Library Materials Selection Policies

OVERVIEW

The Haddonfield Public Library, as defined in its mission, provides “ready access to information and ideas” and is a “center for lifelong learning, welcoming patrons of all ages, backgrounds and interests. The Library’s collections respond to the informational, education and cultural needs of the community.”

The Library is a public forum for the collection, use and dissemination of information and ideas in a democratic and free society. The Library also is neutral ground, making information and ideas available without discrimination, without coercing a viewpoint on our public and by resisting barriers to information others may wish to impose. Inclusion of material in the collection does not consist of endorsement of its viewpoint by the Library.

In other words, by its nature and its mission, the materials and services of the Haddonfield Public Library, like the community its serves, must be diverse and must include all points of view on current and historical topics. To provide this diversity, some materials will be controversial, unorthodox or unpopular with the majority.

RESPONSIBILITY

The Board of Trustees delegates the responsibility for the selection to the Library Director and the staff of the Library.

SELECTION OF MATERIALS

Providing a high quality library collection is an art, not a science, and many factors are considered as part of the selection process.

The most important factor in selecting materials is to acquire items of current usefulness and of interest to the patrons of the Library. For items in high demand, duplicate copies will be purchased.

Many other selection factors include: anticipated demand; patron requests; price; reviewed recommendations; format; presentation; differing points of view or perspectives; what materials on the same subject are currently owned by the Library

The Haddonfield Public Library may join with other libraries to jointly offer certain materials on a rotating or cooperative basis.

As determined by the staff and in accordance with national and regional protocols, interlibrary loan will be used to fulfill appropriate requests from patrons.  This includes most out-of-print titles, highly specialized works inappropriate for our collection and other materials not owned by the Haddonfield Library but readily accessible from other libraries.

LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTION

Haddonfield is a town with a long and rich history. Working in cooperation with the Historical Society of Haddonfield, the Haddonfield Public Library will collect and preserve information and materials relating to Haddonfield in as great depth and diversity as is possible.

TYPE OF MATERIALS COLLECTED

Information is collected and made available in many formats. These include, but are not
  limited to:

•  books
•  periodicals
• other printed materials
• videocassettes
• audiocassettes
• compact discs
• microforms
• digital information by computer
• CD-ROM
• on-line through the Internet

Because of space and budget limitations, certain types of materials may be collected in the one format which we believe to be the most useful for our patrons. For example, music is collected only in the compact disc format; we do not purchase or add gifts of music on audiocassette.

DONATIONS of BOOKS and OTHER MATERIAL

Donations of books and other material to the Library are evaluated by the staff for their usefulness to the collection, being guided by the same general selection principles as for newly purchased materials.

Donations will be acknowledged, if requested. However, the responsibility  for assigning a monetary value of the donation is with the donor, not the Library.

REMOVING MATERIALS FROM THE COLLECTION

Space in the Haddonfield Public Library is finite. The ongoing acquisition of new materials also necessitates the ongoing removal of other materials.

Many factors are used to determine what materials should be removed including:

•  usage statistics
• what other material is available on the same subject
• whether the material is out of date
• condition of material

Withdrawn materials, if appropriate, will be offered to other libraries or institutions. If not offered or if rejected by other libraries or institutions, they will be either sold as used items or discarded.
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Intellectual Freedom

The Board of Trustees of the Haddonfield Public Library affirms its commitment to:

THE LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS
and
THE FREEDOM TO READ

CHALLENGES TO MATERIALS

     Any person who wishes to complain about a book or other material from the Library may fill out a form and return it to the Library Director. The Director will set up a formal process to handle such complaints.

     During the time any complaint is under review, the material being challenged will not be removed from the active collection.

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 LIBRARY CARDS

WHO IS ELIGIBLE ?

A. RESIDENTS OF THE BOROUGH OF HADDONFIELD are provided FREE LIBRARY CARDS

B. NON-RESIDENTS -- FREE CARDS are issued for the following:

 1. Non-resident owners of property in Haddonfield.
 2. Non-resident proprietors of business who rent property in Haddonfield.
 3. Non-resident managers of a business in Haddonfield
 4. Non-resident teachers in Haddonfield schools, public and private
 5. Bancroft students who live on the Haddonfield campus or in a Bancroft Group Home
 6. Non-resident employees of the Borough of Haddonfield & Haddonfield Public Schools
 7. Non-resident members of ministerial or educational staff of Haddonfield churches.
 8. Public School Tuition students
 9. Temporary Haddonfield residents
10. Members of the press covering Haddonfield for their newspaper

C. NON-RESIDENTS not eligible for a free card are welcome to join the Library at an annual fee per family.

Procedures and regulations for the eligibility of  library cards  shall be developed and administered by the Library staff.
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Access to Use of Library Materials and Services to Minors

Article V of the Library Bill of Rights states, “A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, back ground or views.” Libraries should ensure that all members of the community have free and equal access to library resources. This principle applies equally to all users, minors as well as adults.

At the same time, the Haddonfield Public Library cannot and should not assume the role of parents or the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between parent and child. Parents -- and only parents -- have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children - and only their children - to library resources. Parents or legal guardians who do not want their children to have access to certain library services, materials or facilities, should so advise their children.
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Confidentiality of Library Users’ Records

Pursuant to New Jersey Law (NJSA 18:A 73-43) and in the spirit of the Haddonfield Public Library’s role in matters of intellectual freedom, the records of and disclosure of information that identify the names of library users pertaining to the selection, acquisition, circulation and use of library materials and services are confidential in nature.

Such records and information about library users shall not be made available to any state, federal, local government, public or private agency, or individual except pursuant to such process, order, or subpoena as may be authorized by a court or court order.