The mission of the Santa Fe Public Library is to inform, enrich, and educate the members of our community by creating and promoting access to diverse ideas and information, and by supporting lifelong learning and reading. In accomplishing its mission, the Library honors the community’s unique cultural heritage and traditions, while preparing its community members for the future. This Collection Development Policy is intended to implement the mission of the Library.
The Library’s goal is to provide the diverse community of Santa Fe with materials that reflect a wide range of views, expressions, opinions, and interests. Library acquisition of an item does not constitute endorsement of its content, but rather makes available its expression.
The Santa Fe Public Library provides free access to materials in a number of formats (print, media, and electronic) to all library users. Responsibility for a child’s use of library materials lies with his or her parent or guardian.
As guiding principles for collection development, the Library endorses the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, which is incorporated as an addendum to this policy, to be used in interpreting this policy.
Collection Development Responsibility
The authority and responsibility for the selection of library materials rests ultimately with the Library Director. Under his/her direction, selection is delegated to the professional library staff. All staff members and the general public are encouraged to recommend materials for consideration.
General Selection Criteria
All materials, whether purchased or donated, are considered in terms of the criteria listed below. An item need not meet all of these standards in order to be added to the collection.
- Popular interest
- Contemporary significance or permanent value
- Currency of information
- Accuracy
- Local emphasis
- Treatment of subject to age of intended audience
- Reputation of author, publisher, producer or illustrator
- Creative, literary or technical quality
- Critical assessments in a variety of journals
- Format and ease of use
- Circulation as monitored through the automated system ∙ Cost and availability ∙ Relationship to existing materials in collection
Scope of Collections
The Santa Fe Public Library system includes three branches: Main, La Farge, and Southside. Santa Fe Public library patrons have access to materials at all three locations. A broad choice of circulating print and non-print materials are selected to accommodate the diversity of tastes, reading levels, and interests of users of all ages. The Library’s Southwest collection provides materials relating to local history. While the Library is sympathetic to the needs of students, including home-schooled students, it is not the responsibility of the Library to provide curriculum supportive materials. The Library will not purchase text books except in cases where no other material on a given subject exists.
Criteria for Selection of Special Materials
Children's Collection
To encourage life-long reading habits, the children's collection provides materials in a variety of formats to satisfy and stimulate the informational, educational, cultural, and recreational needs of children from infancy through grade eight. The materials are selected with regard to the stages of emotional and intellectual maturity of children. The collection also provides adults with materials that relate to the well-being of children, enrich preschool and school curriculums, and aid in the study of children's literature.
Electronic Databases
Online databases extend the collection by providing timely and versatile access to information in electronic format. Databases are used by the library staff to enhance and supplement reference service. Many of the databases contain specialized information beyond the scope of the library's print collections.
Languages
Emphasis is placed on acquisitions of materials in Spanish and bilingual materials for all ages. The Library’s collection also includes materials which aid in learning a second language. These resources include books such as grammars and dictionaries, media, and online resources.
Large Type
The Library maintains a collection of large type materials. The thrust of the collection is popular fiction, including mysteries, westerns, and romances, along with high interest non-fiction such as biographies and health related materials.
Media
Media collections are maintained at all three libraries based on the general criteria for selection. The library does not purchase materials in obsolete formats or formats that are moving toward obsolescence. Feature films are considered for selection with special emphasis on classics, long-term popular films, and award winning films. Public television series and children’s educational programs are considered for purchase.
Electronic Resources
The Library must continually assess new electronic media and evaluate the capabilities and enhancements that they offer over existing formats. When deciding whether to replace or augment existing formats with new media, the following factors are considered: anticipated improvements in information storage and retrieval, user demand, quality of the product, ease of use, equipment requirements, cost, and staff requirements for processing, maintenance, and training. The Library currently offers downloadable audiobooks, e-books, and music, along with streaming video and music.
Periodical Collections
The Library’s periodical collections are based on the general criteria for selection. As more titles cease print publication we are working to expand our digital offering.
Reference Collections
All SFPL libraries maintain non-circulating print reference collections and online database subscriptions to assist in school assignments, as well as business, legal, consumer, health, medical, and other specialized informational needs of the public.
Southwest Materials
Materials published about New Mexico, Santa Fe, and portions of contiguous states that have cultural and historical ties to New Mexico are considered for selection. Local small press and local authors’ materials will also be considered. Primary focus is on local interest and the history of:
- Santa Fe
- New Mexico and State borders
- Four Corners area
- Pueblos
- Southern Colorado Hispanos
Drafts of local planning documents are made available for the public, but the Library is not a depository.
Young Adult Collection
The young adult collection is geared for the library needs of patrons from the age of 15 to 18 years. The type of materials selected differs significantly from the children’s level because of the social, emotional, and intellectual maturity required to read them. As this is primarily a browsing collection, fiction, paperbacks, and audiobooks are emphasized. While materials of overall "good literary quality" are included in this collection, popular titles and themes of contemporary interest to the target age groups are stressed.
Requests for Additions to the Collection
The Library encourages input from the Santa Fe community concerning the collection. A suggestion for purchase may be made in person or online. All suggestions are subject to the same selection criteria as other materials and are not automatically added to the collection.
Gifts or Donations
Donations must meet the same criteria as purchased materials in terms of physical condition, currency, and appropriateness to the collection. The Library reserves the right to decide the conditions of display, housing, and access to the materials. Materials not added to the collection are not returned to the donor and may be turned over to the Friends of the Library for resale, with proceeds going to support the Library.
Requests for Reconsideration
Persons seeking the reconsideration of a title in the collection are asked to complete a “Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials” form, available at the reference desks. These requests will be reviewed by the Library Director and appropriate selectors. The decision about reconsideration will be communicated by letter from the Library.
Collection Maintenance
Collection analysis is used to identify and withdraw incorrect or outdated materials, identify subject gaps within the collection, locate worn and damaged materials, and to meet space constraints. Older items are repaired, withdrawn, or replaced based on the general selection criteria. Non-fiction items in particular are considered for timeliness and accuracy, with special emphasis on legal, educational, scientific, technological, travel, tax, and medical materials.