Collection at Kingston Library

Reviewed and Approved by the Kingston Library Board on November 19, 2009

1. Selection of Materials

   The Kingston Library provides all residents with comprehensive and timely information for personal needs, growth, and enjoyment. The materials selected will allow all residents of Kingston to have a collection that fulfills their appetite for information about popular culture and social trends and their desire for satisfying recreational experiences, to have information and answers to questions on a broad array of topics related to work, school, and personal life and to be able to engage in self-directed personal growth and development opportunities.

   Materials will be selected by the library director and responsible library staff on the basis of reviews in professional journals, periodicals, broadcasts, and standard lists of titles appropriate for public libraries, on the basis of actual examination and evaluation of materials, or on the basis of popular demand. Gauges of popular demand include, but are not limited to, lists of current bestsellers and awards, materials of local interest, or items on school reading lists. Present and past demand, including circulation statistics, will be taken into consideration in assigning the amount of funds expended annually on materials in various categories. Demand will also figure in decisions to buy materials in one format or another: print (books, periodicals), audio, video, film, microform, electronic or other. Demand will also determine whether more than one copy of any item is purchased. Suggestions from the community about items for purchase are encouraged, but must meet selection criteria. Among elements that may be considered in purchase of materials are accuracy, comprehensiveness, scientific or literary merit, artistic repute, currency, entertainment value, and human interest.

2. Gifts

   The Kingston Library welcomes gifts of new and used books, subscriptions, journals, audio recordings, videos, and similar materials. Guidelines for acceptance of materials include but are not limited to pertinence, age, condition, and type of materials offered. Donated materials that meet selection criteria and do not needlessly duplicate holdings may be added to the collection. Once donated, items become the property of the library, and may be given to other libraries and non-profit agencies, sold, traded, or discarded if they are not added to the collection. Donated items will not be returned to the donor and the library will not accept any item that is not an outright gift. Upon request, the library will acknowledge receipt of donated items but is unable to set fair market or appraisal values. If items are being donated to obtain a tax benefit, it is the donor's responsibility to establish fair market value.

   Monetary gifts, bequests and memorial or honorary contributions are particularly welcome. Materials purchased with such funds, in accordance with the selection policy of the library, will be identified with special donor plates whenever possible. Upon request, notification of memorial or honorary contributions will be sent to the family of the person being recognized. Suggestions for subject areas in which purchases will be made are welcome and will be followed to the extent possible.

   Acceptance of donations of equipment, real estate, stock, artifacts, works of art, collections, etc., will be determined by the library board based on their suitability to the purposes and needs of the library, laws and regulations that govern the ownership of the gift, and the library's ability to cover any costs associated with the donation.

3. Reconsideration of Materials

   The library director and responsible staff place or retain materials in the collection based on the criteria stated in A. Selection of Materials and B. Gifts. The library welcomes comments from library users on the adequacy, currency and relevance to the mission of the library of choices made. Individual patrons who take issue with library materials that are not to their taste, or do not represent their views, are welcome to discuss their concerns about materials in the collection with the library director and other staff responsible for selection and retention. If a patron's concerns are not resolved by discussion, he or she may make a formal, written request to the library director for reconsideration of individual items. Copies of the form by which this may be done [Exhibit A] are available at the circulation desks in the Main Library and the Children's Library.

   For a request for reconsideration to be considered, the form must be completed in full. The patron submitting the request must be a resident of the library's chartered jurisdiction and hold a valid borrower's card. The library director will respond to the patron in writing within thirty days of receipt of a properly submitted request for reconsideration. The response will indicate the action to be taken and reasons for or against the request.

   Since the library lacks judicial authority, the library will not remove items solely for the complaint of obscenity or for any other reason covered by law unless a court of competent jurisdiction has ruled against the material. No materials that have been previously determined to be non-compliant with local laws will knowingly be added to the library collection.

4. Withdrawal of Materials, Resources and Equipment

   Materials, Resources and Equipment that no longer support the roles of the library as defined in Section IA. of these policies will be withdrawn from the collection or the facility. These items may be become damaged, include obsolete information, or are no longer used. The professional judgment of the library director of designated staff will be used in making decisions about withdrawal. When necessary, staff will be used in making decisions about withdrawal. When necessary, specialists will be consulted to determine relevance and reliability of materials.Items withdrawn may be sold by the library, contributed to other libraries expressing interest in using them in their collections, recycled or disposed of in accordance with local laws and regulations. By decision of the library director or designated staff,some withdrawn items may be contributed to local social services agencies.