Collection Development Policy
Library Mission Statement
The Cumberland Public Library is a window to information, education, and community.
Purpose of the Collection Development Policy
As approved by the Board of Trustees, this policy defines the philosophies and processes that shape the Cumberland Public Library collection and plans how the collection will be adaptive to community needs. In addition, this policy outlines how the library responds to reasonable challenges by community members while also protecting the collection from imbalanced or unreasonable challenges that do not serve the community at large. Finally, this policy is a roadmap towards the definitive objective of maintaining a vibrant, relevant, and inclusive collection that reflects the needs and interests of the community.
Philosophy and Scope of the Collection
The collection is an evolving entity that is meant to reflect the diverse needs, interests, and cultures of the community. As new materials are added, others are reviewed for their ongoing value and possibly removed from the collection. Professional staff regularly review new materials for potential selection while also assessing materials that could be withdrawn.
The collection includes the available materials in the library developed by the professional staff and also draws upon resources of the statewide network. Interlibrary loan is used to secure materials from other libraries whose specialized materials may supplement or support a specific need of a community member that is beyond collection’s intended scope.
The collection includes materials in a variety of formats. Professional staff continuously review and revise the mix of formats acquired in response to the development of new media and to the demonstrated and anticipated needs of the community.
The collection aspires to serve the educational, recreational, and entertainment needs of the individual library user while also comprehensively reflecting and respecting the diversity of all community members.
The collection does not ordinarily include textbooks, except in subject areas where materials in another form are not conveniently available. Professional library staff do, however, attempt to identify and purchase informational materials to supplement the research needs of students in the community.
The collection also reflects a particular interest in local history and in works by local authors. Professional staff will, however, apply the same materials selection standards to local authors as they do to all other materials under consideration for selection.
The scope of the collection also includes online materials such as digital books, databases, and interactive learning resources. The online collection also seeks to represent the diverse viewpoints, interests, backgrounds, and informational needs of the community. This area of the collection also continuously evolves as new technologies develop, new resources become available, and others becoming less relevant or receive little usage.
Objectives of the Collection
The collection purposes to serve all community members regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, sexuality, religion, disability, or country of origin. Professional staff strive to carefully select books, media, and other materials to aid the individual in the pursuit of education, information, recreation, research, and in the creative use of leisure time. In order to meet the collection objectives, materials must be regularly assessed for their usage, condition, relevance, and ongoing community interest. Materials that do not continuously meet the established criteria for the collection—and therefore do not work towards the collection objectives—may be withdrawn by professional staff.
Responsibility for Materials Selection
Ultimate responsibility for this policy lies with the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees delegates the selection of library materials and the development of the collection to the Library Director and such authorized members of the professional staff who are qualified by reason of education and training. Authorized members of the professional staff are the Library Director, Assistant Library Director, Adult Services Coordinator, Reference Services Coordinator, Teen Services Coordinator, and Children’s Services Coordinator. All other staff positions also assist with the process of identifying and assessing materials being considered for selection or withdrawal.
Selection Process and Criteria for Selection
While considering materials for selection, professional staff regularly review reliable publications produced by the library and publishing fields. Professional staff also consult a wide variety of online resources depending on their collection subject matter and age range. Additional resources used to determine the popularity and quality of materials also include publisher catalogs, vendor catalogs, newsletters, social media, newspaper book reviews, and word-of-mouth among the professional community. In addition, competent reviewing media and basic lists of standard works—“core collections”—are consulted. Professional staff submit orders through various vendors and upon arrival materials are processed for circulation. The selection process is much the same for e-books and e-audiobooks.
Criteria for selection includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the following:
- High standard of quality in content, format, and binding
- Relevance to interests and needs of the community
- Relevance to the existing collection’s strengths and weaknesses
- Current or historical significance of the author or subject
- Demonstrated interest or demand by library users or potential library users
- Current usefulness and/or potential permanent value
- Importance as a record of the times
- Date of publication, especially for frequently changing nonfiction topics (i.e. technology)
- Price, availability, and the library materials budget
- Reputation and qualifications of author, publisher, and/or producer of the materials with preference generally given to titles vetted and edited by credible industry members
The general selection process and criteria apply for all collection areas. The children's collection is carefully selected for children of all ages and backgrounds, with emphasis on books, periodicals, and media which stimulate imagination, provide information, and help develop children's literacy and life skills. While there may be some overlap in community need, it should be noted that the public library collection and the school library collections are separate entities. Materials for teens are selected to provide sound information and understanding of the world they live in and for recreational reading reflecting a diversity of subjects and experiences.
Inclusion of Local Authors in the Collection
For the purpose of collection management, local authors are those who reside in the state of Rhode Island. Materials presented for selection must meet criteria for inclusion as stated above. Materials will be treated with the same selection and retention guidelines. Selected materials become property of the library. The library also reserves the right to include or exclude any title from the collection for any reason. Materials donated to the library may be removed for any reason, at any time. Local works given to the library that are not selected for the collection will be donated.
Gifts for the Collection
Gifts of books and other materials will be considered for the collection with the understanding that they will be evaluated in accordance with the same selection criteria. Professional staff reserves the right to dispose of gifts (and donations) in any way that seems appropriate should they not be selected for the collection. If a gift is a monetary donation for the purchase of memorial books or other materials, the selection will be made by the professional staff in consultation with the donor. The name of the donor or the memorialized party will be entered on the book plate.
Content of Collection Materials
Without promoting particular beliefs or views, the collection provides a resource for various opinions which apply to important, complex, and controversial questions, including unpopular and unorthodox positions. This position is supported by the ALA Statement on the Freedom to Read (APPENDIX A). Language, situations, or subjects that may be offensive to some community members do not disqualify material which, in its entirety, is judged to be of value. Collections materials are not marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of the contents. It should also be noted that public libraries are also not responsible for publisher created marketing materials, such as jacket copy, plot summaries, or character descriptions.
Use of Collection Materials
Responsibility for the reading, listening and viewing habits of community members of all ages does not fall within the purview of libraries. Selection of collection materials is not restricted by the possibility that children and/or minors may obtain materials their parents or guardians consider inappropriate. This reflects the American Library Association's interpretation of the "Library Bill of Rights," (APPENDIX B) as further explained in the "Free Access to Libraries for Minors" statement and the "Access for Children and Young People to Videotapes and Other Non-print Formats" statement. (APPENDIX C). Professional staff may advise on the use of the collection (e.g. reading recommendations, research requests) but they do not define what is and is not appropriate for each individual member of the community.
Some collection materials may be considered rare, fragile, or of great scholarly interest. In that case, the use of these items of is controlled to the extent required to preserve them from harm. This policy is in strict accordance and agreement with the American Library Association's statement on "Restricted Access to Library Materials." (APPENDIX D).
Recommendations and Requests
The collection foremost seeks to meet the interests and the needs of the community. Therefore, recommendations and requests from the community are always welcomed and given thoughtful consideration by professional staff. Recommended and requested materials are subject to the same selection criteria as all other materials. Recommendations and requests can be submitted online using the “Suggestion Box” form on the library website: https://cumberlandlibrary.org/suggestion-box. Additionally, the Ocean State Libraries form may be used, and the information will be redirected to local professional staff: https://oslri.org/recommend-to-library/. Recommendations and requests can also be made at any service desk where they will be logged by staff and directed to a selector of the appropriate collection area. Finally, if a recommendation or request is denied, community members may submit a Request for Reconsideration: Objection to Exclusion form (APPENDIX E) which will be reviewed by the library director.
Requests for Reconsideration of Collection Materials
A Request for Reconsideration of Collection Materials form (APPENDIX F) may be submitted to professional staff by community members. The Library Director, along with the professional staff member responsible for the appropriate collection area, will review the request and alert the community member or organization of the decision. For full consideration of a request, the form must be filled out in full and include citations of the questionable content in the materials. Requests for Reconsideration that do not include a completed form will be denied. In addition, materials not fully viewed, read, or otherwise consumed by the requestor will not be considered for exclusion. Finally, requestors for reconsideration are expected to be Ocean State Libraries cardholders or, in the absence of a library card, Town of Cumberland residents.
Maintenance the Collection
To keep the collection in its most vibrant and relevant condition, professional staff will use their judgment in removing from the collection materials which are no longer useful, fall outside the scope of the collection, or no longer meet the collection objectives. Criteria for “weeding”— removal from the library collection—include but are not limited to:
- Damage or poor condition
- No longer relevant to the needs and interest of the community
- Infrequent use and lack of demand from the community
- No longer accurate or proven to contain misinformation or disinformation
Revision of the Collection Development Policy
Like the collection itself, this document is an evolving entity that is subject to change any time. Revisions will be made and documented as circumstances arise, and could include developments in the professional field, the need to address gaps in community needs, or to clarify the goals and philosophy of the collection.
Approved Library Board of Trustees, February 27, 2023