Collection Development

Collection Development

Authorized by: HCML Board of Trustees                                Effective Date: June 27, 1996

Relevant Forms:                                                                          Revised Date: April 22, 2021

 The Horry County Memorial Library selects, provides, and promotes the use of Library materials, whatever the format, which:

·       Meet the educational needs of the community

·       Supplement formal and informal study

·       Provide a balanced representative view on a subject

·       Support business, cultural, recreational, and civic activities in the community

·       Stimulate self-understanding and growth

·       Enhance job-related knowledge and skills

·       Increase knowledge of and participation in the affairs of the community, nation, and world

The following Collection Development policy describes the means by which these objectives and the needs of the Library’s customers are best met.

Authority and Responsibility

The Horry County Memorial Library Board delegates the authority and responsibility for the selection of Library materials to the Library Director and those members of the staff designated as selectors.

The responsibilities for selection are as follows:

·       Adult Services Coordinator: all adult collection materials, DVDs, databases, ebooks, eaudio, periodicals

·       Youth Services Librarians: all juvenile and young adult collections, periodicals

Criteria for Materials Selection

All acquisitions are considered using the following criteria:

·       Content fits within the mission and strategic plan of the Library

·       Customer demand and anticipated demand

·       Present and potential relevance to community needs

·       Suitability of subject, style, vocabulary, and reading level for the intended audience

·       Significance and long-term value to the existing collection

·       Attention given to the item by reviewers and general news media

·       Quality of format for Library use

·       Relationship to existing materials in the collection on the same subject

·       Local interest

·       Cost and availability

·       Accuracy

An item need not meet all of the above criteria to be purchased. Other considerations may also be necessary in specific subject areas.

Scope of the Collection

Through careful selection, the Library attempts to maintain a balanced collection of quality materials as well as a sampling of current social issues and short-lived items. Although the needs of Library customers are the major factor in the choice of materials, all subject areas and issues are considered for selection in order to maintain a well-balanced collection. Since the Library serves customers with a wide range of ages, educational backgrounds, and reading skills, an attempt is also made to select materials of varying complexity. All collections will be widely accessible to all customers, regardless of their branch location, through the Library’s courier service.

Given the proximity of Coastal Carolina University, the Library will not attempt to purchase materials aimed at college level research.

Professional and special materials, such as legal and medical works, are purchased if they are of the general interest.

The Library does not purchase textbooks to support educational curriculums.

Deselection and Collection Maintenance

Deselection of items from the Library’s collection is part of successful collection maintenance. Ongoing evaluation is necessary, and materials are regularly removed to maintain an appealing and accurate collection and to facilitate its ease of use.

An item may be deselected for several reasons, including:

·       Out of date information

·       Worn or damaged

·       No longer responds to current needs or interests

·       Items in the format are no longer collected

·       Demand for multiple copies has ceased

Refer to 600.240 Discarding for more information.

Special Collections

The Library supports and provides the following special collections for customers:

·       Adventure Packs

·       Book Club Kits

·       Cake Pans

·       Discovery Kits

·       Mi-Fi Mobile Hotspots

·       South Carolina collection

·       South Carolina State Park Passes

·       Ukulele Kits

Each of these collections has its own particular guidelines for use and maintenance. Refer to 000.000 Special Collections for more information.

Customer Requests

Customer requests and suggestions are welcomed and highly valued by the Library. All requests and suggestions are assessed using the same criteria as other items added to the collection.

Refer to 500.550 Customer Requests for more information.

Gifts

Gifts and donations of materials to the collection are always welcome and will be accepted as long as no restrictions or expectations are placed upon their use. Donated items are also accepted with the understanding that they will be assessed using the same criteria as other items added to the collection.

Refer to 600.223 Gifts for more information.

Request for Reconsideration

The Library supports intellectual freedom and believes that every customer has the right to read, listen, or view any items of their choosing. The Library also recognizes the importance of providing a method through which customer opinions on materials selection can be shared.

An Horry County resident or HCML cardholder may fill out a Request for Reconsideration form at any Library branch to voice any concerns or questions regarding the inclusion of a particular item in the Library’s collection. Once submitted, all completed forms will be delivered to the Library Director and the review process will begin. The customer will receive a written response in due time.

Refer to 600.100 Request for Reconsideration of Materials for more information.

The Library Director is responsible for the establishment and administration of this policy.