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Collection Development

I. The Policy

The Queen Anne’s County Library (QACL) Collection Development Policy provides a framework for the growth and development of collections and programs in support of the Library’s mission to “educate and enrich our community through free access to resources.” It is the Library’s goal to provide Queen Anne’s County community with library materials that reflect a wide range of views, expressions, opinions and interests. Specific acquisitions may include items that may be unorthodox or unpopular with the majority or controversial in nature. The Library’s acquisition of these items does not constitute endorsement of their content but rather makes available its expression. The Library provides free access to materials in a number of formats (print, media and electronic) to all customers. Library users make their own choices as to what they will use based on individual interests and concerns. QACL supports the right of each family to decide which items are appropriate for use by their children. Responsibility for a child’s use of library materials lies with his or her parent or guardian. QACL adheres to the principles of intellectual freedom, adopted by the American Library Association, as expressed in the Library Bill of Rights, Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read and Freedom to View Statements.

II. The Collection

QACL’s collection of books and other media provides a wide range of literary, cultural, educational, informational and recreational materials for people of all ages. Collections include popular and in-demand materials as well as special formats, such as large print books. Since no library can feasibly acquire all print and non-print materials, every library must of necessity employ a policy of selectivity in acquisitions. Selection decisions are made on the basis of staff member judgment, expertise and knowledge of what is already in the collection, and by evaluating reviews and other selection tools. Staff members may elect not to purchase vanity press and self-published items if the author’s credentials are not apparent. The variety of formats collected include: 

Print: books, documents, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, and maps. 

Audiovisual Media: videos on DVD and Blu-ray, books and music on CD. 

Electronic Media: databases, software, electronic books, downloadable audio books, videos and music. The library also provides access to the Internet. Selected Internet sites are cataloged and linked to the Library’s website. 

Other: e-readers, multimedia kits, educational toys, and selected audiovisual equipment.

QACL recognizes the wealth of resources available through other libraries on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and other areas of the state and does not needlessly duplicate materials. The Maryland MARINA Inter-Library System makes available the resources of neighboring municipal, county, and academic libraries to QACL customers. Access to the holdings of Maryland libraries and many libraries throughout the United States is available through SAILOR a service of Maryland’s public libraries that provides broadband Internet access for public libraries, schools, and local government in Maryland, and an extensive collection of specialized online research tools for the use of Maryland public library customers.

QACL welcomes customer requests to add specific materials to the collection. QACL staff members thoroughly review all such recommendations prior to making a determination on whether to add. Decisions are guided by this document, QACL’s mission, and available budget.

III. Criteria for Selection

General criteria for selecting library materials are listed below. An item need not meet all of the criteria in order to be acceptable. 

  • public demand, interest or need 

  • contemporary significance, popular interest or permanent value 

  • attention of critics and reviewers 

  • prominence, authority and/or competence of author, creator or publisher 

  • timeliness of material 

  • relation to existing collections 

  • statement of challenging, original, or alternative point of view 

  • authenticity of historical, regional or social setting 

  • accessibility for multiple users of electronic formats

IV. QACL Online

Specialized online research tools are purchased by the Eastern Shore Regional Library. They include dictionaries, encyclopedias, and bibliographic databases. Selection of these tools is based on systematic evaluation, increased value to the existing collection, ability of ESRL to provide support, and cost. QACL participates in the Maryland Digital eLibrary Consortium to provide residents with access to eBooks and downloadable audiobooks. Digital formats purchased by QACL are selected using the same criteria as the print format. New formats are considered for the collection when, by industry report, national survey results and evidence from local requests, a significant portion of the community population has the necessary technology to make use of the format. Availability of items in the format, the cost per item, and QACL’s ability to acquire and handle the items will also be factors in determining when a new format will be collected. Similar considerations will influence the decision to delete a format from QACL’s collections. The Library does not warrant that its website, the server that makes it available, or any links from its site to other websites are free of viruses or other harmful components. Internet use policy

V. Responsibility for Selection

Responsibility for the initial selection of library resources rests with the Library’s professional staff, based on the criteria cited above. Designated staff are responsible for specific areas of the collection. The responsibility for selection ultimately rests with the Library Director operating within the framework of policies determined by the Board of the Queen Anne’s County Library.

VI. Suggestions for Additions to the Collection

To assure the acquisition of resources desired by Library users, customer suggestions are always considered for their addition to the collection. Customers can request that specific items be purchased by filling out a Recommendation for Purchase form online or at any QACL location.

VII. Collection Maintenance, Replacement and Weeding

Professional library staff regularly review items in the collection to ensure that they continue to meet customers’ needs. Materials that are worn, obsolete, unused, old editions or unnecessarily duplicated are removed. It is the responsibility of professional staff to assess the need for replacing materials that are damaged, destroyed or lost. Items are not automatically replaced. Decisions are based on need, demand and budget.

VIII. Gifts

Queen Anne’s County Friends of the Library accepts gifts of new or gently-used books, DVDs/Blurays, and music or books on CD. Decisions on whether and how donated items will be added to the Library’s collections are based on the same evaluative criteria that are applied to purchase materials. With rare exceptions, we do not return items that are given to us.

IX. Request for Reconsideration of Materials or Library Sponsored Programs

The Library welcomes citizens’ expressions of opinion concerning materials purchased and/or library sponsored programs. Requests to remove materials or programs will be considered within the context of the policies set forth in this document. Anyone who wishes to request that a specific item be reconsidered for inclusion in the collection of materials is asked to complete and sign the Request for Reconsideration Forms which are available, upon request, at either library branch. The form will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member, who will consider the request in a timely fashion, in consultation with the Director. The questioned material or program will be reviewed, in its entirety, and once a decision has been made regarding the retention or removal of the material or program, a letter will be sent to the person, explaining the decision. If the person indicates dissatisfaction with the resolution, he/she may appeal to the Library Board. The Board will reconsider the decision based on whether or not the particular title conforms to the Board-approved Collection Development Policy, as outlined in the “Criteria for Selection,” above.

Approved by Queen Anne’s County Board of Trustees January 27, 2016

Revised March 29, 2017