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Library Collections

6.3 LIBRARY COLLECTIONS

The collection of the Pemberton and District Public Library includes all materials, both on and off site, electronic and otherwise, that patrons can access.

The selection of material is made with due consideration of:

  • The Library’s vision, mission and values
  • Section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
  • The CFLA (Canadian Federation of Library Associations) Statement on Libraries and Intellectual Freedom
  • The British Columbia Library Association’s Statement on Intellectual Freedom

 

6.3.1 Collection Development

6.3.1.1 It is desirable that the materials acquisition budget be maintained at 20% of the total amount received annually from its funding bodies. (S.L.R.D./VOP and Province).

6.3.1.2 The responsibility for the selection of all library materials lies with the Library Director, acting in accordance with the policies established by the Library Board. The Library Director may delegate the task of selection to qualified staff.
The materials selection will be made with the best available professional judgment based on reviews, bibliographies, patron requests, personal inspection and budgetary consideration. (Canadian sources will be used where feasible). Consideration is given to the relevance to the community while also satisfying the reading needs of a large group of people with varied backgrounds, reading levels, tastes and interests.
The Library welcomes suggestions from the public for the purchase of library material. These suggestions are considered according to the same criteria as other purchased material.

The following factors will be taken into account when making a decision about adding any item to the collections:

  •  Authority, comprehensiveness, accuracy, clarity, quality
  • Currency, date of publication
  • Suitability and durability of format for library use
  • Current and potential relevance to community needs and interests
  • Suitability of subject and style for the intended audience
  • Representative of notable trends and genres
  • Relationship to the existing collection and to other material on the subject
  • The uniqueness of the item’s content
  • Representative of varying points of view
  • Reputation, skill, competence and purpose of the originator of the work
  • Budget and space priorities

An item need not meet all of the above criteria in order to be added to the collection. Material that has been adjudged illegal by the courts will not be acquired or retained.

In addition to applying the selection criteria, the Library will attempt to acquire material:

  • in both official languages, and possibly other languages which reflect the linguistic and cultural heritage of the community;
  • that presents Canadian, indigenous, and/or local perspectives, experiences, way of life;
  •  with treatments of the lives and works of Canadians.

6.3.1.3 The Board supports selection of materials that reflects the needs of the community and expectation of library users.

6.3.1.4 The Board favours ongoing assessment of the collection in order to identify areas in need of improvement and to set priorities for development of the collection.

6.3.1.5 The Library collection will be kept vital and contemporary through an active program of acquisition, maintenance and withdrawal. The responsibility for this lies with the Library Director but may also be delegated to qualified staff. Library materials that are worn, outdated, or otherwise no longer used are removed according to accepted professional practices.
Where appropriate, deselected library materials are sold through authorized book sales or donated to schools, affiliate social services, organizations or charities.

6.3.1.6 Donations of materials may be accepted if they meet the Library’s selection criteria. Conditional monetary donations are welcome if the conditions are acceptable to the Board. In all cases, the Library has complete authority over the disposal of donations.

6.3.2 Intellectual freedom

6.3.2.1 The Board supports the Statement on Intellectual Freedom prepared and adopted by the Canadian Federation of Library Associations. (See Appendix H¹) and the British Columbia Library Association Statement of Intellectual Freedom²
These guiding principles further describe the Board’s commitment to making the widest possible diversity of materials and its opposition to censorship of the collection.

6.3.2.2 Controversial material will be represented with as wide a variety of viewpoints as is reasonable within the scope of the collection.
¹ https://cfla-fcab.ca/en/guidelines-and-position-papers/statement-on-intellectual-freedom-and-libraries/
² https://bclaconnect.ca/about/statement-of-intellectual-freedom/statement-of-intellectual-freedom/

6.3.3 Challenges to library materials

  • The library recognizes that materials may be acceptable to some, but not to others.
  • The library has materials on all sides of controversial issues, including representations of unpopular or unorthodox positions, without censorship or bias.
  • Challenges to the library collection may be made in writing to the library director and the library Board of Trustees via the Request for Material Review form.
  • The library director and Board will review the form and the challenged material at the next regular board meeting and make a decision by simple majority.
  • The challenged item will remain in circulation and unrestricted until the review process is complete.
  • The library director will communicate the decision of the Board, in writing.
  • The decision of the Board is final.

 

Date of last amendment: September 16, 2022