Library Collection Development Policy

1. Purpose
The purpose of the Collister Library of the South Britain Congregational Church is to support and enable the congregation to achieve its purposes as set forth in its Constitution and Bylaws by maintaining a collection of books, periodicals, audio-visual materials, and other information resources, including:

a. assisting the congregation in worshiping, celebrating and bearing witness to the living God we know in Jesus Christ;
b. facilitating the spiritual growth and Christian education of members and others;
c. aiding the congregation and staff in the governance and administration of the church;
d. supporting the Christian outreach of the congregation to those in need;
e. promoting ecumenical understanding;
f. supporting the Christian fellowship activities of the congregation;
g. providing comfort and Christian guidance to individuals and families in times of crisis and times of celebration;
h. offering wholesome cultural and recreational materials which value the gifts and talents given us by God;
i. helping us to live according to Christ's teachings.

2. Service Community
Potential users of the Collister Library include members and friends of the congregation, seekers, researchers (genealogical, historical, architectural, theological), casual visitors, and the surrounding general community.

3. Primary Clients
Members and staff of the South Britain Congregational Church are the primary clients of the library.

4. Parameters of the Collection
The collection shall be focused on quality materials of current interest to Christians with limited formal theological training. Media selected should be durable, reasonably portable, appropriate to the technology available in members' homes and church classrooms.

a. selections will be made to undergird the church's teaching and programs, to aid individuals in developing a mature Christian faith and intellectual understanding;
b. materials will be chosen with all members of the congregation in mind, for all age groups and all levels of Christian maturity;
c. informational titles will be grounded in sound scholarship and theology;
d. resources shall be well-written, attractive, and convenient to use;
e. selection of materials shall give due consideration to reviews of works and bibliographies of recommended works;
f. material of a hostile, bigoted, or otherwise unchristian nature will not be included;
g. materials which accurately and authoritatively present information concerning other faiths may be included to enhance ecumenical understanding;
h. materials which are available through other collections (such as the public library) are low-priority for the collection;
i. duplicate materials shall be avoided except in the case of Bibles and study texts;
j. materials of historical interest to this congregation shall be preserved so far as budget considerations allow; materials of historical interest principally to university researchers shall be transferred to such institutions so far as practical;
k. materials shall include formats appropriate for use by readers with limited vision, limited reading skills, physical handicaps;
l. selection of materials that may be used in public performances by the congregations (videos, audios, etc.) shall be guided by the availability of appropriate licensing terms;
m. subscriptions and licenses to electronic databases, software, etc. shall be evaluated including the cost of maintaining the item;

5. Types of Programs
The library shall organize programs to support the use of library materials.

a. instruction in the use of library materials;
b. book discussion groups, including Bible study groups;
c. guest lecturers;
d. recreational activities for children and young adults;

e. support of worship and Christian education;

6. Circulation
Most materials shall circulate among members of the congregation and staff. Others may borrow materials by special arrangement with the librarian.

7. Facilities and Access
To the extent feasible within the budget, the library facilities and materials shall be arranged so as to facilitate reasonable access to the library by all members and staff.

a. a rotating display of items from the collection shall be maintained in the Gathering Room;
b. the congregation shall be informed that the librarian is available to deliver materials which a member is unable to access;
c. so far as possible, lighting, humidity, and environmental conditions in the library shall be controlled so as to preserve library materials and to create an attractive reading area;
d. the librarian will present the facilities needs of the library to church committees and boards responsible for the allocation and enhancement of church facilities;
e. the library will be open whenever the church building is open;

f. the library will acquire and maintain technical resources with which users may access a variety of non-print materials, such as audio and video recordings and electronic information files.

8. Acquisitions and Specific Collections

a. Formats
Formats shall include: books, periodicals, audio cassettes and CDs, videocassettes and DVDs, large-print books, vertical clippings file, and electronic information resources. Electronic information resources shall include digitized texts, images, and audio files created or acquired by the library and online links to selected resources by subscription or through open-access public websites.

b. Subject Categories
The distribution of materials among the subject categories of the library shall take into consideration the changing interests and needs of the congregation, as expressed in formal and informal needs assessment, including specific requests and general surveys, as well as recommendations of church library experts. The following distribution shall be a guideline in planning acquisitions and deselections.

c. Gifts
Policies for the acceptance and use of gifts in kind or gifts of funds shall be consistent with the policies of the Gifts and Memorials Committee. The library shall develop and distribute a "wish list" of materials that fill specific needs of the collection. Other gifts meeting the library's selection policy may be accepted. In all cases, the library reserves the right to sell, discard, or otherwise dispose of any gift materials which are not deemed to be suitable for acquisition or maintenance. Gifts of funds shall be recorded in the church's register of memorial funds; gifts in kind may be identified with a bookplate or similar marker.

e. De-Selection/Discard
Materials no longer suitable for acquisition or maintenance shall be de-accessioned and disposed of in such manner as the librarian deems appropriate.

f. Evaluation
From time to time, the library shall seek evaluation of its collection by the congregation's members, committees, staff, and library personnel which shall be used to revise the collection development policy and to improve library service. A library "Suggestion and Recommendations Box" in an easily accessible location will provide ongoing feedback on the library collection, as well as requests for particular titles. The Collister Digital Library website includes e-mail feedback links on each page.

g. Budget
The librarian will prepare a budget at three levels (core, desirable, ideal) to support the work of the library.

Last revised: 12 January 2006; please report any problems with this site to the Librarian.