- Selection of Materials
Introduction
The Library provides an impartial environment in which individuals and their interests are brought together with the universe of ideas and information spanning a spectrum of knowledge and opinions.
The selection of library materials is central to carrying out the Karl Junginger Memorial Library’s mission by “striving to bring people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives and strengthen community”.
Ongoing materials selection activities are founded on staff familiarity with existing collections, their awareness of the needs of library users, and their knowledge of retrospective, current, and future trends in informational, educational, and recreational materials.
Selection of materials will not be made based on anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely based on the principles stated in this policy. Responsibility for choosing what an individual will read rests with the individual. Responsibility for the use of library materials by children and young adults rests with their parents or legal guardians.
The Materials Selection Policy applies to all formats in circulation.
Context for the Policy
The Karl Junginger Memorial Library supports the individual’s right to have access to ideas and information representing all points of view. The selection of library materials for the Karl Junginger Memorial Library is guided by the Library’s Mission Statement and informed by the Freedom to Read statement and the Library Bill of Rights adopted by the American Library Association, as well as the Freedom to Read statement developed jointly by the American Library Association and the Association of American Publishers.
Objectives
The library’s materials collection is developed and managed to meet the majority of the cultural, informational, educational, and recreational needs of the library’s service area. Library staff responsible for collection development build and maintain a patron-oriented collection by anticipating and responding to needs and expectations.
Access
The library ensures free access to its holdings for all patrons, who may select or reject any item in the collection. Individual or group prejudice about a particular item or type of material in the collection may not preclude its use by others.
Patrons have access to the collections of the library system’s member libraries, as well as a nationwide interlibrary loan system.
Digital materials are provided through state or system-wide collections or bundled products, to which the Karl Junginger Memorial Library contributes funds. The Karl Junginger Memorial Library has no direct control over this selection, other than to recommend titles.
Library materials will not be confiscated except to protect them from theft or damage.
Children are not limited to the juvenile collection, although the juvenile collection is kept together to facilitate use. Responsibility for a child’s reading or viewing must rest with the parent or guardian of the child, not with the library. In this, librarians can be important allies to the family. Professional members of the library staff are trained to help all patrons identify and seek materials that are appropriate to their expressed needs and viewpoints. The collection is designed to serve the whole community.
The library takes no sides on public issues, and does not attempt to promote any beliefs or points of view, nor does it endorse the opinions expressed in the materials held. Inclusion of an item in the collection does not constitute endorsement of its contents by the library. The presence or absence of any particular viewpoint in the collection should not be interpreted as endorsement or disapproval by the Library. The library recognizes its responsibility to provide materials representing a broad range of viewpoints, within the limitations of space, budget, and availability, and to enable people to make their own decisions.
Responsibility for Selection Activities
While oversight for library collections rests with the Board of Trustees, the responsibility for the selection of materials is vested in the Library Director, who may delegate this professional activity to qualified and knowledgeable library staff.
Selection Guidelines
Selection activities are supported by attention to critical reviews, bibliographies, knowledge of publishing trends, and recommendations from library patrons. Activities are responsibly exercised within the context of available funds.
The Karl Junginger Memorial Library selects:
- Contemporary materials representing varying points of view that are of current interest and possible future significance.
- Source materials and thoughtful interpretations that document or shed light on the past.
- Materials that inform and increase an individual’s ability to function effectively as a member of society.
- Materials of varying complexity and format because the library serves a public made up of a wide range of ages, educational backgrounds, sensory preferences, and reading skills.
- Materials that provide aesthetic experiences, stimulate the imagination, and encourage creativity.
- Materials that expand an individual’s understanding of the world in which they live.
- Materials that entertain and may enhance an individual’s enjoyment of life.
- Materials in differing languages as appropriate.
- Special consideration is given to materials with Wisconsin and local content.
Selection Criteria
Materials are measured according to established objective standards. The entire work, rather than individual passages, images, scenes, or excerpts, is evaluated. It is the overall contribution of the work that is critical for acceptance or rejection. No single criterion can be applied to all materials. All acquisitions, whether purchased or donated (see Donations and Gifts below), are considered in terms of one or more of the following criteria:
- Contemporary significance, permanent value, or popular interest
- Quality of writing (style, readability)
- Accuracy, reliability, scope, and complexity of the subject matter
- Date of publication and/or timeliness of content
- Prominence, authority, or competence of the author, creator, or publisher
- Literary merit
- Public recognition of author, editor, illustrator, filmmaker, or source vis-à-vis media, critic, etc.
- Representation of diverse points of view
- Relation to existing collection
- Price and availability
- Format, durability, and ease of use
- Scarcity of information on the subject
- Waterloo author or local references
- Physical limitations of the library building
- The special needs of library patrons for materials in accessible formats
Local and Self-published Authors
Attempts are made to acquire titles by local authors who are published by mainstream publishers. Self-published materials are considered using the same general selection criteria as other materials; however, because professional review and independent evaluation are often unavailable, such materials are acquired selectively.
Library staff will not review a self-published book and will not provide an author with an evaluation of their published material.
User Requests
The Library accepts user suggestions, comments, and ideas about the collection and its development. All such requests are subject to the same selection criteria as materials purchased by library staff.
New Formats
Careful consideration is given to the introduction of new formats to the Karl Junginger Memorial Library collections. Budget considerations, community needs, and the probable impact on existing resources are all reviewed before items are selected and introduced to collections in a new format.
The selection of material in any new format may result in the library’s decision to retire specific items or material formats from its collections.
Donations and Gifts
Donations of materials in good physical condition are gratefully accepted with the understanding that the Library may add them if they meet the established selection guidelines. All donated items become property of the Library and will not be returned to the donor. There is no obligation for the Library to retain ownership of the item.
Materials not added to the collection will be given to the Friends of the Library Book Sale or disposed of by other means. The Library cannot assign a monetary value to gifts for tax purposes; however, receipts are provided upon request.
Monetary gifts are always welcome and may be designated as memorials. When monetary gifts are intended for the purchase of materials, library staff will determine what titles to buy, using the same criteria as for all other purchases.
Ordinarily, gifts of non-library items such as paintings, portraits, or art objects will not be accepted. If accepted, the items become the property of the Library and will not be returned to the donor. There is no obligation for the Library to retain ownership of the item.
Interlibrary Loan
Because of limited budget and space, the library cannot provide all requested materials. Therefore, interlibrary loan is used to obtain from other libraries those materials that are beyond the scope of this library’s collection. In return for utilizing interlibrary loan services to meet the needs of its patrons, the Karl Junginger Memorial Library agrees to make its materials available to other libraries through the same interlibrary loan network.
Collection Maintenance and De-selection
Except where specifically designated, the Karl Junginger Memorial Library’s collections are not intended to serve as archival repositories and are regularly assessed for condition, accuracy, currency, usage, and relevance to library patrons. The de-selection of materials from any collection is a formal process conducted by knowledgeable staff to maintain the collection’s vitality, appropriate size, and scope.
Staff follows these principles when deselecting materials:
- Physical condition
- Publishing date
- Frequency of circulation
- Community interest
- Duplication of content or subject area
- Space limitations
- Availability of newer or more current titles in the subject area
- Accuracy and timeliness of the publication
Items dealing with local history are an exception, as are certain classics and award-winning children’s books.
Withdrawn items are donated to the Friends of the Library for book sales or disposed of by other means. The proceeds from such sales are used for the benefit of the library.
Reconsideration of Materials
The library recognizes the right of any individual or group to reject library material for personal use but does not accord to any individual or group the right to restrict the freedom of others to make use of that same material. Materials subject to a request for reconsideration shall remain available to the public during the review process unless otherwise required by law. Policy 405, Reconsideration of Material, states the process for reconsideration.
Approved:
Amended: 03/25/2004, 09/21/2006, 05/21/2014, 07/26/2022, 03/26/2024, 07/22/2026
Reviewed: 03/14/2017, 01/08/2019