Collection Development Policy

The Medfield Public Library is dedicated to serving the informational, educational, and recreational needs of members of the community of all ages and backgrounds. The library develops collections in a variety of formats to meet known and anticipated community needs and makes these resources as accessible as possible both on-site and through electronic means.

Criteria for Selection

Community Interest

  • Popularity of title, as indicated by sales, circulation and library holds
  • Local emphasis, either subject matter or author
  • Patron requests

Merits of Individual Titles

  • Reputation or qualifications of the author, creator, or publisher of the work
  • Creative, literary or informational quality
  • Treatment of subject and readability for age of intended audience
  • Reviews and critical assessments in a variety of journals and review resources

Collection Goals

  • Contemporary significance or permanent value
  • Representation of diverse points of view
  • Availability of materials in other libraries, especially availability within the Minuteman Library Network
  • The item supplements, supports, or expands upon current collection
  • Value for cost within materials budget

Gifts

Material gifts made to the library will be evaluated with the criteria listed above. Not all gifts are recommended for addition to the collection, although they may be sold in the Friends of the Library bookstore to benefit the library.

Local Authors

If a book written by a Medfield resident is donated to the library, it will be added to the local authors section of the library’s collection. If a book by a local author is recommended for purchase, it will be evaluated according to the selection criteria listed above.

Withdrawal from Collection

Materials will be removed from the collection also using the criteria listed above. This will be done on a systematic basis and is essential to maintaining, a useful, appealing, and exciting collection. Materials that are no longer useful, outdated, have not circulated over an extended period of time, or are not in a condition suitable for circulation may be withdrawn and they may be sold in the Friends of the Library bookstore to benefit the library.

Reconsideration of Materials

The Board endorses the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read Statement, and Freedom to View Statement in providing library services for all. Medfield residents may fill out a Request for Reconsideration form for an item in the collection and return the form in person to the Library Director. A committee will be assembled, drawing from the following groups depending on the subject matter and perspectives needed to review the item: members of the Board of Trustees, library staff, Friends of the Library Board members, and community members. A response from the committee will be issued within 90 days; the item will remain in circulation while under review. This form is attached here and available at the public service desks.

Responsibility

The Board of Trustees sets library policy, including the policy on collection development. The Board delegates the responsibility of selecting specific materials to the library director, under whose direction library staff use the criteria listed in this policy to make selection and withdrawal decisions for the collection.

This policy was approved on January 16, 2020 by the Board of Trustees. Revised October 11, 2022.

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