Collection Development Policy
The purpose of the Collection Development Policy is to inform the public of the policies and practices guiding the development of the Saint Paul Public Library's collection. This policy is administered by the Library’s Materials Management Supervisor, who under Minnesota Statutes, 2024, section 134.51 is : (1) a licensed library media specialist under Minnesota Rules, part 8710.4550; or (2) an individual with a master's degree in library science or library and information science; or (3) a professional librarian or a person trained in library collection management.
Collection Principles
The goals of the collection are to support the Library's mission, vision, and strategic direction by providing materials and resources that meet the learning, information, education, and entertainment needs of our community.
The Library emphasizes breadth over depth, unabridged over abridged and general materials over specialized, scholarly, and professional materials. While the Library may maintain specialized collections that support community needs and align with the Library’s mission, vision and strategic direction, budget and space restrictions preclude the Library from duplicating the specialized and comprehensive collections that exist elsewhere in the region. The Library is fully committed to providing access to these specialized materials through referral, cooperative agreements, and resource sharing through interlibrary loan. The Library does not serve as an archive for the City of Saint Paul or any organization.
Selection of Materials
The collection should reflect the diversity of the community, providing information in a variety of formats and at multiple levels of complexity. Patron requests and community needs are integral to the selection process.
There is no single set of selection criteria that can be applied in all cases. The Library's general selection criteria include:
- support of the Library's mission, vision and strategic direction
- representation of diverse points of view
- representation of diverse cultural experiences
- currency, timeliness and accuracy of the content
- public demand
- relevance to the community
- relation to the existing collection
- cost
- positive professional reviews
Specialized library staff, centrally located at the Materials Management Center, work under the supervision of the Materials Management Supervisor to select materials in all formats and subject areas for the entire Library system. The selectors consult with staff in all Library branches and make data-driven decisions based on professional expertise, collection analysis, and circulation and use statistics.
Selection staff welcomes input and suggestions from the community.
Independently published materials are subject to the selection criteria outlined above. Preview copies will be treated as donations and will be handled in the same manner as all gift materials.
Online resources extend the collection by providing instant, 24-hour access to information. As new online resources are added, preference is given to those which can be accessed by more than one user at a time and from any location. Because technologies for sound, image, and electronic delivery of information continue to evolve, the Library will monitor and evaluate new formats, implementing them when appropriate.
Gifts
The Library welcomes gifts of materials with the understanding that the same standards of selection are applied to gifts as to materials purchased for the collection. Gifts are accepted with the following restrictions:
- the Library retains unconditional ownership of the materials;
- donated materials must be in excellent condition and published within the last three years;
- the Library makes the final decision regarding the use or other disposition of the gift.
The Library does not accept gifts of magazines, textbooks, computer manuals, condensed books, or any materials that are worn, stained, or mildewed. Prospective donors should contact the library to discuss donations and procedures before bringing them to the Library. The Library does not assign a value to the materials. It is a donor's responsibility to determine the value of the donated materials.
Evaluation and Management of the Collection
Ongoing and regular withdrawal of items is required to keep the collection current, to ensure its vitality and usefulness to the community, and to make room for newer materials. Staff identifies damaged items, materials no longer used, and out-of-date materials. Regardless of use, materials will be withdrawn if they are damaged, worn, have pages missing, contain dated or obsolete information, or have been replaced by a newer edition. Regularly scheduled review also helps the Library evaluate the collection by identifying areas or titles where additional materials are needed. Materials withdrawn from the collection will be disposed of in the most appropriate manner, which may include sale to the public, donation to another organization, or in some cases, discarding as waste.
Intellectual Freedom
The Library is a forum for all points of view and adheres to the principles of intellectual freedom as expressed in the Library Bill of Rights, opens a new window and the Freedom to Read, opens a new window and Freedom to View, opens a new window Principles as adopted by the American Library Association. The Library considers reading, listening and viewing to be individual, private matters and that full and confidential access to information is essential for patrons. Responsibility for children's use of library materials rests with their parents or legal guardians. Selection of materials for adults will not be inhibited by the possibility that such materials may be accessible to children.
Requests for Reconsideration
Saint Paul residents have a right to request that the Saint Paul Public Library reconsider the inclusion or classification of materials in its collection. The Library is bound by MN Statute 134.51 which says that “A public library must not ban, remove, or otherwise restrict access to a book or other material based solely on its viewpoint or the messages, ideas, or opinions it conveys.”
Residents who wish to request the reclassification or removal of an item from the collection must fill out a “Request for Reconsideration Form” available at all library locations. The Library’s Materials Management Supervisor and Collection Development staff will review the request and whether the inclusion or classification of the work in question is in violation of the Library’s Collection Development Policy. Materials will not be removed from circulation while under review.
The Materials Management Supervisor will respond to the request in writing and inform the Library Director and Library Board Chair. Decisions can be appealed to the Library Director.
This procedure applies regardless of the source of the request. (i.e. Staff, administration, elected officials).
The Saint Paul City Council as the governing body has directed the Materials Management Supervisor to report information about items subject to a reconsideration request and any resulting action to the Minnesota Commissioner of Education using the web form, opens a new window provided by State Library Services.
Adopted December 2024
