The Library Board of Trustees voted to approve new language for the Swampscott Public Library’s collection development policy on Monday.
The library’s collection development policy guides the selection, acquisition, licensing, organization and preservation of materials and resources. The policy has not been updated in roughly 20 years, according to Library Director Jonathan Nichols.
“This document has not been updated probably since the early 2000s,” Nichols said. “My goal is to streamline it because the other one was very granular, like it went into every department, every section, on how that collection should be developed. We don’t need this because formats change. We add new formats all the time. We really just needed more of a holistic approach to collections.”
Nichols developed the policy with Technical Services Librarian Sunyoung Park. Swampscott’s policy is in alignment with the external standards, like the American Library Association’s, as well, Nichols said.
The policy outlines the library’s mission to be “an inclusive place where everyone is empowered to fulfill their informational, recreation and cultural needs.”
“The library advances literacy and lifelong learning and serves as an active community institution, helping to create an informed, engaged and connected town through relevant materials, innovative programming and supportive staff,” the policy reads.
The library’s collection is meant to have books and resources that are:
- Of the community interest
- Contributing to the “breadth, depth, balance, diversity and currency of the collection”
- Reputable or significant creations
- Relevant to the town, region or state
- Compatible with the evolving library technology systems
- Accessible
- Award-recognized
- Related to school curricula
“No single criterion is determinative and an item need not meet every criterion,” the policy reads.
Self-published and independently produced materials are evaluated using the same criteria as other resources. Artificial intelligence generated materials, however, will not be added to the collection.
The library may accept monetary gifts designated for the purchase of materials. Donors may suggest subject areas or intended audiences, but library staff retain the authority to select specific materials.
“Staff evaluate resources to keep collections useful, accurate, appealing, accessible and responsive to community needs,” the policy reads. “The same professional principles used in selection apply to retention, replacement, relocation and deselection.”
The policy also includes a form for requesting reconsideration of materials in the collection. The form asks what sections are of concern, if there’s any value to the overall work, what objections are based on, and if there are other resource suggestions to replace it.
Nichols said the Select Board must give final approval before the policy officially takes effect. The policy also calls for the Library Board of Trustees to review it every three years.
