Purpose

This document describes the purpose and nature of the library’s collection and gives guidance and direction to library staff for collection development and maintenance. The Collection Development Policy will be reviewed regularly.

Mission Statement and Goals

The Santa Clara City Library enriches lives and strengthens our community by providing opportunities for lifelong learning, discovery, and creativity. We achieve this through our skilled and friendly staff, our collections, and our physical and virtual spaces.

The Library acts to fulfill its mission by selecting, acquiring, organizing, preserving, maintaining, and providing access to a collection of materials in a variety of formats and electronic resources that address the needs of Santa Clara’s diverse and complex communities in a responsive manner. The Library’s collections provide general reference resources as well as information and entertainment. The collections affirm and uphold the public’s rights to intellectual freedom and access to the full range of information and ideas. Selection of materials reflects the expressed and determined needs and concerns of the community.

Intellectual Freedom Statement

The 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 the Library. Selections for the Library will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the merits of the material in relation to building the collection and serving the needs and interests of users, and in accordance with this policy. Materials are not marked or identified to show approval or disapproval.

The Library’s collection is based on the principles of the Freedom to Read and Freedom to View Statements and the Library Bill of Rights adopted by the American Library Association.

Philosophy and Values

Collections reflect a breadth of knowledge with an increasing investment in and emphasis on works for all ages that celebrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. This includes, but is not limited to, the inclusion of materials by and about people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities.
Selection of Library materials responds to changing social values, inequitable access to technology within the community, and cultural differences and values, as well as the reading and language abilities of the community.

The Library purchases materials in a variety of physical and digital formats, including those that make the collection more accessible to people with disabilities; this is reflected in the expressed and determined needs of the community.

The Library acknowledges the experience of marginalized people and groups in response to discrimination in its many forms over time, and the Library supports the interconnected goals of uplifting community voices and building community power. An inclusive and representative Library collection is one means of advancing those ideals.

The Library recognizes the intersectional nature of discrimination that is compounded for individuals who identify with multiple vulnerable populations, and it seeks to provide materials that represent the diversity of perspectives within and across the abovementioned populations.

The Library is intentional about reflecting diverse voices and people of a variety of different backgrounds in the display, marketing, and promotion of collections.

The Library purchases materials in languages spoken by a significant portion of community residents, with an emphasis on English, Spanish, and Chinese. Other languages are purchased as needs are identified and resources including vendor inventory and space are available. Additional languages are added based on updated Census, school district, and City community data reflecting the evolving demographics of the community.

The Library welcomes purchase suggestions from community members, and purchases suggested items that meet Santa Clara City Library’s standards for selection, depending on budget limitations, availability and competing community demands.

California Freedom to Read Act

In accordance with the California Freedom to Read Act, the Library acknowledges the following statements:

• The Library’s collection meets the broad and diverse interests of the community and respects both the Library’s autonomy and the specific needs of the City.
• The Library serves as a center for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information and ideas.
• The Library’s materials should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people, and should present diverse points of view in the collection as a whole.
• Members of the public have a right to receive access to a range of social, political, aesthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences.

Institution and Clientele

The Santa Clara City Library is made up of a Main Library – Central Park, two neighborhood branches – Northside and Mission, and the Bookmobile, as well as the 24/7 digital library. The Library’s service area is the City of Santa Clara. The Library is also used by residents, educational institutions, business, and retail in and around the surrounding Santa Clara City community.

Overview of Collection

The Santa Clara City Library’s collection includes books, CDs, DVDs, periodicals, microfilm, braille, online materials and more, many of which are offered in multiple languages. Current collection development emphasizes popular works, basic reference, genealogy and academic support. The Library’s collection includes an archival focus in the Central Park Library’s Heritage Room; the Heritage Room holds local Santa Clara City History, and the Library partners with Santa Clara County Historical and Genealogical Society (SCCHGS) to serve the needs of interested parties.

Individual branch collections reflect the interests and needs of local communities and languages other than English. The Central Park Library houses the largest print material, DVD, CD, audiobook, magazine, and newspaper collections in the system. Collections of the branch libraries concentrate on materials of high interest and materials that support the Library’s strategic goals and budget. Branch collections are shaped in part, by customer use and requests or suggestions.

The Library offers our patrons access to a greatly expanded collection via its interlibrary loan service, including Link+. The Library also provides service electronically on a 24-hour basis via its online catalog, website, subscription databases, and a collection of e-media that currently includes e-books, e-audiobooks, music and periodicals. Materials in the collection are accessible to be delivered by placing it on-hold and delivered to any of our locations, including our Bookmobile. The collection is displayed and accessible outside of the library and at outreach and partner events. The Library’s e-resources are available to anyone present in the library, and offsite to the Library’s cardholders via the Library’s website and vendor websites and apps.

Standards for Selection

Collection development decisions are made on the basis of staff expertise, judgment, knowledge of what is already in the collection, and through evaluations and recommendations from library review journals (such as Library Journal, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, and/or Publisher's Weekly) and other professional selection tools.

The Library selects materials on a variety of criteria including:

• Demonstrated or perceived community interest, need – which is determined by current census, GIS, Office of Education, and other data sources – or demand by Library users or potential users.
• Contemporary significance or permanent value.
• Relevance to the experience and contributions of diverse populations, including local and regional communities.
• Quality, including accuracy, clarity and usability.
• Significance and/or reputation of the author and/or any other contributors.
• Relation to existing collections.
• Format, durability, and ease of use.
• Value of resource in relation to its cost.Scope of collection.

These criteria are applied as appropriate across all subjects, languages, material types, and formats.

Works are not excluded because of frankness or coarse language. In each case, the material is judged on the volume as a whole, not by detached excerpts. On controversial questions upon which there are divergent points of view, the Library policy is to provide factual material on all sides as far as availability permits. Significant works may be acquired or retained despite features that may be objectionable to some residents.

The Library does not purchase the following types of material: costly books of little demand, collectibles, textbooks (unless they are of general interest and the best in the subject field) or family genealogies. Abridged, expurgated, or condensed materials are generally not acquired.

Self-Published

We may acquire self-published books when they fit the scope of the Library's collection and meet our standards of selection. A positive review in one or more of the major review journals is the best way to bring a title to our attention. We are more likely to consider the addition of a self-published book if it has been reviewed in a major review journal.
Due to staffing and time constraints we are not able to meet with individual authors. Unfortunately, we cannot accept review copies or notify you if your book is not selected because of the number of submissions we receive. If your book is selected for purchase it will be added to the catalog.
You may also bring your book to our attention by:

Emailing Santa Clara City Librarians at librarians@santaclaraca.gov please include:

• Basic bibliographic information about your book (title, author, ISBN,publisher, date of publication, number of pages, price, distributor).
• A link to your book's website and links to professional reviews or othercoverage in the news media (if available).
• A brief description of your book and its intended audience and informationabout how or where to buy it.

 Mail Send a flier or promotional materials to:

Santa Clara City Library- Central Park 2635 Homestead Road Santa Clara, CA 95051

Selection of Electronic Resources

Electronic resources, including online databases and Internet links from the Library's home page, are selected to complement the Library's physical collection using criteria established for print sources. Electronic resources are selected according to the material selection policy, and by the following selection criteria:

• Comprehensiveness
• Authority, accuracy, and currency of the database
• Frequency of updates
• Ease of use
• Platform
• Minimum technology requirements for the general public
• Remote access and licensing restrictions
• Overlap and comparison with other print and electronic sources
• Usage

The online collection evolves as new formats and products become available. Selection for online and electronic resources follows the above criteria as well as the Standards for Selection listed in this document. For some subscription-based services, an outside vendor selects a pre-curated collection. This collection may include research and learning databases, eBooks and other downloadable and streaming media.

Gifts

Gifts are evaluated with the same criteria as purchased materials. Acceptance of donated items is subject to the discretion of the appropriate selector in conformity with library selection standards. Gift materials not added to the collection are not returned to the donor. Unused gifts may be offered to the Foundation and Friends of the Santa Clara City Library for public sale, discarded, or disposed of in some other way. The donor will receive a receipt upon request for donated materials.

Subscription-based gifts, such as periodical or magazine subscriptions, will not be accepted and added to the collection. Collections of donated materials may not necessarily be kept together as a group, and the Library may not be able to accept gifts with this requirement. The Library cannot be responsible for the appraisal of gifts for income tax or any other purpose.

Requests for Reconsideration

In order to represent the diversity of ideas within the City of Santa Clara community, it is vital that the Library’s collection contain material of differing points of view on public issues. Inclusion of a particular resource does not constitute endorsement or advocacy of the ideas or statements found therein.

The Library adheres to the principles of intellectual freedom outlined in the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association and the Freedom to Read Statement. Pursuant to these principles, the Library will not automatically withdraw selected resources from the collection in response to an individual or group.

The following procedures have been adopted for the handling of a formal request for reconsideration of a resource in the Library’s collection:

1. The Santa Clara Library user completes a Request for Reconsideration Form.
2. Within thirty (30) days upon receipt of the form, the Assistant Librarian(s) will appoint a committee of at least four (4) Library staff members to consider the request.
3. The committee will evaluate the material based on the Standards for Selection in this Policy and will make a determination on the request and respond to the requester inwriting.
4. The requester may appeal the committee’s decision to the City Librarian. The appeal request must be in writing and shall include copies of the original request for reconsideration and the written determination by the review committee.
5. The City Librarian shall review the request for reconsideration and the committee’s determination to ensure that the committee followed the Standards for Selection. Within ten (10) days of the appeal request, the City Librarian shall either affirm the committee’s determination or remand the matter back to the committee with instructions on how to apply the Standards for Selection policy.
6. The committee's determination shall remain in effect for five (5) years.
7. Throughout this process and until the final decision is made on the material, the item will continue to be accessible to the public.

SCCL Request for Reconsideration

Collection Management

Deselection

Systematic deselection is required on a regular basis to keep the collection responsive to patron needs, budget adjustments, to ensure its vitality and usefulness to the community, and to make room for newer materials or newer formats. The deselection process identifies items that are outdated, physically worn out, whose purpose is better served by online resources, or no longer in demand as determined using data analysis from the Integrated Library System. Deselection also helps the Library evaluate the collection by identifying areas or titles where additional materials are needed, older editions that need to be updated, and subjects, titles, or authors that are no longer of interest to the community. If Library staff is uncertain about a title to be withdrawn, standard bibliographic tools are consulted to see if the title has historical or literary value. Deselection is an ongoing process at all library locations referencing the CREW guidelines – Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding.

Deselected materials are considered for re-sale to support the Santa Clara Library Foundation and Friends. The Foundation and Friends scan items which are either sent to a partner agency to be sold or sold in the Foundation and Friends bookstore. Deselected materials are also available for sale at the Friends and Foundation monthly or virtual sales.

Replacement

Materials that have been lost or damaged may be repurchased by Library selectors using the same criteria as for selection. Other factors considered when deciding on replacements include the number of copies the Library system owns, the availability of newer materials on the subject, the number of duplicate copies, existence of adequate coverage of a field, other similar materials in the collection, and demand for and intrinsic value of a specific title.

Downloadable policy document: Collection Development Policy

Revised and Approved by the Board of Library Trustees April 7, 2025

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