III. Collection responsibilities and selection procedures

Ultimate responsibility for the content of the Library collection rests with the Library Director, acting within the framework of policies established by the Library Board of Trustees. The selection of books and other materials to be added to the collection, those to be withdrawn, and ongoing management of the collection, is delegated by the Director to designated professional staff, coordinated by the Assistant Library Director and the Youth Services Manager. The Youth Services Manager oversees Youth and Teen collection management in coordination with the Youth Services program. Each participating staff member is responsible for selection and collection evaluation in one or more areas of the collection.

Resources consulted in selecting materials include professional and popular reviews, indexes and bibliographies, trade catalogs, publishers' advertisements, and customer recommendations.

In addition to the criteria established elsewhere in this policy, the following factors may be taken into account when considering whether any title should be added to the collection:

• Community interest, demand, and popularity as indicated by circulation of similar materials, customer requests, user and community surveys, and other measures.
• The creator’s reputation and other works.
• Reliability and reputation of the publisher or other source.
• Accuracy of contents.
• Literary style and readability; musical and/or visual style and appeal.
• Originality.
• The inclusion of special features, such as illustrations, indexes, bibliographies, maps or diagrams, attached audiovisual or digital materials.
• Appropriateness of the format and presentation for the information provided and the intended users.
• Similar material in the Library collection.
• Diversity of viewpoints, genres, styles and approaches.

Available shelving space also governs the size of the collection as a whole.