Collection Development

The Kearney Public Library supports a policy of full access to library materials as follows: 

All materials in the collection may be used by anyone regardless of age.

Kearney Public Library recognizes the pluralistic nature of this community and the varied backgrounds and needs of all citizens, regardless of race, creed, or political persuasion. In a democratic society, patrons should feel free to explore any and all ideas in order to decide which are meaningful to them. Therefore, the library, within the limits of selection standards, chooses representative material espousing all points of view in all fields, including political, social, and religious. The Kearney Public Library believes that censorship is an individual matter and declares that while anyone is free to reject for oneself materials which do not meet with the individual’s approval, one cannot exercise this right of censorship to restrict the freedom of others. The Kearney Public Library supports the right of each family to decide which items are appropriate for use by its children. Responsibility for a child’s use of the library materials lies with his or her parent or guardian.

Selection Criteria

General criteria for selecting library materials include: (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 or reviewers
• Prominence, authority, and/or competence of author or creator
• Timeliness of material
• Relation to the existing collection
• Authenticity of historical, regional, or social setting
• Local or regional significance

Selection Policy

"Selection” refers to the process that determines which materials are added to the collection or retained in the collection. The ultimate responsibility for the selection of materials rests with the library director. The responsibility for selection is shared by the professional library staff.

• The library will maintain access to a collection of up-to-date selection tools to aid staff in the decision-making process, such as reviewing services and catalogs of recommended purchases. Examples of these resources are: professional journals, collection development tools, and supporting electronic resources.
• The library will always strive to balance general demand with those of special group interests, and to actively work to present both sides of controversial subject matter in a balanced and fair manner.
• Public demand is a valid factor in materials selection. However, we also consider the interests of the few patrons as well as the many.
• Patrons may request materials not found in the library collection. These requests will be considered for purchase and addition to the collection. Interlibrary loan services (see interlibrary Loan Policy) will be utilized to obtain requested materials if they are not purchased.  
• Library staff is not able to purchase materials through telephone solicitation nor will they accept preview boxes from vendors.
• Duplicate titles are purchased for those deemed historically significant and/or as popular demand indicates.

Reconsideration of Library Material Policy

The choice of library materials by a library user is an individual matter. While a person may reject materials for oneself, he or she may not restrict access to those materials by other library users.

The Library recognizes that certain materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some library users. The procedures below have been developed to assure that the requests of those who disagree with the inclusion of specific items in the collection are handled in an attentive and consistent manner.

A library user who requests the reconsideration of library material will be referred immediately to the Director or the librarian in charge. This staff member will discuss the Collection Development Policy and the application of selection principles.

If a library user persists in requesting that an item be withdrawn from the collection, the Library’s procedure for reconsideration will be carefully explained and followed. 

The procedure for the reconsideration of library materials consists of the following:

• The library user must complete the Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form (see Appendix A) and submit it to the Library Director. This request may not be submitted anonymously. The user must be a current card holder and a current resident of Buffalo County, Nebraska. Only one item may be challenged at a time per library user.
• The Request for Reconsideration will be referred to a committee consisting of the Director, Assistant Director and another librarian who works with the age range and type of material being challenged to determine whether retention of the item would be in violation of the Collection Development Policy.
• The committee will reconsider the item using the general criteria of the Collection Development Policy and reviews from recognized sources, and then make a written decision.
• The Director will inform the Library Advisory Board of the committee’s decision.
• The Director will respond in writing to the library user regarding the committee’s decision. Committee members’ comments will not be attributed, although brief quotes may be used in the Director’s response.
• An appeal of this decision may be made to the Library Advisory Board. Such appeal shall not exceed two pages and should include copies of the original Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form and the committee’s written recommendation. The Library Board will reconsider the decision based on whether or not the particular item conforms to the Collection Development Policy. The Advisory Board shall then make the final determination of the matter, notifying the library user in writing of this action, in a timely manner.
• The completed decision on reconsideration of a specific title shall remain in effect for three years.

During the review process the Library will take appropriate action to ensure that the item will continue to be available.

A copy of the “Request for Reconsideration” form is included in Appendix A.

Copies of the ALA Freedom to Read Statement, the ALA Freedom to View Statement, and The ALA Library Bill of Rights are included in Appendix B.