Jeudevine Memorial Library
Hardwick, Vermont
472-5948
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POLICIES Adopted November 2, 2005 The Jeudevine Memorial Library is a municipal library. It is a town funded educational institution that serves the youngest to the oldest citizens of Hardwick and surrounding communities. I. Mission Statement The mission of the Jeudevine Memorial Library is to provide for the evolving educational, cultural, informational and recreational needs of the whole community through traditional sources and through new technologies. We will strive to stimulate and encourage children, young people and adults to embrace the concept of lifelong learning. II. General Operation of the Library A. The library loans material free of charge to all people. Service will not be denied because of age, religion, race, sex, social, economic or political status. B. The library is open 29 hours per week. The library observes all Federal holidays. In addition, the library is closed on other state holidays and at the discretion of the Library Director and the Board. C There are no overdue fines, but patrons are encouraged to make donations to the Conscience Box. D. The library charges for the use of the copy machine and the computer printer. E. A five (5) member Board of Trustees duly elected at a town meeting on a rotating basis governs the library. As dictated by the Vermont Statues, the Trustees are responsible for all functions of the library. The Trustees will submit an annual budget to the Selectmen through the Town Manager. Following Town approval, the Board of Trustees will manage those monies in the Town's General Fund. The Board of Trustees has final authority on all matters of policy. F. The Trustees hire a Library Director to carry out policy and the operations of the library. The Library Director is responsible for staffing and daily supervision of the library. G. The use of the library or its services may be abridged or denied by the Library Director for due cause. Such cause may be failure to return books, destruction of library property, disturbance or harassment of other patrons or any objectionable conduct on library premises. H. The Library Director, library staff and Board of Trustees shall cooperate with schools, community organizations, and other libraries to strengthen the services and resources of the library. I. In accordance with Section V, Bulletin Boards, announcements of programs open to the public may be displayed in the library with the permission of the Library Director. J. Hobby, craft, display items and art exhibits shall be encouraged but displayed at the owner's risk; owners are required to sign a release for this purpose. K. In accordance with Section VI, Meeting Room, area non-profit organizations may use the library for meetings or programs with permission of the Library Director as long as they do not interfere with library operations. L. The Library will help secure information beyond its own resources by borrowing material for patrons with serious interests from other institutions and which cannot be purchased or for which the demand does not exist to warrant purchase. Interlibrary loans are available for these needs. M. Amendments to these policies may be proposed at any Library Board meeting, made known to any member not present, and voted on by a majority at the next meeting of the Board of Trustees. N. Library policies will be reviewed annually. III. Materials Selection Philosophy The Jeudevine Memorial Library recognizes, as implied by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, that free, equal access to the marketplace of ideas is a prerequisite for a thriving democratic society. Current and significant materials are available to the entire community. Only by representing the widest diversity of views and expressions can the library remain neutral. Objectives of Selection · To provide materials and information in a variety of formats that entertain, inform and enlighten all people of the community. · To provide materials and information presenting the current issues and problems of our times, representing opposing sides of controversial issues so citizens can make informed decisions. · To provide a wide spectrum of ideas, cultures and philosophies which expose patrons to the larger world community without prejudice. · To provide materials appropriate for all ages and reading levels to achieve full literacy. · To ensure the inherent rights of free speech and expression by providing free access to materials that have been proscribed or removed by other libraries and booksellers due to partisan or doctrinal disapproval. Responsibility for Selection The elected Library Board shall delegate to the Library Director the authority and responsibility for selection of all print and non-print materials. Responsibilities for actual selection shall rest with appropriate professionally trained personnel who discharge the obligation consistent with the Board's adopted selection criteria and procedures. Criteria for Selection Materials considered for the collection are judged by weighing faults against virtues for each item, and are selected because of the content and value of each work as a whole. First consideration is given to the needs implied by the stated objectives and the existing collection. The overall purpose of the material is the deciding factor when adding any title. Materials for the library are considered based on the following (in no particular order): · Overall purpose In selecting materials the professional staff evaluates the existing collection and considers recommendations from professional review sources. Gifts The Jeudevine Memorial Library encourages and welcomes gifts of money for the purchase of materials for the library, equipment and improvement of the library facilities. The library will be pleased to accept gifts of library media (books, recordings, magazines, newspapers, subscriptions, computer software, videos, DVDs, audio books, etc.) subject to the following understandings: · The Library Director reserves the right to accept or discard at his/her discretion, any materials given to the library. · Cataloging and classification of the library media will be done on the basis of professional consideration alone. Placement on the shelves in the library will proceed from this judgment; hence no special agreement can be made regarding placement of gift items. · In special cases, bookplates bearing the name of the donor(s) will be placed on the item. Books may be presented in honor of anyone and will include the names of both the person honored and the donor(s). · Once accepted, donations are the exclusive property of the Jeudevine Memorial Library and so subject to all Library rules, regulations and procedures. The Library cannot guarantee that any gift will be part of the collection or kept permanently. · The Library Director will not provide evaluations, appraisals or lists of donated materials. The number and kinds of materials will be acknowledged. Appraisals, if desired, must be obtained by the donor prior to donating the material. Collection Maintenance The Board of Trustees recognizes that the collection must be active to serve the needs of the community. The Criteria of Selection applies to the systematic removal or replacement of materials. Intellectual Freedom The Jeudevine Memorial Library incorporated into its policy the interpretations as stated in the American Library Association Intellectual Freedom Manual (Appendix 1) on library philosophy as expressed in the Library Bill of Right (Appendix 2), Freedom to Read (Appendix 3), Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records (Appendix 4), copies of which are appended to and available in the library. Children shall have free access to all library materials. The library does not operate in loco parentis. It is the parents’ and/or guardians’ responsibility to determine what their children and only their children may read. The library staff may not be used as instruments for censorship by restricting access in any way. Challenged Materials Occasional objections regarding materials may occur despite the care taken to select materials. The Board of Trustees supports the principles of intellectual freedom. The established procedure listed below will follow any individual's or group’s request for reconsideration of materials using the following procedures: 1. All complaints shall be informed of the selection policy and referred to the Library Director. The Library Director will discuss the selection policy and procedure with the complainant without commitment. 2. If the complainant is not satisfied he/she will be invited to file his/her objections in writing and will be given the form Request for Reconsideration of Materials. (Appendix 5). Only written complaints will receive further consideration. This is to assure the clarity of the nature of the complaint. 3. The challenged materials will remain on the shelves and in circulation during the reconsideration process. 4. The Library Director will inform the Board of Trustees. 5. After receiving a formal written complaint, the director will review the challenged material and make a recommendation to the Library Board within five (5) working days. 6. The Board may appointment an ad hoc committee to review the challenged material within twenty (20) working days after receiving the formal written complaint. 7. The ad hoc committee shall take the following steps after receiving the challenged material: A. Reads, views or listens to the materials in their entirety. B. Checks the general acceptance of the material by reading reviews and consulting recommended lists. C. Determines the value of the materials to the library, vis-à-vis the adopted policy and judging it for its strength as a whole and not in part. 8. The written recommendation of the Ad Hoc Review Committee is submitted to the Library Board within thirty (30) working days from the date of the formal written complaint. 9. The complainant shall be notified in writing by the chair of the Board of Trustees of the Board’s decision within five (5) working days following the Board’s review of the ad hoc committee’s recommendation. 10. The complainant may request an appeal within thirty (30) days of notification. The appeal will be heard at an open meeting in accordance with the Vermont Open Meeting Law. 11. The Library Board will announce its decision concerning the appeal at its next regularly scheduled meeting. IV. Confidentiality In recognizing the library's special trust with members of the public, the Trustees of the Jeudevine Memorial Library wish to clarify their policy and responsibility with regard to confidential information about patrons (and patrons use of library resources) that comes into the library's possession. The choice of books and other library materials, along with the use of informational resources of the library is essentially a private endeavor on the part of each individual patron. The library shall make every reasonable and responsible effort to see that information about that patron and his/her choices remains confidential. For people to make full and effective use of library resources they must fee unconstrained by the possibility that others may become aware of the books they read, the materials they use, and the questions they ask. The awareness of existence of such a possibility inhibits free usage of the library, its resources and facilities. It is contrary to the American Library Association's Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement and other policies adopted by the Jeudevine Memorial Library. Therefore, the Board of Trustees of the Jeudevine Memorial Library have adopted the following guidelines concerning the disclosure of information about patrons in accordance with I. Vermont Statutes Annotated Sec 19(b) (19): No information about patrons will be given regarding or including: · A patron's name (or whether a patron is a registered borrower or has been a patron) · A patron's address · A patron's telephone number · The library's circulation records and their contents · The library's borrower records and their contents · The number or character of questions asked by a patron · The frequency or content of a patron's lawful visits to the library or any other information supplied to the library (or gathered by it) shall be given, made available or disclosed to any individual, corporation, institution or government agency with a valid process order or subpoena. Under presentation of such process order or subpoena, the library shall resist its enforcement until such a time as proper showing of good cause has been made in a court of competent jurisdiction. V. Bulletin Boards The bulletin boards are available for the display of posters and notices subject to the following rules: 1. Material displayed is restricted to the announcements of the following: *Library-related programs and services *Cultural events of community-wide interest with local community events taking precedence when space is limited *Non-commercial events of community-wide interest and available to the general public *Items in general support of community service organizations 2. Size and appearance of material is taken into consideration. 3. All requests for use must be submitted to the Library Director and may be subject to approval by the Library Board of Trustees. VI. Meeting Room The Jeudevine Memorial Library offers a meeting room for community use when it is not scheduled for Library or Town of Hardwick activities. This room is available for groups or organizations for civic, cultural, informational or recreational programs which are open to the public and free of charge. The meeting room is not available for social, political, partisan or religious purposes, the benefit of private individuals, commercial purposes or permanent office space. Except for library groups, meetings for the exclusive purpose of fund raising are prohibited. All meetings must be open to the public and no attendance or entry fee may be charged. Although there is no charge for the meeting room donations are encouraged. Use of the meeting room is by reservation only. An application form for each use of the room (Appendix 7) must be signed by a representative of the organization at least one week in advance of the meeting. All applications must be submitted to the Library Director. Reservations may be made up to six months in advance. Groups are required to leave the meeting
area in a neat, clean, and orderly condition and will be charged
for any breakage, damage to library property, or any inordinate
amount of cleaning resulting from the use of the meeting room. VII. Internet Use See separate policy (Appendix 7) approved by the Board of Trustees in October 2001. VIII. Sexual Harassment, Smoking, Non-discrimination As a department of the Town of Hardwick, the Jeudevine Memorial library follows the Town policy on these issues.
(Available at the Library)
Appendix 2 Library Bill of Rights Appendix 3 Freedom to Read Appendix 4 Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records Appendix 5 Request for Reconsideration of Materials Appendix 6 Application for use of Meeting Room Appendix 7 Internet |