Purpose of Policy
The development and thoughtful maintenance of the Library’s collection is an essential part of
the mission of Manatee County Public Library System (MCPLS). This policy outlines how the
selection, organization, and maintenance of library materials, including electronic resources,
support that mission.
This policy serves the general, educational, recreational, and entertainment needs of the public
and reflects the racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the community. The collection is not
intended to be a research or archival collection, apart from the Eaton Collection and some local
historical documents.
The Library is committed to the truth, to trustworthy information, and to
fighting all forms of disinformation, censorship, and barriers to free inquiry.
The Library supports a patron’s freedom to read, listen to, or view material without infringement
by other patrons.
The Library creates its collection in partnership with the citizens of Manatee County, seeking
input and recommendations on the content that should be acquired.
Responsibility for Material Selection
Ultimate responsibility for the selection of all materials rests with the Library Services Manager,
who works within the framework of this policy. The Library Services Manager may delegate to
staff the responsibility to interpret and use the policy in daily operations.
Criteria for Selection of Material
The goal of material selection is to fulfill the community’s need for personal enrichment,
information, and the joy of reading. Material selection is based on awareness of community
interests and concerns, national and international issues, publishing trends, new insights,
societal trends, and the professional judgement of selectors on the material’s value to the
Library’s collection. Textbooks are not collected except in subject areas where material in
another form is not available.
The MCPLS strives to maintain a collection that represents all sides of an issue in an unbiased
manner. Material is not excluded because of the race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual
orientation, or political or societal views of the author.
The selection of materials does not represent the Library’s endorsement of any opinion, belief,
or philosophy. An item that meets selection criteria will not be removed from the collection
solely because it represents a particular opinion, belief, or philosophy.
The Library does not assume parental responsibility for children’s choices of Library materials.
Popular demand is balanced by professional evaluation and is considered within the context of
the Library’s mission and budgetary limitations. The following criteria are used to determine
addition to the collection:
- Relation to the existing collection
- Current usefulness or permanent value
- Importance as a document of the times
- Popular and community-based demand
- Authority and competence in presentation
- Relative importance in comparison with other works on the subject
- High standards of quality content, format, and binding
- Reputation of the publisher or producer (authority and significance of the author,
composer, film producer, etc.)
- Critical and professional reviews
Interlibrary Loan
Interlibrary Loan or ILL is the process by which a library requests materials from, or supplies
materials to, other libraries. MCPLS serves as a borrower and as a lender. Charges are
sometimes levied by other libraries for photocopying and book loaning. These charges are
passed on to the customer requesting the service. Books at least one year old from any of our
system's circulating collections are available for loan to other library systems. We do not loan
items from our non-circulating collections.
The library system complies with U.S. copyright law guidelines for interlibrary loan service and
to other guidelines detailed in the National Interlibrary Loan Code which concern proper
protocols and loan procedures and responsibilities. Limits on this service may be imposed by
the lending institution.
Gifts, Memorials, Donations, and Local Authors
MCPLS gratefully accepts donations on a limited basis. The Library reserves the right to
evaluate all gifts, donations, and memorial requests in accordance with purchasing criteria.
Gifts that do not meet the criteria may be refused. Donors are encouraged to contact the Library
prior to the donation of materials.
When the Library receives a cash gift for the purchase of memorial books or collections, the
selection will be made in consultation with the donor when possible. Bookplates, donation
receipts, and letters of acknowledgment are available for donations. The Library does not
appraise the value of donations for tax purposes.
Local authors are welcome to donate copies of their book to be considered for addition to the
Local Author Collection at the Central Library but are subject to the same criteria as purchased
materials. Donated items become property of the Library.
Special Collections
Eaton Collection
The Eaton Collection serves as a centralized local history resource for the purposes of
reference and archival preservation; its geographic scope is historical Manatee County and the
greater Southwest Florida region. Books detailing the history of Florida are also selected.
Materials include maps, books, high school yearbooks, local city directories, microfilmed local
newspapers, transcripts of local historical society minutes, speeches and interviews, photo
negatives of local scenes and people, periodicals of local interest, scrapbooks, and other
ephemera. Historical fiction titles relevant to the local area or written by local authors may be
collected. Local and Florida government documents may be collected.
The Eaton collection is a non-circulating collection, but arrangements may be made to fulfill the
requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, to accommodate viewing at a Manatee
County branch location on a case-by-case basis.
Materials such as speeches, interviews, maps, photos, and postcards have been digitized and
are available online in the Historical Digital Collections. The Eaton collection only accepts
donations of items that can be digitized (maps, photos, photo negatives, text documents,
postcards) or books and pamphlets in good condition and relevant to its scope. Items that are
donated or loaned for digitization require a signed Historical Materials Donation Agreement or
Historical Materials Loan Agreement. Items loaned to the library, or by the library, for the
purpose of exhibition require a signed Historical Materials Loan Agreement.
Genealogy Collection
The geographic scope of the genealogy collection is primarily the United States east of the
Mississippi. General books on compiling family histories, researching genealogical sources, and
tracing roots to international homelands are also included. All materials are non-circulating and
for reference only, but arrangements may be made to fulfill the requirements of the Americans
with Disabilities Act, to accommodate viewing at a Manatee County branch location on a caseby-case basis.
Print sources may include atlases, county histories, vital records, or other historical sources that
supply names or geographical information that aids in genealogical research. Family histories
are generally not purchased but may be added to the collection if donated. Donations are
accepted but must meet the same criteria for inclusion as purchased materials. The collection
also includes microform records. Collection purchases take into consideration recommendations
from local genealogical societies.
Government Documents
The Manatee County Public Library System is a partial selective Federal Depository Library
(depository number 0105C). We receive a minimal selection of available print documents.
Collection Maintenance
The Library’s collection is evaluated by library staff on an ongoing and systematic basis,
following the American Library Association's Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding
guidelines. The library continually withdraws items from the collection, basing its decisions on a
number of factors, including publishing date, frequency of circulation, community interest, and
availability of newer or more valid materials. Fiction that was once popular but no longer in
demand and non-fiction books that are no longer useful are withdrawn from the collection.
Withdrawn materials are sold or disposed of in sustainable manner.
Freedom of Access
MCPLS adheres to the principles contained in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of
Rights, Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, and the
ALA Code of Ethics.
Members of the community may request items the Library does not own by using the
Suggestion for Purchase Form. MCPLS welcomes input from the community and strives to
meet requests in a timely manner.
Concerns
Manatee County Public Library considers all materials selected under this policy to be
constitutionally protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
The Library recognizes the right of individuals to request reconsideration of materials in the
collection. A Request for Reconsideration Form is available to library card holders. All concerns
will be referred to the Library Services Manager who will discuss the matter with the concerned
library card holder.
The Library Services Manager will meet with the Library Board of Trustees to evaluate the
material in question and consider the request. A written response conveying the decision will be
made on the requested action within 30 days.
If a library card holder still has concerns about the material, they may request an appeal by
writing to Chair of the Library Board of Trustees. The Board will determine whether the request
for reconsideration has been handled in accordance with the established policies and
procedures of MCPLS. The Board’s ruling is final.
Policy Review
This Collection Development Policy document will be reviewed regularly, no less than triennially
by the Library staff, Library Services Manager, and the Library Board.
Reviewed and approved by the Library Advisory Board at its August 18, 2022, meeting.
Adopted in open session with a quorum present and voting the 11th day of October, 2022 by BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MANATEE COUNTY, FLORIDA