The HDPL Collection Management Policy provides guidelines for day-to-day acquisition and withdrawal decisions, resource allocation, and long-range planning of collection needs in accordance with the Library’s mission. The Policy is also meant to inform the public of the principles upon which the library makes decisions regarding the maintenance and use of the collection.
All materials are shelved on open shelves, freely and easily accessible to the public. There will be no labeling of any item to indicate its point of view or bias. The library assures open access to its holdings for all patrons, who are free to select or reject for themselves any item in the collection. Individual or group prejudice about a particular item or type of material in the collection may not preclude its use by others. Children are not limited to the children's collection, although children’s materials are kept separate from other library collections to facilitate use. Responsibility for a child's reading must rest with the parent or guardian, not with the library. Henderson District Public Libraries' staff and Board believe that the right to read is an important part of the intellectual freedom that is basic to democracy and have adopted the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights and Freedom To Read statement as official library policy.
Community Profile
The patrons served by the Henderson District Public Libraries live primarily within the city limits of Henderson. Historically, Henderson was an industrial town that developed out of the war effort in the forties. The contemporary city is primarily made up of planned communities that attract upper middle-class families relocating from all over the country. However, the heart of "old Henderson" retains a small-town atmosphere and residents have a strong sense of their heritage. There is also a large area of subsidized housing inhabited by a low-income population. Unhoused individuals are a regular presence in the library, and a substantial subgroup of library patrons are those who turn to the library for solutions to a variety of social problems.
Mission Statement
Imagine Possibilities, Discover Opportunities, Connect with our Community. As trustees, administration, and staff of Henderson Libraries, we endeavor to accomplish the library district's mission through our commitment to each of these essential and equally important core values: Patron Focus, Respect for People, Equitable Service, Freedom of Information, Quality, Integrity, Free Basic Services, Promotion of Services, Freedom to Read, Patron Privacy, Stewardship of Community Resources.
Freedom to Read, See and Hear
It is essential, in a free society, for all citizens to have access to all library materials. Therefore, no restrictions are placed on what anyone may read, see, or hear in the collection of the Henderson District Public Libraries. Well-intentioned persons or groups occasionally question one or another items in library collections. Although we understand and appreciate their fears and doubts about the effects of materials on an impressionable person, we take the position that the risk of not providing access to information and ideas is greater than the risk of providing it.
Sometimes suggestions are made regarding the restriction or removal of certain library materials, and we, therefore, wish to enunciate the following principles:
Controversial Materials. In an effort to provide our patrons with diverse sources of information and the widest possible range of ideas and viewpoints, we acquire some controversial materials. Some of this material may be offensive to individuals or groups because of perceived profanity, social, economic, and political ideas, religious viewpoints, the background of the author, the kinds of information provided or other reasons. Acquisition or use of any item does not imply approval or endorsement of the contents. Indeed, it cannot, since such a variety of ideas are collected. We do believe it is essential to provide such materials if the American ideal of freedom is to be retained.
Ratings. Some organizations have voluntarily applied content ratings to materials, notably music and motion pictures. Some users, particularly parents, may find these ratings helpful in selecting materials appropriate for their own or their children’s use. However, the library does not restrict materials from any user due to its rating, nor does the library use content rating as a basis for materials selection. The criteria for selection of rated materials are the same as that for any other material, as previously described.
Age. Judges, legislators, educators, psychologists, and others are giving increasing recognition to the fact that children and young adults need access to all the information and ideas about the world they live in. Therefore, anyone, of any age, may have the use of any item in the library, and is not to have that privilege limited by any staff member. If parents wish to deny their children access to certain materials, they must take responsibility themselves.
Labeling. It is sometimes suggested that a label be affixed to library materials indicating than an item is questionable or controversial. Such labeling suggests that Americans are incapable of making up their own minds, and this practice is contrary to the notion of the free marketplace of ideas. We do not subscribe to this practice.
Responsibility for Collection Management
Materials selection and management activities are coordinated by the Associate Director of Acquisitions and Bibliographic Services and shared among trained library staff. Materials management of the specific collections in each of our libraries is performed on the local level by the staff who work at each location.
Materials Selection
The goal of the public library is to serve the total community, by providing free and open access to the ideas and information available on all subjects and in all media. The library shall select and make available materials for the enlightenment, cultural development, and the enjoyment of its public at all ages and levels of ability and interest.
The public library is the institution in our society which provides materials representing all points of view in all fields, including political, social, and religious, no matter how controversial, or how objectionable these ideas may be to some people. In a democratic society, individuals should feel free to explore any and all ideas in order to decide which are meaningful to them. The library, therefore, will include representative materials espousing divergent and unusual points of view.
The materials selected shall be developed to serve the library district most effectively. Consideration will be given to materials which may be of interest to a few patrons as well as those of interest to many patrons. The individual branch library shall try to meet the general needs of most of the people in its immediate community. Larger facilities shall have collections of greater depth, to serve the library district with specialized materials needed less frequently or by fewer people, which shall be made available to patrons at other local branches, with the exception of non-circulating materials. Under a cooperative program, the library shall obtain, through interlibrary loan, materials owned by other libraries.
General Collection Priorities The following considerations (not in prioritized order) are applied to the selection of materials and items to be included in HDPL collections:
High demand for print materials; they constitute the primary part of our collections.
Maintaining an extensive and progressive audiovisual collection.
Currency. Collection emphasis is on up-to-date information. Older materials that remain accurate will be retained and replaced according to patron demand.
General treatments over those that are specialized, scholarly, or primarily for professional use.
Breadth over depth. In general, HDPL will purchase single copies of a wide range of titles rather than multiple copies of the same title. Multiple copies may be purchased when they are warranted by public demand, when the title is of local interest and may go out of print, or if it is the definitive title on a particular subject.
Works of broad popular appeal that meet the needs of the independent learner over textbooks or other materials that meet curriculum requirements of the formal student.
Materials written in English language. A small International Language collection, which is developed according to demand, exists to provide materials for members of the community who speak or read a language other than English.
Materials about Nevada, and fiction and non-fiction works by Nevada authors are also given priority.
Subject materials that support local needs and interests.
Access to appropriate online databases both in the library and from home computers.
Balanced representation of multiple points of view.
Exclusion of Materials The following types of materials may be excluded from HDPL collections, due to unsuitability in meeting general public demand and physical use:
Textbooks are rarely selected and only when they meet the selection criteria and when they assist the library in fulfilling its roles. No attempt is made to purchase textbooks for curriculum support. Most textbooks in the collection were donated and deemed useful to support subject areas.
Materials may be excluded because of cost, slight demand, or availability elsewhere.
Materials may be excluded if the format is unsuitable for library circulation: poor binding, loose-leaf, broadside, fragility, size, etc.
Materials reviewed negatively in accepted professional review publications may be excluded.
General Selection Criteria The following criteria are used to evaluate materials and items under consideration for inclusion in HDPL's collections (not in prioritized order):
Awareness of significant new trends in literature, technology, and formats
Clarity and accuracy of information and/or presentation
Community requests and/or anticipated popular demand
Favorable reviews
Format and durability
Practical usefulness
Relationship to existing materials in collection
Relative importance in comparison with other materials
Reputation of the publisher
Availability of material elsewhere in the geographic area
Currency of information
Contemporary utility
Permanent significance
Level of subject representation in the collection
Relevance to collection priorities of other area libraries
Budget Allocation Factors considered in allocating the materials budget are: circulation statistics by age level, format, or subject area, extent of reference demand, cost of materials and special collection needs.
Collection Evaluation
Evaluation is an important, ongoing element of collection development. Continual examination of the collection is necessary to affirm relevance to the library’s mission, and sufficiency in variety and number of titles. Evaluation is accomplished through both direct and indirect means. In-house and circulation usage statistics will be analyzed every year to determine the extent to which the collection meets patrons’ needs. Interlibrary loan requests and reserve requests are used to determine collection deficiencies. In the course of patron service it occasionally comes to the attention of staff that specific subject areas are unsupported or outdated. In these cases, the materials selectors make a conscious effort to fill in these areas with appropriate material. Standard and “Best of” lists are regularly used to build up deficient areas of the collection.
Withdrawal Policy Materials withdrawal is an important aspect of collection development. When library materials lose the value for which they were originally selected, they should be withdrawn. The purpose of a withdrawal policy is to ensure that the collection remains vital and useful by:
Discarding and/or replacing items in poor physical condition.
Eliminating items with obsolete, misleading or superseded information.
Reducing the number of copies of titles whose relevance to the community has lessened.
Materials will usually be removed if:
More current statistical or factual material is available in the collection.
The information is no longer valid and may be dangerous (primarily medical or legal information).
The material is aged (yellow and brittle), water stained, moldy, contains markings or underlining and cannot be restored, or is not valuable enough to restore.
The item has not circulated in a designated period of time, which varies according to subject area and local patron interests.
Library material that is withdrawn will be disposed of as follows:
If worn, obsolete, or unattractive and not likely to sell, the item will be discarded.
If attractive and likely to sell, the item will be sold in the used book store to raise funds for the Friends of the Library.
In some instances, the book will be donated to another area library or other non-profit agency.
Withdrawn items will not be saved for specific individuals.
Used Item Donation, Monetary Gifts, Memorials and Honorariums, Patron Requests There are four types of materials acquisitions that are not initiated by library staff. These include used item donations, monetary gifts, memorials and honorariums, and patron requests.
A used item donation is material that has been used by someone previously. Receipts are given if the donor asks for one. Donors are responsible for recording donations and estimating the value of the materials. The donor will be informed that the material may be added to the collection, given to the Friends to be placed in the book sale or disposed of in some other manner. Items that do not meet book selection criteria will be rejected. Donors must agree to allow library staff to decide on the final disposition of donated materials. Donated materials will not be returned to the donor.
Monetary gifts may be donated directly to the Library or to the Friends of Henderson Libraries. In either case, the donor may specify the types of materials or equipment s/he wishes to be purchased and which library location should be the recipient. Library staff will select the appropriate purchase(s) in accordance with the donor's request.
Memorials and honorariums are materials or funds donated in the name of an individual. Funds collected for a memorial or honorarium should cover the total cost of the book or other material being purchased. The staff will inform the donor of any problems in obtaining material with the available funds. If a specific title is donated or requested, the inclusion of the specific item must meet the selection criteria. When specific titles are not requested, the library staff will make every effort to obtain a memorial or honorarium title that has lasting value. For this reason, best sellers and mass-market paperbacks are avoided. Library staff will make the selection, keeping the importance of "lasting value" in mind. A plate designing the memorial or honorarium will be included in or on the material requested or donated.
Once a donation has been received, an acknowledgment will be sent to the donor. Over the course of time, a memorial or honorarium item may be withdrawn due to wear, obsolescence, or loss. In most cases, the item cannot be replaced, especially in the case of obsolescence. If an item is replaced, a new plate will be placed in the book.
Patrons may request that a particular item be purchased. If the requested item meets the collection development guidelines and if there are sufficient funds, the purchase will be made.
Review of Library Materials
We are willing to re-examine our position on any item in the library’s collection. In order to deal with objections, a procedure has been established. No item will be removed or restricted, because of a complaint, except in accordance with this procedure. Henderson residents may request a Request for Reconsideration form at any public services desk to fill out and return to the public services team. A librarian will review the completed Request and report back to the patron. Appeals may be addressed to the Library Director.
Policy Revision This policy is subject to revision in accordance with changes in community needs and interests, and their effect on the stated mission of the Henderson District Public Libraries.
Approved by Henderson District Public Libraries Board of Trustees on February 16, 2023.
