The Castleton Public Library recognizes that some library resources may be considered controversial and that any given item, display, program, or other resource may offend some patrons. Selection of materials will be made solely on the basis of the principles stated in the Materials Selection Policy. Library resources will not be marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of their contents, and no item will be placed on closed shelves except for the express purpose of protecting it from abuse or theft. Responsibility for monitoring a child’s access to library resources rests with the parent(s) and/or legal guardian(s).
 
A patron who wants to request that a resource be reconsidered or withdrawn must complete the Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources Form in full and submit it to the Director. The patron should be assured that the matter will be given serious attention and that a response will be forthcoming within a reasonable time.
 
A panel composed of the Director, the Programming & Outreach Coordinator, and the President of CPL’s Board of Trustees will review the resource and consider the action being requested. The request will be considered in light of the following:

• CPL’s Materials Selection Policy
• The principles of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights and its Freedom to Read and Freedom to View statements
• The opinions of reviewing sources
• Any other appropriate source

 
The Director will notify the patron in writing of the results of the reconsideration. If the library determines that no action is needed, and you disagree, you may appeal this determination within fourteen (14) calendar days by submitting a copy of your original request, and the Director’s reply, together with a statement saying “I request an appeal” to the Board of Trustees by email or mail. The CPL Board of Trustees is an all-volunteer organization that meets monthly. Therefore, any appeal will be finalized within sixty (60) days. Any work, program, or display under review will remain available until such time as the library determines it must be removed.
 
Once a particular title or resource has been reviewed for reconsideration and a decision has been rendered, it will not be reviewed for reconsideration on subsequent occasions.
(Adopted March 21, 2011; Last revised April 20, 2026)

The Castleton Public Library acquires materials in a variety of forms to meet the educational, informational and recreational needs of the community. These materials shall represent the broadest spectrum of print and non-print media available, within practical and budgetary constraints. The Library actively strives to cover all subject areas with a view to stimulate and expand the interests of persons of all ages, and to provide free, open, and equal access to resources for the continuing education of all members of our community.

It is the duty of the Library to maintain the effectiveness and usefulness of the collection through careful selection and de-selection of materials, both purchased and donated. Authority and responsibility for the selection of library resources is delegated to the Library Director by the Board of Trustees. The Director is responsible for the selection, acquisition, and organization of materials. Requests to consider selection of materials may be submitted to the Director; final responsibility for selection rests with the Director, and, if deemed necessary, with the Library’s Board of Trustees.

As part of its policy, the Castleton Public Library endorses the principles adopted by the American Library Association (ALA) in the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, and the Freedom to View Statement. These documents may be viewed on the ALA website www.ala.org.
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While a single standard of criteria for materials selection cannot be applied, potential resources may be judged by such appropriate criteria as the following: artistic or literary merit; relevance to community needs; potential and/or known demand; relative importance compared with resources on the same subject already in the collection; suitability to the intended audience; reputation of the author or publisher; availability and accessibility of the same resources in other Upper Hudson Library System member libraries or through interlibrary loan. Additional criteria may be applied to selection decisions by the Director and/or Board of Trustees. The library’s decision to acquire material does not constitute endorsement of the material’s content.

Gifts of books and other resources may be accepted with the understanding that they may be used or disposed of at the library’s discretion. Gift materials are subject to the same selection standards as purchased materials.

Withdrawal of materials from the collection is an integral part of collection development. Materials are withdrawn in order to maintain the collection’s usefulness, currency, relevance, and condition. Responsibility for collection maintenance and for the disposition of withdrawn resources rests with the Library Director. Withdrawn items may be sold, offered to other libraries or non-profit organizations, recycled, or discarded.

This Materials Selection Policy is available to the public at the library or on the Library’s website. It will be reviewed by the Library Director and the Board of Trustees annually.

Adopted March 21, 2011
Last Updated: May 21, 2018