Collection Development Policy

Introduction

The Orland Park Public Library Board of Trustees supports the Library Bill of Rights and the American Library Association's Freedom to Read and Freedom to View Statements. (See Section A of Policy Manual)

It is the goal of the Orland Park Public Library to meet the informational, educational, cultural, inspirational, and recreational needs of the residents of Orland Park. The library recognizes the needs of the community are of primary importance in selection. This is a diverse community and each individual's needs will be considered in conjunction with the needs of the community as a whole. An effort is made to include information representing all sides of controversial issues as such material becomes available. The criteria for the selection of controversial materials are the same as for any other materials.

Statement of Purpose

This collection development policy defines the standards and outlines the responsibility for materials selection for the Orland Park Public Library. Within these standards, the librarians use their education, experience and professional judgment to determine the materials which best meet the objectives of the library and the needs of its patrons. Responsibility for the material chosen by children rests with their parents or legal guardians.

Objectives in Materials Selections

Responsibilities for Selection

Library Board Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Orland Park Public Library Board of Library Trustees to formulate, establish, review, and update this Collection Development Policy. The Board is responsible for protecting the rights of the Orland Park Public Library user and ultimately answering any and all questions regarding the policy and preservation of an individual's right to know.

Library Staff Responsibilities

In accordance with Illinois Library Law, overall responsibility for collection development, including selection, ordering, maintaining and weeding of all library materials shall be delegated to the Library Director who operates within the framework of policies determined by the Board of Library Trustees. Under the Library Director's direction, members of the professional staff who are qualified by education and training may participate in selection and weeding of library materials.

All members of the staff, library trustees and patrons may recommend titles for purchase. All requests are given serious consideration. An attempt will be made to borrow through interlibrary loan any requested item which is out of print or that the library determines does not meet the criteria for purchase.

The collection is designed to meet the needs of the residents of Orland Park. It is the duty of the staff to acquire materials which meet these needs even though the materials may present views contrary to the personal beliefs of staff members, library trustees, community organizations or individuals. No employee may be disciplined or dismissed for the selection of library materials when the selection is made in good faith and in accordance with this written Collection Development Policy. ( 75 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/4-7.2.)

Parameters of the Collection

Standards for Selection

Orland Park Public Library policy directs that the selection of books and/or other library materials shall be made on the basis of their value to interest, enlighten and inform all residents of the Village of Orland Park. No library material shall be excluded because of the race, nationality, political or social views of the creator.

Selection of materials is influenced by their:

1. Significance, both current and historical, and permanent value to the existing collection
2. Input garnered from critical reviews and selection sources
3. Cost
4. Reputation and qualifications of the creator, publisher or producer
5. Timeliness or currency of subject matter
6. Suitability of subject and presentation for intended audience
7. Quality of format, including technical quality and durability
8. Demand
9. Hardware and software requirements
10. Ease of use (user friendliness, searchability, connectivity)
11. Availability

Selection Tools

Because it is impossible for librarians to examine all items being considered for purchase, they depend on reliable selection aids and standard sources.

Gifts to the Collection

Gifts to the library will be judged on the same basis as purchased materials. The Orland Park Public Library will accept materials as donations only with the understanding the library will decide if they are added to the collection. Inclusion will depend upon whether the materials meet the Library's collection development policy, whether their condition is satisfactory for library use, and whether additional copies of the materials are needed.

Neither the Library Director, staff, nor any Board members will appraise any donation of materials. Thank you letters on letterhead stationery acknowledging the donation will be sent to donors upon request.

The Library will offer no pick-up of donations or onsite evaluations of materials.

Monetary gifts will be accepted for items specifically purchased for the collection with the authorization of the Library Director.

Sale and Disposition of Library Materials

The collection of the Orland Park Public Library will be evaluated as an ongoing process in order to find areas that need strengthening as well as to identify materials that will be withdrawn.

The Orland Park Public Library's holdings are continuously evaluated by the professional staff in order to maintain a useful collection that meets the needs of the community. Outdated and unused materials are withdrawn. Items are discarded if there are more duplicate copies than needed or if the material is in poor condition or in obsolete formats. Lost or missing items may be replaced if they are deemed to be of further use to the collection.

Books and non-print materials from the library's collection may be discarded, sold, or with the approval of the Board of Library Trustees, given to local philanthropic, educational, cultural, governmental, or other not-for-profit organizations. In cooperation with the Friends of the Library affiliated with the Orland Park Public Library, withdrawn materials may be donated to Recycled Reads.

Challenge to Materials

The Orland Park Public Library Board of Trustees believes that censorship is purely an individual matter and declares that while anyone is free to reject for him/herself materials which he/she does not approve of, he/she cannot exercise this right of censorship to restrict the freedom of other persons to read.

If patrons wish to file a complaint about library materials, they must fill out in full a Material Complaint Form. The form will be given to the Department Head who will review the complaint and material. The Department Head will evaluate the material using the Collection Development Policy and make a recommendation to the Director. A written response will be made to the petitioner within a reasonable time. Such complaints will be reported to the Orland Park Public Library's Board of Library Trustees at its next regular meeting.

A written appeal to that response may be made to the Board at its next regular scheduled meeting. Such an appeal must be made seven (7) days prior to the date of the Board meeting. The Board's decision will be final.

Materials of sound authority shall not be removed from library shelves because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. No library material will be excluded because of race, nationality, political, or social views of the creator.

Based on the belief that the freedom to read is an inherent right of a free society, materials on controversial subjects will not be censored, labeled, or in any way marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of the contents. The collection development policy encourages providing materials impartially presenting all viewpoints. The Orland Park Public Library Board of Library Trustees, as guardians of the people's freedom to read, will contest encroachment upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their standards of taste upon the community. The Orland Park Public Library Board of Library Trustees also guarantees to all patrons the right to use all materials. It is the ultimate responsibility of parents and/or legal guardians to determine the maturity level of minors. Selection and display of materials will not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may come into the possession of children.

It shall be understood that the Orland Park Public Library Board of Library Trustees, the Library Director, and the Library staff do not advocate all of the ideas presented in the collection.