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Materials Selection and Maintenance Policy | Política de Selección y Mantenimiento de Materiales

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The Redwood City Public Library (the Library) Materials Selection and Maintenance Policy supports the Library’s mission to cultivate community and advance equity by welcoming all people to experience the shared joys of literacy and learning. The Library is committed to racial equity and social justice, and the Library Service Priorities highlight the actions we take to help our community achieve its aspirations. The Library strives to provide inclusive experiences for all individuals, regardless of race, religion, creed, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, citizenship, or housing status. Any behavior that reduces or interferes with others’ equitable access to Library materials, services, and spaces - including acts of racism or hate speech - will not be tolerated.

The Redwood City Public Library actively addresses changing community needs by providing equitable access to topical and relevant materials and information services for children and adults in a professional, helpful manner. The Library serves as a center for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information and ideas. In support of this mission, the Library selects and organizes materials to provide maximum accessibility, to anticipate and meet the diverse and complex needs of community members, and to encourage nonusers to partake of Library services.

The Library has a positive approach to selection and affirms the public's right to have access to all Library materials. Therefore, no restrictions are placed on what anyone may read, see, or hear in the collection. The Library upholds the right of individuals to access information, even though the content may be controversial, unorthodox, or unacceptable to others. The collection meets the broad and diverse interests of the community and respects both the Library’s autonomy and specific community needs.  The Library adheres to and supports the principles of intellectual freedom as stated in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights. Library 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.

The Library celebrates the diversity of our community by providing materials and services that reflect and strengthen that diversity. The community aspirations of Access and Inclusion, as identified in the Library Service Priorities, emphasize that all are welcome here. The Library believes that it can help achieve and maintain the greatest equity for all through its abilities and effectiveness as a public institution to facilitate inclusiveness and foster diversity. The Library affirms the right of the public to receive access to a range of social, political, aesthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences.

Guidelines

  • The Library considers all acquisitions in terms of community demand and interest, depth and breadth of the collection, ability to meet the needs of the community, timeliness, importance to the collection, enduring value, cost, format, availability of identical or similar material elsewhere in the geographical area and published or staff reviews.
  • Collections reflect 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.
  • The Library acknowledges the experience of historically 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 historically marginalized identities, and it seeks to provide materials that represent the diversity of perspectives within and across these populations.
  • The Library is intentional about reflecting diverse voices and intersectionality 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, with other languages purchased as needs are identified and resources are available.
  • The Library welcomes purchase suggestions from community members, and purchases suggested items whenever possible, depending on budget limitations, availability, and competing community demands.
  • The Library does not approve or disapprove of views expressed in materials in the collection, or endorse items included in the collection. The Library makes selections based on their merits in relation to building the collection and serving the needs and interests of community members, and in accordance with this policy. Any labeling, marking, or identification is not intended to show approval or disapproval.
  • The Library affirms both the right and the responsibility of parents and legal guardians to guide their children’s reading / viewing access in accordance with individual family beliefs. The Library does not act in the place or role of a parent or guardian in the supervision or restriction of children’s use of Library materials.
  • The Library appreciates gifts of materials and of money to purchase materials. Gifts of books and other items are accepted with the understanding that they may be used or disposed of as the Library determines is appropriate. Before adding gifts to the collection, they will be evaluated according to the same criteria as purchased materials.
  • The Library regularly removes materials that are outdated, worn, no longer used, or updated by newer editions. Any materials that are in unusable condition will be recycled. Selected materials are donated to The Friends of the Redwood City Public Library, Inc., a public benefit nonprofit corporation, to raise funds through book sales to support the Library’s community programs.
  • The Library Director is responsible for the selection and maintenance of Library materials and may, at their sole discretion, delegate specific selection and maintenance functions to other Library staff.

Collection Review

As part of the Library’s commitment to reflect the information needs of the community in its collection development process, the Library recognizes the right of individuals to question the inclusion of materials in the Library collection. The Library will give serious consideration to each local resident’s opinion.

  • Individuals with concerns about material in the Library collection may ask Library staff about such material. Library staff will give the patron a copy of this policy and provide them the opportunity to express their concerns to the staff person in charge or a Library manager.
  • Individuals who wish to formally express concern about Library materials may state their opinion in writing on a form provided by the Library. In order to maintain focus on local community needs and perspectives, forms will only be accepted from residents of the City of Redwood City.
  • The form must be sent to the Library Director.
  • The Library Director will review the concern, determine whether the material was appropriately selected and made accessible under this policy, and communicate the final determination of the Library to the concerned individual in writing. Once a decision is made to retain or remove a particular title, the Library will not review that title again for a period of five years.

 revised 7/2025