Material Selection Policy

The selection of materials is driven by the Region of Waterloo Library’s Mission, and Vision, and by the Region of Waterloo’s Values. The Materials Selection Policy guides library staff, and informs the public, about the principles upon which selection, and de-selection, of library resources is made.

The Library’s role is to assemble, preserve, and provide free and equitable access to print and other materials that support the informational and recreational needs of Region of Waterloo residents.

Intellectual Freedom

Fundamental to the Library’s materials selection procedure is the Statement on Intellectual Rights of the Individual passed by the Ontario Library Association, and the Statement on Intellectual Freedom and Libraries adopted by the Canadian Federation of Library Associations.

The presence of an item in the collection does not indicate an endorsement of its contents by the Region of Waterloo Library but, rather, is an affirmation of the principle of intellectual freedom as embodied in the statements noted above.

Collection Scope

The Library’s responsibility to the community in its selection of materials is two-fold.  It must provide a collection that is broad, comprehensive, diverse, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the entire community; yet, as a publicly supported institution, it must exercise sound judgment in its selection decisions.

In general, Region of Waterloo Library collections will:

• Provide a breadth of materials, representing varying points of view, and including materials that not all individuals will agree with. 
• Prioritize works of broad popular appeal, which meet the needs of the independent learner over those which are specialized, scholarly, or primarily for professional use. 
• Include materials written in the English language. Collections will be developed in other languages as required to meet changing community needs, and if that language is sustainable as a collection with quality material, demand and usage.
• Include material in multiple formats, (i.e., print, non-print, physical and online resources) both to meet patron needs, preferences, and learning styles, and to ensure accessibility for those with disabilities.
• Include resources for all ages and literacy levels. 
• Support access to resources beyond the Region of Waterloo Library’s collection through the interlibrary loan service.
• Include alternative collections (e.g., mobile hotspots, games) that address patrons’ educational and/or recreational needs and interests or provide access to other cultural/non-profit institutions (e.g., museums, galleries, parks).
• Include materials that expand access to Indigenous content and knowledge and furthers understanding about Truth and Reconciliation.
• Enrich human understanding and celebrate diversity of our community and world through inclusion of various cultural, ethnic, religious and philosophical backgrounds.
• Provide access to materials created by and representative of diverse authors, creators, and communities, including underrepresented and systemically oppressed groups protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
• Apply an inclusive and anti-oppressive lens to the selection, cataloguing, labeling, display, promotion, and withdrawal of materials, and will support cataloguing and classification practices that work to reduce systemic oppression.

Selection Criteria

Library staff are responsible for selecting material to meet the needs of patrons as defined above, while also judiciously de-selecting material to keep the collection current, relevant and appealing. Material purchased for, and removed from, the collection is guided by the following criteria:

• Accuracy
• Artistic/literacy merits
• Authority of the creator and/or publisher
• Authenticity of human creativity
• Availability of items
• Availability of material elsewhere
• Community interest, demand or relevance
• Content by Canadian authors and/or about experiences relating to Canada
• Currency and timeliness
• Cost of the item relative to budgetary constraints
• Diversity of content
• Patron needs for a specific format
• Physical condition
• Quality of writing, illustrations, and overall production
• Recommendations from professional reviewers and/or in popular media (e.g., CBC, The Globe and Mail, etc.)
• Titles on established, and recognized, literary awards lists (e.g., The Booker Prize, The John Newberry Medal, OLA Forest of Reading, etc.)
• Relative cost and availability of items in competing formats
• Space requirements
• Suitability for lending and use by multiple individuals
• Requests to add self-published and/or print-on-demand materials to the collection will be considered based on the above selection criteria

Artificial-Intelligence-Created Content

The Region of Waterloo Library is committed to maintaining a collection that reflects human creativity, knowledge, and expertise. As such, the Library will not purchase or accept materials that are generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). If AI-generated content is believed to have been added to the collection, it will be reviewed by the Manager, Library Services, or designate, to determine if it will be withdrawn. This principle ensures collections uphold quality, authenticity and intellectual integrity of published materials.

AI-assisted content can be included in the collection if it meets the same standards as works created entirely by people. AI-assisted content means material that a person created, but used AI tools to help edit, improve, or check for errors.

The Region of Waterloo Library also recognizes that some licensed or subscription-based digital resources may include AI-generated content that is not clearly identified. In these cases, the Library may have limited ability to control, label, or disclose that content.

Recommendations for Purchase

The Region of Waterloo Library welcomes recommendations from patrons, for items not included in our catalogue. Suggested items are evaluated according to the Selection Criteria outlined above. Additional factors include:

• Publication date within the past two years.
• Similar holdings in the collection.
• Available funds for the desired material type.
• Being of local interest or significance.

While staff will consider all suggestions, not every title will be purchased for the collection. 

Recommendations for Purchase

The Region of Waterloo Library is a resource where many points of view and modes of expression can be examined without hindrance. Region of Waterloo Library, therefore, recognizes the right of individuals to express opposition to authors' ideas or to their creative exercise of language, in materials selected for the library.

The Library acknowledges that some items in the collection contain outdated, or stereotypical portrayals, now broadly recognized as inappropriate or harmful. The Library will work to provide educational materials to provide a greater frame and foster improved understanding.

The Region of Waterloo Library complies with any law enacted at the federal, provincial or municipal level, and therefore does not collect or maintain material which has been adjudged obscene or pornographic or has been banned by the courts. The relevant sections of the Criminal Code of Canada are sedition, hate propaganda and obscenity.

The following will not cause an item to be automatically included or excluded from the collection:

• Race, religion, nationality or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, political views, or other personal characteristics, of an author;
• Frankness or coarseness of language;
• Controversial content;
•  Endorsement or disapproval of an individual or group;
• Language of the text.

Selection of material cannot be influenced by any anticipated approval or disapproval of its intellectual content by sectors of the community.

All library patrons have open access to all the Library's collections with certain limited exceptions.

People and groups may choose not to use certain library materials themselves, but they may not limit other people’s access to those materials.

Physical access to materials will not be restricted except for the express purpose of protecting an item from damage or theft.

Parents/guardians are responsible for the reading/listening/viewing choices of their child(ren). Selection of materials for the library collection is not restricted by the possibility that children may obtain materials their parents/guardians consider inappropriate. The Library believes in the freedom of the individual and the right and obligation of parents/guardians to develop, interpret, and enforce their own code of acceptable conduct upon their own household.

In the event of objection or complaint by a resident, the steps for resolution are as follows:

·       The resident is requested to put their objections in writing, using a Request for Reconsideration form.

·       The written complaint is forwarded to the Manager, Library Services who will read, review or listen to the material, discuss the complaint with the appropriate library staff and, when necessary, check with outside review sources, and make a decision.

·       When the review is completed, the requestor is provided with a written explanation for the decision. The decision will reflect the principles outlined in this policy. 

Gifts and Donations

Books donated by local authors, or items of local historical significance must be approved by the Manager, Library Services and may be accepted if judged to be useful additions to the collection. The same principles of selection that are applied to purchases are applied to gifts.

For details, see our Donations Policy

Local History Collection

The purpose of the Region of Waterloo Library Local History Collection is to contribute to the understanding of our local heritage by providing convenient local access to materials, which document, describe, or illustrate the ongoing history of the Townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich.

For details, see Local History Policy - Collection

Local History Collection

The Region of Waterloo Library strives to maintain strong physical collections while growing or providing access to content that reflects the increasing demand for information, books, music and videos in digital formats, as well as non-traditional library collections.

Qualified library staff regularly assess library materials based on their condition, accuracy, currency, and usage. To keep the collection timely and attractive, materials are deselected and withdrawn when they are found to be outdated, worn, redundant, or outside the desired scope of the collection.

Worn or damaged items are considered for replacement based on the selection criteria within this policy. The Library may decide not to replace items that are stolen or damaged repeatedly.

Withdrawn materials may be discarded, sold, donated, or repurposed for library programs.

SEE ALSO:

• Request for Reconsideration of Materials form 
• Local History Policy – Collection
• Donation Policy