CVUUS Library Book and Materials Selection Policy – Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society

Recommended policies, procedures, and criteria for stewarding CVUUS library resources wherever they reside around our campus. Not officially CVUUS Board approved but, rather, a summary of basic information and best practices.

Purpose and Scope of Policy

This materials selection policy helps guide CVUUS library and information resource collection development by describing:

The criteria and procedures by which materials will be added to or removed from CVUUS materials collections
Who has responsibility for materials selection and removal
The procedures that will be followed if an individual or group were to question the presence of an item in the CVUUS library or other CVUUS materials collections

This policy will also apply to the CVUUS book table, and to any other book-selling activity (e.g., book fair) conducted by Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society’s Library team in support of CVUUS Library and the mission of the Society. The policy could also help guide materials selection for other CVUUS programs as well as linkage to other websites.

Policy Statement

CVUUS regularly acquires, collects, and receives media in a variety of formats: print, audio-visual, digital, and tangible. Therefore, the CVUUS Library ministry provides, through its library, book sale cart, web site, social media, and related means, a wide variety of information resources that:

Support, enrich, and extend the mission, programs, and activities of the congregation.
Foster active understanding of Unitarian Universalist principles, purposes, and values.
Reflect the diverse theological views within Unitarian Universalism.
Encourage understanding of Unitarian and Universalist origins, history, traditions, worship, and denominational activities.
Represent the many sources of spiritual insight and religious teaching on which Unitarian Universalism draws.
Focus on the lives, works, and ideas of Unitarians and Universalists, past and present.
Include the works of Unitarian Universalist authors and publishers.
Support and enrich the lives of members and friends at all ages and stages in their spirituals journeys within the Unitarian Universalist tradition, emphasizing a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
Emphasize and encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Focus on multicultural awareness by nurturing understanding of world faiths, holidays, customs, rituals, cultures, and the perspectives of diverse peoples.
Support and enrich CVUUS’s religious exploration programs for children and adults through materials that directly or by example reflect UU principles, purposes, and values.
Nurture parents and encourage parenting from a Unitarian Universalist perspective.
Help members and friends understand and cope with significant personal questions and issues from a Unitarian Universalist perspective, among them human sexuality, gender identity and roles, marriage, family life, separation, divorce, depression, substance abuse, illness, aging, death, dying, and grieving.
Foster an understanding of CVUUS and UU polity, governance, and procedure.
Assist CVUUS staff, Board, and leaders, and the work of CVUUS’s many committees, teams, programs, projects, and activities.
Honor and uphold CVUUS’s Communications Covenant.
Encourage members and friends to be active in behalf of social justice and environmental responsibility, and to serve wider communities and the world in ways that reflect and extend Unitarian Universalist values.

In addition, the Library Ministry helps the CVUUS community:

Avoid inadvertent and costly duplication of materials.
Access information resources located in various areas on and beyond the CVUUS campus.

Material is evaluated for inclusion in CVUUS library or in the book sale cart’s inventory on the basis of the foregoing criteria as well as by the more general selection criteria below.

Donated Material

Donated material is evaluated in the same manner and by the same criteria herein described. Donated material that is not formally added to CVUUS Library may be: (1) included in our book sale cart inventory, (2) otherwise sold to benefit CVUUS programs, (3) given to other organizations that might use them, or (4) returned to the donor(s) at their request.

Policy on Controversial Materials

CVUUS Library subscribes to the statements of library philosophy, principle, and policy as expressed in the following American Library Association documents, which are considered foundations of this CVUUS Library Materials Selection Policy:

Library Bill of Rights

Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights

Libraries, An American Value

The Freedom To Read Statement

Definitions

In this policy the term “information resources” refers to the following: hardcover books, paperback books, pamphlets, periodicals (magazines), newspapers and newsletters, textbooks, curricula, reprints, dissertations and theses, charts, artwork, photographs, pictures, posters, flash cards, kits, dioramas, models, realia, games, maps, globes, musical scores, audio-visual materials, computer applications, electronic and digital media, and Web-based resources. The term “library materials” is used interchangeably with the term “information resources.”

The term “selection” refers, in this policy, to the ongoing processes of acquiring new materials, removing obsolete materials, replacing still-valuable but lost or worn materials, and evaluating donated materials for inclusion in the library and book table collections. Therefore, “selection” means a decision about whether to add material to the library collection or to remove material already in it.

Responsibility for Materials Selection and Collection Development

Delegation of Responsibility: The Board and congregation, via the Minister and/or Council of Ministries, delegate responsibility for selection of (1) general library and book table materials to the CVUUS Library Coordinator; (2) of committee-specific materials to CVUUS committee chairs, and (3) of staff-required materials to the respective CVUUS staff members, within the context of this materials selection policy and approved budgetary guidelines. CVUUS Board, staff, and committee members who acquire library or program resources for CVUUS, utilizing their respective CVUUS program funds, will observe the selection principles, policies, and procedures outlined in this document, as will the Library Coordinator and team.

Library Coordinator and Library Team Responsibilities: The responsibility for overall CVUUS Library collection development and the selection of library and book table materials rests with the Library Coordinator in consultation with CVUUS staff, Board members, and committee/team leaders. The Library Coordinator will communicate with these people as needed to avoid duplication of resources. In addition, the Library Coordinator will consider requests and recommendations for materials from the CVUUS Library team, Board members, staff, committee chairs, CVUUS members and friends at large (both children and adult), guest speakers, other community people, or subject specialists as appropriate. In overseeing the materials selection process, the CVUUS Library Coordinator:

Develops and expends materials budgets judiciously.
Coordinates the selection and ordering of materials for CVUUS Library and book sale cart.
Uses the CVUUS Materials Selection policy and related procedures to carry out materials selection.
Consults with and advises CVUUS staff and other CVUUS groups about their library resource needs and purchasing.
Reads reviews and stays abreast of relevant Unitarian Universalist-related publications.
Checks the library catalog to avoid unintentional duplication of resources, purchasing or accepting duplicates only of extensively used or potential group-read materials.
Weeds the collection of worn or obsolete items.
Evaluates gift material using these CVUUS selection criteria.
Purchases replacements for worn, damaged, or missing materials considered basic to the collection.
Orders materials from standard book, media, and library sources (e.g., wholesalers that offer libraries generous discounts as well as standard library cataloging and processing services) or purchases resources from local sources depending on the nature of the material, the time frame, and other professional considerations.

Selection by the CVUUS Board and Other CVUUS Committees: Responsibility for the selection of Board or committee-specific program materials rests with Board members and committee leaders respectively, in consultation with CVUUS staff and the Library Coordinator in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of resources.

Selection by CVUUS Staff Members: Responsibility for the selection of staff-specific program materials rests with CVUUS staff members, in consultation with the Library Coordinator and any relevant committee members in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of resources.

Responsibility for Cataloging: CVUUS Board, staff, and committee leaders are asked to provide the Library Coordinator with information about any materials acquired with CVUUS funds or donated for CVUUS use so that they can be cataloged to make them accessible to all, to avoid unintentionally duplicating them, and, in general, to steward CVUUS’s information resources responsibly.

Summary: Those responsible for materials selection within CVUUS will be guided by this policy, placing the Society’s mission above personal opinion and reason above individual bias in the selection of materials of the best quality in order to assure a comprehensive, well-organized, and accessible resource collection for use by all CVUUS staff, leaders, members and friends.

General Selection Criteria

Materials considered for purchase or for inclusion in the library collection are judged on the basis of the following criteria:

Overall purpose and direct relationship to CVUUS’s mission
Importance and relevance of subject matter to current CVUUS initiatives, activities, and programs
Favorable reviews found in standard materials selection sources
Significance of the author/artist/composer/producer/publisher
Authoritativeness of the author/artist/composer/producer/publisher in relation to the topic
Accuracy, reliability, authenticity of the work as a whole
Currency (unless historical)
Intended level of use—introductory, popular, scholarly or in-depth study—in relation to subject and audience
Needs, interests, and abilities of users
Readability and comprehensibility for intended audience
Intended audience size, e.g. individual, small group, large group
Quality of writing and/or technical quality of production
Appropriateness of format to purpose
Clarity of organization, presentation, or layout
Aesthetics, attractiveness
Durability, sturdiness, physical condition
Useful special features—illustrations, photographs, maps, charts, graphs, etc.
Balance of viewpoints on issues and questions important to UUs
Sensitivity and respect, in written and graphic material, for peoples, groups, or cultures portrayed
Lack of bias and stereotyping—Note: Under certain circumstances biased materials may serve as appropriate resources to present contrasting and differing points of view, and biased materials may be employed in order to teach about bias, stereotyping, and propaganda. Also, classic and contemporary literary works, periodicals, and specialized materials may be selected even if they do not meet this general standard, if otherwise necessary or appropriate.
Overall collection balance
Price and the availability of funds

Weeding, Withdrawing Materials

CVUUS staff or members who acquire library materials for their respective CVUUS program areas will also advise the Library coordinator about withdrawing those materials when they’re no longer relevant to that program area. Similarly, the library coordinator will consult with staff and program leaders before withdrawing library materials. Final decisions about withdrawal of library materials will rest with the library coordinator. The library coordinator takes responsibility for systematically adjusting library catalog records when materials are withdrawn. The library coordinator and library team also take responsibility for physically removing books from the collection and preparing them for withdrawal.

The library coordinator, with advice from staff and program leaders, will general use the criteria known as MUSTIE (misleading, ugly, superseded, trivial, irrelevant, or obtained elsewhere) and CREW (continuous review, evaluation, and weeding), as well as periodic formal inventories to cull or withdraw books from the library collections. Materials should remain in place on library shelves until formal withdrawal.

Other factors to be considered in weeding, withdrawing, and discarding materials include:

The general and specific selection criteria noted just above
Relevance to UU principles, purposes, and values.
Relevance to current CVUUS staff, members, friends, and programs
Representation of UU authors, subjects, and publishers, e.g., Skinner House and Beacon Press
CVUUS archival or UU historical value
Frequency of use
Space

It’s important to note that infrequency of use, as indicated by library circulation statistics, is not necessarily a reason to discard items. In a church, many library items are browsed or used without passing through the library’s circulation system. Similarly, publication date may not necessarily be an automatic factor in a decision to discard an item. Older materials may have historical UU or CVUUS value. Ultimately space becomes a definite limiting factor in library collection maintenance.

Procedure for Reconsideration of Materials

CVUUS recognizes the right of a CVUUS member to question the inclusion of a particular title in the CVUUS Library. The following procedure is recommended for handling concerns about library materials, where “concern” here refers to an active, intense question about why an item is included in CVUUS Library, or to a suggestion that an item be removed from the library or restricted from use, on the grounds that the item is, in some way, objectionable.

1. An individual who has an active concern about library material and seriously questions the presence of an item in CVUUS Library is encouraged, in the spirit of the CVUUS Communications Covenant, to talk directly to the library coordinator, the minister, and/or the Director of Religious Exploration (DRE) about the concern.

2. These three (i.e., minister, DRE, and library coordinator), upon learning of the individual’s concern, will mutually inform each other of it, maintaining confidentiality around the concern.

3. If initial conversations seem not to lessen the concern, the individual will be given a copy of or directed to this CVUUS Library Materials Selection Policy, including the statements of intellectual freedom and freedom to read that are considered foundations of the policy.

3. If requested, the minister will meet further with the individual to listen actively to the concern. During the meeting, the minister will again refer the individual to the CVUUS Library Materials Selection Policy to make sure that the individual has become familiar with it.

4. If the individual remains concerned about the library item to the point of insisting that it be removed or restricted from use, the minister will send or provide a letter explaining the option formally to question the item’s selection for the congregation’s library. The letter will also contain a “Request for Reconsideration of Library Material” form.

5. If the individual officially submits the “Request for Reconsideration” form, the minister will convene a committee of members and staff to review the concern. The committee will include, in addition to the minister, the church library coordinator, the Director of Religious Exploration, a board member, and a CVUUS member at large who has a very good grasp of UU congregational process, library procedure, freedom-to-read principles, and/or the subject matter involved.

6. The library coordinator will explain the committee’s charge to them. Within a reasonable amount of time, the committee will review the procedure by which the material was selected or accepted for the CVUUS Library collection, in order to determine whether proper selection procedure was followed and selection criteria met. The committee will vote on whether to retain the item and will inform the individual of its decision and the reasons for it.

During a book or media challenge, it’s important to emphasize: (1) the fundamental principles of intellectual freedom and freedom to read, (2) consideration of the work as a whole, and (3) the process and criteria by which materials are selected.

Note: Should a CVUUS staff person have serious and significant concerns about an item in CVUUS library, the procedure above will be thoughtfully adapted to fit the situation. Also to note: CVUUS staff are usually not voting members of the congregation.

Sources and Models for Library Materials Selection Policy

The following sources have been consulted, quoted, or adapted to develop Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society’s library materials selection policy:

Materials Selection Policy Guidelines

Guidelines for Library Policies – American Library Association.

A Content Analysis of District School Library Selection Policies in the United States – School Library Research, journal of the American Association of School Librarians

Analyze Children’s Books for Sexism and Racism – Teaching for Change

Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books – Social Justice Books

Intellectual Freedom Resources and Guidelines

From the American Library Association unless otherwise noted.

Access to Library Resources and Services

ALA Statement on Book Censorship

Banned and Challenged Books

Banned Books Week

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

First Amendment and Censorship

Freedom to Read Statement. American Library Association

How To Respond To Challenges and Concerns About Library Materials

Intellectual Freedom Issues and Resources

Intellectual Freedom Manual

Intellectual Freedom Resources for Trustees, Friends, & Foundations

Libraries: An American Value

Library Bill of Rights

Library Bill of Rights Interpretations. See links to selected interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights below.

Office for Intellectual Freedom

Professional Ethics, Code of Ethics

Sample Reconsideration Form

Schools and Minors’ Rights

The Selection Policy Toolkit for Public, School & Academic Libraries

Selected Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights

From the American Library Association. See also the full list Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights.

Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors: Library policies and procedures that effectively deny minors equal and equitable access to all library resources available to other users violate the Library Bill of Rights…
Access to Library Resources and Services Regardless of Sex, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, or Sexual Orientation: The American Library Association stringently and unequivocally maintains that libraries and librarians have an obligation to resist efforts that systematically exclude materials dealing with any subject matter, including sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Access to Resources and Services in the School Library: The school library plays a unique role in promoting intellectual freedom. It serves as a point of voluntary access to information and ideas and as a learning laboratory for students as they acquire critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed in a pluralistic society…
Challenged Resources: ALA declares as a matter of firm principle that it is the responsibility of every library to have a clearly defined written policy for collection development that includes a procedure for review of challenged resources…
Diverse Collections: Collection development should reflect the philosophy inherent in Article I of the Library Bill of Rights: “Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.”
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion: Libraries are essential to democracy and self-government, to personal development and social progress, and to every individual’s inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To that end, libraries and library workers should embrace equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything that they do…
Evaluating Library Collections: Libraries continually develop their collections by adding and removing resources to maintain collections of current interest and usefulness to their communities. Libraries should adopt collection development and maintenance policies that include criteria for evaluating materials…
Expurgation of Library Materials: Expurgating library materials is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights. Expurgation as defined by this interpretation includes any deletion, excision, alteration, editing, or obliteration of any part(s) of books or other library resources by the library, its agent, or its parent institution (if any)…
Labeling Systems: The American Library Association opposes the use of prejudicial labeling systems and affirms the rights of individuals to form their own opinions about resources they choose to read, view, listen to, or otherwise access…
Politics in American Libraries: The Library Bill of Rights specifically states that “all people” and “all points of view” should be included in library materials and information. There are no limiting qualifers for viewpoint, origin, or politics.
Privacy: All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use…
Rating Systems: Rating systems are tools or labels devised by individuals or organizations to advise people regarding suitability or content of materials. Rating systems appearing in library catalogs or discovery systems present distinct challenges to intellectual freedom principles…
Religion in American Libraries: For the purpose of this interpretation “religion” refers to all that touches on the infinite, a supreme deity or deities or one’s understanding of the ultimate meaning or purposes of life. It includes formal organized systems of belief and practice and informal individual spiritualties. It also refers to adherents of older religions, newer religions, and no religion. While this interpretation is most clearly applicable to public libraries, it should in most cases also be appropriate for school and academic libraries. Private libraries, especially those associated with religious institutions, should apply these guidelines as appropriate in relation to their institutional mission…Librarians have a professional responsibility to be inclusive rather than exclusive in collection development. Libraries serve all members of their communities and within their budgetary constraints should address all information concerns of all members—including their religious information needs…
Restricted Access to Library Materials: Libraries are a traditional forum for the open exchange of information. Attempts to restrict access to library materials violate the basic tenets of the Library Bill of Rights…
Services to People with Disabilities: Libraries should be fully inclusive of all members of their community and strive to break down barriers to access. The library can play a transformational role in helping facilitate more complete participation in society by providing fully accessible resources and services…
Universal Right to Free Expression: Freedom of expression is an inalienable human right and the foundation for self-government. Freedom of expression encompasses the freedoms of speech, press, religion, assembly, and association, and the corollary right to receive information without interference and without compromising personal privacy…