Materials Selection Policy
The Region of Waterloo Library's function is to assemble, preserve, and make easily and freely available to all people printed and other materials that will assist them to "thrive by providing resources for learning, enjoyment and discovery."
The goals of the materials selection procedure are:
- to maintain a well-balanced and broad collection of materials for information, reference and research
- to provide materials for the education and enlightenment of the community
Intellectual Freedom
Basic to the library's materials selection procedure is the Statement on Intellectual Rights of the Individual passed by the Ontario Library Association, November 1998, and the Canadian Library Association's Principles of Intellectual Freedom.
Materials Selection Procedure Standards
The responsibility of the Library to the community in its materials selection is two-fold. It must meet the needs of the community, yet being supported by these same people, it must temper its selection with judgment.
The collection should be extensive and comprehensive, serving the needs of the entire community. The selection is based on literary, educational, informational and recreational value.
General Collection Priorities |
In general, collection priority is given to:
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Controversial Material |
The Region of Waterloo Library is a resource where many points of view and modes of expression can be examined without hindrance. No ideas and opinions have universal acceptance or condemnation in a pluralistic society. The use of language, either descriptive or expressive, can in itself stimulate controversy.
The 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 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 Canadian Library Association Statement on Intellectual Freedom. 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:
The Library will neither undertake to mark items to show approval or disapproval nor expurgate any materials. Physical access to materials will not be restricted except for the express purpose of protecting an item from damage or theft. All library users have open access to all the Library's collections with certain limited exceptions. |
Handling Challenged Materials |
In the event of objection or complaint by a citizen, the steps for resolution are as follows:
The citizen is requested to put his or her 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 person and, when necessary, check with outside review sources. When the review is completed, the customer is provided with a written explanation for the decision. The decision will reflect the principles outlined in the Library's Materials Selection Procedure. |
Religion |
The library does not cater to nor discriminate against any religious group. The selection is broad, tolerant, without partisanship or propaganda, and chosen on the basis of authority, timeliness and good literary quality. The library's collection will not duplicate that of church libraries. |
Legal, medical and health works |
Materials are chosen on the basis of proven scientific and medical authority, common sense and up-to-date information. Legal and medical works will be acquired only to the extent that they are useful to the layperson. |
Responsibility for children's reading |
Responsibility for the reading of children rests with their parents and legal guardians. Selection of materials for the adult collection is not restricted by the possibility that children obtain materials their parents consider inappropriate. The library believes in the freedom of the individual and the right and obligation of parents to develop, interpret, and enforce their own code of acceptable conduct upon their own household. |
Service to Students |
The responsibility of the public library, as distinct from the school authorities, is to provide materials for cultural and practical interests. Materials related to the curriculum and needed for an effective school program are the responsibility of the Boards of Education or private schools or educators. Basic, frequently-used material should be provided in quantity in school libraries. No attempt is made to supply textbooks used in the schools and colleges of this area, except as such materials also serve the general public. |
Canadian Content |
The library recognizes its responsibility to provide current and up-to-date Canadian material to serve the cultural, information, and recreational needs of the clientele. Therefore, in selecting materials for the library collection priority will be given to materials of Canadian content. Furthermore, the library will endeavour wherever possible, to purchase the materials for its collection through Canadian publishers and suppliers. |
Gifts and Donations |
The Region of Waterloo Library does not accept unsolicited donations of books or other items. 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 by the library to be useful additions to the collection. The same principles of selection which are applied to purchases are applied to gifts.
Gifts of books and other materials are accepted on the understanding that the library retains unconditional ownership of the gifts, and that if it cannot use them, the library may discard them at any time and in any way it sees fits. No condition may be imposed relating to any book or other item after its acceptance. The library is not responsible for informing the donor of such disposition. Donations of money are accepted by the Library. Library staff will do their best to honour the donor's wishes, while following the library's materials selection procedure. Charitable tax receipts will be issued for cash donations of $10.00 or more. In memoriam gifts will be acknowledged with bookplates and receipts unless otherwise specified. |
Formats |
The Region of Waterloo Library will provide material in a variety of formats, both print and non-print, both online and physical items, to meet the needs of its users and accommodate a range of learning styles. The Library will keep up with market trends in formats, but will not be the first, nor the last, library to introduce new media.
Factors influencing when to switch formats will be:
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Audiovisual Materials |
All audiovisual materials considered for purchase will be measured by the following criteria:
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Local History Collection |
Purpose
The purpose of the Region of Waterloo Library Local History Collection is to contribute to the understanding of our local heritage by providing provide convenient local access to materials which document, describe, or illustrate the ongoing history of the Townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. Collection Focus Local History is a geographically based collection, of selected items relating to the rural areas of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, viz. the Townships of Wilmot, Wellesley, Woolwich, and North Dumfries. Collection Guidelines The collection may include:
In branches without special security, storage, conservation and preservation facilities, the focus will be on bound monographs and reprint editions. Microforms and microfilm may be purchased if safe, secure storage exists. Clippings, photographs, maps and manuscripts can be accommodated to a limited extent due to special handling and shelving requirements. Generally these will be transferred or donated to local or regional archives or museums which have proper storage, conservation and preservation facilities and staff. Artifacts, fragile original manuscripts, documents, memorabilia and photographs will generally be transferred or donated to other, properly equipped, local or regional museums or archives. All monographs will be catalogued and classified, and appear in the public online catalogue as Local History materials. The first, or original copy of any publication will remain in the Local History area. Reproduction or duplicate copies of the item may be borrowed under normal circulation rules for nonfiction books or materials. Selection The Manager, Library Services will interpret and apply the selection guidelines for both purchases and gifts. All donations must be obtained free and clear without restrictions as to use of future disposition. Monetary donations will be accepted. De-selection Donations shall be retained in the collections as long as they retain their physical integrity, identity, and authenticity, and as long as they remain relevant and useful to the purposes and activities of the Library. Deaccessioning of donations may be considered when these conditions no longer prevail or if the Library should receive similar items in better condition. The elimination of duplicate, irrelevant or damaged materials will be done by the Manager, Library Services in consultation with staff of local and regional museums, archives and other libraries. |
Collection Maintenance |
In order to maintain a current and relevant collection, it is necessary to de-select or weed material systematically. The following criteria are considered when weeding:
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