Collection Development Policy
(download)Description of Urbandale
Mission Statement
Purpose of the Collection Development Policy
General Collection Development Principles
Library Bill of Rights
Responsibility for Selection
General Selection
Criteria Selection Tools
Adult Materials
Children’s Materials
Multimedia
Gifts
Controversial Materials
Collection Maintenance
Description of Urbandale
Urbandale is part of the Greater Des Moines Metropolitan Area. The current population is estimated at 32,700. Incorporated in 1907, Urbandale has a thriving economy, low unemployment and remarkable growth. Residents have convenient access to major transportation corridors. The community is known for its excellence in education, the arts, civic programs, recreation, sports activities and quality of life.
Urbandale’s population is 48.3% male and 51.7% female. The median age is 37. The age group from 35-54 accounts for 33.5% of the population. 45.8% of Urbandale residents are employed in management professional and related occupations. Their educational level is high: residents with 4 or more years of college represent 43.6% of the population compared to 29.7% in Polk County and 21.2% in the State of Iowa. The general selection criteria is based upon community demographic characteristics as reported in the most current U.S. census data.
Urbandale is home to Living History Farms Museum, the Olmsted-Urban House, Des Moines Metro Ice Sports Arena, Des Moines Metro Ice Sports Facility and Winter Park sledding complex and Hamilton College.
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Mission Statement
The Urbandale Public Library is committed to providing diverse resources for life-long learning and enjoyment.
The Urbandale Public Library provides library material for the information, entertainment, intellectual development, and enrichment of the people of Urbandale. Library materials are chosen according to this Collection Development Policy which has been approved by the Board of Trustees.
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Purpose of the Collection Development Policy
General Collection Development Principles
The Urbandale Public Library is a public forum; a place where ideas and information are freely communicated, where a broad spectrum of opinion and a variety of viewpoints is presented in its collection, displays, programs and services and where all of these reflect both majority and minority cultures, the work of men and women, respect for young and old and the various lifestyles and abilities and diverse aspects of our society. The library strives to present materials representing all sides of an issue in a neutral, unbiased manner. The existence of a particular viewpoint in the collection is an expression of the library’s policy of intellectual freedom, not an endorsement of the particular point of view.
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Library Bill of Rights
The Urbandale Public Library endorses the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association as stated below:
Responsibility for Selection
Library material selection is vested in the Library Director and such members of the professional staff who are qualified by reason of education and training. Any library material so selected shall be held to be selected by the Board of Trustees. Patrons are also an important part of the selection process. Forms by which customers can request material are available at the public service desks. Patrons may also request purchase of items by telephone or via the library’s website.
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General Selection
These general criteria are taken into account for all materials selected for the Urbandale Public Library. Additional specific criteria are listed when appropriate for different types of materials. All items selected will meet several of the general or specific criteria.
Criteria Selection Tools
The library subscribes to several periodicals which are used as review and evaluation sources for material selection. Among these are:
The fiction collection includes standard, classic, contemporary, popular and bestselling fiction. Other genres include romance, science fiction, fantasy, western and mysteries. Formats include hard cover, paperback and large print. The collection reflects the recreational interests of our local adult readers. All new titles on a list of core fiction authors are purchased through a standing order program. Multiple copies are purchased when there is demand. Patron requests are encouraged and strongly considered.
Adult Nonfiction
General interest, consumer oriented nonfiction titles are collected to satisfy the informational and educational needs of our adult readers. Long standing topics of interest as well as timely topics and local interest topics are primary candidates for purchase. Research level materials and text books are not generally collected although some materials may be selected to support school related topics. Primary consideration will be given to those topics which will be of interest and of use to the general public. Priority in selection is given to those materials which reflect ease in usage, have an index and are current. The library collection aims to be impartial in the case of controversial subjects and every effort is made to see that all sides are fairly represented. Titles which are published regularly may be placed on standing order to keep the current issue in the collection. Patron suggestions are encouraged and strongly considered.
A title may not be selected because the format is not durable enough to withstand library use or would require excessive staff time to maintain.
Periodicals
Magazines are collected for informational, recreational and leisure reading. Local interest, appeal, subject matter and demand are considered when adding new titles. Available indexing is considered when determining how long a title is retained. Professional journals are acquired within the library field. Back issues of magazines and journals are kept for varying number of years.
Newspapers
Local, state, regional and national newspapers are acquired according to patron demand. National newspapers are evaluated by their reputation.
Reference Materials
The reference collection does not circulate. Books which support the routine informational needs of the community are considered for purchase. Those selected have been evaluated by their ease of use, indexing, organization, style, currency, authority, accuracy, impartiality, scope, depth of coverage, relevance, arrangement and cost. Items of local interest and about Urbandale (both historical and current) are collected. Urbandale municipal information is also collected. Because of Urbandale’s close proximity to special libraries we do not attempt to collect at a comprehensive level genealogical or local history materials for Des Moines, Polk County or the State of Iowa. Many reference materials are on standing order to ensure the timely receipt of newly published editions.
Reference Materials in Electronic Format
Electronic formats are evaluated using the same criteria as the rest of the collection. They are intended to supplement or replace print materials. Careful consideration is given to accessibility of the electronic databases both in the library and remotely. Ease of use for the general public, frequency of updates, community interest, reliability of the database, indexing, amount of full text documents and cost are also considered.
Pamphlet File
General selection criteria is used when selecting materials for the pamphlet file. The file is used to supplement the reference and nonfiction collection. Materials not in book form including maps, brochures, pamphlets and Urbandale municipal documents are added to the pamphlet file. Local materials are especially collected for the pamphlet file.
Interlibrary Loan
The Urbandale Public Library participates in state and national interlibrary loan systems. Staff members borrow items we do not own from other libraries on behalf of our customers and lend our materials to other libraries.
Internet Sites
The Urbandale Public Library maintains a home page on the World Wide Web to provide information about the library to its users.
A section of the web site points users to reliable sources which provide information to meet our user’s needs.
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Picture Books
Board books, wordless books, concept books (alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes), classic and contemporary preschool picture book stories and fairy or folk tales.
Readers
Books specifically designed for the emerging reader with controlled and/or progressively constructed vocabularies.
Juvenile Fiction
Titles meeting the recreational and educational needs of students with 2nd through 6th grade reading levels. Genres included are mystery, sports, science fiction, adventure, humor, historical fiction, and novels about the problems of contemporary boys and girls.
Juvenile Nonfiction
Informational books for youth up to grade 12 with an emphasis on the culture, customs, and history of people from the individual states and countries of the world; physical and natural science; the arts and handicrafts; sports; poetry and biography.
Young Adult Fiction
Selected collection of contemporary and classic fiction titles in hardback and paperback for the recreational reading of youth ages 6th through 12th grade.
Minors are not restricted in the use of the library. Responsibility for the reading, listening and viewing habits of minors rests with parents and legal guardians.
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The library provides Word, Excel and Power Point for use in the building on the public personal computers. Additional software is loaded based on the general criteria and public demand.
CD-ROM
The library maintains a circulating collection of educational, reference and entertainment titles on CD-ROM. Special consideration is given for ease of use and installation, availability of technical support and popularity of platform. The library is unable to give hardware support in the use of the CD-ROM collection.
Video Recordings
The video recording collection informs and entertains library users of all ages. Award winners, production and technical quality and durability are special considerations in selection.
Audio-Visual Equipment
Equipment is purchased to support all forms of audio-visual materials owned by the library.
Sound Recording
The library maintains music on compact disc and audio books on cassettes and compact discs in a broad range of styles and eras to fill the recreation and informational need of adults, young adults and children. Both abridged and unabridged formats are included. Award winners, excellence of interpretation and technique, availability of replacement tapes are considerations.
Realia
The realia collection consists of puppets and cake pans. Selection is based on popular appeal, durability of materials, ability to clean and safety.
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Gifts
Gifts are accepted but must undergo the same scrutiny and meet the same standards as the materials purchased for the collection. Donated periodical subscriptions for which there is no indexing and which have limited appeal are marked “Complimentary” and no back titles are kept. The library reserves the right to refuse any donations of materials. Donations not added to the collection are sold at an ongoing book sale with proceeds going to the Urbandale Public Library Foundation or discarded if in poor condition.
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Controversial Materials
The Board of the Urbandale Public Library endorses the Freedom to Read Statement and its interpretations. Materials selected under the Collection Development Policy are considered protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Public libraries preserve and enhance the people’s right to a broader range of ideas than those held by any one librarian, publisher or government. On occasion, there can be diverse opinions by individuals or groups as to what is acceptable or appropriate for the collection. Library collections are not limited to only those ideas and information one person or group believes to be true, good and proper.
The Board of Trustees believes that anyone is free to reject for himself/herself library materials of which he or she does not approve. However, the individual cannot restrict the freedom of others to read, view or hear.
Parents or legal guardians have the responsibility to guide and direct the reading, viewing or listening of their own minor children. The library does not take the place of the parent or guardian.
Patrons who initiate comments of complaints will receive copies of the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read, and the Collection Development Policy and the form, Statement of Concern About Library Materials. The Library Director will go over these materials with the patron. It is important to understand that concerns call into question selection decisions that have been made according to policy. The process of registering complaints is designed to make sure the selection was appropriate and results in informing the patron about the philosophy and criteria used. Patrons whose concerns are not satisfied by staff are invited to the next meeting of the Board of Trustees. Their decision will be final.
(return to top)
Collection Maintenance
The collection is maintained and weeded through an ongoing process of collection analysis. Older items are repaired, withdrawn or replaced based on the following:
The library will not withdraw an item simply because a patron wishes to purchase it.
(return to top)
Approved Library Board of Trustees 1/27/2003
Mission Statement
Purpose of the Collection Development Policy
General Collection Development Principles
Library Bill of Rights
Responsibility for Selection
General Selection
Criteria Selection Tools
Adult Materials
Children’s Materials
Multimedia
Gifts
Controversial Materials
Collection Maintenance
Description of Urbandale
Urbandale is part of the Greater Des Moines Metropolitan Area. The current population is estimated at 32,700. Incorporated in 1907, Urbandale has a thriving economy, low unemployment and remarkable growth. Residents have convenient access to major transportation corridors. The community is known for its excellence in education, the arts, civic programs, recreation, sports activities and quality of life.
Urbandale’s population is 48.3% male and 51.7% female. The median age is 37. The age group from 35-54 accounts for 33.5% of the population. 45.8% of Urbandale residents are employed in management professional and related occupations. Their educational level is high: residents with 4 or more years of college represent 43.6% of the population compared to 29.7% in Polk County and 21.2% in the State of Iowa. The general selection criteria is based upon community demographic characteristics as reported in the most current U.S. census data.
Urbandale is home to Living History Farms Museum, the Olmsted-Urban House, Des Moines Metro Ice Sports Arena, Des Moines Metro Ice Sports Facility and Winter Park sledding complex and Hamilton College.
(return to top)
Mission Statement
The Urbandale Public Library is committed to providing diverse resources for life-long learning and enjoyment.
The Urbandale Public Library provides library material for the information, entertainment, intellectual development, and enrichment of the people of Urbandale. Library materials are chosen according to this Collection Development Policy which has been approved by the Board of Trustees.
(return to top)
Purpose of the Collection Development Policy
- To further the Mission and roles of the Urbandale Public Library.
- To guide librarians in the selection of materials.
- To inform the public about the principles upon which selections are made.
General Collection Development Principles
The Urbandale Public Library is a public forum; a place where ideas and information are freely communicated, where a broad spectrum of opinion and a variety of viewpoints is presented in its collection, displays, programs and services and where all of these reflect both majority and minority cultures, the work of men and women, respect for young and old and the various lifestyles and abilities and diverse aspects of our society. The library strives to present materials representing all sides of an issue in a neutral, unbiased manner. The existence of a particular viewpoint in the collection is an expression of the library’s policy of intellectual freedom, not an endorsement of the particular point of view.
(return to top)
Library Bill of Rights
The Urbandale Public Library endorses the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association as stated below:
- Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background or views of those contributing to their creation.
- Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
- Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
- Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
- A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background or views.
- Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.
Responsibility for Selection
Library material selection is vested in the Library Director and such members of the professional staff who are qualified by reason of education and training. Any library material so selected shall be held to be selected by the Board of Trustees. Patrons are also an important part of the selection process. Forms by which customers can request material are available at the public service desks. Patrons may also request purchase of items by telephone or via the library’s website.
(return to top)
General Selection
These general criteria are taken into account for all materials selected for the Urbandale Public Library. Additional specific criteria are listed when appropriate for different types of materials. All items selected will meet several of the general or specific criteria.
- Current and anticipated needs and interests of the public
- Accuracy of content
- Timeliness of information
- Author’s, artist’s or publisher’s qualifications and/or reputation
- Evaluations in review media
- Contribution to diversity or breadth of collections
- Inclusion of title in standard bibliographies or indexes
- Receipt of or nomination for major awards or prizes
- Quality of production
- Affordability
- Support of library’s mission and roles
Criteria Selection Tools
The library subscribes to several periodicals which are used as review and evaluation sources for material selection. Among these are:
- Library Journal
- Booklist
- Publisher’s Weekly
- School Library Journal
- VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
- Billboard
- Rolling Stone
- Stereo Review’s Sound & Vision
- Audio File
- Video Librarian
- Downbeat
- Country Music
Adult Materials
FictionThe fiction collection includes standard, classic, contemporary, popular and bestselling fiction. Other genres include romance, science fiction, fantasy, western and mysteries. Formats include hard cover, paperback and large print. The collection reflects the recreational interests of our local adult readers. All new titles on a list of core fiction authors are purchased through a standing order program. Multiple copies are purchased when there is demand. Patron requests are encouraged and strongly considered.
Adult Nonfiction
General interest, consumer oriented nonfiction titles are collected to satisfy the informational and educational needs of our adult readers. Long standing topics of interest as well as timely topics and local interest topics are primary candidates for purchase. Research level materials and text books are not generally collected although some materials may be selected to support school related topics. Primary consideration will be given to those topics which will be of interest and of use to the general public. Priority in selection is given to those materials which reflect ease in usage, have an index and are current. The library collection aims to be impartial in the case of controversial subjects and every effort is made to see that all sides are fairly represented. Titles which are published regularly may be placed on standing order to keep the current issue in the collection. Patron suggestions are encouraged and strongly considered.
A title may not be selected because the format is not durable enough to withstand library use or would require excessive staff time to maintain.
Periodicals
Magazines are collected for informational, recreational and leisure reading. Local interest, appeal, subject matter and demand are considered when adding new titles. Available indexing is considered when determining how long a title is retained. Professional journals are acquired within the library field. Back issues of magazines and journals are kept for varying number of years.
Newspapers
Local, state, regional and national newspapers are acquired according to patron demand. National newspapers are evaluated by their reputation.
Reference Materials
The reference collection does not circulate. Books which support the routine informational needs of the community are considered for purchase. Those selected have been evaluated by their ease of use, indexing, organization, style, currency, authority, accuracy, impartiality, scope, depth of coverage, relevance, arrangement and cost. Items of local interest and about Urbandale (both historical and current) are collected. Urbandale municipal information is also collected. Because of Urbandale’s close proximity to special libraries we do not attempt to collect at a comprehensive level genealogical or local history materials for Des Moines, Polk County or the State of Iowa. Many reference materials are on standing order to ensure the timely receipt of newly published editions.
Reference Materials in Electronic Format
Electronic formats are evaluated using the same criteria as the rest of the collection. They are intended to supplement or replace print materials. Careful consideration is given to accessibility of the electronic databases both in the library and remotely. Ease of use for the general public, frequency of updates, community interest, reliability of the database, indexing, amount of full text documents and cost are also considered.
Pamphlet File
General selection criteria is used when selecting materials for the pamphlet file. The file is used to supplement the reference and nonfiction collection. Materials not in book form including maps, brochures, pamphlets and Urbandale municipal documents are added to the pamphlet file. Local materials are especially collected for the pamphlet file.
Interlibrary Loan
The Urbandale Public Library participates in state and national interlibrary loan systems. Staff members borrow items we do not own from other libraries on behalf of our customers and lend our materials to other libraries.
Internet Sites
The Urbandale Public Library maintains a home page on the World Wide Web to provide information about the library to its users.
A section of the web site points users to reliable sources which provide information to meet our user’s needs.
(return to top)
Children’s Materials
Selection and maintenance of the children’s collection are for patrons from infancy through 12th grade and their parents and care givers. Constituents served by the children’s collection include preschool children cared for at home, but also in day cares and preschools; homeschoolers, private and public school students; and university students of children’s literature.Picture Books
Board books, wordless books, concept books (alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes), classic and contemporary preschool picture book stories and fairy or folk tales.
Readers
Books specifically designed for the emerging reader with controlled and/or progressively constructed vocabularies.
Juvenile Fiction
Titles meeting the recreational and educational needs of students with 2nd through 6th grade reading levels. Genres included are mystery, sports, science fiction, adventure, humor, historical fiction, and novels about the problems of contemporary boys and girls.
Juvenile Nonfiction
Informational books for youth up to grade 12 with an emphasis on the culture, customs, and history of people from the individual states and countries of the world; physical and natural science; the arts and handicrafts; sports; poetry and biography.
Young Adult Fiction
Selected collection of contemporary and classic fiction titles in hardback and paperback for the recreational reading of youth ages 6th through 12th grade.
Minors are not restricted in the use of the library. Responsibility for the reading, listening and viewing habits of minors rests with parents and legal guardians.
(return to top)
Multimedia
Computer SoftwareThe library provides Word, Excel and Power Point for use in the building on the public personal computers. Additional software is loaded based on the general criteria and public demand.
CD-ROM
The library maintains a circulating collection of educational, reference and entertainment titles on CD-ROM. Special consideration is given for ease of use and installation, availability of technical support and popularity of platform. The library is unable to give hardware support in the use of the CD-ROM collection.
Video Recordings
The video recording collection informs and entertains library users of all ages. Award winners, production and technical quality and durability are special considerations in selection.
Audio-Visual Equipment
Equipment is purchased to support all forms of audio-visual materials owned by the library.
Sound Recording
The library maintains music on compact disc and audio books on cassettes and compact discs in a broad range of styles and eras to fill the recreation and informational need of adults, young adults and children. Both abridged and unabridged formats are included. Award winners, excellence of interpretation and technique, availability of replacement tapes are considerations.
Realia
The realia collection consists of puppets and cake pans. Selection is based on popular appeal, durability of materials, ability to clean and safety.
(return to top)
Gifts
Gifts are accepted but must undergo the same scrutiny and meet the same standards as the materials purchased for the collection. Donated periodical subscriptions for which there is no indexing and which have limited appeal are marked “Complimentary” and no back titles are kept. The library reserves the right to refuse any donations of materials. Donations not added to the collection are sold at an ongoing book sale with proceeds going to the Urbandale Public Library Foundation or discarded if in poor condition.
(return to top)
Controversial Materials
The Board of the Urbandale Public Library endorses the Freedom to Read Statement and its interpretations. Materials selected under the Collection Development Policy are considered protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Public libraries preserve and enhance the people’s right to a broader range of ideas than those held by any one librarian, publisher or government. On occasion, there can be diverse opinions by individuals or groups as to what is acceptable or appropriate for the collection. Library collections are not limited to only those ideas and information one person or group believes to be true, good and proper.
The Board of Trustees believes that anyone is free to reject for himself/herself library materials of which he or she does not approve. However, the individual cannot restrict the freedom of others to read, view or hear.
Parents or legal guardians have the responsibility to guide and direct the reading, viewing or listening of their own minor children. The library does not take the place of the parent or guardian.
Patrons who initiate comments of complaints will receive copies of the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read, and the Collection Development Policy and the form, Statement of Concern About Library Materials. The Library Director will go over these materials with the patron. It is important to understand that concerns call into question selection decisions that have been made according to policy. The process of registering complaints is designed to make sure the selection was appropriate and results in informing the patron about the philosophy and criteria used. Patrons whose concerns are not satisfied by staff are invited to the next meeting of the Board of Trustees. Their decision will be final.
(return to top)
Collection Maintenance
The collection is maintained and weeded through an ongoing process of collection analysis. Older items are repaired, withdrawn or replaced based on the following:
- The needs and interests of the community
- Number of circulations, requests and reserves
- Availability of similar materials in the collection
- Affordability
- Physical condition and age of the item
- In-print status
- Appearance in standard lists
- Available space
- Availability at other local libraries
The library will not withdraw an item simply because a patron wishes to purchase it.
(return to top)
Approved Library Board of Trustees 1/27/2003