Statement of Purpose
The purpose of the Twinsburg Public Library collection is to make freely available materials that provide information, entertainment, education, and inspiration and which respond to the changing needs of our communities in accordance with the mission of the Twinsburg Public Library.
The purpose of this policy is to inform the public and guide the staff about the principles and criteria upon which selecting, acquiring, cataloging, and weeding of all formats (print, non-print, electronic, and object) are based.
Mission
The Twinsburg Public Library responds to the ever-changing needs of our communities by providing information, entertainment, education, and inspiration in a safe place to meet, speak, think, work, and create.
Introduction
The Library strives:
to provide collections of materials which contribute to the achievement of the Library’s mission.
to provide a broad collection of materials for information, education, and research.
to provide materials for recreational reading, listening, and viewing.
to provide materials representing diverse viewpoints.
to provide materials in alternative formats as necessary to meet the needs of all Library users.
The existence of a particular viewpoint in a collection is not an endorsement of that point of view, but an expression of the Library’s adherence to the principles of intellectual freedom.
Material selection as a privilege belongs to every member of the professional staff; as a responsibility, it rests finally with the director.
Parental Rights and Responsibilities
The Library and the Twinsburg Public Library Board of Trustees cannot assume the role of parents or the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between parent and child (ages 0-17). 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 advise their own children. Parents and guardians can choose if their child may have their own library card and check out AV materials or access the internet, databases, and e-media.
General Selection Guidelines
The library staff shall carefully consider the specific material requests of patrons. Those items that do not meet the standards set forth in this policy will not be purchased.
Library staff members do not usually have an opportunity to examine materials first-hand before they are purchased, nor can they be expected to be experts in all fields. Therefore, selectors must rely primarily on reviews appearing in professional library journals, specialized review publications, and on various Internet sites.
Staff should keep the following in mind when selecting titles:
An item need not meet or fail to meet all considerations to be acceptable or unacceptable.
An item must provide for the interest, information, needs, and enlightenment of the Library’s community, as well as its value in relation to the existing materials collection.
Demand in this community (generated by publicity, school assignments, media-tie-ins, patron requests, and data determined by collection improvement software subscribed to by the Library).
Relationship to other items in the collection.
Cost and ease of acquisition. Cost must be justified within the parameters of the Library’s materials budget and patron need or demand. The Library will not go to extreme means to acquire a work that holds interest for only one community member.
Legality and Copyright: The Twinsburg Public Library will not circulate Advanced Reading Copies, also known as ARCs, as stipulated in good faith agreements with publishers. These Advanced Reading Copies are not completed or edited, leading to inferior works which are not adequate for the collection. In addition, the Library will not purchase or circulate pirated or illegal copies of movies, TV series, music, or any other materials.
Duplicate copies are purchased when demand is high based on holds requests, or when included in local public schools’ curricula, or homeschool curricula, or summer reading lists. Award-winning titles are added to the collection when possible.
Materials are also evaluated and purchased based on these additional criteria:
Materials containing emphasis on sex or using profanity shall not be automatically rejected without consideration of literary value. However, the selection process will exclude materials characterized by calculated eroticism without redeeming social or literary value.
Materials shall not be automatically excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
Selection must meet the anticipated needs of the potential user, as well as the known needs of the regular user.
Materials shall meet high standards of quality in content, expression, and format.
The content shall be authoritative and significant.
Materials shall have either current interest, permanent value, or both.
The significance of the work should compare favorably with other materials on the same topic.
Most works shall have received some favorable critical attention. Materials that are considered standards in their field or published by publishers with established reputations are considered for purchase even though they may not have been reviewed.
The physical condition of the work shall be of sufficient quality to withstand library use.
Titles on standing order include reference materials, travel books, college guides, test review books, and paperback series. The standing order and automatic continuation titles are re-evaluated annually by the collection development team of the Adult Learning and Information Services Department and Youth Services Department. The number of copies shall be adjusted to accommodate patron interest and demand.
The collection will provide for the educational pursuits of all ages and will complement, but not duplicate, the curriculum of the local public school district and the varied curricula for home-schooled students.
Formats
The Library shall acquire and make available materials in formats compatible with contemporary needs for research, education, and recreation. Major types of formats are print (regular and large print), non-print (audiovisual), and digital (e-books, electronic media, and database subscriptions). The Library is a member of the CLEVNET consortium and the State of Ohio database consortium, and any shared resources are selected by representatives of those consortia. The Library shall adopt new technologies as they emerge and demonstrate sustainability as they become available to improve the collection. Twinsburg Public Library also has a “Library of Things,” ranging from mobile hotspots to common household and electronic items.
Annual Materials Allocation
The annual material budget for the Library is divided among departments. The Library aims to maintain the material budget at 15% to 20% of the overall General Fund. The materials budget is recommended by the Director and approved by the Library Board of Trustees in accordance with Ohio public library standards. Factors used to determine the specific allocation for each area may include:
Average cost of materials.
Average circulation of items.
Number of items lost or withdrawn.
Level of development for the category as determined by community use.
Cost of starting or replacing collections.
General Collection Statements
The location of materials will be based on their age-appropriateness and interest as noted.
Adult Materials
The collection is designed to cover broad areas of knowledge and interest, including both basic works of permanent value and timely materials on current issues.
The Library shall strive to provide materials and information which present all points of view on current and historical issues. The collection shall contain materials which present opposing views on controversial topics also, with the goal of striking the best balance among all sides of public issues.
Works of adult fiction shall contribute to the value of the Library’s total collection.
Experimental fiction and works reflecting new or significant social or literary trends shall be considered.
Non-fiction shall be selected on the basis of its content as a whole and shall be characterized by accuracy, integrity, and authenticity.
Highly specialized materials and textbooks for college-level courses will not be purchased.
Teen/Young Adult Materials
The teen collection represents the recreational needs and interests of teenagers ages thirteen and up, including advanced juvenile titles and appropriate adult titles. The collection involves novels that address a variety of social problems teens may face and may contain controversial elements including but not limited to strong language, sexuality, drug use, violence, and abuse.
Curriculum-related, reference, and in-depth subject materials are maintained in the general adult or child collection for use by students of all ages.
Fiction requires consideration of the following:
Subject or theme of interest to teenagers.
Protagonist, who should be a teen or growing adult.
Complex plot and convincing character definition.
Non-fiction is selected in areas of interest and importance to teen readers.
Tween Materials
The “Tween” area serves students in grades four through six with a collection of fiction appropriate for and reflecting that age group. Non-fiction materials for this age group are located in the Children Services department due to lack of physical space.
Juvenile Materials
The general principles and criteria of the materials selection policy of the Library applies to the selection of children’s materials, with the addition of a few special factors:
Suitability of content, style, and format to age of reader.
Fairness of presentation.
Artistic merit in illustrated books.
Youth librarians consult Common Sense Media, a source including reviews from parents and children, as well as trade reviews to assess potential items for the collection.
A wide variety of appropriate materials for children from birth to age 12 will be selected based on literary merit, quality, accuracy, authenticity, and objectivity. Popular books and books of special appeal and current interest to children will be included. In general, the protagonists of children’s fiction will be representative of the age levels served.
Sexual incidents, profanity, and themes about controversial societal values appearing in books shall not automatically be a reason for rejection from the children’s collection. The decision will be based on the accuracy, integrity, and literary merit of the book.
The children’s collection shall strive to foster intercultural communication by including multicultural materials that portray various cultures and minorities in a positive way.
Materials focused on parenting and teaching are also housed in the Children Services department and meet the requirements of adult collection standards.
Magazines and Journals
The periodicals collection shall emphasize community needs and interests, accuracy, objectivity, and a variety of viewpoints on a wide range of topics. Online subscriptions for periodicals are available via the Library’s e-media collection.
Local Authors
Works donated by independently published local authors are available to the public in specially designated areas of the Library. The works must adhere to the Local Author Submission Guidelines (known as Appendix A). The work must meet the criteria of this Collection Development Policy.
The Library does not purchase independently published works unless there is proven demand for the material.
Comic Books and Graphic Novels
Graphic novels, manga, and comic books are selected based upon popularity and age-appropriateness of the text and illustrations. The collection includes nonfiction and classics in graphic novel format. Selections are based upon professional reviews, customer requests, and the popularity of styles, characters, and series. There are graphic novels and manga in the Adult and Teen departments, and graphic novels and comic books in the Children and Tween departments. The chosen location is based on age-appropriateness and age ratings rather than reading level.
Audiovisual Materials
Visual and audio productions intended for informational, or entertainment purposes shall be purchased for adults, teens, and children. The materials will meet the same selection criteria as print materials with some additional criteria, including the physical space available for housing the format.
Musical Recordings
The Library’s audio collection of musical compositions shall represent the wide variety of musical tastes and interests of its users. The collection shall contain examples of all types of music with emphasis on works of lasting importance which best represent their respective genres. Edited versions of albums will be purchased if available; however, “parental advisory” titles are acceptable if they follow standard selection guidelines. The juvenile music collection emphasizes materials for early childhood and elementary grades.
Non-Musical Recordings/Spoken Word or Recorded Books
The Library’s audio collection of spoken word titles shall consist of unabridged, in-demand fiction and non-fiction. Youth titles in Teen and Children Services focus on fiction, award-winning books, classics, and readings of both short and long fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction. Titles that support literacy acquisition are prioritized.
Visual Productions
Visual works shall consist of educational and documentary productions, as well as works of self-instruction and entertainment. Selection of visual media shall be based on favorable critical attention and anticipated demand. In addition to quality of content, technical production quality may be an influencing factor.
Video Games and Software
Video games are collected to serve the recreational needs of the community. Selectors determine which formats will be collected based on availability, usage, community interests, and item cost. Games that include peripherals, additional pieces, or other accessories will not be collected. Titles are purchased for the adult, teen, and juvenile collections according to suitability of content and experience level requirements. The Library does not collect or circulate software for programs that require licenses.
E-media
As streaming becomes a popular source of accessing literature, film, spoken word, and music, the Library aims to create and maintain a robust digital collection. While the criteria for purchasing print materials are generally followed, emphasis is placed on popular titles and demand. The Library must purchase based on the various publishers’ terms. Some items are only held for a certain period of time.
As a member of the CLEVNET consortium, the Library has access to a consortium e-media collection, which does not adhere to a single library’s digital collection development policy.* Materials purchased by the consortium are chosen by staff members at Cleveland Public Library and the vendors staff based on demand.
*Overdrive/Libby as of 2023
The Library does purchase individual titles to supplement the consortium collection. Those titles meet this policy and guidelines. E-materials are not purchased to replace print materials but to enhance the Library’s collection. Magazines are one exception, as most magazines have begun publishing online editions only.
Nontraditional Materials/Library of Things
The Library may purchase materials outside the scope of traditional library purchasing to meet the growing needs of the community. The Library provides items that patrons may wish to try out before buying or use only temporarily. Examples include but are not limited to Internet hotspots, e-readers, streaming sticks, craft equipment, board games, and traffic cones.
Items are chosen based on budget, patron demand, and space.
Items of unusual sizes or containing a large number of pieces or parts (such as puzzles) will not be collected.
Donations will be evaluated based on these criteria. Donations that are not accepted will be returned to the patron.
InterLibrary Loan
As members of the CLEVNET consortium, the Library supplements its collection by making materials available from other member libraries.
Library patrons may obtain items from libraries outside the CLEVNET consortium. There may be a cost, depending on the lending library’s policies.
Materials requested from other CLEVNET or outside libraries are not subject to the Twinsburg Public Library’s collection development policy. Each lending library has its own policy.
De-Selection/Weeding
Resources are regularly withdrawn from the collection for the following reasons:
The resource is no longer accurate, current, or timely.
The item is physically worn or damaged beyond reasonable repair or cannot be rebound properly.
The item cannot be replaced at a lower cost than repair or rebinding.
The resource’s value to the collection has decreased as other comparable resources have been added to the collection.
The resource is no longer being used frequently enough to justify space usage or staff time to maintain.
Staff also access collection improvement software that uses catalog data to indicate items that are underused and overused (or may need replacement).
Items that are removed from the collection may be sold at a modest price by the Friends of the Twinsburg Library. The proceeds from the sale of materials benefit and enhance library services and programs. Other items are sent to recyclers and book re-sellers.
Gifts and Memorial Donations
As a general policy, the Library welcomes gifts for the collection, reserving the right to dispose of those which cannot be used in any way that seems appropriate. The standards set forth in this policy shall also apply to donated materials. The Library will not accept gifts of materials which do not meet its standards for purchased materials.
Gifts of materials sponsored by commercial and special interest groups will be evaluated to see that they conform to general selection policies.
The implications of cost, maintenance, and growth must be considered before acceptance of gifts of large collections.
The Library shall not accept gifts of materials with special conditions or restrictions imposed by the donor such as separate shelving, guaranteed acquisition or permanent retention, or appraisal of value.
When someone wishes to purchase a book in memory of a person, the donor must submit a Memorial Donation form (known as Appendix B1 - Book Donation & Appendix B2 - Monetary Donation).
The request will be given to the appropriate department for the ordering of materials. If the material does not fit the collection development policy of the Library, the item will be replaced with an appropriate item. If the donor directly donates the item instead of a monetary donation, it is up to the discretion of the Director to accept the item. Only items meeting the criteria in the Library’s Collection Development Policy will be accepted.
Reconsideration of Materials
The selection and de-selection of materials is an ongoing process. Members of the community may have questions about the process or selection of specific items. These questions should be addressed as follows:
Questions concerning the process or a specific item in the collection can be answered by a librarian. The professional staff can clarify the scope and depth of the collection, the role of individual and parental responsibility, the function of public libraries, and the use of selection guides. Many inquiries can be answered without pursuing the reconsideration process.
Patrons may wish to suggest alternative materials and may need to know about the purchase process.
Patrons who wish to ask for a formal review of specific materials will need to complete the Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form (known as Appendix C).
Challenged materials which meet the criteria set forth in this policy shall not be removed under legal or extra-legal pressure nor to satisfy the partisan or doctrinal views of any individual or group. Any attempt to regulate or suppress materials in the Library’s collection shall be closely scrutinized by the Library Director to the end that protected expression is not abridged.
Procedures for the Request of Reconsideration of Library Materials
After the patron completes and signs the form, a copy should be made for the Department Manager in the department where the materials are held. The original form will be given to the Director.
The Library Director, or designee, will notify the patron that the Request has been received and that a Reconsideration Committee will review the material and make a recommendation for action.
The Director will appoint an ad hoc committee from the professional staff to evaluate the material.
All members of the Reconsideration Committee will read, view, or listen to the material within 30 days of receiving the request form. Original reviews and other pertinent information will be researched.
The item will remain available for circulation while the committee is reviewing the item.
The committee will meet to discuss and evaluate the material, and a response will be prepared. The committee’s response and a recommendation for action will be sent to the Library Director within 45 days after receiving the request.
The committee will make a written recommendation to the Director.
The Director will make a final decision regarding the retention, removal, or relocation of the material and communicate that decision and the reasons for it, in writing, to the person who submitted the Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form. The members of the Reconsideration Committee and the Library Board of Trustees will also receive copies of the decision.
The Director will inform the Board of Trustees of all requests for reconsideration of Library materials and their disposition.
A patron who is not satisfied with the Director’s decision may appeal to the Library Board in writing within 10 days.
The Board will have the final decision on any request for the removal of materials from the Library.