Collection Policy of the Taunton Public Library Policy

The goal of the Taunton Public Library is to serve the informational needs of the residents of Taunton. As a center for educational, cultural, recreational, and scholarly pursuit, the Taunton Public Library will adhere to the Library Bill of Rights and to the Freedom to Read Statement of the American Library Association. The Taunton Public Library will collect, organize, maintain, and make accessible a collection of materials and services for all individuals regardless of race, creed, color, gender, occupation or financial situation.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR MATERIALS SELECTION

The ultimate responsibility for the material selection and public services policies lies with the Taunton Public Library Board of Trustees. Upon approval the Board delegates to the Library Director the selection of Library materials, the development and maintenance of the collection, and the procedures of public service.

STATE & REGIONAL REQUIREMENTS

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is the certifying authority of Massachusetts public libraries. The Taunton Public Library will meet the standards required to qualify for annual certification as well as for the Library Incentive Grants, Municipal Equalization Grants, and any other form of state aid available. In addition, the American Library Association guidelines for medium-sized public libraries will be used in library planning. The library will work within the guidelines and policies of the Southeastern Massachusetts Regional Library System in providing interlibrary loan and regional network service to its patrons. Policy guidelines as defined by the SAILS Automated Network, concerning cataloging standards, public access to the database, reciprocal borrowing, circulation procedures, and reference service will be followed.

SELECTION GUIDES

The director and professional librarians involved in collection development will utilize professional judgement and expertise based upon an understanding of community needs and requests and knowledge of authors and publishers. Authoritative professional reviews, standard lists of basic works, recommendations of professional library and education journals and bibliographic essays prepared by subject specialists will be consulted.

MATERIALS COLLECTED

Major collection types: Books, periodicals, newspapers, large print materials, audio and videocassettes, and compact discs.

Minor collection types: Photographs, maps, foreign language materials, museum passes, audio/visual equipment, and computer software.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF FICTION MATERIALS

• 1. User demand, public interest in author and genre.
• 2. Quality of writing.
• 3. Competence in presentation.
• 4. Physical qualities and price.
• 5. Relation of material to the genre.
• 6. Balance within the collection.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF NONFICTION MATERIALS

• 1. Accuracy of information.
• 2. Competence in presentation.
• 3. Timeliness or permanence of subject material.
• 4. Scarcity of material on subject.
• 6. User demand and future use.
• 7. Balance within the collection.

ADULT CIRCULATING COLLECTION

The Acquisitions librarian will select books for the adult fiction and nonfiction circulating collection following the recognized criteria of selection. Materials in the adult book collection will be in English, in standard and large print, hard cover, soft cover and paperback.

Young adult materials were once a separate collection but were absorbed into the adult collection with special emphasis no longer placed upon the uniqueness of the young adult. In 1988, the library was awarded an LSCA grant for the reinstitution of a young adult collection, separate from either children’s or adult materials. The collection consists primarily of nonfiction and fiction paperbacks. The materials selected will be with the purpose of providing positive encouragement to these young adults and with hope that they find the library an accepting and welcoming place, with emphasis on young adult views, concerns, and potential. This special collection should act as a bridge to adult library resources.

Periodicals will be acquired for circulating and reference collections by the Serials librarian with input from the supervisors of Children’s Services, Circulation, and Reference. A circulating collection shall be made up primarily of popular recreational/leisure magazines such as crafts, home repair, health, entertainment, nature, and fashion. Common news magazines shall also be collected for a circulating collection. The reference periodicals and journals collected will follow special consideration toward sources of a more scholarly and reference tone. Journals and periodicals, which serve the needs of the majority of our reference users: high school and college students will be collected. Both circulating and reference magazines are kept for one year.

Newspapers, daily including Sunday, from the local and regional area will be collected by the Serials librarian. All newspapers will be kept for one month. The Taunton Daily Gazette and the New York Times will be kept indefinitely on microfilm.

Audio, video, CD, and computer software materials will be selected with emphasis upon what is popular within the genre, presentation of the spoken word, visual presentation, quality of format, and reputation of artists, producers, and directors. Characterization, language, and presentation will be considered and evaluated in relation to the medium and will not be judged out of context.

Foreign Language Materials currently consist of Spanish and Portuguese fiction and nonfiction print materials for adults and children. An LSCA grant awarded to the library in 1978 assured the continuance of a strong Portuguese collection already established by a grant from the Gulbenkian Foundation and a trust fund in memory of Irene and Antonio Esteves Lopes established by their sons. Continued collection development for the foreign languages will be determined by need and funding.

Collection for the Disabled was the title of a 1980 LSCA grant received by the library which designated for the first time the special needs of the disabled population. Subject matter concerning these special needs, such as case studies, legal guidelines, and resource centers will be collected. Special equipment (TTD, magnifiers, large print typewriter) provided by the grant is available to the public.

Audio/Visual Equipment for circulation: 16mm film projectors, filmstrip projectors, and cassette recorders will be provided as funding and need allows.

Museum passes were established by the Friends of the Taunton Public Library for use by the library’s patrons. Passes collected are determined by location, cost and patron interest. Passes that become prohibitive in cost to the Friends or are no longer of interest to patrons will not be renewed. Continuation of the program will be determined by the financial support of the Friends.

CHILDREN’S COLLECTION

The selection of all children’s materials in all formats will be done by the Children’s Supervisor for children from infancy through sixth grade. Picture books and beginner readers will make up the bulk of the collection with special focus upon collecting for the ages 3 to 11. Attention will be put upon developing and maintaining a section for parents and other adults working with children. The same principles, which guide the collection of adult materials, shall be used for the children’s department. The library believes that it is the parents’ responsibility to monitor their children’s reading materials, therefore materials will be collected for the needs and concerns of children while encouraging the joy of reading, learning and growth. Textbooks and regular classroom materials will not be actively purchased, although books may be selected to enhance various school curriculums. School tours will be provided to familiarize students and teachers with the collection.

ADULT REFERENCE COLLECTION

The selection of reference materials in print and non-print format will follow closely the guidelines of the nonfiction criteria and will be carried out by the Reference Supervisor with input from other professional staff librarians. Resources for the general public and specialized professionals within the community in addition to researchers on different educational levels must be satisfied. Basic core research sources such as almanacs, atlases, directories, encyclopedias, medical dictionaries, literary criticisms, historical yearbooks, and government documents shall be collected for use and understanding by the general public as well as for more in depth researchers.

The Taunton File is a collection of various print sources that document the history & social development of the city of Taunton and its residents. Newspaper articles, pamphlets, photographs, reports, church and club publications, etc. are collected in an attempt to maintain past, present, and future development of Taunton and her citizens. It is a major concern of the reference department.

Rare Books will not be actively collected in and of themselves. Books found to be valuable in terms of historical and genealogical research to Taunton will be collected and housed in the rare book room.

Maps and Photographs, be they originals or copies of historical or other interest to Taunton or the surrounding communities, will be collected as physical condition and space allow. They will be added to the reference resources and preserved as finances dictate.

Local Authors/Illustrators materials will be actively collected and housed in the Rare Book Room. Every attempt will be made to secure an additional copy of such work as an acknowledgement of Taunton’s contribution to the world of research.

GIFTS

All books and materials donated to the library must adhere to the library’s selection criteria. Any materials not meeting these guidelines or not in good physical condition, will be either discarded or given to the Friends of the Taunton Public Library for their book sales. Gifts will not be appraised for tax purposes. Memorial books or books especially donated to the library for a specific person, event or cause, shall be noted with a gift plate.

CRITERIA FOR WEEDING MATERIALS

• 1. Physical appearance (material too worn for continued use or repair).
• 2. Outdated material, especially in rapidly changing fields.
• 3. Duplicated or multiple copies of books no longer facing intense demand.
• 4. Material no longer actively used due to changing social interests.
• 5. Materials not practical to keep in their original format after a certain amount of time such as newsletters, newspapers, and magazines.

Standard collection weeding aids will be consulted such as the Public Library Catalog and consideration will be given to those materials meeting the above criteria but no longer in print or still significant in their genre. All materials discarded will be so marked and either discarded or turned over to the Friends.

PROCEDURE FOR HANDLING COMPLAINTS

• 1. Any member of the community may voice objection to materials held by the Taunton Public Library.
• 2. A written complaint must be filed with the Library Director. (see appendix)
• 3. The Director will then consult with the appropriate staff member in charge of that particular selection and together they will re-examine the questioned material.
• 4. A decision on the suitability of the item for inclusion in the collection of the Taunton Public Library will be made on the basis of the library’s collection policy. The Director and the Board of Trustees will read/view the material in question. Excerpts will not taken out of context and the material will be evaluated as a whole. Should this evaluation be favorable, the material shall remain in the library’s collection. If the complainant’s criticism is valid, the Board of Trustees and the Library Director shall remove or re-assign the material as appropriate.
• 5. No material shall be removed from the collection until a final decision is made by the Board of Trustees.
• 6. The complainant shall be notified in writing of the Board’s decision.

REVISION OF POLICY

This policy will be revised as time and circumstances dictate.

The TAUNTON PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES originally approved this COLLECTION POLICY for the TAUNTON PUBLIC LIBRARY on March 20, 1989

Revised April 24, 2000