Policy

Phoenix Public Library (PPL) provides a diverse range of materials to serve the community's needs for information, education, enlightenment, enrichment, and entertainment. Special attention is made to providing materials that reflect the entire community. All materials in the library collection are subject to review by staff and will be deselected if they are no longer required to fulfill the needs of the community.

Purpose

This document is an extension of Phoenix Public library's Mission: “We connect today's community to a world of possibilities." The Materials Selection and Deselection Policy outlines the philosophies that shape Phoenix Public Library's unique collection, the practices that maintain it over time, and the guidelines that help the collection respond to community needs. The following regulations and guidelines ensure that Phoenix Public Library's collection continues to reflect the needs of the community while being a catalyst for unique experiences of meaning and inspiration for each individual user.

Collection Overview and Scope

Phoenix Public Library is made up of Burton Barr Central Library and 16 branches throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area.
The collection includes books, CDs, DVDs, periodicals, online materials, and more. In the future, newer formats may be added.
There are multiple languages represented in the library's collection.
The current collection emphasizes popular works, basic reference, and educational support.
Burton Barr Central Library will house the largest collections of circulating and reference materials and Phoenix Public Library's Special Collections.
Branches will house a broad range of materials to reflect the interests and needs of local communities.
Some materials will be obtained from other collections rather than residing in the library's collection. Interlibrary loan will be used to obtain materials from local and national libraries. In some cases, customers may be referred to affiliate and special libraries within the Phoenix metropolitan area for access to materials not carried by Phoenix Public Library.
Phoenix Public Library branches will share materials throughout the system to maximize use of the collection and to allow for a wide range of purchases.
Special Collections may be guided by their individual policies. Phoenix Public Library also offers access 24/7 to electronic collections, including various e-media and subscription databases.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

Phoenix Public Library is consciously and continuously innovating to serve the information and service needs of specific populations of people who have historically experienced marginalization. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core to the development of our collection. Through our collections we work to facilitate equitable experiences for engagement, education, and inspiration.

Intellectual Freedom Statement

Phoenix Public Library neither approves nor disapproves of the views expressed in materials included in the collection. The inclusion of an item is not to be considered an endorsement, official or otherwise, by Phoenix Public Library.

Selections will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the merits of the material in relation to serving the needs and interests of the community in accordance with this policy.

Materials are not marked or identified to show approval or disapproval.

Parents and legal guardians have the responsibility to oversee their child's exposure to and use of library materials.

Phoenix Public Library endorses the principles of library materials selection contained in the American Library Association's “Library Bill of Rights," “Freedom to Read" and “Freedom to View" statements adopted by the American Library Association.

Selection

Overview

Materials will present a variety of styles, illustrations, languages, and reading levels to reflect the various cultural, recreational, and learning needs within the community.

A broad and inclusive range of materials representing the varied interests, values and viewpoints of Phoenix residents shall be purchased with an emphasis on the reading, viewing, and listening interests of the general public.

Materials will represent majority and minority interests and viewpoints of the community.

The controversial nature of certain subjects, authors, or language will not be cause for automatic inclusion or exclusion from the collection. Each item will be selected on its individual merit and role in the collection.

Regulations

Phoenix Public Library selects materials on a variety of criteria including:

Demonstrated or perceived community interest, need, or demand by Library users or potential users.
Data analysis tools that track the most circulated subjects and formats.
Contemporary significance or permanent value.
National and international news and events.
Publishing and social trends.
Relevance to the experience and contributions of diverse populations.
Quality, including clarity and usability.
Professional and social media reviews and journals.
Significance and/or reputation of the author and/or any other contributors.
Relation to existing collections.
Value of resource in relation to its cost.
Availability of materials from our contracted vendors.

Formats

Phoenix Public Library collects formats that are durable and easy to use. If equipment is required to use the item, the equipment must be generally available in the community.

Older formats that are no longer available for purchase or in demand will be phased out to make room for other items.

Depending on price and other factors, some materials may not be duplicated in multiple formats.

Customer Recommendations

Community requests and recommendations are welcomed and are subject to the same criteria as any other material. Phoenix Public Library does not collect textbooks.

Requests can be made through the Phoenix Public Library's website or in-person through staff.

Deselection and Collection Management

Overview

Systematic deselection of materials is required to keep the collection responsive to community needs, to ensure its vitality and usefulness to users, and to make room for newer materials or newer formats.

Deselection also helps Phoenix Public Library evaluate the collection by identifying areas or titles where additional materials are needed, older editions need to be updated, and subjects, titles, or authors are no longer of interest to the community.

Library staff will conduct an ongoing evaluation of materials to determine their current usefulness to Library customers. Items deemed to not meet current interest will be deleted from the collection.

Regulations

Phoenix Public Library deselects materials on a variety of criteria including:

Physical condition of the item
Current and historical use of the item by customers or staff when compared to other similar items
Accuracy of the information with an emphasis on current information in fields such as law, business, travel, and testing materials
Older editions for which revisions are available in the library's collection
Multiple copies no longer used by customers
Availability of newer, better used works

Phoenix Public Library uses various metrics to set expectations for use and may deselect items that are not used at the expected level. When examining circulating collections, both actual circulation and in-house use will be considered. Data matrixes, based on actual circulation and/or in house use, will inform these decisions.

Any branch in the system may house unique items. Deselection of unique materials may be made at any location. If local staff identify materials that may have long-term importance for Phoenix Public Library's collection, these items may be routed to the Collection Development Department to be evaluated for inclusion in Burton Barr Central Library collection.

Materials will not be removed from the collection because of the personal views or beliefs of the staff or customers without a formal written review process (see Reevaluation of Materials below).

Certain subject areas will be targeted for more stringent deselection than others due to more frequent changes in current information on the topic. These areas include but are not limited to economics, law, medicine, current business practices and annual testing and travel guides.

Items which are deselected and in good condition will be sent to the Friends of the Phoenix Public Library.

Reevaluation of Materials

The public within the Phoenix Library's service area (Maricopa County) and library staff may request that an item be reevaluated if they are concerned that it does not meet this Materials Selection and Deselection Policy. A request can indicate that the requestor would like it relocated to another collection or removed altogether.

A “Request for Reevaluation" form (request a form in person from a Phoenix Public Library location) must be completed by the person requesting the review. The requestor's correct name and contact information, including a physical address must be included. Requests that do not include a correct name and contact information will not be reviewed or responded to. Library staff or the requestor will forward the form to the Collection Development Coordinator.

The selection staff and the Collection Development Coordinator will review selection criteria for the item and make a written recommendation to the City Librarian on the disposition of the item.

The person who requested the reevaluation will be informed in writing of the decision. This form, and the written response to it, as with all Library correspondence are subject to public records requests.

Donations

Donations may be accepted for placement in Phoenix Public Library's collection. The professional staff will determine what donations are added using the same selection criteria used for purchased items.

Phoenix Public Library is not bound to add donated items to the collection

Donation items not selected for inclusion in the collection will be sent to the Friends of the Phoenix Public Library.

Customers who want to guarantee that their donation shall be added to the collection will be referred to the Collection Development Coordinator. The donation will not be accepted unless approved by the Collection Development Coordinator.

Customers who wish to donate money for items in the collection will be referred to the Collection Development Coordinator.

Approved by the Library Advisory Board on November 30, 2022