ACPL Collection Development Policy
The Akron Carnegie Public Library (ACPL) develops and maintains a materials collection that reflects the changing needs and interests of our community. The purpose of this policy is to guide selection practices to ensure that a wide variety of materials is available in our library in formats and quantities that meet the needs of our residents and patrons. Our values of innovation, accountability, and flexibility will be demonstrated in our approach to implementing this policy. We will use data, community feedback, and our expertise in order to create the best collection of materials possible for the Akron Community.
Collection Direction
The Collection Development policy for the Akron Carnegie Public Library supports the library’s Vision and Mission Statements.
OUR VISION
Our Service:
We strive to meet or exceed patron expectations by providing friendly, courteous, knowledgeable and prompt service to anyone who enters the library. Respect of all individuals for their diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas will be expected by staff and fellow patrons.
Our Environment:
We strive to enrich our community by providing a well-maintained, comfortable, and safe multi-use facility, where residents may meet, share ideas, and be educated, entertained and informed. Our goal is to provide stimulating materials, programs, and services that will foster the love of reading in children and adults and to attract individuals to our library through quality materials and services, public programs, and special events.
Our Staff:
We value our staff members and strive to provide a workplace environment where enthusiasm, teamwork, innovation, accountability, and a sense of purpose combine to provide a rewarding experience for both employees and patrons. We always strive to provide courteous and efficient service through a well-trained and competent staff.
Our Resourcefulness:
We are committed to being a fiscally responsible public institution, consistently seeking the most cost-effective uses of both public and private funds.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Akron Carnegie Public Library strives to provide the highest quality of service to the community in which it serves. It is committed to acquiring, organizing and providing access to information, and attempts to meet the informational, cultural, recreational and educational needs of the community.
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Scope of Collection
The ACPL recognizes that it is impossible to collect all that is published. Physical space and a finite budget will limit what we can purchase for the residents of the Town of Akron and Henry Township. The ACPL will curate a selection of the best, high interest and most useful materials in a variety of formats.
Collection Selection
The Akron Carnegie Public Library through its governing body entrusts the selection, curation and evaluation of materials in its collection to designated staff members. Staff will use the Collection Development Policy along with their training, expertise and professional tools in the selection of materials in all formats. ACPL will make every effort in their selection of materials to provide a balanced collection representing diverse viewpoints and interests. All patrons and staff are encouraged to recommend titles for inclusion into the collection.
General Selection Criteria
The Akron Carnegie Public Library seeks to develop and curate an outstanding collection that will fulfill the educational, informational, and recreational needs of the residents of the Town of Akron and Henry Township. Customer use and circulation data are the most powerful influence on what we select and retain in our collection. This data, combined with such factors as author reputation, accuracy of content, currency and lasting value, guide our selection and deselection decisions. In addition we always seek to provide materials reflecting a variety of perspectives, beliefs and needs. Not all the criteria listed must be met to select an item for the collection and no one criterion will be the deciding factor. Materials purchased for the collection are not an endorsement by ACPL of either the content or of the authors’ viewpoints.
The following is the general criteria used to evaluate potential purchases, including gift materials:
- Past customer use.
- Relevant to the needs, interests and demand of the community.
- High interest to the general Akron, IN population.
- Lasting value to the community.
- Author reputation and/or authority in the field.
- Older materials of lasting value; replaced as needed based on patron demand and use.
- Artistic merit, literary value or recognized award recipient.
- Accuracy of content.
- Local or national significance.
- Publication date.
- Relationship to the existing collection.
- Availability through resource sharing.
- Availability online to the general public.
- Format, suitability of the physical format for library shelving and circulation or durability/quality of the format.
- Ease of access for electronic formats.
Purchase Suggestions
We encourage Akron/Henry Township residents to participate in the collection development process so we can build a collection that accurately reflects the needs and interests of the community. The library provides a venue for residents to suggest titles for purchase. All suggestions will be reviewed using the criteria outlined above.
For items not purchased, residents will have the option to request them through our resource sharing partners or through ACPL’s Interlibrary Loan service.
Collection Maintenance
Collection maintenance is as important in maintaining a relevant collection as the selection of new materials. The library’s collection is under constant review in order to maintain relevancy, community interest and physical condition. To determine retention or withdrawal, staff uses the following criteria based on standard library weeding philosophy.
- Circulation Statistics
- Current demand and frequency of use
- Condition: worn, water damaged, chewed, stained, ripped, mildewed, defaced, etc.
- Information: up-to-date, timely, accurate
- Number of copies in the collection
- Availability of item and/or information in other libraries or online
- To create shelf and display space for newer materials.
Withdrawn materials are repurposed: resold, recycled or put to other uses.
Gifts, Donations and Memorials
The criterion for material selection and deselection also applies to gifts, donations and memorials. Once a gift or item is accepted by the ACPL, it becomes the property of the library unconditionally. The ACPL will make the final decision on acceptance, use or disposition. Gift materials not added to the collection will be repurposed, resold, recycled or put to other uses.
Memorials are created when money is donated to add books or other materials to the collection. The ACPL welcomes suggestions for purchases but reserves the right to make the final decision regarding all materials added to our library collection. Memorial plates may be added to the items purchased.
Local History Collection
The Akron Carnegie Public Library will purchase and maintain materials on the history of Akron Indiana and Fulton County that are of broad appeal and that will be part of our regular collection. The ACPL will provide government documents for our residents that contain information concerning upcoming projects such as highway construction, environmental impact studies, special community meetings, and those required by statute. These types of materials will be held locally for the specified duration of the project and/or evaluation period.
Intellectual Freedom and the Request for Reconsideration
The Akron Carnegie Public Library fully supports and believes in the freedom of information for all and therefore does not practice censorship. The ACPL does not endorse particular beliefs or views expressed in the materials selected. Selection of an item does not imply the ACPL’s endorsement of the viewpoints expressed. Materials may be controversial and any given item may offend some person. The selection of material is made on the merits of the materials along with the collection needs. Materials may be excluded from the collection according to our General Selection Criteria. Materials may contain mature content, questionable and/or coarse language and different viewpoints.
Comments from patrons concerning ACPL’s collection are welcome. Both formal and informal processes are in place to address concerns about specific materials selected for the ACPL collection.
Guidelines for Reconsideration of Materials:
Library Bill of Rights
Freedom to Read
Freedom to View
Approved by the Akron Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees: 12/4/18, 11/5/2024
