I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The purpose of the Collection Development Policy of the Duxbury Free Library is to provide guidelines for acquisition and withdrawal decisions, allocation of resources and long-range collection development in accordance with the library's mission.

Community Description.

Duxbury is a residential, seaside community of 23.76 square miles approximately 35 miles southeast of Boston. Its natural amenities include a 7 mile long barrier beach on Massachusetts Bay and 37 miles of tidal shoreline. Decades of careful planning, zoning and open space acquisition have resulted in maintaining a rural ambiance and spaciousness in what is essentially a suburban town.

First settled in 1628 and incorporated in 1637, the town boasts a long history, including prominence as a ship building and shipping center at the start of the 19th century. In the late 1880's the town became a summer home for many nonresidents, with an economic base of fishing and agriculture, until the mid 60s when Route 3 was completed and precipitated several decades of explosive growth. Population doubled in the 70's and 80's, yet in the 90's was almost static. According to the 2000 federal census, Duxbury's population is 14,691, and is 97.2% white.

Now basically a year round home for people working outside the town, Duxbury has a high percentage of single-dwelling homes and is not zoned for industry. Affluent and well-educated for the most part, citizens tend to be family oriented, with high expectations of their town services.

Library Description.

For more than a century, since it opened in 1890, the Duxbury Free Library has been the place where people of all ages, with a wide diversity of interests, have been able to

pursue private research, keep informed, satisfy scholarly curiosity or follow flights of

fancy through books, magazines, recordings and, more recently, computers, CDs and videos.

The library has been housed in three buildings throughout its history, the first a house refurbished and furnished as a library. The second, a brick, neoclassic library, was built on the same site near the Duxbury schools in the early 1900's, with an addition in 1968 to meet the needs of a suddenly growing population. In November, 1997, the library tripled its space in new quarters, a handsome old school building in the same campus setting, completely rebuilt into an open, airy, new state-of-the-art facility.

The location includes facilities, which are either educational (3 of Duxbury's 4 schools), recreational (swimming pool, tennis courts and playing fields), historical (the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and the John Alden House), and cultural (the Ellison Center for the Arts and the Art Complex Museum) as well. The library's new location, in a commanding position on a hill overlooking most of these other buildings, emphasizes the library's importance and role in helping to fulfill all the above needs.

Patron Needs and Library Services.

Duxbury Free Library patrons are of all ages and interests, and the community's high level of educational attainment - 74% of those 25 and older attended colleges and universities and 60% have undergraduate or graduate degrees - ensures a demand for materials on a wide variety of subjects. Citizens participate in town government and serve on committees, show pride and interest in the history of the town, and take advantage of the many cultural offerings within the community and in Boston. A large percentage of the working population is professional, and there is a demand for management books and business periodicals, as well as financial references. The library also serves many artists, musicians and authors as well as others pursuing artistic and cultural endeavors. Children's services are a library priority. The new facility, which opened in the fall of 1997, reflects that commitment to expanded services to children and young adults.

Resource Sharing

The library is a charter member of the Old Colony Library Network, an automated resource-sharing network of 29 South Shore libraries. Computer terminals provide bibliographic access to the collections of the network libraries, and a daily delivery system ensures fast availability. For those patrons with needs outside the scope of our collection or the collections of network libraries, we are able to provide interlibrary loan service through cooperative agreements with the state library system.

Mission Statement

The Duxbury Free Library provides a welcoming environment where people of all ages can pursue individual and shared interests.  It provides a wide variety of resources to meet the needs of a diverse community and it supports lifelong learning.

Service Goals

Service goals were developed for each service response, using the new planning process.

1. Service Response:  Commons:

C1.        Patrons of all ages will be able to use appropriate study and gathering spaces.

C2.        Patrons of all ages will enjoy an array of cultural and educational programs.

C3.        Patrons are welcomed by a building and grounds that are clean and attractive.

C4.        Community groups will be able to use a variety of meeting spaces .

2.  Lifelong Learning:

L1.       All patrons will find an environment that supports their interests and encourages reading.

L2.       Adults will be able to expand their skills, interests, and intellectual pursuits.

L3.       Students in grades one to twelve will be able to obtain information, materials, and assistance to support their courses of study

3.  General Information:

G1.       All patrons will be able to obtain materials easily at or through the library.

G2.       All patrons will find general information and reference assistance at or through the library.

G3.       Internet access and related technologies will be available at or through the library.

II. RESPONSIBILITY FOR COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

The Library Director has responsibility for collection development, operating in accordance with policies set by the Board of Trustees. Responsibility for selection of materials lies with the Library Director, who delegates areas to appropriate professional staff, who are qualified by reason of education, training and experience. Other staff members and the general public are encouraged to recommend materials for consideration.

III. SELECTION TOOLS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Selection Tools

Selection tools include, but are not limited to:

* reviews in professional journals or periodicals

* newspapers and magazines

* specialized websites

* individual subject expertise of staff or community members;

* suggestions from Duxbury Library patrons

* coverage in local bookstores

* publishers catalogs

* standard bibliographies

Selection Criteria

Selection is based on recommendations in authoritative reviewing media and on requests from the public. The major considerations in selecting materials are the informational, recreational, and educational needs of the Duxbury Free Library community. While budgetary and space limitations make it impossible for a medium-sized library to build a comprehensive collection in all subject and interest areas, the library does endeavor to offer a collection which is diversified, well-developed and as balanced as possible. Inclusion of an item in the collection does not indicate library endorsement of its content.

The following criteria provide the general framework within which selection takes place:

* Whenever possible material should receive favorable reviews from recognized review sources. When unavailable, judgment is made by a trained staff member.

* Material should contribute to the balance and variety of the library's collection as a whole.

* Materials are evaluated with regard to artistic worth, authority, competence of presentation, comprehension by the intended age level, and contribution to the total

collection. Other considerations include: contemporary significance, usefulness or interest,

importance as an historical record, availability through the Old Colony Library Network or

through inter library loan, requests from users of the library, and physical quality of format

and binding.

* Non-fiction material is evaluated with regard to authority, authenticity, accuracy and timeliness. Presentation of ideas should be logical and clear.

* Material is selected to meet the needs and interests of the general public, not to duplicate

research or special collections found elsewhere. Materials are selected in various formats,

both print and non print, to meet the needs of library users.

* The relative permanent value of material is taken into consideration. Some items are selected knowing use will be short lived while other materials are selected for long term significance.

Adult Materials

Fiction Collection:

Every attempt is made to provide a wide selection of the various types of fiction, and to include the best works of the past and present. Each work is judged on individual merit and the needs of the collection as a whole.

The number of copies purchased is determined primarily by anticipated demand or by the number of patrons requesting the title.

Nonfiction Collection:

Selection often involves striking a balance between demand for current highly requested titles and the need to maintain and develop a collection of standard works of lasting value. Occasionally a work may be added despite an unfavorable review or in a format not generally chosen (i.e. textbook) if it fills a gap in the collection where a better work is unavailable or if patron requests have been made. Works are selected to provide a range of viewpoints on issues, recognizing the individual's right to read controversial opinions.

The library cannot normally support, except through interlibrary loan, the professional needs of individuals whose interests require highly technical or very specialized information. In addition, the library cannot take the place of an academic facility as a source for a wide range of highly academic materials.

Paperback Collection:

Paperbacks purchased by the library are selected from current best-selling paperbacks, and replacements are purchased for the most popular paperbacks that have become too worn for circulation.

Large Print Books:

The library selects books printed in large type format to provide a range of materials designed to meet the special needs of patrons with vision difficulties.

Periodicals:

The Library provides periodicals in a wide range of subjects of reference value and recreational interest.

Periodicals are selected according to the following criteria:

* indexed in one of the Library's indexing services

* inclusion in or exclusion by standard indexing sources

* cost

* requests by patrons

* whether the periodical has local or regional interest

* whether a subject area needs to be expanded to help balance the collection

Periodicals are kept as long as space and their continued use requires. DFL maintains current copies of major newspapers and Duxbury newspapers' back files are retained on microform. Many newspaper and magazine articles are available through the research databases on the library website.

Microforms (microfiche and microfilm)

Currently the library collects two newspapers in microfilm .

Microforms are added to the collection for one or more of the following reasons:

* to acquire materials not available in print

* to compress space required to store materials

* to preserve materials in the process of degenerating

The following factors should be considered when deciding whether print, microform, or electronic database will be the favored medium:

* potential use of material

* how long the print format will last

* storage space

* equipment for reading and printing

* costs of various formats.

Maps:

The library maintains a small collection of maps, with emphasis on the United States and the Northeast, including the U.S. Geological Survey topographic quadrangles for local areas, local history, and planning board maps. The map collection, other than local, consists of maps supplied as part of the library's subscription to National Geographic Magazine.

Audio Materials

Audio Books:

The library purchases unabridged versions of both fiction and nonfiction titles. Selection is made on the basis of favorable reviews, popular interest, and specific patron requests. Technical quality is also an important criterion.

Language Recordings:

The library purchases foreign language instructional recordings in many languages. Emphasis is on beginning languages, but an effort is made to purchase recordings for advanced studies in the most commonly used languages.

Music Recordings:

The library attempts to provide a representative selection of the most significant and broadly-known music in each of the following genres: classical, jazz, blues, popular, rock, folk/ethnic, new age, soundtrack/film scores and musical theater. Also included is a representation of poetry and speeches. Selection is based on artistic and technical quality, favorable reviews, patron requests, and recommendations by community experts.

Video Materials:

The Duxbury Free Library maintains a video collection that complements rather than competes with local video rental stores. Videos are considered for collection inclusion based on favorable reviews, prior viewing, patron demand and the reputation of the makers and distributors.

Video programs are evaluated as a whole and not on the basis of particular scenes or segments. A work will not be excluded from the collection just because it presents an aspect of life honestly or because it exhibits frankness of expression. An item need not meet all of the selection criteria to be acceptable. In some instances, materials may be judged primarily on artistic merit, or because of scholarship, or as valuable historic records, or as critical to the information needs of the community. In some instances, selection criteria may include substantial demand.

Non-Fiction Video:

Nonfiction videos are purchased when the format provides a useful way of providing information to library patrons. Documentaries, plays and dramatizations of classic literature, local and regional topics, how-tos, travel, concerts, operas, and ballets are considered important to the collection. Certain television series are purchased based on popular demand.

Feature Films:

Selected feature films will be purchased, with higher consideration being given to films that are favorably reviewed and to films that have won a major award. Motion pictures considered classics by film critics will be added to the collection as the budget allows. The collection will include important works by acclaimed producers, directors, actors and actresses. The library will endeavor to collect some foreign films that have won a major award in their country or ours and have received critical acclaim.

Reference:

Reference materials, both print and electronic, are those designed by the arrangement and treatment of their subject matter to be consulted for definite items of information rather than to be read consecutively. Since they are typically used daily by the public and library staff to answer specific questions, print sources are designated for use within the library, and are located in Adult or Children's Reference sections. Research databases are available through the library's website, and most are accessible from patrons' homes. Reference materials can provide quick, concise, and current information or they may serve as an index to other materials in the collection. In selecting for the reference collections, the primary concern is the information needs of the library's clientele.

In addition to the general selection criteria mentioned above, the following criteria are considered in acquiring materials for the reference collections:

* usefulness of the publication, considering the existing collection

* favorable reviews or inclusion in basic reference collection guides

* reputation of the author or publisher

* currency of the topic

* date of publication

* cost

* expense for ongoing maintenance, if the title in question is a serial publication which will

require frequent updating

* electronic or print format

Duplicate copies of reference materials may be purchased for the circulating collection.

Local History

Mission:

The Duxbury Collection is intended to serve as a resource for research, study and understanding of the Town's history.

In pursuing this mission, the Library will:

Collect, catalog and preserve records of historical value relating to the Town.

Provide facilities for the retention, preservation and research of the collection.

Provide guidance to individuals using the collection.

Scope of the Collection

The Duxbury Collection is housed in two rooms on the upper level of the Library. Duxbury Room contains books relating to the local history and genealogy. The Archives contains published and unpublished local history materials in various forms, including fragile items and items not easily replaced or irreplaceable.

Collection Policy

The library collects material of permanent historical value relating to Duxbury's history, governance, commerce, individuals and organizations. Material on surrounding towns may be included in the collection.

The collection consists primarily of books, but also may contain maps, pamphlets, manuscripts, photographs, artifacts, art work and other special forms of materials published and unpublished .

Books

All published works on Duxbury are acquired. In addition, books on Plymouth County and Massachusetts resources and history are acquired according to their relevance to the Duxbury and Plymouth area. Town histories and genealogical research materials are selectively acquired. At least one copy is housed in the History Room and does not circulate. Because of the town's prominence in early shipping prior to the Clipper Ship era, the library makes an effort to acquire books on this subject.

Multiple copies may be acquired according to availability, demand and value. Duplicate copies may be housed in reference, circulating nonfiction, and the young adult area if appropriate.

Some rare and valuable books which are not a part of the local history collection may also be housed in the History Room. These may also include works by local residents.

Maps

Certain local maps of historical interest are collected, and are housed in the History Room .

Newspapers

All Duxbury newspapers are acquired and back files maintained in the periodicals area of the library. Duxbury newspapers are microfilmed as well, and the microfilm is kept in the Reference area where Microform reader/printers are available.

Collection Development for Young Adults

Young adult materials serve as a bridge to the adult collection and are aimed at addressing the needs and concerns of young adult patrons. Needs of young adults differ in kind and intensity from those of adult users. They often look to the library for materials and resources to meet academic demands. Materials are selected using the same general criteria used in selection of the adult collection but with the focus on the experience, maturity, and interests of young people.

In general, young adult service is geared to grades 7-12, overlapping somewhat with children's services at one end of the range and those for adults at the other. There are, however, many potential users for this material and this factor is given consideration when developing the collection.

The themes in young adult fiction generally center on the struggle to develop an identity and set of values and to find a place in the larger community. The young adult fiction collection consists of material written for and/or appealing to this particular age group regardless of genre. Every effort is made to provide teenagers with fiction that deals with their concerns in open, honest ways, and which meets their recreational and academic reading needs. Paperback format is selected where possible since this is the preferred format for this age group.

Young adult non-fiction is selectively chosen to meet teenage needs and interests. Titles are chosen for their timeliness and appeal. The staff makes every effort to purchase factual books which are clearly written and attractive in format. Selection is based on reputation of the author and publishing house in addition to positive reviews.

The general reference, audio-visual, and periodical collections include materials for young adults The young adult collection contains selected audiobook titles. The resources of the entire library are available to users in this age group.

Collection Development For Children

The principles which guide the selection of materials for children are fundamentally the same as those for adult materials. The collection is carefully chosen for children of all ages and abilities with emphasis on materials which entertain, stimulate the imagination, develop reading ability, and enable children to learn about the world around them.

In choosing materials for this group, the selector uses age appropriateness as a determining selection principle. Materials are evaluated for reading level, interest level, and treatment of the subject for the age of the intended audience. Materials are chosen to assure a well-rounded representation of all points of view as with adult books.

The selectors do not assume that all children's materials will be suitable for every individual. Responsibility for overseeing a child's reading choices rests with parents.

The collection does contain materials of use in completing school assignments. These materials are purchased to complement, not take the place of, school resources. Textbooks are not purchased. Copies of textbooks used in the schools by grades 3-6 are available for use in the library. Some duplication of materials is found between the adult, young adult, and children's collections when appropriate.

Since community demand for preschool and primary school literature is high, priority is placed on maintaining a collection that contains a wide variety of picture books. Items that are well reviewed as well as those requested by patron demand and interest are purchased as budget allows. Board books are purchased to encourage interaction with our youngest users. Beginning readers comprise an area of high demand. Selection includes both fiction and non-fiction titles. Phonics series are given priority. Reputation of the author and publishing house, in addition to positive reviews, are included as selection guidelines for books that are often not educationally sound.

The non-fiction collection is broad based with emphasis on ocean ecology and biology, animals, biographies, graphic novels and the creative arts. Regular units of study in the school curriculum also influence selection. The fiction collection includes popular authors and well reviewed titles with particular emphasis on titles of fantasy, mystery, and adventure.

The easy paperback collection is a donated collection. Purchases are not deliberately made for this format unless it is a requested book that is unavailable in hardcover. The regular paperback collection provides a format for second copies of popular hard covers as well as books that are no longer available in hardcover. Some may be purchased based on patron request.

The parent shelf contains books and nonprint materials on topics that are of interest to parents , teachers, and child care providers. Consideration will be given to purchasing titles that are in the adult collection if demand merits an additional copy. Books on sensitive issues which are written for children are usually shelved in the general collection and not in this area.

Children's Audio Materials

The children's room audio collection consists of music, storytelling, poetry, and foreign language materials. The collection includes book kits and unabridged audiobooks. Every effort is made to make sure the collection includes a print copy of a title which complements the audio format. Selection criteria follow adult criteria.

Children's Films

Children's films are selected if they are literature based and extend the reading experience, if they are informational and/or educational, or if they fulfill patron requests or interests. Films that are designed specifically to sell a product are not purchased.

Children's Software

Software for the circulating collection will be purchased to reflect broad areas of the collection. Criteria for selection will include materials which are informational, educational, creative in nature and which have received good to superior ratings in selection tools. Technical requirements of the platforms using the material will also be a consideration.

Web Links

Introduction

The Duxbury Free Library web site has been created to advance the Library's mission as an information center supporting the educational and recreational needs of its users and to provide access to materials beyond the local collection. The web site provides guidance for patrons exploring Internet resources and assists Internet users seeking information about Library programs and services.

Responsibility for Web Link Collection Development

Library staff evaluate and select links to other web sites that have proven useful in answering patron questions or have been reviewed by reputable individuals. Patrons are encouraged to suggest links for inclusion on the web site. However, because the site is not intended as either a full or partial public forum, addition of a link is the responsibility of library staff.

General Selection Guidelines

The major considerations for selecting materials are the informational, recreational, and educational needs of the Duxbury Free Library community. Sites are selected to enrich, broaden and complement material in the Library's collection. Selectors will review the links and use evaluation review sources in print publications and on listservs. Link selection is based on relevancy, quality, currency, and navigability. While the Library cannot control the accuracy or availability of the information accessed through the Internet, selectors attempt to select sites noted for reliability, authority and accessibility.

Specific Selection Guidelines

The following criteria provide specific selection guidelines for Internet resources:

Content

•  Accurate information

•  Factual information

•  Substantive information

•  Relevant information

•  Current information

Design

•  User friendly interface

•  Well-organized and presented

•  Easy to navigate

•  Multimedia links are properly labeled

•  Requires a minimum of additional software or hardware

•  All links work properly

Access

•  Accessible through major browsers released within the past three years

•  Site uses standard HTML

•  Site loads easily

•  Site is freely accessible; does not require registration

•  Site is consistently available

•  Site has a static URL

•  If special software is required, instructions are easy to follow and application is easy to install

Authority

•  Creator(s) clearly identified

•  Sources of information clearly documented

•  Contact information clearly stated

•  Ability to ascertain status, affiliation, qualifications and reputation of creator

Currency

•  Regularly maintained and up-to-date

•  Changes and grows to reflect new information

Scope

•  Purpose of the site clearly stated

•  Appropriate for the intended audience

•  Subject breadth, depth and currency clearly stated

De-selection

Selected links may be removed from the Library's website if they change and no longer meet the above criteria.

Withdrawal of Materials

The systematic removal of materials no longer useful is an essential part of maintaining an effective library collection. A withdrawal policy insures that the collection remains vital and useful by: discarding and/or replacing items in poor physical condition; eliminating items with obsolete, misleading or superseded information; and reducing the number of copies of titles whose relevance to the community has lessened.

The professional staff will evaluate the materials collection for repair, replacement, and/or discard on an ongoing basis, using the CREW method of evaluation developed by Joseph P. Segal. This process ( C ontinuous R eview, E valuation and W eeding) uses the following criteria to evaluate a title's current usefulness to the collection: Is content misleading or factually inaccurate? Is item worn out and beyond mending or rebinding? Has item been superseded by a new edition or a better book on the subject? Is this item trivial or of no lasting literary or scientific merit? Is the material irrelevant to the needs and interests of our community? Date of publication, last date circulated, and average number of circulations per year are some of the useful indicators of the above criteria. For a description of CREW guidelines by Dewey classification, see appendix.

Materials withdrawn from the Duxbury Free Library will be disposed of in a manner consistent with their quality and condition.

Gifts Policy

The library accepts gifts of materials, but reserves the right to evaluate them in accordance with the criteria applied to purchased materials. The library may choose not to accept gifts which do not meet this policy.

A receipt providing a description of the material and the date of donation will be provided upon request. However, the library will not provide monetary appraisal of any gift for income tax or other purposes.

The library retains unconditional ownership of the gift and makes the final decision on the use or disposition of the gift. The library reserves the right to decide the conditions of display, housing, and access of gift materials. Items with restrictions necessitating special handling or preventing integration of the gift into the general collection will not normally be accepted. See also the Library Collection Space Policy.

Intellectual Freedom and Access

The Board of Library Trustees, the Library Director, and the library staff recognize the responsibility of the Duxbury Free Library to provide materials representing diverse points of view on various topics. Selection is made solely on the merits of the work in relation to collection development and in relation to the needs of library patrons. The presence of an item in the library's collection does not indicate an endorsement of the item's content.

Selection cannot be restricted by the possibility that certain materials might be considered objectionable by some users on moral, religious, political, or other grounds. Well-intentioned individuals or groups may occasionally question the inclusion of an item in the collection because of fear or doubt about the effects of the material on impressionable persons. Although the staff and trustees understand this concern, it is our position that the risk to society is far greater if public access to ideas and information is restricted. Neither an individual, group, nor the library staff has a right to decide what others may or may not read.

All materials are shelved on open shelves, freely and easily accessible to the public. There will be no labeling of any item to indicate its point of view or bias. The library assures free access to its holdings for all patrons, who can select or reject for themselves any item in the collection.

Children are not limited to the children's collections, which are kept separate from other library collections to facilitate use. Responsibility for a child's reading, listening, or viewing of library materials must rest with the parent or guardian, not with the library staff.

The staff and Board of the Duxbury Free Library believe that the right to read is an important part of the intellectual freedom that is basic to democracy. We have adopted the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read statement as official library policy. (See appendix)

Reconsideration of Materials

Any patron may question the desirability of material in the collection. The question should be handled with the same respect and consideration as any other information request. The following procedure has been developed to assure that all questions are handled in an attentive and consistent manner.

1. The patron will be offered the opportunity to discuss the material in question with the Director or the appropriate Division Head.

2. If not satisfied with the outcome of this discussion, the patron may fill out a “Request for Reconsideration” (see appendix).

3. The Director will make a decision on the item and notify the person in writing. If the person wishes to appeal the decision, he/she may send a written request to the Board of Trustees.

4. The Board of Trustees will discuss the concern with the person at a board meeting. The Board will take a vote on the request no later than the next meeting. The decision of the Board of Trustees is final.

5. The patron will receive notification of the decision in writing within 7 days of the vote.

Review of Policy

To maintain a dynamic selection program which reflects current community needs, this policy should be reviewed whenever necessary by the Board of Trustees. Revisions should be developed by the staff and presented to the Board for its acceptance. This evaluation will be performed at least once every five years.

Adopted 9/16/97; Revised and approved 8/15/01, 7/31/02, 10/15/03

Revised 3/29/06 Approved 6/20/06

APPENDICES

CREW Method of Collection Evaluation (Continuous Review, Evaluation and Weeding)

The CREW method, explained by Joseph P. Segal in Evaluation and Weeding Collections in Small and Medium-sized Public Libraries:  The CREW Method (Chicago: American Library Association, 1980), involves judging materials using the following criteria:

• Misleading, factually inaccurate
• Ugly, worn out, past repair
• Superseded by a new edition or other material
• Trivial, having no lasting merit
• Your library collection has no use for this book-some other library may be able to use it.
• Worn out
• Out of date
• Rarely used
• System (interlibrary loan) can supply
• Trivial or faddish

An example of a formula is: 10/3/MUSTY.  10 indicates that the item's copyright is 10 years or older.  The 3 means that it has been 3 years since the last recorded circulation of the item.

LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their service: 

1. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves.  Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

2. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues.  Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

3. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

4. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

5. A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

6. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted June 18, 1948 ; Amended February 2, 1961, June 27, 1967, and January 23, 1980 by the ALA Council

FREEDOM TO READ

The freedom to read is essential to our democracy.  It is continuously under attack.  Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove books from sale, to censor textbooks, to label "Controversial" books, to distribute lists of "objectionable" books or authors, and to purge libraries.  These actions apparently rise from a view that our national tradition of free expression is no longer valid; that censorship and suppression are needed to avoid the subversion of politics and corruption of morals.  We, as citizens devoted to the use of books and as librarians and publishers responsible for disseminating them, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.

We are deeply concerned about these attempts at suppression.  Most such attempts rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy; that the ordinary citizen, by exercising his critical judgment, will accept the good and reject the bad.  The censors, public and private, assume that they should determine what is good and what is bad for their fellow citizens.

We trust Americans to recognize propaganda, and to reject is.  We do not believe they need the help of censors to assist them in this task.  We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be "protected" against what others think may be bad for them.  We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression.

We are aware, of course, that books are not alone in being subjected to efforts at suppression.  We are aware that these efforts are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against education, the press, films, radio and television.  The problem is not only one of actual censorship.  The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads, we suspect, to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy.

Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of uneasy change and pervading fear.  Especially when so many of our apprehensions are directed against ideology, the expression of a dissident idea becomes a thing feared in itself, and we tend to move against it as against a hostile deed, with suppression.

And yet suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension.  Freedom has given the United States the elasticity to endure strain.  Freedom keeps open the path of novel and creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice.  Every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with stress.

Now as always in our history, books are among our greatest instruments of freedom.  They are almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially command only a small audience.  They are the natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth.  They are essential to the extended discussion which serious thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized collections.

We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture.  We believe that these pressures towards conformity present the danger of limiting the range and variety to inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend.  We believe that every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read.  We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings.

The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution.  Those with faith in free men will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights.

We therefore affirm these propositions:

1. IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR PUBLISHERS AND LIBRARIANS TO MAKE AVAILABLE THE WIDEST DIVERSITY OF VIEWS AND EXPRESSIONS, INCLUDING THOSE WHICH ARE UNORTHODOX OR UNPOPULAR WITH THE MAJORITY.  Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different.  The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until his idea is refined and tested.  Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept which challenges the established orthodoxy.  The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them.  To stifle every nonconformist idea at birth would make the end of the democratic process.  Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic mind attain the strength demanded by times like these.  We need to know not only what we believe, but why we believe it.

2. PUBLISHERS, LIBRARIANS AND BOOKSELLERS DO NOT NEED TO ENDORSE EVERY IDEA OR PRESENTATION CONTAINED IN THE BOOKS THEY MAKE AVAILABLE.  IT WOULD CONFLICT WITH THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR THEM TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN POLITICAL, MORAL OR AESTHETIC VIEWS AS A STANDARD FOR DETERMINING WHAT BOOKS SHOULD BE PUBLISHED OR CIRCULATED.  Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning.  They do not foster education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought.  The people should have the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any single librarian or publisher or government or church.  It is wrong that what one man can read should be confined to what another thinks proper.

3. IT IS CONTRARY TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR PUBLISHERS OR LIBRARIANS TO DETERMINE THE ACCEPTABILITY OF A BOOK ON THE BASIS OF THE PERSONAL HISTORY OR POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS OF THE AUTHOR.  A book should be judged as a book.  No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its creators.  No society of free men can flourish which draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.
   

4. THERE IS NO PLACE IN OUR SOCIETY FOR EFFORTS TO COERCE THE TASTE OF OTHERS, TO CONFINE ADULTS TO THE READING MATTER DEEMED SUITABLE FOR ADOLESCENTS, OR TO INHIBIT THE EFFORTS OF WRITERS TO ACHIEVE ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.  To some, much of modern literature is shocking.  But is not much of life itself shocking?  We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life.  Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves.  These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared.  In these matters taste differs, and taste cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised which will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.
   

5. IT IS NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST TO FORCE A READER TO ACCEPT WITH ANY BOOK THE PREJUDGMENT OF A LABEL CHARACTERIZING THE BOOK OR AUTHOR AS SUBVERSIVE OR DANGEROUS.  The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad for the citizen.  It presupposes that each individual must be directed in making up his mind about the ideas he examines.  But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.
   

6. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PUBLISHERS AND LIBRARIANS AS GUARDIANS OF THE PEOPLE'S FREEDOM TO READ, TO CONTEST ENCROACHMENTS UPON THAT FREEDOM BY INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS SEEKING TO IMPOSE THEIR OWN STANDARDS OR TASTES UPON THAT COMMUNITY AT LARGE.  It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political, the moral, or the aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another individual or group.  In a free society each individual is free to determine for himself what he wishes to read, and each group is free to determine for itself what it wishes to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely associated members.  But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society.  Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive.
   

7. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PUBLISHERS AND LIBRARIANS TO GIVE FULL MEANING TO THE FREEDOM TO READ BY PROVIDING BOOKS THAT ENRICH THE QUALITY AND DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT AND EXPRESSION.  BY THE EXERCISE OF THIS AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSIBILITY, BOOKMEN CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THE ANSWER TO A BAD BOOK IS  A GOOD ONE, THE ANSWER TO A BAD IDEA IS A GOOD ONE.

The freedom to read is of little consequence when expended on the trivial; it is frustrated when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for his purpose.  What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity for the people to read the best that has been thought and said.  Books are the major channel by which the intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of its testing and growth.  The defense of their freedom and integrity, and the enlargement of their service to society, requires of all bookmen the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all citizens the fullest of their support.

We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations.  We here stake our lofty claim for the value of books.  We do so because we believe that they are good, possessed of enormous variety and usefulness, worthy of cherishing and keeping free.  We realize that the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons.  We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant.  We believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society.  Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.

A JOINT STATEMENT BY: American Library Association & Association of American Publishers.  Adopted June 25, 1953.  Revised January 28, 1972.

FREEDOM TO VIEW

The FREEDOM TO VIEW, along with the freedom to speak, to hear, and to read, is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.  In a free society, there is no place for censorship of any medium of expression.  Therefore, we affirm these principles.

1. It is in the public interest to provide the broadest possible access to films and other audiovisual materials because they have proven to be among the most effective means for the communication of ideas.  Liberty of circulation is essential to insure the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression.

2. It is in the public interest to provide for our audiences films and other audiovisual materials which represent a diversity of views and expression.  Selection of a work does not constitute or imply agreement with or approval of the content.

3. It is our professional responsibility to resist the constraint of labeling or prejudging a film on the basis of the moral, religious or political beliefs of the producer or filmmaker or on the basis of controversial content.

4. It is our professional responsibility to contest vigorously, by all lawful means, every encroachment upon the public's freedom to view.

Endorsed by the ALA Council January 10, 1990

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