Materials Selection Policy

Purpose 

The selection of materials is driven by the principles defined in the Cambridge Public Library’s (CPL) Mission, Vision and Values, policies, and our Strategic Plan. The purpose of this policy is to:

1. Guide CPL staff in the selection and de-selection of materials
2. Inform the public about the principles upon which selections are made

Scope

This policy applies to all formats, including print, non-print, audiovisual and electronic materials. It does not apply to federated content in some digital resources provided by the library.

It applies to any library staff or delegate that undertakes the selection or withdrawal of materials for the library’s collections, including gifts or donations to location collections.

Definitions

Collections: The various resource holdings of the library organized by category. Materials: All of the items that comprise library collections regardless of format.

Selection: Refers to the decision that must be made either to add materials to the collection or to retain material already in the collection. This policy refers to print, non-print, and electronic materials. The same principles and criteria apply to the selection of all materials.

General Principles of Material Selection

The role of the Cambridge Public Library in the City of Cambridge is to inspire our community in the exploration of reading, arts, innovation, and learning. To accomplish this, CPL will:

1. Acquire, maintain and make readily available to the greatest number of residents, well-balanced and timely collections.
2. Ensure the collection of materials includes works which are widely recognized as having a significant influence on the development of our society.
3. Safeguard the community’s right to intellectual freedom through the selection of a wide variety of materials representing different viewpoints in a variety of formats.
4. Provide resources for information, reference, research, recreation, and leisure.
5. Acquire and provide opportunities to discover cutting edge technologies, equipment, and innovations of interest to the community.
6. Encourage the community in their cultural and civic engagement and increase their knowledge and appreciation of the arts.

Policy Statement

Materials selected according to the following principles shall not be prescribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval by groups or individuals.

1. We affirm the principles outlined in the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA-FCAB) Statement on Intellectual Freedom and Libraries. This statement reinforces our commitment to protecting the rights of the individuals to seek, receive, and share information freely, without censorship. It states in part that: “all persons in Canada have a fundamental right, subject only to the Constitution and the law to have access to the full range of knowledge, imagination, ideas and opinion, and to express their thoughts publicly. Only the courts may abridge free expression in Canada.”
2. We will ensure that our policies reflect this framework and remain dedicated to fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are accessible, valued, and respected.
3. CPL does not promulgate particular beliefs or views, nor is the provision of access to a particular belief or view equivalent to an endorsement.
4. CPL believes in the freedom of the individual, and the right and obligation of parents and guardians to develop, interpret, and cultivate values within their own households. The responsibility for what children in their care under the age of 13 access from any of our collections, or by using any of our resources, ultimately rests with the parent(s) or legal guardians.Selection of materials for the adult collection and provision of Internet services shall not be restricted by the possibility that children may obtain access to information their parent(s) or legal guardian consider inappropriate.
5. We provide access to information in a wide variety of formats, including access to electronic information through access to the Internet (See Cambridge Public Library Internet Access Policy). Provision of access to the Internet allows Cambridge Public Library to provide a window onto a world of ideas, information, and commentary well beyond that which can be made available through its own collections. Internet access ensures that the public can exercise their right to choose from the widest range of information available.
6. Materials with an emphasis on sex, sexuality, violence, or containing profane language should not be automatically rejected.
7. CPL selects materials that support our goals. Materials are not restricted to print but encompass any item, including but not limited to technology equipment, sports equipment, tools and musical instruments, that fosters the education, enlightenment or recreation of the community.

Our Commitment to Accessibility, Representation and Inclusion

CPL is committed to fostering inclusivity, reconciliation, and cultural representation by:

1. Where possible, we will seek guidance from local Indigenous communities to ensure respectful and meaningful representation in our collections. We will endeavour to select materials by and about Indigenous peoples that reflect their perspectives, languages, and cultures in alignment with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
2. Championing Canadian (including Indigenous) authors, artists, and creators to celebrate and promote Canada’s rich cultural identities.
3. Providing multilingual and multicultural resources that reflect the diversity of our community, ensuring that newcomers, refugees, and cultural groups feel welcomed and represented.
4. Selecting materials that represent voices, cultures, and perspectives, ensuring inclusivity for all community members, including marginalized and underrepresented groups.
5. Acquiring accessible materials in a variety of formats and ensuring digital resources comply with accessibility standards, in alignment with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Accessible Canada Act (ACA).

6. Upholding intellectual freedom while removing barriers to access, fostering an environment where everyone can engage with and benefit from our resources and services.

Responsibility for Selection

The responsibility for selection, including withdrawal activities, rests with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Cambridge Public Library in accordance with the Public Libraries Act R.S.O. 1990, cP44. The CEO operates within the framework of policies determined by the Library Board of Trustees. This responsibility may be delegated to other members of the staff.

Criteria for Selection

The following criteria will guide the selection process. All or a majority of these criteria need not apply to the selection of a particular item. Likewise, the failure of a potential acquisition to meet the requirements of an individual criterion would not justify is elimination from selection or inclusion in the library’s collection. Library staff consider:

• Contemporary significance or permanent value
• Accuracy
• Authority of author/artist/creator
• Relation of work to existing collection
• Scarcity of information in a subject area
• Relevance to community members
• Format and ease of use
• Budget limitations
• Availability of materials elsewhere in the region, such as holdings of other institutions within the region
• Popular demand
• A representative sampling of innovative, experimental, or short-lived material may be purchased
• Materials promoting all aspects of literacy – print, numeracy, and digital literacy will be acquired
• Positive reviews from authoritative sources recognized by the greater library and publishing community
• Acceptable ratings from authoritative rating agencies recognized as industry standards.

New Formats

Careful consideration is given to the introduction of new formats to library collections. Budget considerations, community needs and the probable impact on existing resources are all reviewed before items are selected and introduced to collections in a new format.

The selection of material in any new format may result in the library’s decision to retire specific items or material formats from its collections in order to responsibly accommodate trends in customer demands and/or changes in technology.

Withdrawal Activities

Materials are regularly assessed for their condition, accuracy, currency and usage. Before materials are removed, consideration is given to the context of the library’s collection as a whole and relevance to the community. The process is conducted by knowledgeable staff, according to this policy and other written guidelines, as a way to maintain a sustainable collection that is relevant and vital to the community.

Electronic Resources

Electronic databases are subscription products that provide access to publications, literary works, courses or collections of information, usually via the Internet. These electronic databases complement our physical collections and provide access to a core collection of electronic reference materials both from inside our buildings or remotely. While selection for these materials is guided by the same criteria that govern all selection, due to their nature, additional factors and selection criteria must be considered.

Additional selection criteria to consider when selecting databases are:

1. The value and performance of the database in comparison to any print counterparts;
2. The product's ease of use by its target audience;
3. The time span covered by the product and its frequency of updates;
4. The ability of the product to allow for continuous access for multiple users;
5. Vendor reliability, support and documentation;
6. Compatibility with Cambridge Public Library's current equipment and software;
7. Ease of installation and maintenance.

Electronic Gaming

Computer gaming has a place in a modern learning environment. Just as reading games promote literacy, computer games promote digital literacy. We live in a world where digital literacy skill are imperative and public libraries are providing opportunities to grow these skills.

Additional selection criteria to consider when selecting electronic games are:

1. Audience or potential audience.
2. Ratings. As with literature, not all games are appropriate for all ages. In situations where games could be viewed in our buildings by all audiences, no games rated higher than Teen will be selected.
3. Platform. A selection of the most popular gaming platforms will be considered; not all platforms can be represented.

Textbooks

Providing textbooks and curriculum material is generally held to be the responsibility of the schools. CPL will only seek to purchase textbooks for the collection when they supply information in areas in which they may be the best, or the only, source of information on the subject.

Gifts and Donations

Selection of gifts and donations should be governed by the same principles and criteria applied to the selection of an item for purchase. Please refer to CPL’s Donation & Fundraising Policy for further guidelines.

One System, One Collection

Collections at all CPL locations are available to all residents wherever they reside in the city. Member requests placed through the catalogue will be transferred between specified locations for member pickup and return. Note that that nature of some items may require location-specific pick-up.

Member Requests & Interlibrary Loan Services (ILL)

Cambridge Public Library gives members the opportunity to suggest additional materials to the collection or to the inclusion of particular items in the collection. Library members may place formal requests for the purchase of collection materials by completing an online form.

All suggested purchases are reviewed by library staff who apply to the member request the same criteria that are applied to all materials purchased by the library.

Items that fall outside the selection criteria of the library, or that are out of print, or temporarily unavailable can be requested by library members from other library systems by using Inter-library Loan services. Fees for the service occasionally apply, the details of which are outlined in CPL’s Service Fees Policy.

Application for member requests or inter-library loan service can be made through an online form or at any CPL location.