Mountainside
Public Library
Library Description
The Mountainside Public Library (MPL), founded in 1914, serves the residents of, and
tourists visiting, Mountainside, CO, and the surrounding areas in Foothills County, which has an
estimated total population of nearly 9,000 people. The library is governed by the Library Board
of Trustees, volunteers who are jointly appointed by the Mountainside Town Trustees, and the
Foothills County Commissioners. The nine full-time and seven part-time staff are funded by a
combination of tax-revenues, grants and fund-raisers. Librarians and staff report to the Library
Director, who together manage a collection containing approximately 45,710 volumes, 200
magazine subscriptions, 15 newspaper subscriptions, and 5,886 electronic items (CDs, DVDs,
books on tape, etc.). Located 70 miles northwest of Capitol City, CO, Mountainside is nestled
next to the eastern entrance of Big Mountain National park, at an elevation of 7,522 feet.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Mountainside Public Library is to serve as a premier regional
community information resource, providing collections, technology, services and programs that
support our patrons in lifelong learning. MPL will provide up-to-date collections representing a
broad range of opinions and perspectives for users who are interested in popular culture, current
events, and civic participation. In recognition of Mountainside’s vibrant cultural history and
milieu, the Library will serve as a unique scholarly compilation of Scottish and Irish-American
materials, specialized resource links, and related items.
Approved by the Mountainside Library Board of Trustees, April 9, 2004
Intellectual Freedom Policy
The Mountainside Public Library is committed to upholding the right of every individual
to access information from all viewpoints without restriction. The Library provides access to a
broad spectrum of diverse ideas and viewpoints, regardless of staff members’ personal ideologies
and beliefs. Patrons are free to select or reject what they wish from the collection, but not to
inhibit others’ freedom to choose. Selection of materials intended for use by adults is not
influenced by the possibility that minors can access these same materials. The Library holds that
it is the responsibility of parents or guardians to guide the selection and use of resources for their
children according to their own values.
Library selectors make a deliberate effort to present different points of view on
controversial subjects within balanced collection. The library does not label items to indicate
whether or not they are acceptable, nor does it endorse any ideas contained within. The
collection will include items advocating economic, political, religious, moral or other views
when they meet the standards set in the Collection Policy.
The ongoing implementation of the Library’s support for intellectual freedom is guided
by the principles within the following American Library Association documents:
o The Library Bill of Rights
o Freedom to Read Statement
o Code of Ethics
o Statement on Labeling
All Library customers are encouraged to offer suggestions of new materials to be added
to the collection. Patrons who wish to request the removal or reconsideration of library materials
are welcome to submit their concerns by filling out a Materials Reconsideration Form, which is
available at the Main Circulation Desk. The Library Director will review the request, and provide
a written response within thirty (30) days of receiving the completed form. The material under
reconsideration will not be removed from the shelf during this process. Patrons wishing to appeal
this response are encouraged to write a letter to the Board of Trustees detailing their concerns. A
Board representative will attempt to contact the patron within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the
letter to arrange for a meeting. The decision of the Board of Trustees is final.
Mountainside Public Library
335 E. Elkhorn Ave
Mountainside, CO 80517
(970) 586-8116
http://www.mountainsidepl.lib.co.us/
MPL Board of Trustees
PO Box 66
Mountainside, CO 80517
http://www.mountainsidepl.lib.co.us/trustees/
Approved by the Mountainside Library Board of Trustees, April 9, 2004
Collection Development Plan
SUBJECT AREA: Local Scottish and Irish-American History and
Heritage
CLASSIFICATION NUMBERS: Works generally found in LC classification E 300-800.
COMMENTS ON SCOPE: In the past, this subject was dispersed across American History,
Local History, and Sociology. This new collection is intended to serve as a unique scholarly
compilation of Scottish and Irish-American materials, specialized resource links, and related
items, with special interest in the lives of immigrants to our community. The collection is to
provide enriched access to print and non-print resources for specialized studies in this area.
Related topics: Celtic-American history, genealogy.
SELECTION PLAN: MPL collects everything available about Morningside or Foothills County.
The selector must make a special effort to contact local organizations, institutions, associations
and churches in order to acquire and preserve relevant materials and information. Duplicates of
important items may be kept in storage for future use. MPL collects works of Morningside and
Foothills County authors, and the collector will add such items to this collection when relevant.
CRITERIA: current and past authoritative works providing complete historical perspectives from
diverse points of view.
RESPONSIBILITY: Subject specialist in Scottish and Irish American Studies, in consultation,
as needed, with local experts and other persons with experience, knowledge or interest in this
area.
STANDARD LISTS: Public Library Catalog (H. W. Wilson)
REVIEWING AND INFORMATION SOURCES (selected): Journal of American Ethnic
History, Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly.
Approved by the Mountainside Library Board of Trustees, April 9, 2004
FORMATS:
Print:
monographs, anthologies, compilations, journals, newsletters,
archives
Non-print:
CD-ROMs, videocassettes, DVDs, eBooks, eNewsletters,
databases
Of interest: primary sources such as letters, family Bibles, photographs and
other unique materials detailing all aspects of Irish and ScottishAmerican family life and history; archives of the annual
Mountainside Scottish-Irish festival since inception.
Not collected: materials on new-age religions with Celtic roots.
PUBLISHERS OF INTEREST (selected): Cascade Publishing Company, Jedburgh, Scotland;
Books Ulster, Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.
INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES (selected):
Irish American Cultural Institute http://www.iaci-usa.org/index.html
The Center for Irish Studies at the University of St. Thomas
http://www.stthomas.edu/irishstudies/
Irish and Irish Immigration Studies, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
http://www.siu.edu/~ireland/
Arts and Humanities Research Council Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/ahrbciss/index.shtml
ONLINE RESOURCES (selected):
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ ScotlandsPeople: The official government source for
Scottish genealogy, census, and family research.
http://sbo.nls.uk Scottish Bibliographies Online, National Library of Scotland
http://www.gale.com/ Biology and Genealogy Master Index, Thompson Gale Group
LANGUAGES: primarily English, but items in Gaelic and related ancient languages of the
British Isles are also welcome.
POLICY ON RETROSPECTIVE COLLECTING: items will be added selectively, when it is
feasible to obtain unique items of historical significance to Mountainside, CO, with emphasis on
classic monographs not already included. The collector will selectively add items providing
historical background to items already present, such as clan histories, genealogical records, and
the like.
RETENTION AND WEEDING: Items deemed fragile, valuable, and/or irreplaceable may be
moved to the Archives Collection for preservation. Nothing of historical significance about
Foothills County, its government, institutions, organizations, businesses or buildings will be
Approved by the Mountainside Library Board of Trustees, April 9, 2004
removed from the collection, except as just indicated. Items preserved in an electronic format
will also have a hard copy version available, either in the collection or in storage.
EVALUATION: Since this is a new subject area, complete with new physical space to fill,
detailed evaluation of this collection will begin when it reaches 75% of capacity. At that time, it
will be analyzed using statistically valid methods, such as those recommended by the ALA.
Funding permitting, an outside expert will be brought in to check the collection in detail.
Whether internally or externally implemented, this first (and all succeeding evaluations) will
seek to answer the following questions:
1. Are acquisitions in line with the library’s mission, the focus of the subject area, and the
wishes of the benefactors for this collection?
2. Is every effort being made to obtain equally representative materials in fair quantities in
both Scottish and Irish American emphasis?
3. Have any new related areas of inquiry developed that, if materials were added to the
collection, would enrich and broaden the collections, or fill-in gaps that currently exist?
To determine if acquisitions are in line with #1, the Selector for this subject area will provide a
detailed map of the collection, and a committee consisting of the Selector for the subject, the
Head Librarian, interested members of the Board of Trustees, and the benefactors will meet to
review progress in meeting the aforementioned goals. For verifying equal representation, the
library will analyze and compare the number of items and dollars spent in each area of emphasis,
using information easily available in our computer systems. Finally, for #3, the Selector will
conduct a videoconference or conference call to meet with knowledgeable faculty in this area
(see “Institutional Resources” above). Succeeding evaluations of the collection will take place
every five years, one year before the library’s five-year review of its Collection Development
Plan. Evaluation of how the collection is being utilized will begin at this time as well, utilizing
circulation and interlibrary loan statistics.
GIFTS: Donations of materials will be incorporated into the collection following the same
guidelines as purchases. Items not included in the collection will be dealt with according to
policy for the entire library.
Development Level:
Genealogical Materials
Local History
American Ethnic History
Past
0
2
1
Current
1
3
2
Future
3
5
4
Notes:
Collection Development Levels are adapted from Automated Collection Assessment and Analysis
Services, Western Library Network OCLC Lacey Product Center. Categories and organization for this
plan were inspired by the Flower City Public Library’s Philanthropy Collection Plan, and by some aspects
of the Morrison Reeves Public Library’s Collection Development Plan.
Approved by the Mountainside Library Board of Trustees, April 9, 2004
Mountainside Public Library
Materials Reconsideration Form
Name of individual completing this form: _________________________________________________
Address:____________________________________________________________________________
City:_____________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________
State: ___
Zip: ____________
Email: ____________________________
Best day & time for us to reach you: ________________________________________
Preferred method of contact:
email
phone
mail
Filing this request on behalf of (check all that apply):
 myself
 children [please provide age(s)]: ___________________________________
 group/organization [name & description]: ________________________________________
 other: _____________________________________________________________________
Name/Title of item to be reconsidered:____________________________________________________
Author/Artist/Performer: ______________________________________________________________
Format:
Print: ____Book ____Textbook ____Magazine ____Newspaper ____Other: _________________
Non-Print: ____Artwork ____Film ____Photo ____Sound Recording ____Video ____CD-ROM
Other: ____Collection ____Exhibit ____Performance ____Speech ____On-Line Resources ____Other: ________
Please explain your concerns about this material:
Did you read (or listen to or view) the entire work?
 Yes
 No
What harm do you believe this item will cause? Why?
What positive attributes, if any, does this item offer?
How did you learn about this material? __________________________________________________
Please sign and return this form to Mountainside Public Library, 335 E. Elkhorn Ave, Mountainside, CO
80517, to the attention of the Library Director. You will receive a written reply from the library within
thirty days after completed form is received.
Signature: ________________________________________
Date: ________________
Approved by the Mountainside Library Board of Trustees, April 9, 2004