The purpose of the Marshall County Public Library is to provide all individuals in the community with carefully selected books and other materials to aid the individual in the pursuit of education, information, research, pleasure, and the creative use of leisure time.
The materials selection/collection development policy is used by the library staff in the selection of materials and also serves to acquaint the general public with the principles of selection.
The Library Bill of Rights and The Freedom to Read Statement have been endorsed by the Marshall County Public Library Board of Trustees and are integral parts of the policy.
The Library acknowledges that it serves a community with a variety of identities, moral values, religious beliefs, and political opinions. For this reason, the Library will endeavor to create a diverse collection that represents a full spectrum of ideas and topics. We acknowledge that not every item in the collection is right for every patron, yet our goal is to provide every patron with material that is right for them.
The materials selection/collection development policy, like all other policies, will be reviewed and/or revised as the need arises.
Responsibility for Selection
The ultimate responsibility for selection of library materials rests with the library director who operates within the framework of the policies determined by the Marshall County Public Library Board of Trustees. This responsibility may be shared with other members of the library staff; however, because the director must be available to answer to the library board and the general public for actual selections made, the director has the authority to reject or select any item contrary to the recommendations of the staff.
Criteria for Selection
Materials will be selected based on positive reviews in professional journals or actual examination and evaluation of materials. Items and authors that must be purchased every year may be placed on a standing order list to ensure timely delivery.
The main points considered in the selection of materials are:
- Literary merit of each item
- Popular appeal/demand
- Recommended age category as provided by the publisher or review sources
- Existing library holdings
- Budget
- Format
- Reviews
a. Reviews are a major source of information about new materials. The primary source(s) of reviews is (are)
- The Library Journal
- Booklist
- Publisher’s Weekly
- Best Seller lists
- Guide to Reference Books
- Publishers’ and jobbers’ catalogs
- Patron requests
- Media publicity
- Standard lists
- Reputable book blogs
b. The lack of a review or an unfavorable review shall not be the sole reason for rejecting a title that is in demand. Consideration is, therefore, given to requests from library patrons and materials discussed on public media. Materials are judged on the basis of the work as a whole, not on a part taken out of context.
Deselection of Materials
The CREW Method will be used as a guide for weeding the collections. Formulas in the CREW Guidelines consider age of the publication, number of circulations, and condition. The CREW guidelines suggest different formulas for different areas of the collection. All formulas are subject to review and revision to meet local needs. Final responsibility for de-selection lies with the Branch Manager or Library Director. Individual tasks may be assigned to other staff. Recommendations of the staff and the public will be considered.
Disposal of Library Collection Materials
Materials that are weeded from the collection will be disposed of in a manner appropriate for each item. This may include reassignment to another branch, donation to another library or agency, or sold in the library book sale. Some material may be discarded.
Created 01/22/09
Revised 11/17/21
ACCURACY DISCLAIMER
Not all information provided through Internet sources is accurate, complete, or current information, and may be offensive or dangerous. The library assumes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of information obtained through Internet sources. It should be understood that use of public equipment and services prevents any guarantee of privacy.
INTERNET/COMPUTER USE BY CHILDREN
Parents or Legal Guardians will be responsible for monitoring the use of the Internet and computers by their child. Children under the age of 10 must have a parent or legal guardian present, and in attendance with them at all times, to use the computer for Internet use and other available programs.
TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT CHECKOUTS
The Library allows patrons to check out technology equipment. Patrons must be 18 years of age to check out these materials, and all items must be returned in the same condition in which they were checked out.
Some technology equipment may be limited to Marshall County residents/property owners only and/or require a signed certificate.
FILTER
The Library employs the use of web content filtering software to assist in prohibiting access to material that is obscene, contains child pornography, or is harmful to minors to comply with Federal law. However, users should be aware that the nature of the Internet precludes any filtering software from being fully effective. Some sexually explicit sites may evade the filtering device. Other sites may be inadvertently blocked. Please report any problems accessing a site to a Library staff member. Library staff will temporarily disable the Internet filtering device for research or other lawful purposes at the request of a user; however, all other restrictions on the usage of the Internet listed in this document continue to apply. Violation of any rules in this policy while the filtering device is disabled may result in loss of Internet use privileges.
GENERAL RULES FOR INTERNET/COMPUTER USE
- All patrons must read the Marshall County Public Library System Internet/Computer Use Policy.
- Permission for two people using one workstation is required & does not double the length of time allowed.
- Patrons will be given one initial hour. The session will automatically extend if there are no patrons waiting for a computer.
- Patrons 10-12 years old will be limited to 3 hours of computer use per day. Persons 13 years and older will be limited to 5 hours of computer use per day.
- Patrons CANNOT use another person’s library card to access the Internet computers.
- Each page printed will cost 25¢ per page for black and white and 50¢ per page for color.
- Library staff can offer general assistance and will assist individuals in the use of the Library’s website.
- Library staff cannot assist users in extensive searching through the many other sites available via the internet. Users should have a minimal level of computer experience and be able to use a mouse. The Library offers introductory computer classes and the staff can assist in registering you.
- Users with disabilities should contact the Library staff if they have special needs.
Misusing library technology will result in a restriction of library services, up to and including a permanent ban from internet or equipment use. Violations include but are not limited to:
- Unauthorized connection to the library’s network.
- Exceeding time-limit when other patrons are waiting.
- Charge fees to library via Internet workstations.
- Exhibits pornographic material on Internet workstations. (KRS 531)
- Violating copyright or software licenses while using Internet workstations. (US copyright law, Title 17, US Code).
- Use of Internet workstations to harass others or participate in illegal activities.
- Intentional damage to workstations, printers, and/or additional property.
- Altering hardware/software configurations.
- Removal of SIM card from any library device.
- Failure to return hardware.
- Failure to comply with documentation requirements for any equipment purchased through federal or state grants.
Created 01/22/09,
Revised 05/30/24
The MCPLS has adopted the following American Library Documents:
- Library Bill of Rights
- Freedom to Read Statement
- Intellectual Freedom Statement
- Freedom to View
The principles of Intellectual Freedom shall apply to material selection and is outlined in the Library’s Collection Development Policy. The selection of library material for minors is the responsibility of the parent or guardian. However, material rated for adult use by the Motion Picture Association of America or Recording Industry Association of America may not be checked out to patrons under the age of 17 years old.
Selection will be based on the merits of the material in relation to the Library's collection development priorities. An attempt will be made to include materials which present various viewpoints on controversial issues. The presence of an item in the collection does not indicate the Library's endorsement of its content.
Library staff uses Library policies, established procedures, and professional judgment in selecting, classifying, reclassifying, and de-selecting items in the collection. If material has been accepted as qualifying under the criteria within these policies, it will not be removed from the collection Patrons who reside in Marshall County with a library card in good standing and feel an item does not meet the criteria of the Library’s policies or has been misplaced within the collection may suggest that certain materials be reconsidered using the Reconsideration Form in this policy.
Due to the time it takes to properly review materials, the Library will only be able to accept one title per patron per month. A maximum of three titles will go through the full reconsideration process in a thirty-day period. Once a title goes through the reconsideration process, it will not be eligible to go through the process again for twenty-four months.
Steps Reclassification or De-selection Request:
- Patron completes Reconsideration Form and submits to Library staff.
- Library staff submits the form to a member of the Management Team.
- A review team that includes members of the Management Team will be formed to review the Reconsideration Form and determine if the request meets the criteria of this policy.
- Within thirty days of Library Staff receiving the Reconsideration Form, the Director will communicate with the patron if the material will be going through the reconsideration process and establish a timeline for the process.
- The review team will carefully review the material in question to determine if the material qualifies for the collection under the Selection Material/Collection Development Policy.
- The review team will make a decision as to whether to keep the material as-is, reclassify the material, or deselect the material.
- The Director will inform the patron of the team’s decision via written communication once the decision is made.
Created 01/22/09
Updated 09/20/23
Reconsideration form available in downloadable pdf of this policy.
Information Security PolicyIn accordance with KRS 61.931-934, Marshall Public Library will take reasonable precautions to ensure that any personal information that is kept by the Library for any purpose is safeguarded from unauthorized access.
Marshall Public Library will comply with best practices established by the Department for Local Government (as required in KRS 61.932). See Security and Incident Investigation Procedures and Practices for Local Governmental Units for these best practices.
[https://kydlgweb.ky.gov/Documents/Legal/InformationSecurityPoliciesProcedures.pdf]
Per the Department of Local Government’s guidance, a “Point of Contact” is designated by Marshall Public Library to
- Maintain the library’s adopted Information Security Policy and be familiar with its requirements;
- Ensure the library’s employees and others with access to personal information are aware of and understand the Information Security Policy;
- Serve as contact for inquiries from other agencies regarding its Information Security Policy and any incidents;
- Be responsible for ensuring compliance with the Information Security Policy; and
- Be responsible for responding to any incidents.
The Technology Manager is Marshall Public Library’s Point of Contact for the purpose of adherence to Department for Local Government guidance.
Patron information
Marshall Public Library acts to limit the amount of personally identifiable information that it retains. Some information, however, is necessarily and understandably retained for the transaction of day-to-day business.
Most information related to patrons is kept for the purposes of circulating materials and ensuring that responsibility is attributed to the correct person when an item is borrowed. This information is not publicly available and, beyond interactions between the library and the patron, will be shared only with third-party vendors with whom the library has contracted services necessary for conducting business and law enforcement personnel upon valid, legal request. Information related to delinquent patrons may be shared with a third party vendor for the purposes of collection. The library will not share personally identifiable patron information for any other purpose.
When a patron record has been inactive for five Marshall and carries no outstanding debt (financial or in borrowed materials), the record is deleted from the Library’s computer system and is not archived.
Personal information about patrons is generally only retained in electronic format with appropriate back-up devices in place for recovery in the event of a database failure. All back-up devices are kept secured at all times in areas that are not accessible to the general public and with limited accessibility by staff.
Staff Information
Marshall Public Library retains information about its staff that is directly related to the work environment. Social security numbers, health information, and performance records are retained only as a part of standard human resources processes (such as payroll, retirement, or health insurance). This information is subject to records retention policies of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Marshall Public Library. Records will be retained and destroyed according to the records retention schedule.
Personal information about staff members is, in some cases, subject to the Open Records Act and will be shared with anyone properly requesting that information as specified by Kentucky Revised Statute. Information protected from disclosure under the Open Records Act will not be shared with any outside agency for any purpose other than for the reason it was collected (i.e. to a payroll vendor for tax purposes).
Personal information about staff will be kept secured at all times in areas that are not accessible to the general public and with limited accessibility by staff.
Security Measures
The library does not share any information with any outside agency for any reason other than the purposes for which it was collected. Third party vendors with whom the library does business are required by KRS 61.932 to provide their own security measures to protect any personal information. Where possible, the library has informed each entity in writing that appropriate security and breach notification is required.
The library provides an internal, closed network for the collection and use of most patron data. The network is not accessible to the general public and access to it is limited to third party vendors with whom the library has contracted services.
Where the library’s systems do have interaction with any outside vendor or patron (i.e. through the internet-based catalog), transactions will take place using secure transmission protocols. Such interactions will be limited to the purpose of the transaction only and will not allow access to any more information than is required for the purpose of the transaction (i.e. a patron reviewing a list of items that are currently checked out to him/her).
Personal information stored on computers or back-up devices is not accessible to the general public and is protected by a computer firewall and anti-virus systems.
Security Breaches and Notifications
If Marshall Public Library becomes aware of a breach that would allow outside access to its network or access to devices used to store personal information, action will immediately be taken to remove the device from the network or to close the network to all external traffic.
Marshall Public Library will notify vendors of their responsibilities to inform the library of any breach in their own systems which would expose or compromise the security of personal information provided by the library. Notification of such must conform to the requirements of KRS 61.932 and will include any reports of investigations that are conducted into the breach. Contracts that are made or amended with the library after January 1, 2015 must contain provisions to account for the requirements under KRS 61.932.
In the event Marshall Public Library’s own computer network or data storage systems are breached, the library will immediately take action to secure the network or system, to prohibit any off-site access, and to determine the extent of the data that was obtained by the unauthorized party. Where appropriate, the library will notify any/all affected parties within the guidelines of KRS 61.933 or as directed in guidance from the Department for Local Government. Investigations which follow such a breach will be reported as required by the same statute.
Created 07/21/2015