness,and validity
• Attention of critics,reviewers,awards,and public
• Resources from self-published,independent,small and local producers
• Physical quality and effectiveness of format and appropriateness of format to subject
• Cost,as measured against competing materials on the same subject
• Resources in formats that meet the needs of users with disabilities
• Availability of discounts and efficiency In vendors used for purchasing
• Suitability for intended audience
• Availability of subscriptions and standing orders for popular materials,reference,and nonfiction Items published or released
annually
In selection,consideration is given to the work as a whole.Materials are not to be excluded based
solely on any one of the following:
• Representations of race,nationality,sex,gender identity,gender expression,sexuality,age,or social,political,or religious views.
• Frankness or coarseness of language
• Controversial nature of an item,Including cover art
• Endorsement or disapproval of an item by an individual or organization
• The possibility that the resources may inadvertently come into the possession of minors
C.RECONSIDERATION OF MATERIALS
Pursuant to klalw Code§§33-2720 the Board of Trustees has among its powers the authority to establish policies for the governance
of the library.The responsibility for selection of library materials rests with the library staff as assigned through the Library Director,
While someone may find a particular Item offensive,selection of materials will not be based upon any anticipated approval or
disapproval but rather on the merits of the material and its value to the collection.Removing library material solely on the basis of its
content or references without context to the whole may amount to censorship in violation of the First Amendment.
The use of library materials by patrons is an individual matter.Responsibility for children's and teen's use of library materials rests with
their parents or legal guardians.Meridian Library District staff are available to assist parents or legal guardians in using tools to Inform
their decisions on what to check out The library does not act In loco parentls for unsupervised minors.
Meridian Library District is a member of the Lynx Library Consortium,sharing and receiving materials from the other member libraries.
Requests for reconsideration are only accepted from Meridian Library District boundary residents for Meridian Library District owned
materials.
A patron residing within the Meridian Library District boundary can object to any material,or where It Is shelved,by doing so in writing to
the Library Director using the[Request for Reconsideration form].In reviewing the objection,the Library Director shall consider each
work as a whole and its place in the library collection as outlined by this policy.Individual passages will not be treated out of context.
The Library Director will also consider the literary merit of works recognized as classics,even though classic works may contain words
or sentiments which,today,are unacceptable.No materials shall be excluded from the library's collection solely because of coarse
language or implicit or explicit treatment of certain situations,if a reasonably accurate picture of human experience is portrayed,if the
work is deemed a significant artistic endeavor,or if the work meets the criteria outlined In Sections A and B of this policy.
Once a completed,signed form Is received by the Library Director,the thoughtful,deliberative process for reconsideration of the library
materials Identified by the library patron will begin.Written notification of the outcome of the request for reconsideration will be Issued
within 30 days of receipt of a completed form,with up to a 60 day extension in some circumstances,such as availability of the title or
volume of reconsideration requests.Should an extension apply,the requester will receive an email notification.Materials that have been
challenged within the last 24 calendar months will not be reconsidered again.The Library Director and Board reserve the right to
compile multiple challenges of the same item and Issue the outcome collectively.
D.APPEALS PROCESS
If the patron does not agree with the Director's determination,then the patron can appeal that determination to the Board using the
[Beggest for Reconsideration fond,detailing where they believe the Director and assigned staff did
not follow the Collection Development guidelines.The Board will review the appeal solely on the merit of whether there is clear and
convincing evidence that the Director's determination was not based upon substantial evidence or support as guided by the Collection
Development policy.The decision of the Board Is final.The Board will provide written notice of Its decision to the patron.
Adopted by the Meridian Library District Board of Trustees on 05/74/2013
Revised 70/18/2023
Download Policy
Support the Library
The Meridian Library Foundation.funds capital projects to expand library access In our community.
Learn more
Policy Section 5.00
Mountain Home Number 5.01
Public LibraryEffective 09-03-2009
Revised 12-2-2021
Collection Development
Collection Development and Maintenance
The Collection Development and Maintenance Policy of the Mountain Home Public Library supports the
mission of the Library(Exhibit 3.01b),the Library's Strategic Plan,and the American Library Association's
Library Bill of Rights(Exhibit 5.01a)and Freedom to Read Statement(Exhibit 5.01b).
The policy outlines principles to guide selectors in acquisitions, provide direction to maintain materials
over time,and build a strong collection based on community interest and need for a variety of popular
formats.All acquisitions, before being purchased or accepted as an out-right gift,will be evaluated
against as many of the applicable criteria noted below:
• Popular appeal and public demand, both specific and in general,as expressed through
requests,suggestions,and collection use
• Present and potential relevance to community needs
• Reputations, qualifications,and significance of author, producer,or publisher
• Attention of critics, reviewers,awards, and public
• Effect subjects and viewpoints have on developing a balanced collection
• Relation to existing collection and other material on the subject
• Availability of the same or similar materials in other libraries or agencies
• Accuracy,currency,timeliness, and validity
• Physical quality and format
• Availability of collection space
• Budget and cost as measured again competing materials on the same subject
• Availability of discounts and efficiency of vendors used for purchasing
• Availability of subscriptions and standing orders for popular materials, reference and
nonfiction times published or released annually
Responsibility
The Mountain Home Library Board of Trustees is legally responsible for all matters relating to the
operation of the Library. It delegates the responsibility for selection to the Director or designees as
assigned through the Director.The Director,or designees,shall examine the collection regularly for the
purpose of selection, assessment,and retention of materials.The same criteria will be used in weeding
materials from the collection as are used in their acquisition.
The Board Invites Mountain Home residents to make recommendations for library collection purchases.
Selection of materials will not be based upon any anticipated approval or disapproval, but instead on
merits of the material and the value it has within the collection.The final responsibility for selection
rests with the Library.
The use of Library materials by patrons is an individual matter. Responsibility for children's and teen's
use of the Library materials rests with their parents or legal guardians.
r;
Policy Section ' .5.00
Mountain Home Number 5.01a
Public Library Effective 10-05-1996
Revised 12-2-2021
Library Bill of Rights
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that
the following basic policies should guide their services.
Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information,and
enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be
excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current
and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or
doctrinal disapproval.
III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide
information and enlightenment.
IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting
abridgement of free expression and free access to ideas.
V. A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age,
background,or views.
VI. Library which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve
should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or
affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.
VII. All people, regardless of origin, age, background,or views, possess a right to privacy and
confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about,and protect
people's privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable
information.
Adopted June 19, 1939, by the ALA Council;amended October 14, 1944;June 18, 1948;February 2, 1961;
June 27, 1967;January 23, 1980;June 29,2019.
Inclusion of"age"reaffirmed January 23, 1996.
ALA American Library Association. (1996). Library bill of rights.Advocacy, Legislation & Issues. Retrieved
November 22,2021,from https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarvbill
Policy Section 5.00
Number 5.01 b
Mountain Home page 1/4
Public Library Effective 10-05-1996
Library Revised 12-2-2021
Freedom to Read Statement
The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack. Private groups and
public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading
materials,to censor content in schools,to label "controversial"views,to distribute lists of
"objectionable" books or authors, and to purge libraries.These actions apparently rise from a view that
our national tradition of free expression is no longer valid;that censorship and suppression are needed
to counter threats to safety or national security,as well as to avoid the subversion of politics and the
corruption of morals.We,as individuals devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible
for disseminating ideas,wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.
Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy:that the
ordinary individual, by exercising critical judgement,will select the good and reject the bad.We trust
Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what
they read and believe.We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in
order to be"protected"against what others think may be bad for them.We believe they still favor free
enterprise in ideas and expression.
These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against
education,the press, art and images,films, broadcast media,and the Internet.The problem Is not only
one of actual censorship.The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads,we suspect,to an even
larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy or unwelcome
scrutiny by government officials.
Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change.And yet
suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension. Freedom has given the
United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path to novel and creative
solutions, and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a heresy,every enforcement of an
orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with
controversy and difference.
Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms.The freedom to read and write is
almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially
command only a small audience.The written word is the natural medium for the new idea and the
untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended
discussion that serious though requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized
collections.
Policy Section 5.00
°% Number 5.0l b
Mountain Home page 2/4
Public LibraryEffective 10-05-1996
Revised 12-2-2021
Freedom to Read Statement
We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative
culture.We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and
variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend.We believe that
every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to
preserve its own freedom to read.We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound
responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for readers to choose freely
from a variety of offerings.
The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution.Those with faith in free people will stand firm on
these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany
these rights.
We therefore affirm these propositions:
1. It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of
views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous
by the majority.
Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different.The bearer of every new
thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested.Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain
themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the established
orthodoxy.The power of a democratic system to adapt to Change is vastly strengthened by the
freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them.
To stifle every nonconformist idea to birth would mark the end of the democratic process.
Furthermore,only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic
mind attain the strength demanded by times like these.We need to know not only what we
believe but why we believe.
2. Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation they
make available. It would conflict with the public interest for them to establish their own political,
moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated.
Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge
and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning.They do not foster
education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought.The people should have
the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by a
single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read should
be confined to what another thinks proper.
3. It is contrary to public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the basis of
the personal history or political affiliations of the author.
No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its
creator. No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers
Policy Section 5.00
Number 5.01 b
Mountain Home page 3/4
Public LibraryEffective 10-05-1996
Revised 12-2-2021
Freedom to Read Statement
to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.
4. There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine adults to the
reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve
artistic expression.
To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking?We cut
off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and
teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life
to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically
for themselves.These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing
them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ,
and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one
group without limiting them freedom of others.
5. It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the prejudgment of a label
characterizing any expression of its author as subversive or dangerous.
The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to
determine by authority what is good or bad for others. It presupposes that individuals must be
directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need
others to do their thinking for them.
6. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people's freedom to read,
to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their
own standards or tastes upon the community at large;and by the government whenever it seeks
to reduce or deny public access to public information.
It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political,the moral, or the
aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another
individual or group. In a free society individuals are free to determine for themselves what they
wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely
associated members. But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to
impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society.
Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive. Further,
democratic societies are more safe,free, and creative when the free flow of public information
is not restricted by governmental prerogative or self-censorship.
7. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the freedom to read by
providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise
of this affirmative responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a "bad"book is a
good one, the answer to a "bad"idea is a good one.
Policy Section •/AL 5.00
Number 5.01 b
Mountain Home page 4/4
Public LibraryEffective 10-05-1996
Revised 12-2-2021
Freedom to Read Statement
The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader's
purpose.What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity
for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the major channel by which
the intellectual inheritance is handed down,and the principal means of its testing and growth.The
defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and
deserves of all Americans the fullest of their support.
We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations.We here stake out a lofty claim
for the value of the written word.We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous variety
and usefulness,worthy of cherishing and keeping free.We realize that the application of these
propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to
many persons.We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is
unimportant.We believe rather that what people read is deeply important;that ideas can be
dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a
dangerous way of life, but it is ours.
This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of the American
Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council,which in 1970 consolidated with the
American Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American Publishers.
Adopted June 25, 1953, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee;amended January
28, 1972;January 16, 1991;July 12, 2000;June 30,2004.
ALA American Library Association. (1996). The freedom to read statement.Advocacy, Legislation &
Issues. Retrieved November 22, 2021,from
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement
Policy Section 5.00
Mountain Home Number 5.02
Public LibraryEffective 09-03-2009
Revised 12-2-2021
Request for Reconsideration of Materials
The Library will review decisions regarding specific titles upon written request from Mountain Home
Public Library patrons.The Director or designee will provide a Request for Reconsideration Form (Exhibit
5.02a)for this purpose. Requests for reclassification will be brought to the attention of the Library Board
but final determination of placement within the collection will be made by the Director.
When a completed Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form is received by the Library
Director,the Library will begin its reconsideration process for exclusion of an item.The process consists
of the following steps:
1. The Director will notify the Library Board a Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials
form has been received.
2. The Library Director and designated staff will review the materials under consideration and
communicate their decision to remove or retain materials in question to the patron and Library
Board of Trustees in writing within 20 business days of receipt of the Request for
Reconsideration of Library Materials form.
3. Should the patron not be satisfied with the staff's decision,the patron may appeal the decision
in writing to the Library Board within 10 business days.
4. The Board may schedule a date to hear the patron's request and/or communicate a final
decision to the patron within 20 business days.
In considering Requests for Reconsideration,staff,the Director and the Board will consider each work as
a whole,and individual passages will not be treated out of context.They will also consider the literary
merit of work recognized as classics,even though classic works may contain words or sentiments which,
today,are deemed controversial.
No materials shall be excluded from the Library's collection solely due to coarse language or implicit or
explicit treatment of certain situations,if a reasonably accurate picture of the human experience is
portrayed or if the work is deemed a significant artistic endeavor.
Policy Section I 5.00
- Number 5.02a
Mountain Home page 1/3
Public LibraryEffective 09-03-2009
Revised 12-2-2021
Request for Reconsideration of Materials Form
Mountain Home Public Library
Request for Reconsideration of Library Material Form
Patrons wishing to contest the appropriateness of library material are required to fill out the following
form for each title in question. Completed Request for Reconsideration of Library Material forms must
be returned to the Library Director. Requests for reconsideration will be placed on the next regular
meeting agenda of the Library Board of Trustees and a formal review process,as outlined in the Library
Policy Manual,Section XIII—Collection Development Policy,will be initiated.
Type of material:adult fiction adult nonfiction juvenile fiction
juvenile nonfiction teen fiction teen nonfiction
periodical audio CD DVD
other
description
Title:
Author:
Publisher&Copyright:
This request is being initiated by:
Name:
Address, City,State,Zip
Home Phone: Work Phone:
Do you represent:Yourself Group Organization
If so, please include name, phone &contact information:
Policy Section 5.00
Number 5.02a
Mountain Home page 2/3
Public LibraryEffective 09-03-2009
Revised 12-2-2021
Request for Reconsideration of Materials Form
Please complete the following questions regarding the material you are challenging.You may add
another sheet of paper as needed.
1. What do you find inappropriate with the material you wish to challenge? Please include
specific citations and page numbers.
2. Fully describe what you have based your objections upon.
3. Have you read,listened to,or viewed the entire work you are challenging?
Yes No
If no,specifically describe what portions you did read, listen to,or view.
Policy Section 5.00
Number 5.02a
Mountain Home page 3/3
Public LibraryEffective 09-03-2009
Revised 12-2-2021
Request for Reconsideration of Materials Form
4. What consequences do you feel you have encountered as a direct result of reading, listening
to,or viewing this work?
5. What action do you request the Library Board take in regard to this material?
6. Do you feel this work would be of interest to others who do not share your viewpoint and, if
so,what do you feel would result from allowing others access to the materials?
Note:In conformance with the American Library Association Library Bill of Rights, it is the Mountain
Home Public Library's express obligation to provide materials and information presenting all points
of view on current and historical issues and thereby resist abridgment of free expression and free
access to ideas. Library policy has been based on the belief that in order to prevent censorship,
materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
7. In light of this philosophy,could you suggest a viable alternative to the removal of this
material from the library's collection?
8. What would you recommend as a replacement material to convey the scope of the subject in
question? Please include specific title,author, publisher,copyright,cost,and professional
review information.
Nampa Public Library
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
Adopted by Board of Trustees
Revised 07.11.2023
MISSION
We are a cornerstone of the community, providing diverse gathering spaces,opportunities to learn,
access to vital resources, and programs for the enrichment of all.
II PURPOSE
The Collection Development Policy reflects the Library's stated mission.This policy guides staff, and
informs the public, in the principles of collection management. Collection development is the ongoing
process of assessing materials for selection,acquisition, maintenance, and retention.This policy
describes the role of collection development and management in achieving the strategic objectives and
addressing Library user concerns.
III SCOPE
The collection offers materials in choices of format,treatment, language, and level of difficulty.
"Materials" has the widest possible meaning and includes but is not limited to print,audiovisual,and
electronic formats. "Collection" is defined as materials that are selected for the Nampa Public Library;
those selected materials may be physically owned by Nampa Public Library or may be accessed via
digital medium. "Selection" refers to the decision that must be made to add a given item to the Library
collection and made accessible either in a physical location or through digital means.
IV FUNDING
Nampa Public Library is funded by property taxes as a city library established according to the laws of
the State of Idaho.The library depends on these funds to maintain and add to its collections.The library
seeks to supplement tax funds by applying for grants and by encouraging monetary donations from
individuals and community groups.
Furthermore,sharing agreements are established with Lynx! Consortium members to enhance the
library resources available to the citizens of Nampa.
V RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELECTION
The Board of Trustees delegates authority of selection of materials to the Library Director and those
members of staff designated by the Collection Librarian as selectors,who are charged with meeting the
goals of the collection development policy.
VI SELECTION GUIDELINES, PRACTICES,AND CRITERIA
The Nampa community includes people from diverse educational, cultural, and economic backgrounds
who display a variety of interests, needs,values and viewpoints.
Selection is a subjective process, requiring a general knowledge of the subject and recognition of the
needs of the community. Material is judged based on the content and style of the work as a whole, not
by selected portions or passages.
Library materials are selected for their value as informational,educational, cultural,and recreational
resources.Selectors recognize the importance of informed citizens who are familiar with their heritage
and with issues facing the community. Library customers will find materials to stimulate their
Page I 1
imaginations and enhance their leisure time.Selectors support the role of hot and new titles sections by
selecting materials to serve the full range of ages, cultures, lifestyles,education, reading,and technology
skills of citizens.The collection includes diverse points of view and a choice of formats,treatments, and
levels of difficulty.The selectors apply professional standards and work within specific selection and
review procedures.
The collection is generally not archival,and items are expected to be used frequently.The selectors
oversee an annual assessment to ensure that the collection meets current needs and that a substantial
percentage of the materials are less than five years old.
The following general criteria are used in selecting materials for addition to the collection:
• Importance and value to the collection and library users based on target audience.
• Significance of the subject matter.
• Current appeal and popular demand.
• Local interest.
• Cost and budgetary constraints.
• Authority, accuracy,and artistic quality.
• Professional reviews
• Timeliness
• Representation of diverse points of view and broad knowledge base
• Relevance to community needs
• Suitability of formats for library use
• Availability and demand at other Lynx Consortium libraries
• For items that do not meet selection criteria Nampa Public Library provides interlibrary loan
services as part of our basic library assistance
VII DONATIONS, MEMORIALS AND TRIBUTES
Donations can be made to the Library for the purchase of items to honor or memorialize loved ones or
friends. In the case of a cash gift for the purpose of memorial,tribute or other recognition,the donor
has the option of helping select the subject and/or audience of the item(s)to be purchased. A book
plate can be affixed to the book with acknowledgment of the donation. Should the donor indicate no
preference for a specific use of the gift,the donation will be used for materials,equipment or programs
that are deemed to be of greatest need to the library. Donations are subject to the same criteria as
purchased materials.
VIII PLACEMENT OF MATERIAL
Library materials are organized and maintained to enhance accessibility. Placement of materials is
determined by library selection staff. Materials shall not be restricted,sequestered,or altered.
IX WEEDING OR WITHDRAWAL OF MATERIALS
The withdrawal of materials, also called weeding,from the collection is an ongoing part of collection
development. Materials that are worn, damaged,outdated, duplicate, no longer accurate, and no longer
used may be removed from the collection.The professional staff of the library, under the authority of
the Library Director,will be solely responsible for the weeding of the collection. (Evaluation and
management of the collection is guided by professional manuals and guidelines.)
Page 12
X CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION
The Library Board considers all materials selected under this policy to be constitutionally protected
under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and the Idaho State Constitution.
XI SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Special collections are materials shelved in specified locations that are selected based on uniquely
identified local interest and do not follow the general selection guidelines for the majority of the
Library's collections. Nampa Public Library has established the following areas as"Special:"
NAMPA HISTORY COLLECTION
The Nampa History Collection includes materials where the primary subject or significant portion
relates to Canyon County,Owyhee County,Gem County, Payette County or townships within those
counties, Native Americans of the Southwest Idaho region, natural history(including field guides),
mining, religion, literature, music,travel,directories,etc.Also, published documents of the City of
Nampa and Canyon County will be included.
a) Access
Materials shelved in the Nampa History Collection are accessible to patrons through the library's
catalog and are available for use on the third floor of the library only. Exceptions to these
guidelines are made only rarely, and only by the librarian responsible for the collection or by the
Library Director.To discourage theft and vandalism, users may be asked to secure any material
taken from the collection with a library card or some form of photo identification.
b) Formats
Formats to be included are bound printed materials,sound recordings,video recordings and
microfilm. Future acquisition of photographs will be added where a digital format is available.
c) Gifts
i) Gifts are added to the Nampa History Collection in accord with the collection's general
selection criteria. Because of the obscure and ephemeral nature of much local material,gifts
play an important part in the collection's development, and such gifts are encouraged and
are gratefully acknowledged.The Library will work with donors in honor of an individual, a
family,a company, or an organization.
ii) Every effort is made to refer donors of material/formats that are not collected to a more
appropriate institution. Photographs or non-bound documents will be considered when
accompanied by provision for digitization.
WORLD LANGUAGES COLLECTION
The World Languages collection reflects the local heritage, culture,and variety of reading levels
within Nampa's Spanish speaking residents, as well as other languages spoken or being learned in
the Nampa community.
Page 13
REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION
The Library Board supports intellectual freedom.
Pursuant to Title 33, Chapter 27 of the Idaho Code,the Board of Trustees has among its powers
the authority to establish policies for the governance of the library.The responsibility for
selection of library materials rests with the library staff as assigned through the Library Director.
While someone may find a particular item offensive, selection of materials will not be based
upon any anticipated approval or disapproval, but rather on the merits of the material and its
value to the collection.
The Nampa Public Library serves the community of Nampa. Selection of books and other
materials is guided by community interest and demand and is grounded in the library's
Collection Development Policy (a copy is available on request). If you feel that a particular item
is not suitable for inclusion in the library's collection, please complete this form and either give
it to a librarian or send to the Library Director (215 12th Ave S., Nampa, ID 83651).
Requests for reconsideration regarding materials belonging to the Nampa Public Library may
only be made by City of Nampa residents who have an active Nampa Public Library card or by
Non-residents who own property within the City of Nampa and who have an active Nampa
Public Library card.
Once the completed form has been submitted,the Library Director will meet with the Library
Materials Review Committee to evaluate the material in question and consider the merits of
the completed request form. A decision will be made regarding whether to change the status of
the material within 30 days, with written reasons for the decision conveyed to the patron
making the request. If the requesting party is not satisfied,they may appeal the decision to the
Library Board at a regularly scheduled Board Meeting.After receiving public testimony from
patron or other interested parties, the Board will decide whether library policies have been
followed and whether to change the status of the material in question.The decision of the
Library Board shall be final.
Page 14
Please Complete:
Today's Date:
A. Description of item concerned:
Check one: 0 Book ❑ Magazine/Newspaper 0 Video/DVD
❑ CD ❑ Other(Describe)
Author/Artist:
Title:
Publisher or Distributor/Date :
B. Questions about the item:
1. Summarize the reason for requesting reconsideration of this work. What do you find
objectionable and/or offensive about this item? Please give specific examples, including
listing pages or sections (attach additional sheets if needed):
2. Did you read/hear the entire work? ❑ Yes ❑ No
If not, what parts did you read/view/hear? Please include page numbers.
3. What concerns you about this item?
Page 5
4. What do you believe is the theme or intent of this item?
5. What action would you like the library to take regarding this item?
6. Are there other resources you suggest providing additional information and/or other
viewpoints on this topic?
7. Do you have a recommendation for an alternative to this item?
C. To respond to your request, we need the following information:
Your name:
Library card number:
Phone Number: Email Address:
Home/Property Address:
Representing: ❑ Self ❑ Organization (Name) 0 Other (Identify)
D. Signature of person submitting the Request for Reconsideration Form:
Date:
Page 16
Collection Development and Maintenance
Twin Falls Public Library
Mission
The Mission of the Twin Falls Public Library is to enrich lives and communities through access
to information, materials, and services that enhance the quality of life and encourages a love of
reading and lifelong learning.
Objectives of the Collection
Materials shall be selected for the collection to help fulfill the Mission of the Twin Falls Public
Library. The Library considers not only the present needs of the community but also tries to
anticipate future needs in order to give timely service.
The Twin Falls Public Library selects, makes readily available, and promotes the use of Library
materials, whatever the format, which:
• Provide timely, accurate, and useful information for community residents of all ages.
• Provide current, high demand, high-interest materials for persons of all ages.
• Encourage youth to develop an interest in reading and learning by providing services for
children, and for caregivers and children together.
• Support individuals of all ages who are pursuing a sustained program of learning
independent of formal education providers.
• Give access to a variety of opinions and give encouragement to freedom of speech.
• Stimulate thoughtful participation in affairs of the community, country, and world.
Authority and Responsibility for Collection Development
The Library Director has the final responsibility for the selection of materials for the
Library's collections. However, selection of Library materials is a shared responsibility of all the
Senior Staff, coordinated by the Director and designated staff.
Criteria for Selection
The evaluation of materials is characterized by responsiveness to the needs of the community
and influenced by the mission adopted by the Twin Falls Public Library. Materials are evaluated
as a whole and not on the basis of a particular passage or passages. A work will not be
excluded from the Library's collection because it presents an aspect of life honestly or because
of frankness of expression. No material will be excluded because of the race, nationality,
religion, gender, sexual orientation, political or social view of either the author or of the material.
In following this policy, neither the Library nor its Trustees endorses every thought, expression
or belief represented in the Library's collections.
All acquisitions, whether purchased or donated, are considered in terms of the following
standards. An item need not meet all of the criteria to be acceptable. The following general
criteria are used:
• Currency and community demand.
• Suitability of subject, style, and reading level for the intended audience.
• Insight into human and social conditions.
• Reputations, qualifications, and significance of author, producer, or publisher.
• Attention of critics, reviewers, awards and public.
• Patron request (when meets other selection criteria).
• Popularity as reflected by well-regarded bestseller lists.
• Coverage of subject in current collection.
• Suitability of physical quality and effectiveness of format for library use.
• Availability of discounts and efficiency in vendors used for purchasing.
• Availability and accessibility of specialized or older materials from other libraries.
Reviews or information about the materials will be considered prior to purchasing, or in the case
of donated materials, before adding them to the Collection. Requests not purchased may be
met through resource sharing with other libraries, electronic retrieval or other means.
Collection Maintenance
The collection receives ongoing evaluation and de-selection to maintain an accurate, current
collection that is in good physical condition. Criteria for withdrawal includes: physical condition,
currency, accuracy, usage, scope, and duplication within the collection or in other area libraries.
Care is taken to keep classic works in a subject area; material useful for its historic value;
representative works of major authors; and items included in standard bibliographies. Materials
discarded from the collection are disposed of at the Library's discretion. Options include, but are
not limited to, making discarded materials available to the Twin Falls Public Library Foundation
for their book sales and/or offering materials to other libraries or to non-profit organizations.
Reconsideration Procedures
The Library strives to provide an array of materials to satisfy the information and recreational
needs of our patrons as well as ensure equal access to these materials regardless of age,
possible use, or format. Individuals may reject for themselves or their children those materials
which they may find objectionable, but may not exercise such rejection for others. The Library
does not stand in loco parentis. While Library Staff may provide reading guidance, the
responsibility for the reading and use of Library materials by minors rests ultimately and
completely with their parents or legal guardians.
Patrons who conclude that a specific item does not meet the guidelines set forth in this policy
may fill out a Request for Reconsideration. Requests for reconsideration regarding materials
may only be made by City of Twin Falls residents who have an active Twin Falls Public Library
card or by Non-residents who own property within the City of Twin Falls and who have an active
Twin Falls Public Library card. Final determination of issues not satisfactorily resolved between
staff and patron shall be made by the Board of Trustees of the Twin Falls Public Library(Refer
to the Twin Falls Public Library Reconsideration Policy).
Gifts
The Library accepts all books and materials donated with the understanding that the Library will
determine the appropriate disposition of the materials. Those items which conform to the
Collection Development Policy of the Library will be added to its collections. Decisions
regarding the final disposition of gifts are the responsibility of staff, using the following
guidelines:
• Not all gifts are added to the collection. Gift materials not added to the collection are not
returned to the donor.
• The Library retains unconditional ownership of the gift.
• The Library reserves the right to decide the conditions of display, housing and access to
the materials.
• Gifts added to the collection are housed in the most appropriate location, determined by
the evaluating staff.
• Unused gifts may be given to the Twin Falls Public Library Foundation for public sale or
may be disposed of through other means determined by the Library.
• The Library does not place a value on gifts, nor provide appraisals for income tax or any
other purpose.
Revised February 9, 2022
Revised September 2016
June 2000
' Li braP
hnNu
: rra.,C4 T
Twin Falls Public Library Reconsideration Policy
The Twin Falls Public Library encourages and respects diversity within the library by upholding
and promoting the American Library Association's position on intellectual freedom as set forth in
the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement. The library upholds the right to
secure resources, even though the content may be controversial, unorthodox, or unacceptable
to some. The library's varied collection is available to all; however, it is not expected that all of
the collection will appeal to everyone.
Requests for Reconsideration may only be made by City of Twin Falls residents who have an
active Twin Falls Public Library card or by Non-residents who own property within the City of
Twin Falls and have an active Twin Falls Public Library card. The following steps will be used to
address concerns regarding withdrawal or reclassification of materials or other concerns about
happenings in the library:
1. Patron may discuss their concern with a library supervisor or director. If patron is not
satisfied with the response they will be provided with a packet of materials, which
includes a form to request formal reconsideration of the issue at hand.
2. Patron is required to complete and submit a reconsideration form to the library director.
3. The director, with other professional staff, will review the reconsideration form and the
material in question, to consider whether its selection follows the criteria stated in the
collection policy. If the reconsideration form addresses issues other than materials in
the collection, the director and staff will evaluate.
4. Within 15 business days, the director will make a decision and send a letter to the
concerned person who requested the reconsideration, stating the reasons for the
decision.
5. If the individual is not satisfied with the decision, a written appeal may be submitted
within 10 business days to the Board of Trustees.
6. The standard of review exercised by the board in reviewing any appeal is whether there
is clear and convincing evidence that the director's decision was based upon substantial
evidence that the decision complied with the library mission and policies. The board will
determine to uphold, modify, or overturn the director's decision. The individual will
receive written notification with the decision from the board.
7. If the board plans to address the appeal at their meeting, the individual will be notified of
when and where the meeting will be held.
8. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to limit the length of public comments.
9. The decision of the board is final.
Revised 2/9/2022
Approved 8/14/19
$1/410
Likr`
Request for Reconsideration
Please complete this form and return to: Tara Bartley, Director 201 Fourth Ave. E.,Twin Falls, ID 83301
Date:
Name: Phone:
Address:
City: State: Zip Code:
Email:
Do you represent: ❑ Yourself ❑ Organization
What type of material or service are you commenting on?
❑ Book o Movie ❑ Audio recording ❑ Magazine o Program
❑ Display/Exhibit ❑ Internet Resource/Site ❑ Other(brief description)
If commenting on an item, what is the title and author/performer/producer?
If commenting on a program/display/exhibit what is the title and the date?
How did this title/event/ display/program/exhibit come to your attention?
o Staff member ❑ Review o Friend's recommendation o Found on the shelf
o Visited library o Library calendar ❑ Publicity announcement
oOther (brief description)
Did you read or listen to the entire work, stay for the entire program, view the
entire display? If not, which selection or part did you read or view?
What is it that you find objectionable? Please be specific; cite pages, excerpts, or scenes
whenever possible.
Have you read or heard any reviews of the resource?
How would you like the library to respond to your request about the resource?
Signature
Thank you for your comments. Please use the back of this page for further comments if necessary.
Staff initials/Date received Approved 8/14/19
Eagle Public Library
Strategic Plan 2023-2028
Adopted by the Board of Trustees, May 17, 2023
Background
The Eagle Public Library is a public library located in the City of Eagle, Idaho,a Treasure Valley
community with a 2023 population of approximately 36,000. Residents of the City of Eagle take pride in
the city's small town,friendly atmosphere.
As a department of the City of Eagle,the library's service area lies within the incorporated city limits and
funding is derived from property taxes as part of the General Fund.
Municipal libraries and their governing boards are established and operate under Idaho Code. The
Library board sets policy for the operation of the public library. By law, Library Boards in Idaho are
responsible, rather than advisory. The Library Board is composed of five City of Eagle residents who
represent a cross section of community interests. Each Board member is appointed for a five-year term.
Mission Statement
We provide lifelong education and build a stronger community.
Vision Statement
We provide a welcoming and forward-thinking place where all Eagle residents can have educational,
enlightening, and enjoyable experiences.
Service Goals
Resources that Reflect the Community
• The collections and digital resources emphasize popular materials and topics, kindergarten
readiness, and life-long learning.
• Expand collections of physical materials to enhance the community's entertainment and
educational opportunities.
• Provide accessible technology for patron use.
• Maintain quality readers' advisory services in-person and online.
• Empower patrons to confidently access and use library resources through greater awareness,
training, and marketing.
Offer Programs
• Design programming options tailored to the community.
• Increase intergenerational programming opportunities.
• Maximize use of outreach tools and resources.
• Expand program for families to learn and discover together with other families.
• Strengthen community connections by providing community outreach services.
Partner Up
• Expand our concept of traditional library partners.
• Identify and support community library ambassadors.
• Build community relationships.
Eagle Public Library Strategic Plan,2023-2028 Aproved by the Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees,May 17,2023
• Leverage partnerships to increase library awareness and programming opportunities.
Be Accessible
• Simplify the guest experience.
• Identify and eliminate barriers to guest service.
• Respond to societal and institutional change.
• Reflect the community and its many facets.
Tell the Library's Story
• Target library marketing to community segments.
• Increase awareness and availability of new and existing services.
• Represent the library in the community.
• Provide staff with the resources to develop and maintain skills to deliver consistent, quality
service to all guests.
• Watch for opportunities to supplement tax-payer funding.
Make Space
• Develop facilities master plan which reflects the City-approved Eagle is HOME Comprehensive
Plan, and prioritizes capital projects for short-term needs and long-term growth.
• Create accessible,flexible spaces within the library to meet the changing needs of staff and
guests.
• Ensure that service areas are comfortable environments that promote use of the facilities and
the collections.
2
EAGLE Strategic Plan, 2023-2028
Approved by the Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees,May,17,2023
Mission
We provide life-long education and build a stronger community.
Vision
We provide a welcoming and forward-thinking place where all Eagle residents can have educational,enlightening,and enjoyable experiences.
Resources that Reflect the Community Offer Programs Tell the Library's Story
The collections and digital resources emphasize Design programming options Target library marketing to community segments.
popular materials and topics, kindergarten tailored to the community.
Increase awareness and availability of
readiness,and life-long learning. Increase intergenerational new and existing services.
Expand collections of physical materials programming opportunities.
Represent the library in the community.
to enhance the community's entertainment
Maximize use of outreach tools and resources.
and educational opportunities. Provide staff with the resources to
Expand programming for families develop and maintain skills to deliver
Provide accessible technology for patron use. to learn and discover together with other families. consistent,quality service to all guests.
Maintain quality readers'advisory services Strengthen community connections by providing Watch for opportunities to
in-person and online. community outreach services. supplement tax-payer funding.
Empower patrons to confidently access and use
library resources through greater awareness,
training,and marketing.
Partner Up Be Accessible Make Space
Expand our concept of traditional library partners. Simplify the guest experience. Develop a facilities master plan which reflects the
City-approved Eagle is HOME Comprehensive Plan,
Identify and support Identify and eliminate barriers to guest service. and prioritizes capital projects for
community library ambassadors. Respond to societal and institutional change. short-term needs and long-term growth.
Build community relationships. Reflect the community and its many facets. Create accessible,flexible spaces within the library
Leverage partnerships to to meet the changing needs of staff and guests.
increase library awareness Ensure that service areas are
and programming opportunities. comfortable environments that
promote use of the facilities and the collections.
EAGLE Strategic Plan, 2023-2028
,;=; .
Approved by the Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees,May,17,2023
Mission
We provide life-long education and build a stronger community.
Vision
We provide a welcoming and forward-thinking place where all Eagle residents can have educational,enlightening,and enjoyable experiences.
Resources that Reflect the Community Offer Programs Tell the Library's Story
The collections and digital resources emphasize Design programming options Target library marketing to community segments.
popular materials and topics, kindergarten tailored to the community.
Increase awareness and availability of
readiness,and life-long learning. Increase intergenerational new and existing services.
Expand collections of physical materials programming opportunities.
Represent the library in the community.
to enhance the community's entertainment Maximize use of outreach tools and resources.
and educational opportunities. Provide staff with the resources to
Expand programming for families develop and maintain skills to deliver
Provide accessible technology for patron use. to learn and discover together with other families. consistent,quality service to all guests.
Maintain quality readers'advisory services Strengthen community connections by providing Watch for opportunities to
in-person and online. community outreach services. supplement tax-payer funding.
Empower patrons to confidently access and use
library resources through greater awareness,
training,and marketing.
Partner Up Be Accessible Make Space
Expand our concept of traditional library partners. Simplify the guest experience. Develop a facilities master plan which reflects the
City-approved Eagle is HOME Comprehensive Plan,
Identify and support Identify and eliminate barriers to guest service. and prioritizes capital projects for
community library ambassadors. Respond to societal and institutional change. short-term needs and long-term growth.
Build community relationships. Reflect the community and its many facets. Create accessible,flexible spaces within the library
Leverage partnerships to to meet the changing needs of staff and guests.
increase library awareness Ensure that service areas are
and programming opportunities. comfortable environments that
promote use of the facilities and the collections.
Eagle Public Library
Strategic Plan 2023-2028
Adopted by the Board of Trustees, May 17, 2023
Background
The Eagle Public Library is a public library located in the City of Eagle, Idaho, a Treasure Valley
community with a 2023 population of approximately 36,000. Residents of the City of Eagle take pride in
the city's small town,friendly atmosphere.
As a department of the City of Eagle,the library's service area lies within the incorporated city limits and
funding is derived from property taxes as part of the General Fund.
Municipal libraries and their governing boards are established and operate under Idaho Code. The
Library board sets policy for the operation of the public library. By law, Library Boards in Idaho are
responsible, rather than advisory. The Library Board is composed of five City of Eagle residents who
represent a cross section of community interests. Each Board member is appointed for a five-year term.
Mission Statement
We provide lifelong education and build a stronger community.
Vision Statement
We provide a welcoming and forward-thinking place where all Eagle residents can have educational,
enlightening, and enjoyable experiences.
Service Goals
Resources that Reflect the Community
• The collections and digital resources emphasize popular materials and topics, kindergarten
readiness, and life-long learning.
• Expand collections of physical materials to enhance the community's entertainment and
educational opportunities.
• Provide accessible technology for patron use.
• Maintain quality readers' advisory services in-person and online.
• Empower patrons to confidently access and use library resources through greater awareness,
training, and marketing.
Offer Programs
• Design programming options tailored to the community.
• Increase intergenerational programming opportunities.
• Maximize use of outreach tools and resources.
• Expand program for families to learn and discover together with other families.
• Strengthen community connections by providing community outreach services.
Partner Up
• Expand our concept of traditional library partners.
• Identify and support community library ambassadors.
• Build community relationships.
Eagle Public Library Strategic Plan,2023-2028 Aproved by the Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees,May 17,2023
• Leverage partnerships to increase library awareness and programming opportunities.
Be Accessible
• Simplify the guest experience.
• Identify and eliminate barriers to guest service.
• Respond to societal and institutional change.
• Reflect the community and its many facets.
Tell the Library's Story
• Target library marketing to community segments.
• Increase awareness and availability of new and existing services.
• Represent the library in the community.
• Provide staff with the resources to develop and maintain skills to deliver consistent, quality
service to all guests.
• Watch for opportunities to supplement tax-payer funding.
Make Space
• Develop facilities master plan which reflects the City-approved Eagle is HOME Comprehensive
Plan, and prioritizes capital projects for short-term needs and long-term growth.
• Create accessible, flexible spaces within the library to meet the changing needs of staff and
guests.
• Ensure that service areas are comfortable environments that promote use of the facilities and
the collections.
2