PALMER PUBLIC LIBRARY
Collection Development Policy
RESPONSIBILITY:
The Board of Trustees serves as the final authority for the determination of the Palmer Public
Library Collection Development Policy. As directed by the Trustees, the Library Director may
delegate to specific staff members the responsibility for selection of materials in special areas.
Recommendations by these staff members are subject to review by the Director. In compliance
with the library's mission to provide a variety of materials to meet the personal, educational and
cultural needs of its patrons, librarians select and withdraw library materials. Recognizing that
sensitivity to the needs and interests of the community is essential to the development of library
collections, the Palmer Public Library welcomes advice and suggestions from patrons, trustees
and authorities in various fields. Librarians, however, are responsible for evaluating the needs of
the collection and the community, and they are entrusted to make the final choices.
SCOPE:
The Palmer Public Library is a member of:
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WMRLS (Western Massachusetts Regional Library System), a consortium of over two
hundred public, private, college and school libraries west of Worcester County
C/W MARS (Central and Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing), a
network of over one hundred forty public, academic and special libraries in central and
western Massachusetts
Through these memberships, the library has access to the collections and resources of
neighboring libraries, WMRLS libraries, and C/W MARS participants, and will not needlessly
duplicate services or materials. Every effort is made to locate and borrow from other libraries
through C/W MARS or the regional interlibrary loan network those specialized materials that are
beyond the scope of the Palmer Public Library collection.
Predominantly targeted to an English speaking audience, the collection includes:
 books
 large print books
 graphic novels
 periodicals and newspapers
 paperback books
 books on tape and books on CD
 playaways
 music cassettes and CDs
 DVDs and video recordings
 CD-ROM computer software
 theme kits
Through the PALS (Palmer Affiliated Library Services) system the library provides access to online databases which supplement those offered through WMRLS, C/WMARS and the
Massachusetts Library and Information Network.
The library seeks to provide a broad range of materials to meet the varied needs of its patrons.
The library continually updates materials in the areas of business, law, government, medicine,
health, technology, science and current events. The library buys popular fiction and non-fiction
in various print and non-print formats to fill the need for information about popular culture and
social trends.
MATERIALS SELECTION PROCESS:
The Library Director and/or designated library staff use a variety of tools to aid in the selection
of materials, including resources such as professional review journals, broadcast media,
bookstores, electronic interest groups, publishers’ catalogs, purchase alerts, and patron and staff
recommendations.
Decisions are made as objectively as possible, and the entire work is evaluated.
Contextual considerations also influence the selection process, i.e. budget, space availability, and
interlibrary loan availability through C/WMARS and WMRLS.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
The library staff exercises sound judgment, experience and expertise in the application of
selection criteria. Materials do not need to meet all of the criteria in order to be acceptable.
The Library Director and/or designated staff use the following criteria in the materials selection
process:
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Appropriateness for intended library patrons
Relevance to needs of the community
Price and available funding
Space requirements
Popularity and patron demand, including the purchase of duplicate titles
Availability of materials through electronic resources or inter-library loans
Reputation and qualifications of the author and/or publisher of the material
Format, durability, and ease of use
Relevance to existing collection’s strengths and weaknesses
Favorable reviews, and inclusion in reputable resources, i.e. bibliographies, publishers’
catalogs, and professional or trade journals
The library holds all acquisitions, whether purchased, or donated, to the above Selection Criteria.
WITHDRAWAL OF MATERIALS:
Materials are regularly withdrawn from the Palmer Public Library’s collection in order to
maintain the integrity of the collection. Reasons for withdrawal include, but are not limited to:
 Outdated material/content
 Inaccurate material/content
 Low usage
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Superseded content/edition
Poor condition
Lack of compliance
Local History is the exception to the above listed criteria.
GIFTS:
The reviews of all gifted material, including memorabilia, are according to the library’s selection
criteria. Not all gifts are suitable to be added to the library’s collection. Gifts that are not
deemed appropriate to the library collection will be passed to the Library Loft with the donor’s
permission. Donated material is the property of the Palmer Public Library and is subject to the
same processing usage and disposal criteria as the rest of the library’s material.
At the request of the donor, the library will provide a receipt with a description of the donated
material but will not appraise any donation for tax purposes. The library is not responsible for
keeping records of such transactions.
RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS:
The Palmer Public Library does not promote any particular beliefs or views. Rather, it provides
a resource for the various opinions and viewpoints which apply to important, complex, and
controversial issues, including unpopular and unorthodox positions.
The library recognizes parents and legal guardians as the parties responsible for the reading,
listening, and viewing habits of children. The selection of materials for the adult collection is not
restricted by the possibility that children may obtain materials which their parents or guardians
may consider inappropriate.
Library patrons may request reconsideration of library materials by submitting a Request for
Reconsideration of Library Materials form, which is available at any of the library’s public
service desks as well as on the library’s web site. The form will be reviewed by the Library
Director, whose decision may be appealed to the Library Board of Trustees. The Board’s
decision shall be final.
To ensure the library patron’s right to the full range of library information and materials, the
Palmer Public Library supports the following documents:
 The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
 The Library Bill of Rights (Adopted June 18, 1948, by the ALA Council; amended February 2,
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1961; amended June 28, 1967; amended January 23, 1980; inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 24, 1996.)
The Freedom To Read Statement (Adopted June 25, 1953, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to
Read Committee; amended January 28, 1972; January 16, 1991; July 12, 2000; June 30, 2004.).
Adopted by the Palmer Public Library Board of Trustees
May 15, 2008
PALMER PUBLIC LIBRARY
REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS
The Library Board of Trustees has authorized the use of this form as part of its Collection Development
Policy.
DATE: ________________________________________________________________________
YOUR NAME: _________________________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________________
TOWN/STATE/ZIP: _____________________________________________________________
I REPRESENT: MYSELF ____ ORGANIZATION (NAME) ____________________________
TITLE OF ITEM: _______________________________________________________________
AUTHOR: _____________________________________________________________________
FORMAT (book, audiobook, DVD, videotape, CD, etc.): _______________________________
DID YOU READ/VIEW/LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE WORK? ___________________________
WHAT CONCERNS YOU ABOUT THIS ITEM? _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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When completed, this form should be returned to the Library Director, Palmer Public Library, 1455 North
Main Street, Palmer, MA 01069.