COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
1. PURPOSE OF THE POLICY
The Gaynor Family Regional Library is dedicated to providing public access to the resources required in facilitating life-long learning in our communities. Public library services will be provided in an environment that encourages and supports all members of the public to develop their full potential.
1.2 Community Profile: Materials selected shall take into account the geographical, historical, and demographic nature of the area served.
Geographical: The tax-based catchment area of the Gaynor Family Regional Library includes: City of Selkirk, RM of St. Andrews, RM of St. Clements and the Village of Dunnottar.
Historical: Selkirk and its surrounding rural municipalities share the history of the first European settlement in the province (Red River Colony), and its co-existence with the Indigenous peoples of the region. From the earliest days of the fur trade, the Red River and Lake Winnipeg have placed a pivotal role in the history of the region and have given it a distinctive story.
Demographic: Over the last fifteen years the City of Selkirk has experienced both a decline in its numbers and a change in its composition reflecting a proportionate increase in its mature population and a decline in its youth (20-34) sector. By contrast, the surrounding municipalities have seen dramatic growth in their population bases, specifically, a proportionate increase of young, affluent, educated couples with children.
The library service area is a multi-cultural one. It reflects the heritage of its first inhabitants, the Indigenous people who were joined over two hundred years ago by French/Scottish/Orkney traders and settlers, and subsequently by migrations from Poland/Ukraine, the British Isles, Iceland, Germany, and other nations in smaller numbers. Immersion in both the French and Ukrainian language is offered in the Lord Selkirk School Division.
To support the mission of the Gaynor Family Regional Library, materials and community information are selected in order to anticipate and meet the needs of the citizens the Library serves. Library materials refer to all items that constitute the intellectual content of the Gaynor Family Regional Library. The Library collects material in a variety of print, audio-visual and electronic formats.
The specific purposes of this policy are threefold:
- to state publicly the principles of selection upon which material is chosen
- to define responsibility for selection and to identify the delegation of that responsibility
- to provide direction for staff in collection development and maintenance
2. RESPONSIBILITIES
The Gaynor Family Regional Library Board assumes ultimate responsibility for the collection and for implementation of the Collection Development Policy. The Library Board delegates this responsibility to the Director of Library Services who in turn may delegate to qualified staff. Qualified library staff are responsible for following the guidelines established to carry out collection development tasks. Suggestions from patrons are always welcomed and are given due consideration.
Parents and legal guardians are responsible for children's reading and viewing, not the staff of the Gaynor Family Regional Library. Selection of materials for the adult collection is not restricted by the possibility that children may obtain, read or view such materials. The Gaynor Family Regional Library believes in the intellectual freedom of the individual and the right of parents and legal guardians to develop, interpret and enforce their own code of ethics upon their minor children.
3. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF SELECTION
3.1 Intellectual Freedom: The Gaynor Family Regional Library endorses the Canadian Library Association "Statement on Intellectual Freedom". "Every person in Canada has the fundamental right, as embodied in the nation's Bill of Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to have access to all expressions of knowledge, creativity and intellectual activity and to express their thoughts publicly. The right to intellectual freedom under the law is essential to the health and development of Canadian society."
Libraries have a basic responsibility for the development and maintenance of intellectual freedom. It is the responsibility of libraries to guarantee and facilitate access to all expressions of knowledge and intellectual activity, including those which some elements of society may consider to be unconventional, unpopular, or unacceptable. To this end, libraries shall acquire and make available the widest variety of materials, except where prohibited by the Criminal Code of Canada.
It is the responsibility of libraries to guarantee the right of free expression by making available all of the library's facilities and services to all individuals and groups that request them. Libraries should resist all efforts to limit the exercise of these responsibilities while recognizing the right of criticism by individuals and groups. Both employees and employers in libraries have a duty to uphold these principles.
- Library Boards are responsible for the education and advocacy of the principles of intellectual freedom to staff, Council and the public.
- Endorsement of this statement does not supersede the Library Board right to establish rules and regulations as set out in the Public Libraries Act. For example, rules governing the orderly sharing of materials.
- The Intellectual Freedom Policy of the Board should be reviewed at least every three years.
3.2 Balance: The primary aim of selection is to establish a balanced collection which adequately represents various points of view on a subject. The Gaynor Family Regional Library Board recognizes that some materials in the collection may offend some individuals or groups because of language, moral implication, or religious or political point of view expressed. However, selection will not be made on the basis of any anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the evaluation by staff of the item's merit, authenticity, honesty of presentation and use to the community.
The Library Board does not advocate particular beliefs or points of view and the presence of an item in the collection does not indicate endorsement of its content.
3.3 The Library and the Education Community: It is the responsibility of institutions engaged in formal education to provide materials which support their curricula. It may happen that materials collected by the Library meet the needs of school projects, but this is not the primary reason for their selection.
Textbooks will be obtained by the Library only when they provide the best coverage of a subject. A book will neither be excluded nor included solely on the basis that it is a textbook. Referrals may be made to the collections of local educational & institutional libraries.
3.4 Canadian Materials: Recognizing its responsibility to make Canadian materials available to the public, the Library endeavors to develop a collection which represents significant local and Canadian authors, artists, film makers and composers.
3.5 Selection Criteria
3.5.1 Library Collections: While a selection policy must be general, certain methods and principles can be followed. All selection must be considered in terms of the following criteria: suitability for meeting the needs of the community and appeal to the interests of the community
- artistic excellence/literary merit/technical quality/quality of presentation
- reputation and/or significance of the author generally and in the local community
- accuracy, authoritativeness, objectivity
- comments by reviewers
- originality of thought
- permanent value
- popular demand and current trends
- relation to existing collections and other material on the subject
- skill, competence and purpose of the author
- budgetary and space considerations
- contemporary significance/current usefulness
- suitability of physical form for library use
- availability of materials at other libraries
Items chosen for the collection should meet most but not necessarily all of these criteria. Reviews are a major source of information about new materials. The primary sources of reviews are the Globe and Mail, the National Post, the Winnipeg Free Press, Quill & Quire, and Prairie Books Now, plus online sites such as CM Magazine, Amazon.ca, and magazines specific to particular interests.
The lack of a review or an unfavorable review shall not be the sole reason for rejecting a title that is in demand. Consideration is, therefore, given to requests from library patrons and books discussed through the public media. Materials are judged on the basis of the work as a whole.
Responsibility for the reading of children rests with their parents or legal guardians. Selection of library materials will not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may come into the possession of children.
Library materials will not be marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of their contents, and no library material will be sequestered except to protect it from damage or theft.
The Gaynor Family Regional Library recognizes that some materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some patrons. Selection of materials will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the basis of the principles stated in this policy.
3.5.2 Designating Juvenile and Young Adult Material:
- Materials designated as Easy Readers shall include both "read to” and those designed for early readers.
- Materials designated as Juvenile shall include those designed for independent readers.
- Materials designated as Young Adult shall be those targeted for readers aged 13-17.
3.6 Format: Materials should be purchased in a variety of formats for Library patron use. Selection criteria, listed in Section 3.5 will be applied to selection and de-selection of all Library materials. The content of material, rather than the format will determine the use/status of the item.
Multi-media formats are considered and collections established when a significant portion of the community has access to the necessary technology to make use of the format. The Library will provide access to information in an electronic format as some material (i.e. government documents) may only be available in an electronic format.
4. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
4.1 Local History
Materials regarding the history of Selkirk, St Andrews, St. Clements, the Village of Dunnottar and the surrounding area will be collected, with a special emphasis on Indigenous Peoples, the Red River Settlement, Marine History and Mental Health History.
5. DONATIONS
The Library accepts gift materials with the understanding that such materials may be added to the collection only if they meet the same standards which are applied to the selection of materials. Those items which are unwanted may be offered to other libraries, sold or discarded. No condition may be imposed by the donor on the Library relating to any item after its acceptance.
Memorial gifts of books or money are also accepted and bookplates will be placed in the book. Specific memorial books can be ordered for the library on request if the request meets the criteria established by the Board. Special requests can be made to and in consultation with the Director of Library Services.
Book selection will be made by the Library if no specific book is requested. The Gaynor Family Regional Library encourage and appreciates gifts and donations. By law, the library is not allowed to appraise the value of donated materials, though it can provide an acknowledgment of receipt of the items if requested by the donor.
6. COLLECTION MAINTENANCE
To keep the collection timely and attractive, materials are withdrawn when they are outdated, worn, or no longer useful. The criteria for selection are utilized in the removal of materials. Replacement of items depends upon current demand, usefulness, more recent acquisitions, availability of more current materials on the subject and the extent of the coverage of the subject in the collection.
Collection Maintenance including the withdrawal of materials is an ongoing process and is the responsibility of the Director of Library Services. Materials withdrawn will be handled in the same fashion as those donated.
7. REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF LIBRARY MATERIALS
The presence of an item in the Library's collection is an affirmation of the principle of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Canadian Library Association Statement on Intellectual Freedom. It does not indicate an endorsement of its contents by the Gaynor Family Regional Library Board. The following will not cause an item to be automatically included in or excluded from the collection:
- race, religion, nationality or political views of an author
- frankness or coarseness of language
- controversial content
- endorsement or disapproval of an individual or group
The Library will not label or amend items to show approval or disapproval of content of materials. Physical access to materials will not be restricted except for the express purpose of protecting an item from damage or theft. Patrons of all ages have access to all of the Library's collections.
The Gaynor Family Regional Library recognizes the right of individuals to express opposition to authors' ideas or to their creative exercise of language in materials selected for the Library. However, the Gaynor Family Regional Library will not remove items purchased in compliance with this policy. Selection of material cannot be influenced by any anticipated approval or disapproval of its intellectual content by groups within the community. Although people have the right to reject for themselves material of which they do not approve, they do not have the right to restrict the intellectual freedom of others.
The Gaynor Family Regional Library will comply with laws enacted at all levels of government. Therefore it does not collect material which has been designated obscene or pornographic under the Criminal Code of Canada or has been banned by the courts.
Challenged Materials: Although materials are carefully selected, there can arise differences of opinion regarding suitable materials. Patrons requesting that material be withdrawn from or restricted within the collection may write a letter to the Library Board explaining their concern. The inquiry will be placed on the agenda of the next regular meeting of the Gaynor Family Regional Board of Trustees.
Policy manual
GAYNOR FAMILY REGIONAL LIBRARY POLICY MANUAL
Approved September, 2017: Effective January 1, 2018
1. MEMBERSHIP
For persons not residing or paying taxes to the City of Selkirk, the Rural Municipality of St Andrews, the Rural Municipality of St. Clements or the Village of Dunnottar:
1.1 Non-Resident: Fees are as follows $75.00 for one year and $20.00 for three months.
1.2 Special Circumstances: A limited membership may also be permitted. A limited membership permits an adult or a child to borrow a maximum of two library materials. These items must be returned before others may be borrowed.
1.3 Institutional Membership: May be established for not for profit institutions, schools and businesses. This membership shall allow the chief officer of a business, school or non-profit institution to authorize an employee to borrow materials in the institution's name for its use. The chief officer is responsible for any and all charges incurred by individuals using the card.
1.4 Inactive Memberships: Patrons who have not used their memberships in a two year period will be removed from the membership base.
2. MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION
2.1 All Members: Must be registered and have a valid library card to borrow library materials.
2.2 All Members: Must register in person for a new card and sign the patron registration card committing them to abide by the regulations of the Gaynor Family Regional Library.
2.3 Identification: Is required. A valid driver's license or any other official identification that provides proof of current residency is required; however, any other official ID or recent non personal piece of mail may be acceptable. This is at the discretion of the Director of Library Services.
The Gaynor Family Regional Library abides by a strict policy on personal privacy and the collection of any and all information will be held and controlled under the terms outlined in the privacy statement. The Gaynor Family Regional Library adheres strictly to all sections of the Privacy Legislation regarding the protection of the confidentiality of its users.
2.4 Applicants: Persons under the age of sixteen must have a parent or guardian give their consent in person on the Patron Registration Card before a new membership can be issued.
2.5 Library Cards: All library cards expire after 2 years, excluding non-resident and temporary memberships. In order to renew a library card, patrons must verify their current residency and must clear all outstanding fines and bills. Payment arrangement and options are at the discretion of the Director of Library Services and every attempt will be made to find a suitable arrangement.
2.6 Check Out: All patrons are expected to bring their library cards with them if they intend to check out items.
2.7 Suspension: Library privileges are at the discretion of the Director of Library Services. Reinstatement of library privileges will be decided on an individual basis by the Director of Library Services.
3. CIRCULATION OF MATERIALS, RESERVES AND OVERDUES
3.1 Items Borrowed: Number of items borrowed at the Gaynor Family Regional Library is limited to twenty-five items per member at one time to a maximum of fifty. The Director of Library Services shall have discretionary power to determine the number of items which may be borrowed.
3.2 Reserves: May be placed by patrons either in person, on-line or over the telephone. Patrons will be notified by telephone when the materials are available. There is no charge to a patron for placing a reserve. Once notified, a patron has three business days to pick up the requested item before the item is placed back into circulation.
3.3 Loan Period: The Gaynor Family Regional Library has limited resources and a great demand for materials. Therefore specific loan periods have been established to provide maximum use of available materials. The regular loan period for materials is three weeks, unless otherwise specified. Generally reference books do not circulate. Upon request some reference materials may be checked out for a period determined by the Director of Library Services. The Director may establish the loan period for special collections.
3.4 Inter-Library-Loans: Are due the date indicated by the lending library.
3.5 Periodicals: May be checked out for one week.
3.6 Audio Books: May be checked out for three weeks.
3.7 DVDs: May be checked out for one week.
3.8 Overdue Materials: The purpose of overdue notices is to secure the return of library property for continuous use. The purpose of fines is to provide partial reimbursement to the library for materials, staff and processing time.
Fines - Overdue Schedule
Item type - Standard Book, Loan & ILL Material, DVD, Talking Books, Magazines
Daily fine - 25 cents to a maximum fine of $5.00
Overdue books borrowed shall be treated as a block and subject to a maximum fine of $25.00.
3.9 Notification of Overdue: When library materials are overdue more than fourteen business days an letter will be sent to notify the patron. If the library materials are not returned within two weeks, an invoice letter will be sent and library membership will be suspended. Outstanding patron accounts will be referred to the Director of Library Services. All overdue material must be returned and fines addressed before membership is reinstated. The Director of Library Services will meet with patrons having excessive overdue fines to make arrangements for payment and to reinstate membership. If materials are lost or damaged so as to be judged by the library as unsuitable for the collection, the patron must pay the replacement cost plus a $10.00 non refundable re-ordering and processing fee.
Items recovered within a three month period can be returned and replacement cost reimbursed, providing the book has not yet been replaced. Full replacement value must be paid or payment arrangements made before privileges will be reinstated.
3.10 Amnesty Days: Will be scheduled at the discretion of the Director of Library Services.
4. SERVICES
4.1 Reference Service Policy: The Gaynor Family Regional Library will provide information in the form of a short answer to specific questions and guidance in locating materials for patrons who appear in person, call on the telephone, or request information through correspondence.
The Gaynor Family Regional Library will assist patrons in the use of the library and teach basic research methodology and techniques when appropriate. The library will assist in locating materials in the library or through Inter-Library-Loan.
The Gaynor Family Regional Library will use not only resources in printed form but will consult appropriate electronic resources as well as the resources available at other lending institutions and agencies. The Director of Library Services can arrange for specific research to be done by the institution upon request with fees for this service to be determined on a case by case basis. Fees will be charged to offset the cost of employee time and library resources.
4.2 Photocopiers and Printers: There is a charge of $0.25 for black/white per page, Colour .50 per copy side printed on all printers and copy machines.
4.3 Interlibrary Loans: There is no charge to patrons for inter-library-loans on books acquired within the province of Manitoba. If the book is only available out of province, the patron will be advised of the cost. Their approval will be obtained before the book is ordered. Any charges levied by a lending institution will be charged to the patron. Payment must be made in full before material can be loaned to the patron.
4.4 Programming: The person registering and/ or attending a Gaynor Family Regional Library program must have a valid library membership card.
5. USE OF BUILDINGS
5.1 Smoking: Is prohibited in The Gaynor Family Regional Library and surrounding property.
5.2 Meeting Rooms: Meeting rooms will be available to profit groups, not for profit groups and government agencies. A not for profit group is defined as a group whose primary function is: participation in a specified recreation, culture, community service or leisure interest; service to the community at large through support of a shared interest which must be managed by a voluntary executive and/or board; and recognized religious institutions.
To reserve a space, please use our online booking tool at:
https://gfrl.org/room-bookings or email GFRLBookings@shaw.ca
The Gaynor Family Regional Library will not be responsible for personal injury or damage, nor for the theft or loss of clothing or equipment of the applicant or anyone attending on the invitation of the applicant. The applicant shall be responsible for the conduct and supervision of all persons admitted to the meeting room and shall see that all regulations contained therein are strictly adhered to. The applicant will be responsible for payment of all damage costs arising from the misuse of property. All exits must be kept free from obstruction. Groups must comply with fire, health and safety regulations. Groups wishing to have alcoholic beverages in the Library must seek the permission of the Director of Library Services and must make application to the Liquor Control Board of Manitoba. Fire and building regulations apply.
All applicants shall leave the room in the same condition in which it was found. The meeting room must be cleaned immediately after the booking (coffee cups, and other garbage removed, chairs straightened, etc.). No applicant will store any materials in the room between bookings. Audio and video equipment, furniture and easels may be used by groups booking the facilities, and requirements must be indicated at least two weeks before meeting.
The Library Board reserves the right to cancel any booking with a 7 day notice, at which time a full refund will be made. Bookings will be taken on a first come, first serve basis, up to one year in advance. A limit to bookings may be imposed by the Director of Library Services.
5.3 Selling on Premises: On each and every occasion, application for permission to sell must be made in writing to the Director of Library Services. When the Director or Board gives permission for tickets or articles to be sold in the building, the following guidelines shall apply:
- The participating organization must provide staffing for all hours of operation.
- All necessary equipment and supplies including change must be provided by the participating organization. The library will supply tables and chairs.
- The library shall provide space for set up that does not impinge on service or present a hazard to staff, public or visitors.
- Set up shall be undertaken by the participating organization.
6. HOURS OF OPERATION
For current hours contact the Library.
Monday - Closed
Tuesday through Thursday 9:30 am - 9:00 pm
Friday 9:30am - 6:00pm
Saturday through Sunday - 11:00 am - 5:00 pm.
7. GIFTS AND DONATIONS
As an official Charitable Organization, tax receipts will be issued upon request for monetary donations. Non-monetary donations normally do not qualify for a tax receipt, but exceptions are possible. Gifts of money will be acknowledged if requested and accompanied by a tax receipt. All donations are subject to the collection development policy principles and practices with respect to selection and discarding.
8. COMPLAINTS
A complaint to the Chair of the Board must be made in writing care of the Gaynor Family Regional Library. The complainant may be permitted to make a 10 minute presentation of his/her side to the Board and the Board, on consideration of the facts, will render a decision. These proceedings will be carried out with due dispatch. These Regulations should be read in conjunction with the Operational Policy of the Board and are reviewed annually.