Selection Policy

Harvey Public Library

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to guide library staff in the selection of library materials, to inform the Library Board and the general public of the principles upon which selections are made, and to declare the library’s commitment to the principles of free access to ideas and information.

Background

The Harvey Public Library community is mainly composed of patrons over the age of fifty. We select material based off of what would be checked out the most. We have increased our large print material due to the constant demand of the patrons having to turn to that size of font.

Library Mission, Goal, and Objectives

To provide services which meet the needs for future generations in this ever changing world.

Intellectual Freedom

The Harvey Public Library is committed to the principles of intellectual freedom and affirms the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read statement [Appendix] and the Library Bill of Rights [Appendix]. As such, materials representing diverse viewpoints on topics, including controversial ones, are actively collected. Selection of an item does not indicate that the Library, its Board, or its Staff agrees with the ideas and viewpoints it presents.

Target Audience

Adults- Fiction material is heavily bought in order to meet the needs of the adults in the community.
Children- ER books are bought in order to teach children how to read
Young Adults- Teenagers have an ever changing demand for the new series and/or book that has just came out.
Students- The Harvey Public Library has homeschooling families that come in to gather material for their upcoming lessons. The material selected is based on what we currently don’t have and adding to and replacing the material that we do have. Children from the Harvey Public Schools come to the public library to seek information that the school library might be missing.

Responsibility for Selecting Library Materials

The library director is responsible for selecting the material they feel would add to the collection. The director will take into account patrons requests for certain items.

Evaluative Criteria and Selection Aids

Selection of library material is an active process that applies both to materials purchased by the library and materials donated to it. The following criteria are used in the selection process to help ensure that all materials in the library are in keeping with its goals and mission and are of use to the community served.

The collection will attempt to provide a balance of viewpoints on all controversial issues
The collection will attempt to include a cross-section of media formats, topics, and viewpoints representative of patron needs and interests
The library will attempt to meet all relevant collection standards, whether issued by governmental agencies, professional associations, or regional accrediting bodies
Reviews from professional publications (journals and websites), as well as patron requests are considered in the selection of library materials

Specific criteria can be provided by audience or age level, by subject area/Dewey range, material type (large print, digital, A/V, etc.), special collections, etc. Examples of specific criteria that can be used include:

Authority (is it from a trusted source—both author and publisher can factor in)
Self-published/POD materials (will your library purchase these? Are there exceptions?)
Comprehensiveness and depth of treatment
Clarity, accuracy, and logic of presentation
Currency of the publication
Artistic presentation and/or literary merit
Popular interest
Relevance to the community
Structural integrity (library will not purchase comb-bound materials…)
Materials by local/ND authors
Materials about the city/county/state
Redundancy with materials available through Online Library Resources (rationale for exclusion, especially of periodicals)

Special Collections

Yearbooks
North Dakota Century Code
Official Roster
North Dakota History Magazine
North Dakota Horizons Magazine
North Dakota Living Magazine
North Dakota Outdoors Magazine
Plains Talk Magazine
North Dakota Water Magazine
Plat Books

Resource Sharing

The Harvey Public Library is involved in the Interlibrary Loan Process. The Harvey Public Library has the right to deny another library’s lending request. The Harvey Public Library will attempt to get any book requested by a patron by borrowing it from another library. The patron will have to pay the shipping fee which is $3.07 per book.

Reconsideration Policy

Harvey Public Library

Intellectual Freedom

Reconsideration Requests

When a complaint about library items is made, the following steps will be followed:

Informal:
1. The consideration will be listened to calmly and courteously.
2. The Library’s selection policy and commitment to intellectual freedom will be explained, to help the patron understand the value of a diverse library collection and that ownership of an item does not indicate agreement or endorsement of the ideas, values, or principles expressed therein. This will be done respectfully and in a fashion that acknowledges and restates the patron’s concerns.
3. If the patron has recommendations for other materials on the topic, they will be noted, and if appropriate, procured.
4. If the patron is not satisfied, advise the patron of the library’s policy and procedures for handling a reconsideration request, and provide the patron with a copy of the Library’s Selection Policy and of the Request for Reconsideration Form.
Formal:
1. If the form is filled out, make sure a prompt written reply related to the concern is sent.
2. The item shall remain part of the collection until a decision has been made.
3. Notify the Director and/or the Library Board of the complaint and assure them that the Library’s procedures are being followed. Present full, written information giving the nature of the complaint and identifying the source.
4. Notify the Chairperson of the North Dakota Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee that a reconsideration request has been filed.
5. The Director and staff involved in collection development shall review the request for reconsideration. This includes:
  1. Reading/viewing/listening to the challenged item in its entirety.
  2. Considering the objections in terms of the Library’s Selection Policy, the principles of the Library Bill of Rights, and the opinions of various reviewing sources used in materials selection.
6. If the reviewed material does not meet the criteria set forth in the Selection Policy, the Library shall acknowledge that the material is unsuitable and it will be withdrawn from the collection.
7. If the material does meet the selection criteria, the item shall remain part of the collection
8. The Director will respond to the request clearly and precisely, stating the reasons the material was withdrawn or retained. This response will also inform the requestor how to pursue the matter further.
Appeal:
1. If the requestor feels that the problem has been dealt with inadequately, a final appeal to the Library Board can be made.
2. A public hearing will be conducted with the Board acting as the decision-making body.
3. The Director will notify the American Library Association Intellectual Freedom Office, and their advice will be enlisted.
Hearing:
1. An open meeting will be held—the location, beginning, and ending times of the meeting will be publicized in advance of the meeting.
2. The meeting will be conducted by the Director.
3. The Library Board will act as the decision-making body. A quorum must be present.
4. News coverage will be arranged by the Director.
5. Persons wishing to speak must register prior to speaking, giving their name, address, and organization represented (if any).
6. Each speaker will be given four minutes in which to present his/her point of view. A timekeeper will be appointed prior to the meeting.
7. Library Board members will be given time to ask questions following each testimony.
8. Each speaker should present a written copy of his/her testimony to the Library Board members.
9. The Board will review the testimonies heard. They will vote at a later date after they have had time to weigh and consider the testimonies. The Board will issue its opinion within thirty working days after the hearing.
10. The Board will make their decision public and the Library will take action in accordance with that decision.

Loan Policy

Harvey Public Library

Who is Eligible for a Library Card

The residents of Harvey do not have to pay to get a library card. Anyone living outside of the city of Harvey must pay $20/year or $10/3 months.

Loans

A patron with an account in good standing (owing < 5) can check out as many items as they would like.

MATERIAL TYPE	LOAN PERIOD
Books	21 Days
Large Print	21 Days
DVDs	21 Days
Audiobooks	21 Days
Interlibrary Loans	Variable

Hold Requests

A hold request may be placed on any Harvey Public Library materials that are currently checked out. You will be notified when your requested item is available. You will have 7 days from when you receive this notice to pick up your item before it will move on to the next person in the hold queue. Hold requests may be placed online, in person, or by calling us at 701-324-2156.

Interlibrary Loan Requests

If you are interested in obtaining materials not held in our collection, the Harvey Public Library provides Interlibrary Loan services for our cardholders. Requests for materials that are available within North Dakota will be processed free of charge. A $3.07 shipping fee will be charged to each book received upon request.

If the request is for a reproduction of a journal, magazine, or newspaper article, an additional copying fee may be levied by the institution which fills the request.

Renewals

A renewal may be granted for any Harvey Public Library materials that do not currently have hold requests for them. Materials may be renewed a maximum of 3 times. Interlibrary loan materials will be renewed at the discretion of the lending library. If you need to renew an item, please request the renewal before the item is due.

Overdue Fines

MATERIAL TYPE	Fee
Books	$1 per week
Large Print	$1 per week
DVDs	$1 per week
Audiobooks	$1 per week
Interlibrary Loans	To be determined by partnering library

Lost/Damaged Materials

Patrons will be billed for lost or damaged materials in the following manner:

For materials that are in-print, charges will be based on the cost of replacement.
For materials that are out-of-print, charges will be based on the average cost of a hardcover book, as listed in the most recent edition of The Bowker Annual.
For a multi-volume set of books, charges will be based on the replacement of the lost volume, if it is replaceable. If a volume cannot be replaced individually, the charge will be based on the cost of the entire set.
For a lost or damaged component of an audio-visual set, charges will be based on the replacement cost of the lost component, if it is replaceable. If a single piece cannot be replaced, charges will be based on the cost of the entire set.
The amount paid for a lost item will be refunded if the item is returned within 30 days of the date payment was rendered.

Selection Policy

Harvey Public Library

Selection Policy

Harvey Public Library

Purpose

Background

Library Mission, Goal, and Objectives

To provide services which meet the needs for future generations in this ever changing world.

Intellectual Freedom

Target Audience

Adults- Fiction material is heavily bought in order to meet the needs of the adults in the community.
Children- ER books are bought in order to teach children how to read
Young Adults- Teenagers have an ever changing demand for the new series and/or book that has just came out.
Students- The Harvey Public Library has homeschooling families that come in to gather material for their upcoming lessons. The material selected is based on what we currently don’t have and adding to and replacing the material that we do have. Children from the Harvey Public Schools come to the public library to seek information that the school library might be missing.

Responsibility for Selecting Library Materials

The library director is responsible for selecting the material they feel would add to the collection. The director will take into account patrons requests for certain items.

Evaluative Criteria and Selection Aids

The collection will attempt to provide a balance of viewpoints on all controversial issues

The collection will attempt to include a cross-section of media formats, topics, and viewpoints representative of patron needs and interests
The library will attempt to meet all relevant collection standards, whether issued by governmental agencies, professional associations, or regional accrediting bodies
Reviews from professional publications (journals and websites), as well as patron requests are considered in the selection of library materials

Authority (is it from a trusted source—both author and publisher can factor in)
Self-published/POD materials (will your library purchase these? Are there exceptions?)
Comprehensiveness and depth of treatment
Clarity, accuracy, and logic of presentation
Currency of the publication
Artistic presentation and/or literary merit
Popular interest
Relevance to the community
Structural integrity (library will not purchase comb-bound materials…)
Materials by local/ND authors
Materials about the city/county/state
Redundancy with materials available through Online Library Resources (rationale for exclusion, especially of periodicals)

Special Collections

Yearbooks
North Dakota Century Code
Official Roster
North Dakota History Magazine
North Dakota Horizons Magazine
North Dakota Living Magazine
North Dakota Outdoors Magazine
Plains Talk Magazine
North Dakota Water Magazine
Plat Books

Resource Sharing

De-selection Policy

Harvey Public Library

The following policy is adapted from the recommendations put forth by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in the 2008 publication CREW: a Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries, revised and updated by Jeanette Larson.

Rationales for De-selection

Shelving space is finite and in order to fulfill our mission and meet the diverse cultural, educational, research, and personal enrichment needs of our community, the materials we offer must be current, accurate, relevant, and in a useful format and condition. Subsequently, materials that are no longer accurate, used, or useful must be withdrawn from the collection. This does not mean that they were a waste of money, just that they have fulfilled their purpose.

Local History and Special Interest Materials

The following criteria need not be applied to items with local historical value, which typically possess appeal, significance, and scarcity in excess of materials of no cultural relation to the region. Local history materials may be retained indefinitely.

De-selection Guidelines for Material Formats and Conditions

Non print materials can lose utility and vitality as technology advances. Older formats, such as filmstrips, slides, audiocassettes, videocassettes, computer software on magnetic media (floppy disks), etc. should be culled from the collection as the devices needed to make use of them obsolesce. The same holds true for sets and kits that include obsolete components.

Optical media (DVDs, Blu-ray discs, CDs, etc.) should be replaced or withdrawn if they are chipped, cracked, warped, or have deep scratches that affect their play.

For print materials, the following six negative factors (MUSTIE) can compromise their usefulness, making them prime candidates for de-selection:

M Misleading and/or factually inaccurate

U Ugly (worn and beyond mending/re binding)

S Superseded (either by a new edition or a much better book on the subject)

T Trivial (of no discernible literary or scientific merit; of past ephemeral interest)

I Irrelevant to the needs and interests of your community

E Elsewhere (easily available electronically or through Interlibrary Loan)

General De-selection Guidelines by Dewey Range

004 Computers

De-select:

· Publications more than 3 years old.

Exceptions:

· Current editions of Dummies and Idiot’s Guide books.

· Manuals for popular software releases (Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, etc.) should be kept for both the current and preceding versions.

· Guides on programming languages may remain relevant for longer periods.

010 Bibliography

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles which have not circulated in 3 years.

020 Library Science

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles which have not circulated in 3 years.

· Titles dealing with obsolete services, material types, or technologies.

030 General Encyclopedias

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old (reference).

· Publications more than 8 years old (circulating).

080 Books of Quotations

De-select:

· Superseded editions.

Other 000’s

De-select:

· Directories for writers more than 2 years old.

· Other publications more than 5 years old.

Exceptions:

· Trivia books and books on oddities, controversial knowledge, UFO’s, and the unexplained can experience uncommonly lengthy periods of public interest. De-select only if they have not circulated in 3 years.

101 Philosophy

De-select:

· Publications more than 15 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 5 years.

Exceptions:

· Replace worn classics with new editions.

133 Paranormal Phenomena

De-select:

· Publications more than 15 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

150 Psychology

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Replace worn classics with new editions.

158 Self-help

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

160 Logic and

170 Ethics and Morality

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Replace worn classics with new editions.

200 Religion and Mythology

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Strive to ensure that each religion represented by a church, synagogue, or other place of assembly in your service region is represented in your collection.

· Include timely and comprehensive information on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism.

306 Culture and Institutions

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

310 General Statistics

De-select:

· Publications more than 2 years old.

320 Political Science

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· General guides to the political process and the electoral system may be retained as long as they are accurate and circulating.

323 Immigration and Citizenship

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

· Biased, unbalanced, and inflammatory items.

Exceptions:

· Histories of immigration to the U.S. may be retained as long as they circulate.

330 Economics

De-select:

· Publications more than 3 years old.

· Career guides with gender, racial, or ethnic bias.

· Books on tax return preparation and estate planning that do not account for recent changes in the law.

340 Law

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Study guides for law school more than 3 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

· All superseded editions.

Exceptions:

· Books on the history of major legal cases may be retained as long as they circulate.

350 Public Administration

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Histories of government agencies and the military may be retained as long as they circulate.

· Replace worn classics with new editions.

360 Social Services

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Replace worn true crime classics with new editions.

370 Education

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· College guides and entrance exam books more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

390-394 Costumes, Customs, and Holidays

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

· Books that reflect gender, family, racial or ethnic bias.

395 Etiquette

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

398 Folklore

De-select:

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

· Books that reflect racial or ethnic bias.

400 Language

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Replace stock dictionaries of major foreign languages on a rotating basis.

· Replace unabridged English dictionaries when new editions are published.

· Replace other English dictionaries more than 5 years old.

507 Science Experiments

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

510 Mathematics

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

520 Space and Astronomy

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Stargazing books may be retained as long as they circulate.

550 Earth Sciences

De-select:

· Field guides for amateur fossil, gem, and rock hunters more than 10 years old.

· Meteorology books that include weather charts more than 10 years out of date.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Geology books on North Dakota may be kept until superseded by newer editions.

560 Paleontology

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

Exceptions:

· Field guides may be retained longer, especially those that cover North Dakota.

570 Life Sciences

De-select:

· Publications more than 7 years old.

· Publications on genetics, genetic engineering, human biology, and evolution more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

· Books sensational in tone.

Exceptions:

· Replace worn classics with new editions.

580 Botanical Sciences

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Guides to medicinal plants and herbs more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

· Books lacking color illustrations.

610 Medicine and Health

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Drug guides more than 2 years old (PDR, etc.)

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Replace worn classics (like Gray’s Anatomy) with new editions.

629 Automobile Repair

De-select:

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

630 Agriculture

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

635 Horticulture

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Publications on organic gardening and the use of pesticides and chemicals more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

· Books with black and white photographs.

636 Pets

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

Exceptions:

· Histories of specific breeds may be retained as long as they circulate.

640 Home Economics

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Replace worn classic cookbooks with new editions.

649 Child Rearing

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Retain current editions of standard volumes, like Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care

670 Manufacturing

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Publications on desktop publishing and printing technology more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Retain repair manuals for appliances until the technology is obsolete.

· Retain works on tools and farm implements still used in your community.

709 Art History

De-select:

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

· Books that don’t include good reproductions of major artworks.

720 Architecture

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

737 Numismatics and

769 Stamp Collecting

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

740 Drawing and Decorative Arts

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Replace identification and price guides on antiques and collectibles when newer editions become available.

770 Photography

De-select:

· Publications more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

791 Public Performance

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

793-796 Games and Sports

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

· Books with gender or racial bias in sports and athletics.

· Books with outdated statistics.

800 Literature

De-select:

· Best-of-the-year anthologies more than 5 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Replace worn classics with new editions.

910 Geography and Travel

De-select:

· Guidebooks more than 3 years old.

· Travelogues more than 5 years old, unless of high literary or historical value.

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

930-999 History

De-select:

· Publications more than 10 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

Exceptions:

· Retain books collecting primary documents or including archival photographs.

B or 92 and 920 Biography

De-select:

· Ghost written celebrity autobiographies more than 3 years old.

· Biographies published immediately following the subject’s death or a major scandal more than 3 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

· Replace biographies of people of ongoing interest at least once a decade.

Fiction

De-select:

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

· Series with missing volumes if the books do not stand alone.

Exceptions:

· Replace worn copies of works of high literary merit with new editions.

Graphic Novels

De-select:

· Titles that have not circulated in 1 year.

· Replace worn copies—commercial re-bindings are unattractive.

Exceptions:

· Classic works, such as Maus: a Survivor’s Tale, may be retained indefinitely and replaced with new editions when worn.

Periodicals

De-select:

· Issues that are more than 3 years old.

Exceptions:

· Locally produced items may be retained indefinitely.

E Easy Readers and Picture Books

De-select:

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

· Books that reflect racial or gender bias.

· Replace worn copies—commercial re-bindings are unattractive.

JF Juvenile Fiction

De-select:

· Award-winning titles that have not circulated in 3 years.

· Other titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

· Abridged and simplified classics.

· Replace worn copies—commercial re-bindings are unattractive.

YA Young Adult Fiction

De-select:

· Publications more than 3 years old.

· Titles that have not circulated in 2 years.

· Replace worn copies—commercial re-bindings are unattractive.

Exceptions:

· Replace worn classics with new editions.

J and YA Nonfiction

Use adult criteria for each Dewey category.

Patron Confidentiality Policy

Harvey Public Library

The Library Board of Directors recognizes its responsibility to protect the privacy of each patron’s personal records relating to their use of library materials. We affirm patrons’ Freedom to Read, as set forth by the American Library Association (Attachment 1).

Records are required for controlling the use of library materials both on and off the library premises. These records are not in any way intended for the purpose of monitoring a user’s reading or pursuit of information. Circulation records are kept to protect public property. Summary statistics of library use are kept to measure organizational activity.

Any record maintained or received by Harvey Public Library, which provides a library patron’s name or information sufficient to identify a patron together with the subject about which the patron requested information, is considered private and is exempted from the public records disclosure requirements of NDCC 44-04-18 pursuant to NDCC 40-38-12 (Attachment 2) and shall not be made available upon request of any person other than the patron.

However, library records shall be released when required pursuant to a court order, search warrant, or subpoena. Only the Library Director or [his/her] representative is authorized to release requested records pursuant to a court order, search warrant, or subpoena. A complete record of the information released, a signed receipt form and a copy of the court order, search warrant, or subpoena will be retained in a file designated by the Directory. Should any question arise, the Library Director will consult the Library Board of Directors and the City Attorney.

The Library Board shall take steps to request that the issuing court grant an appropriate court order to assure that any information released pursuant to a court order, search warrant, or subpoena shall be limited to the specific need for which it was requested and further released only to a person with the need to know the information.

Attachment 1

The Freedom to Read Statement

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 or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label “controversial” views, 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 counter threats to safety or national security, as well as to avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We, as individuals devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible for disseminating ideas, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.

Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy: that the ordinary individual, by exercising critical judgment, will select the good and reject the bad. We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. 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.

These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against education, the press, art and images, films, broadcast media, and the Internet. 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 or unwelcome scrutiny by government officials.

Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change. 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 controversy and difference.

Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms. The freedom to read and write is almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially command only a small audience. The written word is the natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that 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 toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and variety of 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 people will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights.

We therefore affirm these propositions:

It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority. Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different. The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested. Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that 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 mark 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.

Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation 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 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 can read should be confined to what another thinks proper.

It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author. 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 people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.

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 expression 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 values differ, and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.

It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the prejudgment of a label characterizing any expression or its 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 others. It presupposes that individuals must be directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.

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 the community at large; and by the government whenever it seeks to reduce or deny public access to public information. 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 individuals are free to determine for themselves what they wish 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. Further, democratic societies are more safe, free, and creative when the free flow of public information is not restricted by governmental prerogative or self-censorship.

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, they 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 the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader’s 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 the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all Americans the fullest of their support.

We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations. We here stake out a lofty claim for the value of the written word. We do so because we believe that it is 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.

______________________________________________________________________________

This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council, which in 1970 consolidated with the American Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American Publishers.

Adopted June 25, 1953; revised January 28, 1972, January 16, 1991, July 12, 2000, June 30, 2004, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee.

A Joint Statement by:

American Library Association

Association of American Publishers

Subsequently endorsed by:

American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression

The Association of American University Presses, Inc.

The Children’s Book Council

Freedom to Read Foundation

National Association of College Stores

National Coalition Against Censorship

National Council of Teachers of English

The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression

Attachment 2

NDCC 40-38-12. Library records – Open records exception.

Any record maintained or received by a library receiving public funds, which provides a library patron’s name or information sufficient to identify a patron together with the subject about which the patron requested information, is considered private and is excepted from the public records disclosure requirements of section 44-04-18. These records may be released when required pursuant to a court order or a subpoena.

Donations Policy

Harvey Public Library

Gifts of Materials

The Library gladly accepts donations of books and A/V materials, with the understanding that they are subject to the same criteria for inclusion in the collection as purchased materials. The Harvey Public Library reserves the right to accept or dispose of any gift through transfer to another library, sell for the book sale, charitable donations, or to discard them. The library will not provide a valuation of donated materials for tax purposes.

Items that will not be accepted for donation include: items that are moldy or foul-smelling, items that are visibly water damaged, and items in poor physical condition.

Gifts of Periodical Subscriptions

Subscriptions for which there is no indexing and which have limited appeal are marked “Complimentary” and no back files are kept.

Monetary Gifts

The Library accepts monetary donations without conditions on their use or for projects previously approved by the Board. Such money is deposited in the Trust Account for future expenditure by the Board.

Donations will also be accepted for the purpose of purchasing library materials consistent with the Library’s Selection Policy. Such money is deposited in the Trust Account for expenditure by the Library Director.

Memorials

The Library actively encourages donations as memorials and as tributes to living individuals on special occasions. Such acts provide the Library with an opportunity to add materials or equipment which it might not otherwise be able to afford. These donations also provide individuals with a rich opportunity to honor loved ones with a lasting statement of admiration and respect.

The Library will make every effort to honor the donor’s wishes regarding the selection to be purchased. However, the final decision rests with the Library in accordance with its needs and selection criteria.

Bookplates will be placed in items purchased with memorial and tribute gift funds. Each bookplate will record the honoree as well as the donor. The Library will send letters to notify all parties of the gift.

Artwork

The Library will avoid the installation of permanent displays or artistic decorations in favor of rotating displays and works of art that will serve to stimulate and renew interest. The following points will be considered by the Library before accepting a gift of this kind:

Does it conform to the general architecture of the building?
Will it fit comfortably into the space available?
Is the object appropriate to Library objectives or would it be better elsewhere?
Will it cost more to accept the gift than it is worth to the community? Costs that must be weighed may include: insurance, restoration, display, maintenance, storage, etc.
Is it generally acceptable to the Board?

No such gift will be accepted, unless it is freely given and with the agreement that library may dispose of the gift as it sees fit (including selling it, discarding it, or giving it away) and store the gift or move it to various locations.

All gifts shall be acknowledged with a personal note from the Director to the donor.

Miscellaneous Gifts

The decision as to the acceptance of furnishings, appliances, and equipment shall be made by the Library Board on the advice of the Director. Criteria influencing the decision include need, space, impact on staff, and expense and frequency of maintenance.

The decision as to the acceptance of all other gifts not previously addressed in this policy shall be made by the Library Board on the advice of the Director.

Policy for Display and Distribution of Community Materials

Harvey Public Library

Derived From:

Larson, Jeanette and Herman L. Totten. Model Policies for Small and Medium Public Libraries. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 1998.

Items that publicize community organizations and local events further the role of the library as the central source for civic, cultural, education, and recreational information. The library welcomes and encourages the display of such information on its bulletin boards and brochure racks.

Bulletin board display space is available for community organizations to disseminate information. Posters and flyers displayed on the bulletin board may be no larger than 8 ½ inches x 14 inches. Only one copy of a notice is permitted. Bulletin boards may not be used for personal or commercial advertisements. Items may be displayed for a maximum of one month. Library staff will remove items that have expired or that have been posted for one month. Items removed will be discarded; flyers and posters that have been displayed cannot be returned.

Brochure racks may be utilized to distribute flyers, brochures, leaflets, newspapers, and pamphlets that provide information about non-profit, civic, educational, cultural, or recreational organizations and events. Materials that promote programs or projects of a personal or commercial nature may not be distributed in the library. Any material that is discriminatory in any way is not to be displayed or dispersed in the library. Items may be distributed for as long as they are valid. If space becomes limited, preference will be given to items of a timely nature and to organizations or group that have not recently distributed items. Literature related to political campaigns will be distributed for thirty days preceding an election.

All items for posting or distribution must be presented to the library director for approval; library staff will date and place items on the bulletin board or in the brochure rack. Distribution and posting of items by the library does not indicate endorsement of the issues, events, or services promoted by those materials. The library reserves the right to remove any posted item. Items left or posted without approval will be removed and discarded.

Patron Conduct Policy

Harvey Public Library

So that all may have a safe, fair, and pleasant opportunity to patronize the Harvey Public Library and enjoy all it has to offer, please observe the following while in the library:

No smoking or using tobacco products
Keep your personal belongings with you at all times
Mute your cellular phone
Bringing non-service animals onto the premises is prohibited
No soliciting, petitioning, distributing written materials, or canvassing for political, charitable, or religious purposes without prior approval of the library director
No roller skating, inline skating, or skateboarding in the building
Footwear and shirts are required, wet bathing suits are prohibited
Any behavior which is disruptive or which hinders others’ use of the facilities or library workers’ ability to do their jobs is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Using threatening or obscene language or gestures
- Conduct that creates unreasonable noise
- Using audio or video devices without headphones
- Damaging, destroying, or tampering with library property
- Moving library furniture without permission
- Public intoxication
- Brandishing weapons
- Sleeping in the library
- Verbal, physical, or sexual harassment of patrons or staff

Patrons who violate any of these guidelines will be given notice of this policy. A violation may result in a patron’s expulsion from the library, suspension of library privileges, or criminal prosecution or other legal action, as appropriate.

Meeting Room Policy

Harvey Public Library

Purpose

The Harvey Public Library’s meeting rooms are for meeting or programs of an educational, philanthropic, cultural, recreational, or civic nature, where a diversity of viewpoints is permitted, and for other functions, which, in the judgment of the Board of Trustees, will benefit the residents of the community.

Statement of Policy

Use of the facilities for Library, Library-affiliated, or Library-sponsored/co-sponsored meetings or programs shall have priority over all other requests. Thereafter, requests are considered in the following order:
1. Federal, State, County, and City governments and their agencies.
2. All other uses are on an equal-access, content neutral, first come, first served basis.
Scheduling of a meeting or program of a group or organization in the Library does not in any way constitute an endorsement by the Library of the group or organization, its activities, or of the ideas and opinions expressed during the course of meetings or programs held at the Library.
The use of the name, address, or telephone number of the Harvey Public Library as the address, contact information, or headquarters for any group or organization using the Library for meeting purposes is prohibited.
Publicity generated by a group advertising a meeting at the Library may recite the Library name and address only. Any other mention requires the express approval of the Library Director.
The Library does not provide storage space for any person, group, or organization.
Refreshments are allowed, but care must be taken to avoid damaging carpets, furniture, or other library property. Failure to comply may result in additional charges and forfeiture of future use.
Furniture moved during the use must be rearranged as found prior to vacating the room. The room must be cleaned and straightened, the lights turned off, and the door locked, before the key is returned. Failure to do so may result in additional charges and forfeiture of future use.
The Library shall not be held responsible for the security of property owned by any individual or group using meeting rooms.

Prohibited Activities and Uses

Activities are prohibited which the staff believes may cause damage to persons or property or threaten the security of the facility.
Use by individuals, groups, or organizations failing to abide by library policies is prohibited.
Activities are prohibited for which fees are charged, except when prior authorization has been issued by the Library Director (such as author talks with books available for purchase).
Activities that generate sales directly or indirectly, must be rented under the “for-profit” classification (see Scheduling and Rates, below).
If the Centennial room is used after hours a key will be given to the person in charge of the event. That person is responsible for making sure the library is locked and that all of the lights are turned off.
Attaching items to walls or ceilings is prohibited.
Only erasable markers are permitted to be used on Library white boards.
Alcoholic beverages and the use of any tobacco products are prohibited unless approved by city council through owner of liquor facility.

Scheduling and Rates

Rooms are scheduled by administrative staff on a calendar year basis.
Fees must be paid in advance of use and appropriate usage forms signed.

Unattended Children Policy

Harvey Public Library

Children are encouraged to use the Harvey Public Library as a place of study and inquiry. The library encourages parents, guardians, and caregivers to use the library with their children. Children six and under must be accompanied at all times by a responsible party. Pre-teens and any child not able to travel alone must be picked up prior to closing. Disruptive juveniles may be asked to disperse at the librarian’s discretion. Parents are responsible for the behavior of their children; guardians and caregivers are responsible for the behavior of children in their care. The library is not responsible for the safety or security of children left unattended.

Interlibrary Loan Policy

Harvey Public Library

Purpose of Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) represents a mutual agreement among libraries in North Dakota and throughout the United States to share their library resources. Through ILL we are able to borrow from other libraries materials that are not available within our library system. While we try hard to serve the diverse needs and interests of our community, our resources are limited and it is impossible to purchase everything that may be of interest to everyone. Interlibrary loan enhances our ability to provide you with materials you need and want.

Eligibility and Limits on Interlibrary Loan Borrowing

Interlibrary Loan service is available to current Harvey Public Library cardholders who have a library card in good standing, owing fees of any kind would prohibit any interlibrary loan transaction.

A patron is allowed up to five active ILL requests at one time. Active requests include those on loan as well as those in process.

Materials Offered

Any materials not currently owned by Harvey Public Library may be requested through ILL. Every effort will be made to supply the requested material, however new items, archival materials, audiovisual, and other materials may not be available. Photocopies of articles from magazines or periodicals can also be requested. Providing an accurate citation of the material you are looking for is extremely helpful.

Historical Materials

Please be as specific as possible when requesting historical material. There may be an extra charge for historical materials requested from outside the state. Some historical materials may be lent out on the condition that they are only used within the library.

Requesting an Item through Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan requests can be made from our online catalog, in person at the Reference Desk, or by calling 701-324-2156. Please give as much information as possible about the material you are requesting.

Fees

Requests for materials that are available within North Dakota will be processed free of charge.

Patron will be responsible for the shipping charge which is $3.07 per book.

If the request is for a reproduction of a journal, magazine, or newspaper article, an additional copying fee may be levied by the institution which fills the request.

Waiting Time for Materials

We cannot estimate a turnaround time for an ILL request, as waiting periods vary. In some cases, the process can take longer than three weeks, though in most cases turnaround is much sooner.

Notification of Patrons

You will be notified by phone when your material arrives. Unfilled requests, overdues, recalls, and other matters will also be communicated as needed.

Loan Periods

Loan periods vary for ILL items as they are set by the lending institution. In some cases, an institution will recall an item that has been loaned out.

Renewals

Requests for renewals must be made on or before the item’s due date. Renewals are granted at the discretion of the lending library and cannot be guaranteed.

Overdue Fines and Replacement Costs

Fines for overdue ILL materials are $1 per week per item. Replacement costs for lost or damaged material are set by the lending institution.

Contact Information

Please contact the Reference Desk at 701-324-2156 or e-mail us at hpublib@gondtc.com for more information or to place a request.

Limits on Interlibrary Loan Lending

The maximum shipping cost for loaning to other libraries is set at $25 per week.

Library Programming Policy

Harvey Public Library

The Harvey Public Library shall offer programs that support people in their home lives, their learning, and their leisure activities. In planning programs, library staff should consider:

The library’s long-range plan
Regional needs
Purpose of the program
Quality of the presentation
Appropriateness of content to the audience
Other programs available in the community

Attendance statistics and evaluations are kept to determine the impact of the program on the audience, to help in preparing budgets, and to aid in future planning.

A consistent effort is made to represent diverse cultures in programming, rather than replicating local holiday observances.

Quality programs form an integral part of library service. Therefore, the Harvey Public Library will provide staff time, materials, and training to maintain quality programming.

In addition to program time for the presenter, there may be other staff requirements. Programs with anticipated large attendance may require additional staff or volunteer help to assist with the program. It is important that ample staff be available to provide assistance to library audiences before, during, and after the program.

Internet Access Policy

Harvey Public Library

Purpose

This policy is a statement of the Board of Directors of the Library, intended to be used in conjunction with other existing policies to guide administration of open access Internet resources.

Registration

Patrons are required to sign in to use the public internet computers. Every user under the age of 17 must have a parent of guardian’s signature on file. Minor forms must be signed by parents or guardians within the library. By signing in, patrons agree to the terms of the library policy. Usage may be restricted to thirty minutes if there are patrons waiting to use the computers.

Parents are responsible for the behavior of their children.

There will be no gaming on the computers. Children can use the computers for school purposes and research.

Supervision from parents or guardians may be required if a child becomes unable to handle under the librarian’s supervision.

Liability

While the library provides due diligence for connectivity, access, and security of data, the library accepts no responsibility for:

Accuracy of information found online
Damages resulting from loss of connectivity
Breaches in security
Breaches of personal data
Exposure to or infection by malware

The library accepts no responsibility for lost or misplaced items.

The library accepts no responsibility for what patrons access online.

Legal Compliance

The Internet contains all kinds of resources offering many types of information; some information may be offensive to some users. Filtering is provided in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).

Library internet access cannot be used to access obscene materials, child pornography, or materials harmful to minors as defined by community standards:

Whether the average person, applying contemporary community standards (not national standards, as some prior tests required), would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest;
Whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct or excretory functions specifically defined by applicable state law;
And whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value

Prohibited Activities

Library staff members have final authority regarding propriety of patron conduct. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:

Unauthorized access, including hacking
Piracy
Accessing or displaying obscene materials
Cyberbullying
Bringing food or drink into the lab/computer area
Identity theft
Listening to audio without headphones
Installing software on library computers
Any behaviors that impair the ability of other patrons to use the library

Enforcement

Patrons perceived to be in violation of this policy will receive:

A verbal warning
A written warning
Banishment from use of the library’s public Internet computers

Printing Charges

Patrons will be charged $.25 for each page printed.

Wi-Fi

Access to Wi-Fi is covered by the terms of this policy.

$1 for one hour
$2 for two hours
$3 for four hours

Public Use of Telephones

Harvey Public Library

Library telephones shall be used by library patrons in emergency situations only. The librarian has the right to use their discretion on the amount of time that is reasonable for the circumstance at hand.

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Selection Policy

Unattended Children Policy

Harvey Public Library

Interlibrary Loan Policy

Harvey Public Library

Library Programming Policy

Harvey Public Library

Internet Access Policy

Harvey Public Library

Public Use of Telephones

Harvey Public Library

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