Purpose

The Collection Development Policy provides guidance to staff in the selection, acquisition, maintenance, and evaluation of materials for the Grafton Public Library (“Library”). It also informs the public of the principles that guide the development of the Library’s collections and affirms the Library’s commitment to intellectual freedom, equitable access, and responsible stewardship of public resources.

Mission and Guiding Principles

The Library brings people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives, support lifelong learning, and strengthen community connections.

This policy is grounded in the principles of intellectual freedom and access to information as articulated by the American Library Association. The Library recognizes and respects the right of individuals to seek information from a broad range of perspectives and to make personal choices about Library use for themselves and their families.

Inclusion of materials in the Library’s collection does not constitute endorsement of their content or viewpoints.

Collection Objectives

The Library develops and maintains a contemporary, relevant, and diverse collection that supports the informational, educational, cultural, and recreational needs of the Grafton community. The Library seeks to:

  • Anticipate and respond to evolving community interests and needs
  • Provide materials in multiple formats to support accessibility and varied learning styles
  • Reflect a broad range of ideas, experiences, cultures, and perspectives
  • Balance popular demand with materials of lasting value
  • Maximize access through participation in regional and statewide resource-sharing networks
  • Steward collection resources responsibly within the constraints of budget, space, and staffing

The Library is not an archival institution, with the exception of designated local history materials.

Responsibility for Selection

The Board of Library Trustees establishes policies governing the Library. The Library Director has ultimate responsibility for collection development and administration within the framework of those policies.

The Library Director delegates selection responsibilities to professional staff, who select materials according to their training, experience, and assigned areas of responsibility. Staff work collaboratively and equitably to develop patron-oriented collections and respond to community needs.

General Selection Criteria

Materials are selected on the basis of the work as a whole rather than isolated passages. Not all criteria must be met for an item to be selected.

General considerations include:

  • Relevance to current and anticipated community needs and interests
  • Accuracy, authority, and quality of content
  • Representation of diverse viewpoints and lived experiences
  • Literary, artistic, or informational merit
  • Timeliness or enduring value
  • Suitability of format for Library use and accessibility
  • Cost, durability, and availability
  • Reviews in professional or reputable sources
  • Requests and demonstrated patron demand
  • Availability of similar materials through library networks

Materials are selected using professional judgment and the principle of selection rather than censorship. No materials shall be excluded because of age, race, nationality, religion, sexual preference, political or social creed, or any other identifying characteristics of the author, illustrator, publisher or content.

Scope of the Collection

The Library provides materials for all ages and abilities, including but not limited to:

  • Children’s materials (birth through middle school)
  • Teen/Young Adult materials
  • Adult fiction and nonfiction
  • Periodicals
  • Audiovisual materials (DVDs, Blu-ray, CDs, audiobooks, video games)
  • Digital collections and online databases
  • Non-English language materials
  • Library of Things
  • Local history materials

New formats and collections may be introduced or discontinued in response to community needs, accessibility considerations, and technological developments.

Special Considerations

Textbooks and Technical Materials
Materials designed primarily as textbooks or highly specialized academic resources are generally not collected unless they meet a demonstrated community need.

Self-Published and Local Authors
Self-published works and materials by local authors are considered using the same selection criteria as other materials, with particular attention to local interest, quality, and relevance.

AI-Generated Content
The Library prioritizes materials created through human authorship, expertise, and creativity. Reasonable efforts will be made to avoid acquiring materials primarily generated by artificial intelligence when this information is known at the time of selection.

Digital Collections

The Library provides access to digital materials through subscriptions, regional consortia, and statewide services. Digital resources are selected using the same criteria as physical materials, with additional consideration given to:

  • Ease of use and accessibility
  • Licensing terms and user limits
  • Technical requirements and support
  • Long-term sustainability

Local History Collection

The local history collection preserves and provides access to materials documenting the history of Grafton and its residents from the town’s incorporation in 1735 to the present. While the primary focus is Grafton, the collection also includes limited materials related to adjacent communities (Millbury, Upton, and Westborough) and a small selection of general genealogical resources pertaining to Worcester County and Massachusetts.

The collection consists primarily of books, pamphlets, town publications, school yearbooks, maps, and newspapers. Select audiovisual materials and digital files are included. Although the collection contains some manuscripts, ephemera, and photographs, the Library does not actively collect these formats.

Collection strengths include genealogical materials related to Grafton families; documentation of Grafton residences and buildings; town records and annual reports; works by local authors; The Grafton News (1958– ); and the institutional archives of the Library.

Donations are accepted when they support the purpose and scope of the collection, particularly when they strengthen existing subject areas. Archival materials may be referred to the Grafton Historical Society.

Gifts and Donations

The Library welcomes donations of materials and monetary gifts. Donated materials are evaluated using the same criteria as purchased items. All gifts become the property of the Library and may be added to the collection, sold, redistributed, or discarded at the Library’s discretion.

The Library does not assign monetary value to donated items. Materials not added to the collection may benefit the Library through sales or other appropriate means.

Library Displays

The Library recognizes that displays are important in enhancing the Library experience for our
community. Displays are intended to focus on encouraging a love of reading, lifelong learning,
and creativity and to be responsive to the diverse interests of the community while highlighting
physical and digital collections. The final decision for the display of Library materials is held by the Library Director, but day-
to-day responsibility is shared by Library staff, who use the following criteria in making decisions about display topics, materials, and accompanying resources:

  • Community needs and interest
  • Availability of display space
  • Historical, cultural, or educational significance
  • Connection to other community or national programs, exhibits, events, or observations
  • Relation to Library collections, resources, exhibits, and programs

The Library will offer displays that appeal to a range of ages, interests, and information needs
and will strive to include a wide spectrum of opinions and viewpoints in Library-initiated displays.
Inclusion in a display does not constitute an endorsement by the Library 
of the views expressed in the materials on display.

Collection Maintenance and Weeding

Ongoing evaluation and maintenance are essential to maintaining a useful and appealing collection. Materials are regularly reviewed and withdrawn based on factors including:

  • Accuracy and currency of information
  • Physical condition
  • Circulation and usage
  • Relevance to community needs
  • Availability of newer or superior materials
  • Availability of the item through other sources

Local history materials, classics, and award-winning children’s titles may be retained beyond standard guidelines.

While the Library does not remove materials from the collection for the purpose of selling them, withdrawn materials may be sold, reused, donated, or recycled in an environmentally responsible manner.

Intellectual Freedom

The Library affirms the principles of intellectual freedom and supports the right of individuals to access information from a wide range of viewpoints.

The Library does not label, restrict, or segregate materials based on content or viewpoint. Parents and guardians are responsible for guiding their own children’s use of Library resources.  Selection of material will not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may inadvertently come into the possession of minors. The Library does not act in loco parentis.

Reconsideration of Library Materials

Concerns about specific Library items may be brought to the Library Director. Materials are NOT removed from the collection due to controversy surrounding the item, its author, or the content within. Materials will not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

References

This policy is informed by professional standards and best practices, including but not limited to:

  • American Library Association: https://www.ala.org
  • Library Bill of Rights: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
  • Freedom to Read Statement: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement
  • https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/minors
  • The CREW Method: https://shortgrass.ca/sites/corp/media/files/managers_manual_v2/5.3_CREW_Method.pdf
  • The Freedom to Read Act: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2726

Should any patron be dissatisfied with the reasonable accommodations offered, they may follow the appeals process as outlined on the Library’s website.

 

Adopted, Board of Library Trustees March 25, 2026