Request Items

  New Items

  Community Links

  Job Openings

  Contact Us

  Site Map

  Home

Collection Development Policy

 

Vision statement: The Bedford Public Library will be a highly valued resource that establishes and promotes long-term relationships with the community. 

Mission statement: The Bedford Public Library is committed to improving the quality of life for its customers by providing equal access to services, resources, and information.

BEDFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The collection will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to meet current community needs. Materials will be added or withdrawn from the collection in accordance with the collection development plan. This plan will be consistent with the Library mission and vision statement. Space and budget limit the amount of materials that may be included in the Library’s collection. 

Library staff will select and discard materials based on the use of professional  publications, reviews, catalogs, and their own professional judgment.  Final responsibility for materials selection rests with the Library Director.  Each type of material will be considered in terms of its own merit and intended audience.

Criteria for selection will include:

1. Quality of writing, design, illustration or production.
2. Factual accuracy.
3. Positive reviews.
4. Relationship to existing collection and other materials on the subject.
5. Reputation and significance of author, editor, illustrator, artist, etc
6. Need for variety and balance of viewpoints within the collection.
7. Customer demand/ interest in the material.
8. Contemporary interest or permanent value.
9. Price and availability.
10. Suitability of physical form to library use.

The Bedford Public Library welcomes suggestions for purchase from Library customers.  Request forms are available at all public service desks. 

Specialized materials of limited interest will not generally be purchased.  Referral to other library collections or the use of interlibrary loan will be used to obtain materials not owned by the Bedford Public Library.   

Donations and Gifts:

Donated materials and gifts are accepted with the understanding that all materials become the property of the Library to add to the collection in accordance with the collection development policy or to discard.

Collection Maintenance:

The Library strives to maintain a collection that meets the needs of the community.   The vitality and usefulness of the collection will be maintained by systematically discarding materials that are damaged, factually inaccurate, or no longer in demand.

Reconsideration of Materials:

The Library will review a specific title when a customer completes a form for the reconsideration of library materials.  These forms are available upon request.