Library Materials Selection and Access

Preamble

The Fairfield County District Library Board of Trustees recognizes that the United States of America is a
country in which the right to free expression is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
People may speak, hear, read and view what they choose no matter how popular or unpopular it may be,
because democracy functions only when a full range of ideas are available to all people. The public library is
the institution in our society which provides material representing all points of view in all fields, including
political, social and religious, no matter how controversial or objectionable these ideas may be to some
people. Therefore, the Fairfield County District Library, within the limits of selection standards, budget and
space offers a collection that is varied, divergent, inclusive and protected by the First Amendment to the
United States Constitution, the Constitution of the State of Ohio and the Library Board of Trustees'
endorsement of the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights. In addition, the Board of Trustees
endorses the following interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights: Free Access to Libraries for Minors,
Diversity in Collection Development, Freedom to Read and Freedom to View.

OBJECTIVES OF THE COLLECTION

The Library collection will be selected and maintained to enable each person to find the library materials and
information that they want according to their own free choice. No material will be excluded because of the
race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political or social view of either the author or of the
material.

The library will provide collections through which an individual may explore all points of view and issues of
interest. The Library will be responsive to public demand for materials of contemporary significance and
interest, while balancing this with the need to collect and preserve materials of permanent value.

The Board recognizes that library resources are not unlimited. Selection of materials must adhere to budget
allocations. Resource sharing with other libraries, and electronic and other methods of information access,
are valid and necessary ways of meeting patron needs.

Selection of materials by the Library does not mean endorsement of the contents or the views expressed in
those materials.

MATERIALS SELECTION

The scope of the collection is intended to offer all persons a choice of format, treatment and level of difficulty
so that the majority of the cultural, informational, educational and recreational needs of an individual user can be met. To satisfy demand for highly specialized materials or materials which are of interest only to the
advanced researcher, the library will depend on interlibrary loan service.

Materials selection is conducted by qualified librarians, with the goal of maintaining a well-balanced, vital
collection that is useful to the entire community. This requires continuous evaluation and an awareness of
current and future trends. Factors affecting the selection of materials include the nature and scope of the
intended collections, the availability of funds and space, the continuous availability of new titles and the need to weed collections of outdated and worn out materials.

Final responsibility for materials selection rests with the Director, who administers this policy under the
authority of the Board of Trustees.

Suggestions from the public and staff are welcomed and receive serious consideration. A suggestion can be
made by completing a Suggestion for Purchase request form. The Library is under no obligation to furnish a
public platform to anyone with sufficient funds to publish or produce their viewpoint. However, it does give
access to a variety of opinions on matters of current interest and encourages freedom of expression.

ACCESS

The Board of Trustees recognizes that full, confidential, and unrestricted access to information is essential in
order for patrons to exercise their constitutional rights.

The Board believes reading, listening, and viewing are individual private matters. While anyone is free to
select or reject materials for themselves or their own minor children, the freedom of others to read or inquire
will not be restricted.

The Library does not stand in loco parentis. Parents and guardians, not the Library, have the responsibility to guide and direct the reading, listening and viewing choices of their own minor children.

The Library collection will be organized, marked, and maintained to help people find the materials they want.
Materials will not be restricted, sequestered, altered or labeled by the Library because of controversy about
the author or the subject matter.

GENERAL SELECTION CRITERIA

Recognizing the varied informational, cultural, and educational needs of the individual in a diverse
community, all acquisitions, whether purchased or donated, are considered in terms of the criteria listed
below. Not every item is subjected to each criteria, nor does an item have to meet a certain number of criteria for inclusion in the collection. Rather, these are general parameters within which selection decisions are made.

1. Contribution to a collection of classics and contemporary works.
2. Competence, popularity and reputation of author, illustrator, creator, producer, performer and/or
   publisher.
3. Qualities conducive to critical thought and understanding.
4. Timeliness and importance for contemporary society.
5. Suitability of subject and method of presentation for intended audience.
6. Relationship to existing collection and other media in the same subject field.
7. Relevance to present and projected community needs.
8. Availability of items from other Central Library Consortium (CLC) member libraries.
9. Factual accuracy and literary merit.
10. Originality and/or artistic and/or literary presentation.
11. Cost.
12. Attention of critics and reviewers.
13. Representative expression of controversial or unique points of view.
14. Suitability and durability of physical format for library purposes.
15. Relation to other resources in the community.
16. Importance as a document of the times.
17. Scarcity of materials on the subject.

CONTROVERSIAL MATERIALS

The Library has a responsibility to select and offer a representative collection of materials on varied subjects
of interest to its customers, including controversial matters. The Library makes an effort to supply information that provides balanced coverage of diverse opinions so individuals can examine all sides of an issue. A balanced collection reflects a diversity of materials, not necessarily an equality of numbers. Materials are chosen on the basis of content as a whole and are not excluded because of the origin, background or views of those contributing to their creation.

Materials in any format that contain frank treatments of certain situations, language, or illustrations which may be objectionable to some individuals are included if they meet general selection criteria. Each work must be judged on its own merits, considering the audience for whom it is intended. The Library has a responsibility to protect the rights of mature or sophisticated users by providing materials that are well balanced, authoritative and up-to-date.

CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION

The Library Board considers all materials selected under this policy to be constitutionally protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. If a patron
claims that a particular item is not constitutionally protected, the burden of proof rests with that patron.

If a court having jurisdiction over the Fairfield County District Library decides that any material in the collection is unprotected by these constitutions, such material will be removed immediately. Material under court consideration will remain available to patrons until a court ruling is made.

REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIAL

The Library welcomes expressions of opinion from customers concerning materials selected or not selected
for the collection. If a customer questions the content, tone, or placement of an item in the collection, they
should first address the concern with a Library Supervisor. The customer should be provided with a copy of
the Library’s Material Selection policy to review. Customers who wish to continue their request for
reconsideration of library materials maybe submit the Request for Reconsideration form.

The following limitations are placed on Requests for Reconsideration:

• The requester must have reviewed the material in its entirety.
• The requester must live within the funding boundaries of the Fairfield County District Library (Fairfield
  County).
• No lists of materials to be reconsidered will be accepted. Each individual item must have its own
  completed Request for Reconsideration form.
• Materials will not be reconsidered multiple times, unless at least five years have passed since the
  last decision.

All Request for Reconsideration forms will be given to the Library Director. The Library Director will consult
with other professional library staff, including materials selection staff and staff members with relevant subject
knowledge. The item will be reconsidered using the criteria set forth in the Library Materials Selection policy
and professional reviews from recognized sources. During this process, the material in question will remain
accessible to library customers. A decision for retention, removal, or relocation within the Library’s collection
will be made, and the Library Director will notify the customer of the decision. Appeals to the Board of
Trustees may be made if the requester disagrees with the Library’s decision.

GIFTS

Gifts of books and other materials are accepted by the Library with the explicit understanding that the Library reserves the right to handle or dispose of them in the best interest of the institution. Materials to be added to the collection must meet the Library's selection criteria. Limitations of space and funds for staff handling and processing of gifts make it necessary to be selective in the acceptance of donations.

The Library encourages memorial gifts of money which will be used for the purchase of books and other
materials.

COLLECTION MAINTENANCE

To maintain the effectiveness of the library’s total collection, the library will attempt to systematically remove
materials no longer useful.

Library collections should contain current materials that are in good condition and are in demand. The Main Library’s collection contains a greater variety of materials because it serves as a resource for further information and as a storehouse for materials for the entire Library system. Use is of paramount importance in deciding whether to retain a title. Space, the cost of replacement, and the appearance of the collection are additional factors in making weeding decisions.

All collections need to be weeded on a continuing and scheduled basis. Regardless of use, materials should be removed if they are duplicate copies no longer in demand; have been replaced by a newer edition; are worn, damaged, or have pages missing; or contain out-of-date, obsolete or inaccurate information.