I.  COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

It is the mission of this policy statement to provide a general set of guidelines for the development and maintenance of the materials collections offered by Somerville Public Library.

II. LIBRARY MISSION STATEMENT

It is the aim of Somerville Public Library to meet the informational, educational, cultural and recreational needs of our patrons by providing library materials and information sources in a variety of formats and reading levels in accordance with the mission and goals of this Library, the varied interests of our patrons, and budgetary constraints.

Somerville Public Library exists to serve as a center for current, reliable and appropriate information and as a resource for the continuing, lifelong education of all members of the community.  The Library seeks to stimulate reading interests of both children and adults by placing special emphasis on enrichment programs for all ages.

In compliance with our constitutional rights of freedom of speech and freedom of the press, the Library will attempt to provide the widest range of viewpoints based on the quality, cost, and availability of the materials for purchase.

Somerville Public Library will strive to satisfy the diverse information needs and interests of our community through selection, acquisition, organization and preservation of Library materials and to provide skilled guidance in their use.

III. INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE
Somerville Public Library began as a private library in 1994.  The Library became a department of the City of Somerville in 2006 and is affiliated with the Alabama Public Library Service. Somerville Public Library is governed by the Somerville Public Library Board of Trustees consisting of five members appointed by the Mayor and Somerville City Council.

The Library is located within the City of Somerville which, according to the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau, has a population of 347.  The median household income for Somerville is $26,250 with 13% of the Somerville population having incomes below the poverty level. The Library also serves eastern Morgan County, a rural portion of the county with a population of 111,064.  The median household income is $37,803 with 9.7% of the county population having incomes below the poverty level.

Our Library offers computer learning programs designed to improve skills needed for passing the GED, ACT, U.S. Citizenship, Adult Basic Skills and numerous other tests.  Also offered online is a Basic Skills Learning program to improve language and math skills in both English and Spanish.  These computer programs are available for use within the Library and off site.

Each summer Somerville Public Library sponsors a Summer Reading Program offered through Alabama Public Library Service.  Story Hours are offered year round for pre-school and elementary age students.  Off-site Librarian visits are made to local private pre-school programs, child care centers and Head Start.

Somerville Public Library went into full automation in November, 2008 as the result of an LSTA grant from the Alabama Public Library Service.  Somerville Public Library began serving our community with the ATRIUUM automation system in November, 2008.  Our Library houses a collection in excess of 12,000 items.  Annual circulation averages 15,000 with 6,500 library visits annually.  Registered patrons number 300.

IV.  MATERIALS SELECTION

Materials are selected by trained staff in an effort to maintain a well-balanced, up-to-date, attractive, and useful collection of materials that will meet the needs of the community as a whole.  Factors affecting materials selection include suitability of a material’s format for Library purposes, availability of funds, availability of new materials in needed subject areas, replacement of outdated and worn materials (weeding), and space.

The final responsibility for selection is granted by the Somerville Public Library Board of Trustees to the Library Director, who considers the reviews in professional journals such as Library Journal, School Library Journal, Booklist, and Publisher’s Weekly as well as patron and staff requests via completion of a “Recommendation of Material for Purchase” form, during the selection process.

V.  COLLECTION OBJECTIVES

The permanent book collection should reflect a strong, accurate, and up-to-date reference collection, a broad fiction selection of classics, as well as standard and popular items, and basic non-fiction titles covering a wide range of subject areas for the researcher and the recreational reader.  If determined necessary by the Library Director and/or Board of Trustees, specialized collections may be developed to meet specific research, information, or recreational needs of the community.

Materials are selected and retained on the basis of their content.  Somerville Public Library collections represent diverse points of view.  The library collections, as much as possible, reflect the community and its diversity of interests, perspectives and backgrounds.  The Library also seeks to bring awareness of those cultures, traditions and ideas not represented in the local community.  The selection principles promote the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read Act, Freedom to View Act, and Intellectual Freedom Statement and ALA Guidelines for Access to Electronic Information. (See Appendices).

VI. GENERAL CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS

In selecting materials for the library collections, the Director and Staff use the following

criteria:

    • Appropriateness to library’s mission and service roles
    • Relationship to existing collection and other titles available
    • Availability elsewhere or more in keeping with other institutions roles
    • Availability to purchase or access
    • Requests by patrons, advisory groups, and staff
    • Suitability of format for user’s needs and subject
    • Community interests and needs
    • Relevance to the experiences and contributions of divers populations
    • Levels of funding and cost of item
    • Anticipated use
    • Physical quality of material
    • Value of resource in relation to its cost
    • Authority, accuracy and accessibility of presentation
    • Currency of information
    • Reputation of author, publisher or issuing body
    • Attention and response of critics, reviewers and general public
    • Subject matter and scope
    • Historical significance
    • Quality and style of writing
    • Inclusion of work in bibliographies, recommendations lists, indexes

VIII.  ADULT COLLECTION

A. Fiction

The collection focuses on twentieth century literature including classics and standard titles, diverse genres and special interests.  There is no single standard for inclusion in the fiction collection.  Because of the large volume of fiction published, it is possible to purchase only a representative selection with emphasis on major authors and the most popular examples of a genre.

Patron requests for fiction are purchased whenever possible and influence the addition of more copies.  (Ratio of 5 patron requests per copy.)  Genre fiction such as mysteries, romances, espionage, horror, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy and westerns are purchased in proportion to demand and use statistics.  Efforts are made to complete series, purchase award winning titles and to represent local authors, publishers and subject matter.

B. Non-Fiction

The non-fiction collection emphasizes timely, accurate and useful informational materials to support individual and community interests.  It emphasizes materials that are current and in high demand.  Resources are available for all ages and reading levels in a variety of formats.  Materials are selected to represent a continuum of opinions and viewpoints when available.  Titles with sustaining value and those of current, accepted authority are part of the library collection.  As a new field of knowledge emerges, the library responds with timely additions.

Somerville Public Library emphasizes non-scholarly materials.  For more in-depth research, patrons are directed to use the Alabama Virtual Library and other available search engines.  Some priority areas for Somerville Public Library include; computer books, general religion, job-search and resumes,
personal finance, law for lay persons, test study materials, home repair, crafts, holidays, pets, gardening, health, cookbooks, popular biographies, travel and books on contemporary issues.

C. Reference

Reference materials are for in house use.  They provide quick, concise and up-to-date information.  Included are indexes, encyclopedias, bibliographies, biographical resources, dictionaries, almanacs and directories.  Readers’ Advisory materials include a selection of bibliographic books to assist readers in selecting recreational materials in various genres.

Additional selection criteria for Reference Materials:

  1. Ease of use
  2. Format
  3. Authoritativeness
  4. Frequency of use
  5. Scope and depth of coverage
  6. Demands on subject areas which circulating collection cannot meet

    D. Electronic Resources

    Somerville Public Library makes access to global electronic resources available to all library patrons.  The Library recognizes that the development of electronic information and networking poses new challenges as well as new opportunities for patrons, board and staff.  The Library believes that these challenges and opportunities are best addressed by adherence to the fundamental principals of traditional library use and the principles of a free society.

    Questions considered when evaluating whether to link to a remote website:

      1. Is the subject matter and information useful for our patrons?
      2. Is the remote site easily accessible?
      3. Is it relevant to the overall mission of the Library?
      4. Is it a local resource?
      5. Is the resource of sufficient quality to merit a link?
      6. Who has established the page? (Authority)
      7. Is there a sponsor?
      8. Is the information accurate?
      9. Is there discernable bias?
      10. Does the page have a posting and/or revision date?
      11. Is the site regularly maintained?

      2. 1.  Internet Access

      The Internet enables the library to provide information resources beyond
      the confines of its own collection.  The Internet allows access to ideas, information and commentary from around the globe.  Currently it is a voluntary and unevenly regulated medium.  While the Internet offers a wealth of materials that are personally, professionally and culturally enriching to individuals of all ages, it also enable access to some material that may by offensive, disturbing and/or illegal, inaccurate or incomplete.  The Library provides filtered free access to the Internet to card holding patrons.  The responsibility for what minors read or view on the Internet rests with parents or guardians.  In support of parental responsibility, Somerville Public Library requires children under the age of 17 to have parental/guardian permission to obtain a library card.  Parents or designated guardians who wish to deny Internet access to the children for whom they are legally responsible are able to do so by placing a restriction on those minors’ library cards.  Computer use requires an Somerville Public Library card.

      2.  Web Links

      Professional staff will identify and recommend interesting and useful Internet destinations and resources from the Library’s home page, which support the Library’s Mission and service roles, as we do for the in-house library materials collection.  Links to information resources are based on staff’s judgment of the best resources available and do not imply endorsement.  Users should recognize, however, that the Library is not responsible for the content of linked sites, or for the content of sources accessed through subsequent lings.  The library cannot control or monitor material that may be accessible from internet sources because the Internet is a vast and unregulated medium with access points that can and do change rapidly and unpredictably.

      Questions considered when evaluating whether to link to a remote website:

      3.  Electronic and Online Databases

      The State of Alabama offers all citizens of the state access to its premier
      Database collection, the Alabama Virtual Library.  The AVL is a collection of 56 databases encompassing all age groups and a vast range of topics.  The AVL is accessed by using an individual AVL card.  The card is free and is obtained from any Alabama public library.  The Alabama Virtual Library may then be accessed from any online computer with the individual access code.

    E. Periodicals and Newspapers

    Periodicals are an important source of new ideas, current topics, and consumer information and are in high demand as recreational reading material.  Somerville Public Library subscribes to a broad range of approximately 25 periodicals and newspapers.  Periodicals are generally retained for one year and newspapers are generally retained for three months.  The periodicals collection is reviewed annually for additions and deletions.

    F.  Audio/Visual Materials

    As with print materials, the audio/visual collections are selective rather than comprehensive in scope.  All materials selected will contribute to the fulfillment of goals of the Library as a whole, and criteria for the selection of audio and video materials are much the same as those used in the selection of other collections.

      1. To provide basic information on a variety of subjects of interest to patrons.  The video collection is considered an adjunct to the print collection, with emphasis placed on purchases in which the nature of the medium adds substantially to the viewer’s understanding.
      2. To provide children with a quality selection of preschool learning and entertainment ideas: film versions of children’s literature; selected non-fiction videos that reflect areas of interest across generations and award winning children’s films.
      3. To provide patrons with entertainment videos including feature films with an emphasis on family entertainment and literature based material.  The focus of the entertainment video collection is towards quality productions from such entities as PBS, BBC and A&E and for classic television series.
      1. Technical quality of audio and visual reproduction
      2. Presentation or experience that is unique to format and provides an alternative to print
      3. Significance of performance or diversity in interpretation
      4. Critical acclaim as demonstrated in awards, nomination fro awards, and/or reviews
      5. Suitability to be circulated or housed in a sturdy, safe and convenient manner.

      2. 1.  Audio Books (Cassettes and CD’s)

      Audio materials are considered an adjunct to the print collection; this collection is not intended to mirror development of literature or to systematically cover non-fiction topics.  A balance is maintained between abridged and unabridged titles with preference to unabridged if a choice is available.  Fiction is emphasized over non-fiction.  As patrons move from cassette players to CDs the ration of these materials will also change over time.

      2.  Videos/DVDs

      The goals of the video collections are:

      The focus of the Library video collection is on materials not easily available locally from video stores.  Videos are protected by copyright and are for home use only.

      Additional selection criteria for Audio/Visual Materials

    IX. COLLECTIONS FOR YOUTH AND CHILDREN

    The range of users served by Young Adult and Children’s collections include preschool children significantly those in day care and preschools; home schooling families, private and public school students; and university students of Education, especially Children’s Literature.

    The primary collections include:

    1. Picture Books – board books, wordless books, simple concept and informational books, classic and contemporary preschool stories and folklore; audio cassette book packages.
    2. Readers – books specifically designed for the emerging reader with controlled and/or progressively constructed vocabularies
    3. Easy Fiction – very simple chapter books and sophisticated picture books.
    4. Juvenile fiction – quality contemporary and historical fiction for readers from ages 7/8 to 11/12 years as well as genres (fantasy, science fiction, mystery), fiction series and paperbacks.
    5. Juvenile Nonfiction – informational books for youth up to age 12 (grades 5/6) with an emphasis on mythology and folklore; physical and natural science; arts and crafts; sports; poetry; biography; and the culture, customs and history of people from regions of the U.S. and countries of the world.
    6. Juvenile Reference and Reader’s Advisory – a highly selective collection of bibliographic resources for readers’ advisory assistance and encyclopedias for key areas of research by youth.
    7. Young Adult Collection – selected hardback collection of standard fiction with multiple and ephemeral titles in paperback, for the recreational reading of youth ages 11/12 – 16/17 (6th – 11th grades); highly selective collection of nonfiction resources for the personal interest of these youth, focusing on issues of adolescent development and self-identity.

    Additional Selection Criteria for Materials for Youth

    1. Age and interest appropriate content and presentation
    2. Emphasis on quality, critically acclaimed materials as demonstrated in awards, specialized bibliographies and/or reviews.
    3. Quality and aesthetics of illustrations to stimulate the imagination
    4. Awareness of curriculum-based needs of public, private, and home school students, and secondarily university students of children’s literature.
    5. Information and stories, which represent a spectrum of family styles, values and interests.
    6. Materials, which represent the richness and diversity of young people’s local and world community.
    7. Materials which meet the particular developmental need of youth at different stages.

    X.  SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

    Somerville Public Library maintains a few special collections, for which the development and management differ somewhat from the general collections.

      A. GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY

      OPL maintains a growing collection of local history and genealogical materials.  This collection is considered Reference Materials and as such does not circulate.  Gifts to the collection are encouraged.

      B. PROFESSIONAL COLLECTION

      A small collection of specialized materials pertaining to the management and development of public libraries is kept for use by OPL staff.  These materials are shelved in the Reference Collection and may be used in house by all patrons.  The library staff reserves the right to request the surrender of materials from the Professional Collection if the need arises. A small collection of materials is also maintained for the use of the Director for Story Hour and library presentations including: selected picture books, pop-up books, “Big” books, professional journals and resources for librarians working with young people.  These materials are non-circulating, but may be made available to patrons upon request.

      C. BEACH BOOKS

      A collection of paperback books are made available during the summer months for adults and young adults.  This collection is made up entirely of donated materials and receives minimal processing.  Because the cost of the collection is slight, replacement fees for lost or damaged materials are a flat $5 fee.

    XI.  COLLECTION MAINTENANCE

    Somerville Public Library recognizes the need for ongoing evaluation of its collections to assure currency and visually inviting and accessible collections. This ongoing maintenance includes weeding, replacement, repair, restoration and review of standing order agreements.  The most cost-effective option is selected when making replacement versus repair decisions.

      1. Materials with obsolete content
      2. Materials which are used infrequently
      3. Materials that have no anticipated use
      4. Materials in poor or irreparable physical condition
      5. Older editions of encyclopedias, almanacs, directories, yearbooks and standard texts
      6. Materials which are incomplete sets in which items missing seriously impair their usefulness
      7. Works containing information that has been superseded or presented in newer, more comprehensive or more accessible formats
      1. Materials with regular and on-going use
      2. Works containing useful local information
      3. Primary works in particular disciplines or topics
      4. Works representative of an era, trend or movement which provide unique coverage
      5. Works listed in standard or authoritative up to date bibliographies regularly used by staff and public
      6. Placement of desired item is not possible

      2. A.  Weeding Guidelines

      Discard:

      B.  Retention Guidelines

      C.  Censorship and Reconsideration of Library Materials

      The Somerville Public Library Board of Trustees believes that the only acceptable censorship is self-censorship, therefore, it is the intent of the Board that no challenged library material shall be removed from the collection except upon court order, and after adversary proceedings in which the Somerville Public Library Board defends inclusion of the material, unless said material was placed in the collection in violation of this policy.

      The Library director will devise and implement appropriate procedure for patrons to register complaints concerning materials, which must include appeal to the Somerville Public Library board of Trustees.  See appendix for the “Request for Reconsideration of Specific Library Materials” form.

      D.  Gifts

      The Library may accept gifts of materials and monetary donations to purchase materials.  Often gifts are given in memory of a loved one or to commemorate a special event.  Donated items will be carefully reviewed for their overall contributions to the Library’s mission, service priorities and relevance to the collection.  Materials donated to the Library will be added to the collection if they meet the criteria for materials selection and are in good physical condition.  No materials from anonymous sources will be considered for inclusion in the library collection.     Once given, all gifts are the property of Somerville Public Library and will be treated on an equal basis with purchased materials with regard to the inclusion, display, housing, circulation and disposition of material.