COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY Our Area of Service: The Hawarden Public Library serves the community of Hawarden which has a population of 2,543 according to the 2010 census. We also serve the neighboring communities in Iowa and South Dakota as well as the western portion of Sioux County. The collection of the Hawarden Public Library intends to meet the mission of the library as determined by the Board of Trustees, the library staff, and community members. Our Mission: Support: The mission of the Hawarden Public Library is to provide residents of all ages with the enjoyment of popular recreational materials in a variety of formats the ability to find, evaluate, and use information effectively in their lives, the opportunity to better understand their cultural heritage; and the means to continue learning throughout their lifetime. The Hawarden Public Library will provide a trained staff, print sources, electronic sources, computer services including the internet, programs and training, outreach services, meeting rooms, study areas, equipment and other items on an equal basis to residents of the Hawarden community. The Hawarden Public Library provides library materials for the information, entertainment, intellectual development, and enrichment of the people of Hawarden. Library materials are chosen according to the Collection Development Policy which has been approved by the Hawarden Public Library Board of Trustees. Purpose of the Collection Development Policy This policy is in effect to: --further the mission and roles of the Hawarden Public Library --guide librarians in the selection of materials --inform the public about the principles upon which selections are made
General Collection Development Principles The Hawarden Public Library is a public forum; a place where ideas and information are freely communicated, where a broad spectrum of opinion and a variety of viewpoints is presented in its collection, displays, programs, and services and where all of these reflect both majority and minority cultures, the work of men and women, respect for young and old and the various lifestyles and abilities and diverse aspects of our society. The library strives to present materials representing all sides of an issue in a neutral, unbiased manner. The existence of a particular viewpoint in the collection is an expression of the library s policy of intellectual freedom, not an endorsement of the particular point of view. The Hawarden Public Library endorses the Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read and Freedom to View of the American Library Association. (These documents are available at the end of this policy). Selection Responsibility Responsibility for selecting and developing the collection of the Hawarden Public Library rests with the library director. He or she operates within the framework of the policies set by the Hawarden Public Library Board of Trustees. The Library Board delegates the duties of selection to the director who has the authority to delegate some selection to other staff members. The director reserves the final authority over the trends and specifics of the collection under the parameters set by the board. Patrons are also an important part of the selection process. Forms by which patrons may suggest materials for the collection are available at the circulation desk. Patrons may also suggest materials through email to the library or by telephone. Selection Tools A variety of reviewing sources, bibliographies and direct inspection are used in selecting items which meet the needs of our library patrons. Because of budget constraints, the director and staff continually look for ways to get the most value for the dollars that are budgeted. Most books and other materials are purchased through jobbers or other sources that offer substantial discounts. Each year the library director evaluates those discounts and those negotiated by the State Library of Iowa.
Reviewing Sources The following are the sources that are most commonly used in reviewing materials for purchase: Library Journal School Library Journal Booklist Publishers Weekly Hornbook Billboard Junior Literary Guild Online reviews from publishers and other sources, magazine reviews and advance promotional materials from jobbers are also used in addition to catalogs General Selection Criteria 1. Permanent or timely value 2. Accurate information 3. Clear presentation and readability 4. Social significance 5. Price and affordability 6. Literary quality 7. Community interest 8. Evaluations in review media 9. Contribution to diversity or breadth of collections 10. Authoritativeness Collection Balance The library has the responsibility to keep on its shelves a representative selection of materials on all subjects of interest to its users. Or, the library may offer its patrons interlibrary loan to find the books that the patron needs. Controversial materials will not be eliminated from the library because they are controversial. A public library does not have the right to emphasize one side of an issue without regard to the other side. Variety and balance are sought whenever possible. Interlibrary loan is available at the Hawarden Public Library through SILO (State Libraries of Iowa Online). There is a link on the library s web site to SILO or a librarian can help a patron use this service in the library.
Adult Materials Adult Fiction The fiction collection includes standard, classic, contemporary, popular, and bestselling fiction. Other genres include romance, science fiction, fantasy, westerns, Christian fiction or inspirational, and mysteries. Formats include hard cover, paperbacks, large print, and ebooks. The collection reflects the recreational interests of our local readers. Multiple copies are purchased when there is high demand. Adult Nonfiction General interest, consumer oriented nonfiction titles are collected to satisfy the informational and educational needs of our adult readers. Long standing topics of interest as well as timely topics and local interest topics are primary candidates for purchase. Research level materials and text books are not generally collected although some materials may be chosen to support school related topics. Primary consideration will be given to those materials which reflect ease in usage, have an index and are current. The library collection aims to be impartial in the case of controversial subjects and every effort is made to see that all sides are fairly represented. Periodicals Magazines are collected for informational, recreational and leisure reading. Local interet, appeal, subject matter and demand are considered when adding new titles. Available indexing is considered when determining how long a title is retained. Professional journals are acquired within the library field. Back issues of magazines are kept for three years. The library has access to EbsoHost to allow patrons to find older magazine articles online. FIRSTSEARCH is also available within the library to find articles. Newspapers Newspapers are an important source of current information. The library attempts to provide a balanced viewpoint from local, state and national papers. The library s web site has a link to a listing of national newspapers that can be accessed online either at home or within the library. The library also subscribes to county newspapers for the benefit of its patrons.
Children s Materials Children s materials are selected to provide reading for enjoyment and to provide information of interest in various areas. Materials will also support the curriculum being taught in the our local school system. Selection is based on demand and need in acquiring children s materials. The same selection criteria as outlined before applies to the acquisition of children s materials. Children s materials include but are not limited to the following: Books ebooks CdBooks CDMusic Magazines Large Print DVDs Responsibility for the reading of minors rests with the parents/guardians. Selection of materials for the library collection is not restricted by the possibility that minors may obtain materials that parents or guardians may consider inappropriate. Categories in Children s Materials: Picture Books board books, wordless books, concept books (alphabet, numbers, color and contemporary preschool picture book stories and fairy or folk tales Readers Books specifically designed for the emerging reader with controlled and/or Progressively constructed vocabularies. Juvenile Fiction Titles meeting the recreational and educational needs of students with 2 nd through 6 th grade reading levels. Genres included are mystery, sports, science fiction, adventure, humor, historical fiction, and novels about the problems of contemporary boys and girls Juvenile nonfiction Informational books for youth up to grade 12 with an emphasis on the culture, customs, and history of people from the individual sates and countries of the world; physical and natural science, the arts and handicrafts, sports, poetry, and biography. Young Adult Fiction Selected collection of contemporary and classic fiction titles in hardback and paperback for the recreational reading of youth grades 6 th through 12 th grades.
Audio Materials Recorded Books The library s goal is to provide a collection of recorded educational and quality literature that parallels most areas of the general collection. The use of compact disc players at home and in automobiles has led to a demand for books in CD format. Efforts are made to select on a variety of topics and to appeal to a wide range of interests. Both abridged and unabridged selections will be purchased or leased to fulfill the needs of patrons. In addition, downloadable audio books are available through the library s participation in the WILBOR Consortium. Audio books are available to be checked out through the website in MP3 format and Apple format. The following additional criteria must be taken into account when selecting recorded books: Authority and competency of the producer Artistic merit and reputation of the reader Quality of interpretation and ease of understanding by the user Technical quality Packaging and cost Replacement availability Compact Discs The compact disc collection will reflect popular musical trends as well as the best of past which the needs and likes of our library users. The library will attempt to buy a representative collection of popular music, country and western, classical and jazz materials. DVDS DVDs are added to a the library s collection in a manner consistent with demand and budget. The library will attempt to acquire popular materials as well as those video materials with an educational or instructional bent. Children s materials will also be part of this DVD collection. Popular movies will represent the past as well as the present. Award winners will be given careful consideration.
The following criteria will be used when considering DVDs: --favorable reviews in standard library sources --appropriateness to the current collection --technical quality --availability of public performance rights --price --artistic merit and reputation of the performers --need for non-fiction documentaries to present accurate and current information Local History Local history materials are sought by the library. The collection of this material may be confined to printed materials. The library does not attempt to include artifacts as part of its collection. The local collection does include the slides of the city of Hawarden as donated to the library by the Big Sioux River Valley Historical Society. Those slides have been digitized and are available on the library s web site. Reference To best serve the community, the reference collection must be current and up-to-date. A portion of the library budget will be allocated for yearly updating this collection. The library will endeavor to subscribe to online encyclopedias and databases to be current and allow access to these resources through the library s web site to a patron s home. The library will endeavor to meet the reference needs of the community by both print and electronic medium. The library s web page will have current links to reference materials that have been approved according to the library s selection policy. Computer Software Software will be purchased that meets the educational and informational needs of the Hawarden Public Library patrons.
Paperbacks Paperback books are a vital part of the library s collection for all ages. Paperback books are selected on the basis of popular appeal and on the basis of cost. Mass market paperbacks are purchased to meet the considerable demand for romance, westerns, sagas, science fiction, inspirational l fiction, science fiction, and other genres. Paperback editions of best sellers are purchased to reduce the need for multiple copies. Gifts The library will accept gifts of books, magazines, videos and other materials with the understanding that the materials will be placed in the collection only if they meet the criteria for selection outlined in this policy. Once materials are given to the library, the library has complete control over the items and their use or disposal. The library will receipt the number of items donated but will not estimate the value of the donation. Collection Maintenance/Weeding The library collection is maintained and weeded through an ongoing process of collection analysis. Older items are repaired, withdrawn replaced based on the following: --Needs and interest of the community --Number of circulations, requests and reserves --Affordability --Physical condition and age of the item --In-print status --Appearance in standard lists --Available space --Availability at other libraries Our items discarded are sold twice a year at a library book sale. Proceeds go to the library. Unsold books are offered first at discounted prices and then discarded.
Controversial Materials Public libraries preserve and enhance the people s right to a broader range of ideas than those held by any one librarian, publisher, or government. On occasion, there can be diverse opinions by individuals or groups as to what is acceptable or appropriate for a collection. Library collections are not limited to only those ideas and information which one person or group believe to be true, good and proper. The Hawarden Public Library Board of Trustees believes that anyone is free to reject for himself/herself library materials of which he or she does not approve. However, the individual cannot restrict the freedom of others to read, view, or hear. Parents or legal guardians have the responsibility to guide and direct the reading, viewing, or listening of their own minor children. The library does not take the place of the parent or guardian. Patrons who wish to initiate comments or complaints will receive copies of the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read and the Collection Development Policy. The library director will go over these materials with the patron. It is important to understand that concerns call into question selection decisions that have been made according to policy. The process of registering complaints is designed to make sure the selection was appropriate and results in informing the patron about the philosophy and criteria used. Patrons whose concerns are not satisfied by the staff may fill out a reconsideration form that will be passed on to the Board of Trustees. The patron is welcome to attend the meeting of the trustees. The decision of the trustees on the material is final. Reviewed September 2015