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Introduction
Library patrons using the public library facilities in Avery,
Mitchell, and Yancey Counties deserve the highest quality of library
services available within the constraints imposed by financial
limitations. The Avery-Mitchell-Yancey Regional Library system (A-M-Y)
will select and preserve a comprehensive collection of print &
non-print materials, and will make available Internet accessible
resources to meet the informational, educational, recreational, and
cultural needs of all citizens of Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey
Counties.
As a public forum, the public library system will
provide collections, Internet access to resources, and the
availability of Inter-Library Loan service (ILL) through which an
individual may explore all points of view and issues of interest. The
public library system 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.
Responsibility & Selection of Materials
The ultimate responsibility for selecting materials
for the public library system rests with the Regional Library
Director, who operates within the framework of policies determined by
the Regional Library Board of Trustees. The Regional Library Director
may delegate portions of this responsibility to appropriate members of
the regional and local library staffs.
The public library system recognizes that many
materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some
library users. Selections will not be made on the basis of any
anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the merits of the
work in relation to collection building and to serving the interests
of residents in the tri-county area.
Responsibility for the reading, listening, and
viewing of library materials, and accessing Internet resources by
children rests with their parents or legal guardians. Selection will
not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may inadvertently
come into possession of children.
The regional library system acknowledges a
particular interest in local and state history, therefore, it will
take a broad view of works by and about North Carolina. However, the
library is not under any obligation to add to its collections
everything about North Carolina or produced by authors, printers, or
publishers with North Carolina connections.
Suggestions from the general public are encouraged
and are evaluated by the library staff based on the regional library
system's criteria for material selections.
Open Access To Ideas
Public libraries are recognized as legal public
forums in the communities they serve. As part of a free society, the
regional library system will provide access to information in all
fields and from all points of view. The regional library system, the
governing regional library board of trustees, and the library staffs
will not, either directly or indirectly, ban or censor any materials.
The presence of an item in the public library does not indicate any
endorsement of its contents by the Avery-Mitchell-Yancey Regional
Library System.
The regional library system holds censorship to be a
purely individual matter and declares that-while anyone is free to
reject for himself books and other materials of which he does not
approve-he/she cannot exercise this right of censorship to restrict
the freedom of others.
The regional library system subscribes to and has
adopted the American Library Association's Bill of Rights, the Freedom
to Read Statement and the Freedom to View Statement. These items are
included in this Policy.
Reconsideration of Materials
Should a member of the community question the place
of a book or other material in the collection, this individual may
submit a Request For Reconsideration of Library Materials form to the
Regional Library Director. This form is available in all public
library locations. The Regional Library Director will reevaluate the
item to see if it meets the regional library system's stated
evaluative criteria, and will review the selection decision to see if
the item falls within the Books & Materials Selection Policy. If the
patron request a written response, one will be provided by the
Regional Library Director within fifteen business days from the
postmark date of the request/letter. If the patron is not satisfied
with the response, he/she may appeal to the Regional Library Board of
Trustees.
The Regional Library Board of Trustees, with the
Regional Library Director, is the final board of appeal in reference
to public library materials, and must make a formal response to the
complaint and/or hearing at their next regularly scheduled meeting.
Selection Criteria
There is no single standard that can be used to
evaluate all the types of materials included in the public library
collections. Each type of material will be evaluated in terms of its
own qualities and merits for the collection.
However, there are some general criteria the public
library uses to evaluate, regardless of the format. Every item must
meet one or more of the following criteria as applicable for inclusion
in the collection:
- Contemporary or permanent value
- Quality of writing, design, illustrations, or
production
- Reputation of the publisher or producer,
authority and significance of the author, composer, film maker, etc.
- Relevance to community needs
- Potential and or known demand for the material
- Cost ($)
- Availability of materials elsewhere in the area
- Suitability of subject, style, and level for the
intended audience
- Availability and suitability of format
- Evaluation of critics and reviewers (professional
& general)
- Space limitations
Further criteria for the evaluation of works of
imagination such as fiction, poetry and drama are:
- Representation of a significant trend, genre, or
culture
- Vitality and originality
- Artistic merit and literary value
- Authentic reflection of the human experience
- Effective characterization
- Authenticity of historical or social setting
Gifts Policy
The regional library system accepts gifts of
materials, but reserves the right to evaluate and dispose of them in
accordance with the criteria applied to purchased materials. Gift
materials which are not in accord with the library's objectives and
policies will be sold and the monies used for the purchase of needed
library materials and resources.
No gift materials are accepted with "strings
attached". The regional library system cannot make a commitment to
keep any collection or group of books on a special shelf apart from
other books in the library, and reserves the right to inter-shelve
gift materials with other materials on the same subject.
Cash donations for the purchase of materials in
memory or in honor of a person are always welcomed.
The regional library system receives unsolicited
materials which come free from organizations or individuals whose
objectives are propaganda or advertising. Those which distort facts,
are biased in subject presentation, or contain misleading statements
are not added.
The public library does not appraise gifts or
provide evaluations of gifts for tax deductions or other purposes, but
will acknowledge receipt of gifts in writing if requested by the
donor.
Books & Resource Materials
Fiction
Fiction collections are a major component of most library
collections. Classic literature and popular best sellers make up the
core of the fiction collection. Its purpose is to both entertain and
enrich human understanding by presenting stories in an imaginative
way rather than in a factual manner. The emphasis in the collection
is on American and English authors.
Selections are based on one or more of the following criteria:
quality ( determined by reviews ), potential use, and demand.
Current best sellers are purchased through a book lease plan in
order to provide multiple copies to meet patron demand.
Non-Fiction
The non-fiction collection emphasizes timely, accurate, and
useful informational materials to support individual, business,
government, and community interests. Materials are available for all
ages and reading levels, and are selected to represent a continuum
of opinions and viewpoints when available. As a new field emerges,
the library attempts to respond with timely additions.
The regional library system does not purchase elementary, junior
high, and senior high textbooks listed on the N.C. State adopted
textbook list. These textbooks are provided without charge to each
person enrolled in the public education program.
Juveniles
The public library targets preschoolers in the interest of
encouraging an appreciation of the library's resources in the
formative years. To assist in this goal, the library's purchase of
Easy Books for this age child will be educational, recreational in
intent, including picture books, concept books, and board books.
For school age children, the public library purchases materials for
informational, recreational and cultural needs, highlighting classic
literature, current young adult fiction, including the popular areas
of mystery & suspense, sports, and science fiction.
For both age groups, an effort is made to include all books that
have won children's literary awards ( Caldecott & Newbery Books,
et.al.).
Large-Print Materials
Large-print materials are purchased to meet the special visual needs
of the community. They are selected by the same standards of format
and content that apply to other materials purchased by the library.
Videotapes & Audio Books
Videotapes are added to the collection following the same criteria
as books. The video collection consists of a mix of feature films
including current high interest and old classics, non-fiction films,
and films for children. Films which are rated "X" and/or have an
excessive glorification of violence will not be included in the
library's film collection.
Recorded books ( also known as
books-on-tape) are purchased within the same guidelines as other
books.
Slides, Films, Filmstrips, Record Albums , CDs
Due to limited financial resources, the regional library system
makes no attempt to purchase any of these materials.
Microforms
The library purchases microforms when materials are too fragile or
bulky to retain in the original form. Most notable in this area are
the census records and newspapers on microfilm housed in all of the
libraries.
Periodicals & Newspapers
Periodicals are selected to supplement the book collection and to
provide materials on current issues for research and for general
reading. The public library also selects newspapers of local, state,
and national interest, depending on cost, the place of publication,
the breadth of coverage, and the degree of fulfillment of reference
or recreational interests.
Maintaining The Collections
The public library's collections should contain
current materials that are in good condition and are in demand. Use is
of paramount importance in deciding whether to retain a title. Space,
the cost of replacement, and the appearance (appeal) 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 damaged, worn, have pages missing, etc.;
- contain dated or obsolete information, even if
some of the information is useful;
- are unused duplicates; or
- have been replaced by a newer edition.
Replacement/substitution of these materials
reintroduces the selection process. Here is a copy of the form
requesting reconsideration of library materials [printer
friendly version]:
AVERY-MITCHELL-YANCEY REGIONAL LIBRARY
REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS
BOOK___________________________________________________________
MAGAZINE_______________________________________________________
OTHER
(specify)_________________________________________________________
Author___________________________________________________________
Title_____________________________________________________________
Publisher ( if known)
______________________________________________________
Request initiated
by________________________________________________________
Telephone________________Address_________________________________
City___________________________________State & Zip
Code___________________
Complainant represents:
________himself/herself_____________________________________________
________organization
(name)________________________________________________
________other group(name)_________________________________________________
NOTE: In order for a complaint to be reviewed, ALL questions must be
answered (use separate sheet).
- To what in the book or material do you object?
(Please be specific; cite pages)
- What do you feel might be the result of reading
this book/material?
- For what age group would you recommend this
book/material?
- Is there anything good about this book/material?
- Did you read or view the entire book/material?
- Are you aware of the judgment of this
book/material by literary critics?
- What do you believe is the theme of this
book/material?
- What would you like the library to do about this
book/material?
________restrict its use to select group of adults
________withdraw it from all circulation
________have it reevaluated by library officials
- In its place, what book or material of equal
literary quality would you recommend that would convey as valuable a
picture and perspective of the issue/ theme?
- Would you like a written response to this
request? _____Yes_____No
If yes, please allow 15 business days from the date you mail this
request.
Please see Main Librarian for proper mailing
address.
_________________________________
Signature of Main Librarian @ Library where complaint originated
_________________________________
Name of Public Library
_____________________________
Date
__________________________________
Signature of Complainant
______________________________
Date
[ Adopted 8/2002 ]
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