Are you curious about how books, DVDs, CDs and other items make it to our library shelves? Here is a brief explanation.
NOPL’s Collection Management Policy guides how our librarians select, maintain, and remove materials in our collections. Librarians trained in professional schools and through experience on-the-job choose diverse materials based on community needs, professional reviews, and merit—not to promote specific viewpoints. The guidelines outlined in the policy support intellectual freedom, letting individuals decide what’s appropriate for themselves and their families. Staff consider equity and inclusion when building collections, which include various formats for educational, informational, and recreational purposes.
The library accepts and reviews donated materials for possible addition to the collections and regularly removes outdated or damaged items. We have a formal process for patrons to request reconsideration of materials they find objectionable. All three branches get new materials each week, so librarians acting as selectors are managing their budgets regularly.
The Collection Management Policy is not the only resource librarians use to select materials. We also take guidance from our strategic goals. For example, NOPL’s second strategic goal outlined in the Strategic Plan 2025 – 2027 is “EDUCATION AND DISCOVERY: We are committed to being a center of learning and exploration for all ages. By offering diverse programs, collections, and technologies, we aim to foster a love of lifelong learning, support educational growth, and provide opportunities for personal discovery and creativity.” Selectors consider how their choices help support this goal, which specifically mentions collections. Selectors might pick non-fiction items focused on crafts, headline-making topics, new science, unique life experiences, or popular activities to provide opportunities through the collections for “personal discovery and creativity.”
Another strategic goal includes providing “an outstanding library experience for everyone”. The content of our collection impacts our ability to accomplish this. For example; if we have the sought-after item in stock, our patrons can receive it faster.
You may wonder how we choose what to purchase from the thousands of books published each month! As a selector, I keep in mind three important things to ensure a robust and usable collection: 1. Anticipate both community interests and needs 2. Respond to staff specializations, and 3. Review data.
“Anticipating community interests and needs” requires librarians to stay attuned to local events, emerging trends, and new happenings within their service area and beyond. This might involve staying informed about items being recommended by popular sources, partnering with schools to obtain Battle of the Books title lists, and observing circulation patterns to predict what materials will resonate with patrons before they even ask.
“Responding to staff specializations” means taking advantage of the unique expertise and passions of library team members. When library staff have deep knowledge in specific subject areas—whether it’s graphic novels, queer science-fiction, or romantasy—they can curate more thoughtful, nuanced collections that reflect genuine expertise rather than generic selections They will often assemble a group of patrons who are interested in these topics as well and who are looking for the next reads in their favorite genres. So the selectors, on the advice of their expert colleagues, add new and exciting titles in their focus areas to the library’s collection. This is also the case for some book clubs. The book clubs the NOPL branches offer often reflect the specific interest of the staff running them and therefore feed interest in items that fall within the book club’s focus.
Lastly, “reviewing data” provides a strong basis for collection decisions. By looking at circulation statistics, hold queues, interlibrary loan requests, and patron feedback, librarians can identify gaps in the collection and make evidence-based purchasing decisions that ensure resources are actually used rather than gathering dust on shelves. NOPL uses data to aid decision-making and to ensure purchases are made wisely.
If you would like to make a book purchase suggestion for NOPL, please contact us with the book title, author, and any other details here.
