Purpose and Objectives

The Collection Development Policy provides guidelines for the evaluation, selection, development, and de-selection of the library’s collection of print and non-print materials. There are thousands of new materials published each year, but the Library is limited by space and funds. The policy is intended to serve as a guide for library staff in the process of materials selection and to inform the public of the basis of the library’s collection development. This policy will be periodically evaluated and revised to reflect new and evolving Salinas Public Library services.

The Library is a public resource that seeks to support people who visit, work, learn, and live in the City of Salinas. The goal of the collection is to promote education and exploration, so Library users become better contributors to their community, be more productive in their occupations, and have a more enhanced personal life and social well-being. In support of its mission, the Salinas Public Library upholds the principles of the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, the Freedom to View Statement, and Access to Digital Resources and Services, as endorsed by the American Library Associations.

Responsibility and Criteria for Selection

The ultimate responsibility for the Library collection rests with the Library and Community Services (LCS) Director. The LCS Director has the prerogative to delegate to professional library staff the authority to interpret and apply the Collection Development Policy in the selection and maintenance of the Library’s various collections, within the limitations of budget and space.

The John Steinbeck Library serves as the main library for the City of Salinas. In addition to being a resource for the branches, it provides a reference and several other special collections as well as broad choices in circulating print and non-print materials. Each library branch serves a specific geographic area of the City where in addition to its basic core reference and circulating materials, the collections reflect the community in the areas it serves.

The collections are developed to meet the needs and interests of Salinas’ residents. Therefore, the Library strives to seek materials that represent all sides of an issue and is representative of the diversity of its community without discrimination. Materials selected for the collection are an expression of the Library’s support of intellectual freedom—not an endorsement of a particular point of view.

Designated professional library staff select materials based on their professional insight of past, current, and future trends in the industry, familiarity with existing collections, and their awareness of the needs of library users and the community. Materials selected are supported by reviewing tools, including but not limited to, trade and professional publications, publishers’ catalogs, and reviews from reputable sources, in addition to the qualifications of the author, creator, or publisher of the work. If a professional review cannot be found, the material may be examined and evaluated by professional library staff.

Selection of library material is evaluated according to one or more of the following criteria:

• Importance of the subject matter to the collection
• Timeliness, authority, and accuracy of information
• Literary merit, award, or critical acclaim
• Significance of author or publisher
• Cost and value of material to the collection
• Popular interest or demand
• Availability of material in other format or other libraries within the service area
• Quality of content and suitability of physical treatment/durability for library use
• Suitability of literary style for intended audience and subject

Suggestions and requests from patrons are welcome and considered if the item, in the opinion of the professional staff, meets the selection criteria. The Library will not purchase self-published materials that are not positively reviewed in professional journals unless, in the opinion of the professional staff, the item meets the selection criteria guidelines.

New Technology and Online Resources

As new technologies are developed, the Library will investigate the appropriateness of new media formats and will acknowledge the need for experimentation before the Library considers adding it to the collection.

The Library purchases a variety of online and electronic resources to support, extend and enhance the collection. These resources are evaluated and selected based on timeliness, ease of use, cost, quality, and ability to meet the needs and interest of Library users.

Special Collections

The Salinas Public Library special collections include:

• Steinbeck collection at the John Steinbeck Library
• Local History collection at the John Steinbeck Library
• Chicano Resource Center collection at the Cesar Chavez Library

Materials possessing unique qualities or have significant and relevant contribution to the subject of each special collection may be considered for inclusion in the collection.

The Steinbeck collection includes materials written by or about John Steinbeck and his works. Part of this collection is available as circulating materials in the Library’s circulating shelves. The historically significant and rare items of this collection are housed at the National Steinbeck Center.

The scope of the Local History collection includes historically significant materials related to the Salinas Public Library, as well as materials about the history of Salinas and the Salinas Valley as it relates to agriculture. The Library is not the official repository for the City of Salinas’ official documents. That is the function of the City Clerk’s office. Library users will be referred to the City Clerk’s office for official city documents including minutes of the Library Commission.

The Chicano Resource Center collection represents a variety of materials related to the Chicano history in the region and in California. It also contains materials relevant to the history of The Alisal, a significantly historic area in East Salinas.

Gifts and Donations

The Salinas Public Library appreciates and accepts gifts of money and materials to support the Library’s collections. The monetary appraisal of gifts to the Library for tax purposes is the responsibility of the donor. If the donor has restrictions on how the gift must be used, the donor must fill out a request in writing and it will be forwarded to the LCS Director for approval.

Donated materials are accepted with the understanding that the addition to the library collection is decided by professional library staff, based on the Library’s material selection criteria. Retention and/or utilization of donated materials are at the discretion of the Library, and donated materials will not be returned if they are not added to the collection. These guidelines also apply to self-published materials donation.

Collection Maintenance

An active, attractive and useful collection that is responsive to the changing needs of the community is maintained through a continual withdrawal and replacement process. The primary responsibility for collection maintenance will be assigned to professional library staff, who will use their insight and training, as well as the following criteria to assist with the decision to de-select library materials:

• Physical condition of material
• Use of the material based on its circulation
• Obsolete, dated, or incorrect information
• Superseded edition
• Unnecessary duplicates

Materials withdrawn from the collection may be given to the Friends of the Salinas Public Library for its book sale. Proceeds from the sale of books benefits the Library directly.

Controversial Materials and Materials Reconsideration

The Salinas Public Library recognizes that some materials may be controversial or offensive to some Library users. The professional Library staff strive toward a balanced Library collection that reflects the needs and wants of its users without censorship.

Materials dealing with controversial views or subjects are considered on the basis of the entire work and not on isolated passages or sections. Library materials will not be labeled to designate materials based on a prejudicial system, except to indicate genre or collection area. Library material will not be sequestered except to protect it from damage or theft.

Each library user is expected to determine the appropriateness of the materials they select. The Library maintains that parents and legal guardians have the ultimate responsibility for their children’s choices of material. The Library and its Library staff do not act “in loco parentis.”

If a person objects to an item in the Library’s collection, professional library staff in charge of the building or the specific collection may discuss the nature of the concern with the person. For further review, a request for the reconsideration of materials must be made in writing by completing the “Request for Material Reconsideration” form. This form will be forwarded to the LCS Director for review and a response in writing will be provided to the person who submitted the form. No materials shall be removed from the Library’s collection until the review process is completed and a decision made by the LCS Director. 

Endorsed by the Library and Community Services Commission: September 11, 2019