Collection Development Policy

The Collection Development Policy was adopted by the Tracy Memorial Library Board of Trustees on 4-10-2025.

Mission 

Opening doors to exploration, cultivating community connections, and nurturing a life-long love of learning.

Statement of Purpose 

The Collection Development Policy, approved by the Library Board of Trustees, is one of the library’s foundational policies. This Policy outlines the philosophies that create and shape the Tracy Memorial Library material collection, the de-selection practices that maintain it over time, and the guidelines that help the collection respond to community needs. The Collection Development Policy ensures that over time the Tracy Memorial Library’s collection will reflect the needs of the Town of New London and surrounding local communities, while facilitating meaningful experiences for the individual library patron. 

Philosophy of Policy 

The Tracy Memorial Library collects materials, in many formats, which support its function as a community hub and information access repository for the demanding needs of the New London community. The library’s collection serves the general educational, recreational, and entertainment needs of the public, and selection of materials reflects the racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the community.  

Patron demand, widespread interest and usage are the most powerful indicators of influence on the library’s collection. The other driving force is the library’s mission: to nurture a life-long love of learning and cultivate community connections. 

Collection decisions are made to further the existing collection and to build exceptional local New Hampshire and New England collections. The Tracy Memorial Library collection has a particular focus on the following areas: New Hampshire-specific reference and fictional materials, including a robust Tomie DePaola children’s material collection.  

When selecting materials for the library, the needs and desires of the library customers are placed above the personal views or objections of the material selector. Selection of particular materials does not imply the endorsement of the contents. 

Every effort is made to have materials representative of, and of interest to, the library system’s various patron groups, even when the content or views expressed in these materials may be unpopular or may be deemed inappropriate by some users or library staff. The responsibility to choose to access or not access specific materials found in the library rests with the individual patron. No library staff member or any other person, group, or organization should be allowed to restrict an individual’s access to materials. The responsibility for selecting what a minor may read or view lies solely with the parent or legal guardian. 

The following are subscribed to by Tracy Memorial Library as expressed in the official library board policies:

Library Bill of Rights American Library Association (ALA)

The Freedom to Read Statement (ALA) 

Access to Electronic Information Services and Networks: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (ALA) 

In addition to the above sources, the following document is consulted when working with collection development issues: 

Code of Ethics of the American Library Association (ALA) 

Scope of the Physical Collection 

Holdings at the Tracy Memorial Library include fiction and nonfiction collections. Nonfiction collections are organized by Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), with separate sections for Biographies. In addition, new items are separately organized; afterwards they are sorted into their appointed regular collections. Holdings include information in multiple formats, such as Large Print Book, Digital Video Disc, Audio book, and others to represent the diverse viewpoints and interests of the New London community. 

Library holdings concentrate on materials of high interest. Collections are shaped, in part, by patron use through the patron-driven acquisitions process, by which items may be requested for order, or in-demand items may have additional copies ordered. Suggestions for materials to be added into the library collection are subject to the library’s Purchase Requests Policy. 

The New Hampshire Room collections contain current and historical non-circulating publications, bound periodicals, city/county historical records, local maps, and other special collections and resources to support reference service for the general public. 

Scope of the Digital Collection

The Digital Collection represents the diverse viewpoints and interests of the entire community the library serves. This collection includes citation and full-text databases; eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines and other downloadable and streaming media; information resources and guides; and instructional programs. Many of these collections are offered through the New Hampshire State Library.

Collection Management Philosophy

The collection of library materials on offer by the Tracy Memorial Library is a constantly evolving existence governed by the needs of the community. As materials are bought and introduced into the collection through our selection methodology and criteria, others are removed through a process known as de-selection. De-selection is a normally occurring process that libraries continually perform in order to ensure the library collection is up-to-date, relevant, in good condition, and meets the needs of the community. 

The Tracy Memorial Library takes great care to retain or replace items that are used continually by the community or possess great cultural or educational value. 

Decisions regarding selection or de-selection are influenced by usage patterns, the physical space available, professional review of materials, and the specialized collections that exist at the library. 

Responsibility for Collection Management

The ultimate authority for the library collection rests with the Library Director and Tracy Memorial Library Board of Trustees. Creation and adherence of collection development policy and collection management is assigned to Library staff. 

Selection Methodology

The Tracy Memorial Library selects materials for the greater New London area based upon the interest and needs of the community, as well as the current library collection. The Tracy Memorial Library does not exclude or remove materials from the library on the basis of race, nationality, sexual orientation or social, political or religious beliefs. Each piece of potential library material is subject to the selection criteria listed below. Gifts or donations to the library are evaluated with the same selection methodology and criteria as purchased items. Members of the community may request new items to be added to the library collection through patron suggestions. Items excluded from the library collection include the following: 

  • Academic Textbooks or highly specialized or technical research materials 
  • Expensive or out-of-date formats no longer collected 
  • Prohibitively old or out-of-print materials that are available through Interlibrary Loan 

Selection Criteria

Library staff, spearheaded by the Collection Development Specialist and Assistant Library Director, use their professional knowledge and expertise to select material for the collection. Some of their criteria used for selecting materials to be included into the collection are as follows: 

  • Support of Library’s mission, vision, values, and goals  
  • Public demand and interest 
  • Timeliness and/or significance of the subject 
  • Reviews in recognized sources 
  • Local or community relevance 
  • Contribution to diversity, depth, or breadth of collection 
  • Effectiveness and suitability of format, durability, and ease of use 
  • Cost in relation to use and/or enhancement to the collection 
  • Artistic presentation and/or originality 
  • Availability of the product for multiple, concurrent users 
  • Technical and support requirements needed for access to the product  
  • Appropriateness to the interests and skills of the intended user 
  • Subject matter under-represented in the general collection relative to demand
  • Representation of a significant trend, genre, or culture  
  • Historical or Cultural Significance  
  • New Hampshire Specific Collection 
  • Items that are out of print 
  • Items that are written by New Hampshire authors or deal with New Hampshire subjects 
  • Items that fit the cultural needs of the area, including Indigenous peoples 
  • Qualifications of the Publisher, Author, Editor or Vendor 
  • Format and its appeal to the New London and greater New Hampshire area 
  • Date of Publication 
  • Price and Availability 

De-Selection (Weeding) Methodology

The Tracy Memorial Library regularly removes materials that have been withdrawn according to the criteria for de-selection. Removed material is first evaluated for financial purposes, including recycling for purchase credits at partner acquisition organizations, in order to be good stewards of taxpayer funds. Organizations that resell withdrawn Library materials from the collection and materials donated to the library may be utilized also, such as the Friends of the Tracy Memorial Library.

De-Selection Criteria

The criteria for items to be removed from the library collection are as follows: 

  • Poor condition or damaged 
  • Infrequent circulation or no demand 
  • Outdated or inaccurate information 
  • Availability through other library entities or partners 

Retention Methodology

The Tracy Memorial Library reserves the right to retain material within the collection even if it falls within de-selection criteria. Some materials, as decided by library professionals, possess certain outstanding characteristics, whether historical, cultural, or regional, that may make them exempt from the library’s normal de-selection methodology. 

Retention Criteria

The criteria for items to remain in the collection, even if they fall within de-selection criteria parameters, are as follows: 

  • Classic or Award-Winning Title 
  • Best available title for a particular subject 
  • New Hampshire or New England regional interest 
  • Material is rare/out of print/non-replaceable 
  • Contains photographs or pictures that are no longer available on newer titles 
  • Newer/replacement edition of item is unavailable for purchase due to budgetary concerns 
  • Material serves an under-served population 
  • ADA requirement  

Gifts 

The Tracy Memorial Library accepts donations of books from members of the community. Any donations become the property of the library and may be accepted into the library collection, pursuant to our selection methodology and criteria, or given to the Friends of the Library for book sale purposes. 

Donations of materials are especially welcome for New Hampshire specific materials. The library will not accept textbooks, magazines, VHS tapes, audio cassettes, outdated manuals, or items in severe disrepair.