Rampart Library District Collection Development

Policy Statement
The Rampart Library District selects, makes available and promotes the use of library materials in a variety of formats for the education, information and recreation of all people in the community. The collection contains information on a variety of subjects and views and is organized to provide free access to patrons within the limitations of space and budget. It is the policy of the Rampart Library District to make the most efficient use of financial resources, to work closely with other area libraries and to utilize the most appropriate formats to meet the library needs of the community.


The library’s chief commitment is to the people within the library’s service area. This includes individuals and groups of all ages, backgrounds, educational levels, personal beliefs, occupations, economic levels, ethnic origin and human condition. By providing free access to the world of ideas, information and creative experience, the library hopes to enable every citizen to become a lifelong learner.


The Rampart Library District supports intellectual freedom and endorses the following American Library Association (ALA.org) statements:
• Library Bill of Rights
• Freedom to Read
• Freedom to View


Responsibility for Selection
The authority and responsibility for the selection of library materials are delegated to the Library Director and, under his or her direction, to the library staff qualified for this activity by reason of education, training and experience. Suggestions from library users and staff are welcome and are given serious consideration within the general criteria. Final decision for purchase rests with the Library Director.


Criteria for Selection
The Rampart Library District will make every reasonable effort to provide a balanced collection reflecting a variety of perspectives, within the constraints of budget and shelf space. Materials purchased or added to the collection are not an endorsement by Rampart Library District of either the content or viewpoint presented in them. They are generally purchased from mainstream publishers and distributors.

The following general criteria are used to evaluate potential purchases and gift material:
• Relevance to community needs and interests
• Positive attention of critics, reviewers and the public
• Popular demand, even if not enduring in value, interest or accuracy
• Contemporary significance.
• Artistic merit, literary value or recognized award recipient
• Reputation and qualifications of author, artist, publisher or producer without regard to political, religious or other affiliations.
• Clarity, accuracy and organization; comprehensiveness.
• Date of publication (to maintain the most up-to-date collection while striving to preserve key works in a field).
• Permanence or timeliness
• Suitability of physical form for library use (size, paper, print, binding)
• Relationship to current holdings
• Cost in relation to value to the collection
• Availability of information elsewhere within region or electronically
• Author or illustrator is well-known or local.


An item need not meet all of these criteria to be selected.

Items generally excluded from selection:

• Textbooks and curriculum-related work.
• Scholarly and technical materials that are carried by academic or special libraries.
• Puzzle or workbooks that encourage filling in blanks
• Materials have no authoritative or evaluative information available
• Self-published materials unless they are reviewed in established publications or they are of interest in the local community.


Collection Maintenance
To ensure a vital, current collection of continued value to the community, examination of materials is an ongoing process. Materials that have outlived their usefulness will be withdrawn. An up-to-date , attractive and useful collection is maintained by retaining or replacing essential material and removing , on a systematic and continuous basis, those works that are worn, outdated, damaged, of little historical value or are no longer in demand .


Materials withdrawn from the collection are given to an eligible government agency or non-profit when appropriate. Materials that are damaged or otherwise unsuitable for sale or donation will be recycled or discarded.


Rampart Library District does not remove materials from its collection for the purpose of selling them.


Gifts
The Rampart Library District has a separate gifts and donations policy.

Reconsideration Procedures
The Rampart Library District has a separate reconsideration policy.

Concerns about the Collection Development Policy must be presented in writing with specifics to the Library Director. Please provide your name and contact information. The Library District Board may amend or supplement this policy from time to time and reserves the right to do so.

Approved by the Rampart Library District Board of Trustees on July 12, 2005. Last revised and approved by the Rampart District Board of Trustees on February 9, 2021.