[Sample Assignment contributed by Pamela Voyles, Fall Semester 1998]
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Montgomery County Memorial Public Library’s Collection Policy is divided into three main areas: Principles, Policy, and Responsibility and Authority. The policy does not have a title page. The policy is also not numbered. It would be quite helpful to have included both. The policy does not have an authorization page. It does have two lines to indicate when the policy was adopted by the Library Board and Approved by the Commissioners Court; however, dates have not been recorded.

The responsibility for collection development will be determined by one person, the Director of the Library System. The policy has criteria for selection criteria. It states that the library will provide everyone in the community equal access and freedom of choice for materials. The policy includes a section for excepting gifts, memorials, and other donations. The area of selection is fairly thorough; however, the policy has nothing on weeding. The policy needs to include a section on how and when to weed materials.

The first category, Principles, deals with individual freedom. Number 10 should have been listed first. It explains that "the library will uphold the principles of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights." A copy of the Bill of Rights is included in the policy; therefore, it was not necessary to restate the Bill of Rights in the policy.

After reading the policy, it is quite clear that the Montgomery County Memorial Public Library does not believe in censorship of materials. The policy has a form to handle complaints and a procedure for handling the complaints. The policy states that the library will not pull materials until a court rules otherwise. However, later in the policy it states that an ad hoc committee will decide if the material should be retained or removed from the collection. The policy contradicts itself.

After reading the policy, I would not recommend its use. The policy needs to add a Title Page, Authorization Page, a Table of Contents, and a section on weeding. It also needs to be clear about who will decide the removal of challenged materials.