Collection Development Policy

 

Purpose: To provide all Corwith Public Library patrons with equal access to library materials. The policy provides guidance for the selection and evaluation, inclusion and retention of library materials to anticipate and meet the needs of the library patron in this area.

 

Responsibility for Selection:

The Board of Trustees delegates authority of selection of materials and development of the library collections to the Library Director.

 

Selection Guidelines and Practices:

The primary goal is to provide collections that are broad, current, and popular with interest to the public. The materials should meet the current and long-term needs of the community members of all ages. The materials should have a wide range of subjects, formats and level of difficulty within the limits of the library budget.

Inclusion of library materials does not imply library endorsement of the material or its content. Any item may offend patrons, but the Corwith Library adheres to the principles of intellectual freedom. Materials considered will not be excluded by the library because of race, religion, sexual orientation of political views of the author. Anyone wishing to have library materials removed, must comply with completing a “Library Statement of Concern about Library Resources” form. The material removal request will be considered at the next board meeting. Material removal will be voted upon by the Board of Trustees to remove said item.

 

Patron Requests:

Patrons may request recommended items in addition to the current library collection. Requests for materials will be evaluated by using the selection policy and if the library budget allows the addition of the requested material(s).

 

Criteria for Material Selection:

1. Content fits with the mission of the library.

2. Current appeal and popular demand, suitable for library use.

3. Date of Publication

4. Availability of the material.

5. Technical quality of the binding, paper quality, usability and sustainability.

6. Accuracy of the content presented.

7. Circulation History, summaries, and reviews of the material.

8. Physical limitation of shelving.

9. Cost and budget for materials.

An item does not have to meet all criteria to be considered for library circulation. Other considerations may be applicable in specific subject areas or collection materials.

 

Formats and Copies:

1. Materials should be purchased in the most sustainable format for multiple usage.

2. All books will be regular or large print. Collections series are found in both large and small print.

3. One copy of each title is in circulation. Duplicate copies are usually Book Club books. Additional copies can be requested from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan.

4. The library does not acquire materials in languages other than English. The library may maintain a limited collection of world language materials.

 

Collection Management and Weeding:

To help maintain quality of library materials, make space for latest items, facilitate ease of use by patrons, make collections more attractive, materials are assessed on a regular basis. Continued retention of items is based on the following.

1. Currency or timeliness of the material.

2. Accuracy of content.

3. Insufficient use based on collection statistics.

4. Wear and damage.

5. Durability

6. Duplicate holdings.

7. Space limitations.

8. Community Interest

9. If series is complete.

Withdrawn materials may be placed for sale in the library, offered to other libraries for a cost or free, donated to non-profit organizations, recycled, or discarded.

 

Gift-Donated Materials:

1. Corwith Library accepts gifts of materials with the understanding that once given, the patron no longer controls what happens to the material and the library will follow procedure to ensure the material is acceptable to add to the library collection.

2. Items not used will be offered to other libraries either for sale or free, placed on the for-sale rack in the library, donated to a no-profit organization, recycled, or discarded.

3. Gift/donated items that become part of the collection will be evaluated for retention on the same basis as the other items in the collection.

 

Interlibrary Loan:

1. Because of limited budget and space, the library cannot provide all collection materials. Interlibrary Loan utilized to obtain materials from other libraries on a loan basis throughout Iowa. The library will request the materials through the Interlibrary Loan System, and the material is delivered to the Corwith Library.

2. The Corwith Library also loans materials to other libraries using the Interlibary Loan System.

3. Interlibrary Loan System is utilized by libraries throughout Iowa to transport materials weeded or items no longer used to other libraries in Iowa.

 

Challenged Materials:

1. Materials that are being challenged for suitability and request of removal or withdrawn must follow the appropriate procedure before item will be removed.

2. A “Statement of Concern About the Libraries Resources” form must be completed, returned to the library and the inquiry will be on the next board meeting agenda. The material can be removed by the library only after being discussed at the board meeting and only by the approval of the Board of Trustees. If the board agrees to remove the item, the material will be removed from circulation. If no agreement is made to remove the item, the item will remain in the library, and no inquiry will be accepted again from the same party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Approved by Board of Trustees 3/9/2026