I.     Library Administration

The Library Director shall be the executive and administrative officer of the library on behalf 
of the Kettleson Memorial Library Board Commission and under its review and direction. 
The Director shall recommend to the Board the appointment of and specify the  duties of the other employees and shall be held responsible for the proper direction and supervision of the
staff, for the care and maintenance of library property, for an adequate and proper selection 
of library materials in keeping with the stated policy of the Board, for the efficiency of Library
services and for its financial operation within the limitations of the budgeted appropriations.
 
 

II.    Library Services

2.1     Staff

Kettleson Memorial Library staff select, acquire and organize library materials and assist  in
providing free and equal access to informational, educational, cultural, and recreational resources to meet the informational needs of its patrons.  Library staff will provideassistance for individuals seeking information.

2.2     Cooperation

As cooperation promotes effective and efficient Library service, Kettleson Memorial Library staff actively promotes cooperation  with other libraries to improve services in Sitka, Alaska and throughout the nation.

2.3     Interlibrary Loan

The Library will participate in interlibrary loan services to supplement and enhance its collection and those of other libraries.  Material not part of the Library's collection may be obtained through interlibrary loan.  Books are received via mail service from other libraries, and serial citations are generally received via fax.  Most reference and many audio-visual materials cannot be obtained through interlibrary loan.

2.4     Volunteers and Friends 

2.4.1   Volunteers

We encourage individuals and groups to volunteer their time and efforts in the service of the Library. The Volunteer Program is designed to expand and enhance public service to the community.  Volunteers generally provide support services to paid staff and/or work on special projects.  Volunteers learn more about the Library and its place in the community and observe first hand the way the Library serves the community's needs.

2.4.2     Friends of the Library

The Friends of the Library is an association of people who plan and execute programs and 
events to benefit the Library. In particular, the friends group is involved in fund-raising for the 
Library.

2.5    Confidentiality

Library circulation records are confidential (Alaska State law 09.25.140).  Names, addresses, and other personal information about people who have made inquiries or used library information sources shall be kept confidential except upon court order. 

2.6     Hours

Library services will be provided during the hours which meet the needs of the community 
within the limits of budget constraints and staff availability.

2.7     Bulletin Boards

The bulletin boards at Kettleson Memorial Library may be used to publicize meetings and 
other activities sponsored by community groups. Limited space generally allows only short 
term posting.  Posting of materials for financial benefit are prohibited.

2.8     Solicitation

Solicitation of the public or the staff is not permitted on Public Library property.  Solicitation 
refers to the sale or distribution of merchandise, sales materials, tickets, insurance, coupons, magazine subscriptions, political campaign material, or anything not connected with the work of the Library.

2.9     Emergency Closing

Emergencies or catastrophes, including, but not limited to, extreme weather, utility failure, bomb threat, fire, explosion, or terrorism may require closing the Library. The primary consideration in any emergency or catastrophe is the safety of all persons in the building and on the property. The Library cooperates fully with public safety departments and emergency service providers. The Library Director or, in her absence, the Acting Director will determine when to close the Library during an emergency or catastrophe.

2.10     Programs

The Library offers a variety of programs for children and adults to increase the use of the Library, to promote good public relations and understanding of the Library's services  and objectives.
 
 

III.     Collection Development Policy

3.1     Purpose of the collection

The Kettleson Memorial Library collection serves the various needs of the people of Sitka and the surrounding area.  The Library endeavors to offer a useful, diverse collection ofcurrent and standard materials in a variety of formats.

3.2     Collection Responsibility

Operating within the framework of policies determined by the Library Board Commis-sion, the Library Director is ultimately responsible for development and maintenance of the Library collection.

3.3     Guidelines for Selection

Selection of materials is based on the professional judgement of the Library staff and standard selection sources such as book reviews, bibliographies, selection lists, catalogs, media articles and interviews of authors.  Major selection tools include Booklist, Library Journal, NewYork Times Book Review, McNaughton Selection List, the Wilson Catalogs (particularly Public Library, Fiction, Senior High School and the Children's Library catalogs), Hornbook, School Library Journal, and Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books.  Purchase requests from patrons are considered.  Inter- library loan requests from patrons are also considered as potential purchase sugges-tions.  All materials will be considered in terms of the audience for whom they are intended.  Purchases of materials in all formats must meet selection criteria established for the Library.

3.4     Selection Criteria

 Selection criteria considered in the evaluation and re-evaluation of materials include:

  • Cultural, recreational, informational and/or educational value

  • Local interest, needs and potential use

  • Suitability of content and style for the intended audience

  • Accuracy, authority and effectiveness of presentation

  • Permanence, current relevance, or social significance of the content

  • Reputation and/or significance of author, producer, or publisher

  • Usefulness in relation to other materials in the collection and in other library 
    collections in Sitka

  • The works' contribution to the diverse representation of a broad range of
     opinions and perspectives, including various viewpoints on controversial 
     issues

  • Suitability of the physical format for library use

  • Fiscal funding and building space limitations

3.5     Special Collections and Criteria

3.5.1     Reference  Materials

Reference materials answer a variety of questions, are intended for use in the   Library,
and must be available at all times the Library is open. Consequently, reference materials 
cannot be checked out of the Library without special permission of the Library Director.

3.5.2     Alaska Collection

The Alaska Collection includes materials of special interest to Alaska.  It includes materials of interest to the Sitka area, broad coverage for SoutheastAlaska and selected coverage for Alaska, based on popular appeal and antci pated demand.

3.5.3     Local History Collection

The Local History Collection includes material relevant to the history and people of Sitka.  It also includes publications by local authors, publishers, government organizations or other groups.  It is complimentary to the collections of the Sitka Historical Society and Stratton Library on Sheldon Jackson College campus.  Local History materials are only available for use in the library.

3.5.4     Children's and Young Adult's Collections

The Library maintains a collection of books, audio books, videos, CDs, cassettes and magazines which meet children's and young adults' informational, cultural and recreational reading needs.The Library assists local teachers and youth in meeting students' academic needs, but it focuses on general not curricular needs.

3.5.5     Large Print Materials

A collection of large print materials is maintained for visually impaired individuals.  The collection is enhanced with interlibrary loan services and the Alaska State Library's lending program. 

3.5. 6    Materials and Equipment for the Disabled

The Library provides an Arkenstone Easy Reading Appliance in addition to large print and audiovisual materials for visually impaired individuals. The Southeast Alaska Independent Living Program provides assistive technology and adaptive equipment to the Library for lending to disabled individuals.

3.5.7     Audio Materials

Collections of recorded books in audiocassette and CD for adult and children are maintained.  The collection includes non-fiction and popular genre fiction and classic titles.  Due to demand, most materials duplicate titles in other formats in the collection. The music collection contains classical, jazz, blues, country, folk, popular and other genres in audiocassette and CD formats..

3.5.8      Videos and DVDs

Videos and DVDs are collected if the subject matter is best conveyed visually, and they meet the informational and recreational needs of library patrons. The library will focus on materials such as documentaries, classics and quality feature films and those generally not available in local video stores.

3.5.9     Foreign Language Materials

The Foreign Language Collection includes dictionaries, grammars and learning materials in Alaska Native and other major languages including Tlingit, Yupik, Russian, Spanish, French, German, Filipino.  Foreign language fiction titles are not included in the Library collection due to space constraints. 

3.5.10     Electronic Materials

The Internet and Statewide Databases provide access to a wealth of information resources, but the Library does not collect computer software, electronic books, video or computer games. 

3.6     Collection Maintenance

Selection criteria are used for the removal of items from the collection.  Items are removed because they contain outdated or inaccurate information, unless valuable historically; they are superceded by more recent editions; items are damaged or irreparably worn; or materials are seldom used.  Discarded items may be offered to other libraries, schools, or nonprofit groups, sold to raise money for new materials or otherwise disposed of. 

3.7     Intellectual Freedom

Intellectual freedom is the basis of our democratic system.  It encompasses the
free-dom to hold, receive and disseminate ideas. We fully support the right of every
indivi-dual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction.
Intellectual freedom provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through 
which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored.

The Library does not promote particular beliefs or views, nor does the selection of a
ny item imply endorsement of its views.  One of the essential purposes of the public library
is to be a resource where individuals can examine many points of view and come to their 
own conclusions. The Library attempts to exercise impartiality in the materials selection 
process and provide materials representing different sides of controversial issues.

We believe that censorship is a purely individual matter and that while anyone is free to 
reject for himself materials of which he does not approve, he cannot exercise this right of
censorship to restrict the freedom of others to read and to view whatever materials they 
choose.  The Library endorses the America Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, 
the Freedom to Read Statement and the Intellectual Freedom Statement, which are 
guiding principles for the collection development policy [appended to these policies].

3.8     Access to Materials

Access to materials will not be restricted beyond what is required to protect materials
from theft or damage.  Selection of library materials will not be inhibited by the possibility 
that items may be seen by children.  Library materials will not be marked or identified to 
show approval or disapproval of the contents, nor will items be seques-tered, except for 
the purpose of protecting them from theft or damage.  The Library encourages parents
to be involved with their children's reading and library use and will work with parents to
find materials they deem appropriate for their children.  Responsi-bility for reading and
information access of children rests with their parents and legal guardians.  Parents who 
wish to limit or restrict the reading of their own child should personally oversee that child's 
choice of library resources.

3.9     Reconsideration of Materials

Reconsideration of materials, initiated by either staff or the public, is an integral part of the 
collection development process.  We recognize that groups and individuals exist in the Sitka
area with widely separate and diverse interests, backgrounds, cultural heritag-es, social values, and needs.  We are aware that an item may offend some individuals or groups.  Selection of materials will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval of their contents. Questioned materials will not be removed or restricted from the collection during the reconsideration process unless an official determination has been made to do so.  Should a patron have a complaint about library materials, the following procedure shall be followed:

 •      A patron requesting removal of an item from the Library collection shall meet with 
        the Library Director, who will explain selection policy and provide a copy of the 
        collection development policy

 •     If unsatisfied with the discussion, the patron may submit a "Request for Reconsi- 
       deration of Library Materials and/or Displays" form explaining his or her concerns 
       and actions desired to the Library Director

 •     The Library Director shall read, view or listen to the material in its entirety; check 
        general acceptance of the materials by reading reviews and consulting  recom- 
        mended lists; apply all appropriate selection criteria to the work; judge the 
        material for its strengths, value as a whole,  not just in part, and make a decision

 •     The patron will be notified immediately and given a full explanation of the 
       decision.  Information regarding the process to appeal the Library Director's 
       decision will also be made available 

 •     The Library Director shall present a written recommendation to the Library Board 
       Commission during its next meeting

 •      If the patron is not satisfied with the Library Director's decision, he or she may 
        submit a written appeal to the Library Board Commission, which will consider the 
        request and make a recommendation about the complaint during its next meeting

 •      The Commission shall notify the complainant of its decision in writing 

 •      If the patron is not satisfied with the Commission's decision, he or she may 
        submit a written appeal to the City Manager
 
 

Title of material or display ______________________________________________________

Author/Artist_________________________________________________________________

Book____ Periodical____ Video/DVD _____Other_____ Publisher/Date_________________

 Please state the reason for your request. _________________________________________

  ___________________________________________________________________________

Have you read/viewed/listened to this material or display in its entirety? _________________

What are the positive points of this material? _______________________________________

 __________________________________________________________________

In its place, what work would you recommend that would convey as valuable a picture and
perspective of the subject?

___________________________________________________________________________
 

Have you read the Library Collection Development or Display Policy?___________________

What action would you recommend the Library take?________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Request initiated by ___________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________

State ___________ Zip _____________ Phone _____________________________________

Do you represent:  ___ Yourself  ___ Organization (name) ____________________________ 

Date: ________________  Signature of Patron: _____________________________________ 

Date: ________________  Received by Staff Member: _______________________________

3.10     Material Format

The Library offers materials in a variety of formats including book, periodical, audio-cassette,
video, CD, DVD, pamphlet and microform, etc.  It also utilizes online com-munications 
technologies that extend, expand and enhance service, such as the Internet. 

3.11    Duplicate Titles

Due to space and funding limitations, multiple copies of titles are generally not purchased. 
Duplicate copies will be purchased if high demand for a particular title is expected. 

3.12    Gifts

Gifts of library materials are accepted with the understanding that they will be consi-dered for addition to the collection if they meet selection criteria.  Gifts not retained for the collection may be given to other libraries, schools, or nonprofit organizations, sold, or otherwise disposed of.  No condition or restriction placed on gifts can be honored unless agreed upon by the Librarian and donor.  The Library does not appraise gifts for tax purposes.  Monetary donations, used to purchase new materials, are accepted.

3.13     Memorials and Endowments

The Library encourages donors of financial gifts, real property, and/or stocks to consider the Endowment Fund, which is maintained and managed by the Library Endowment Board. The Endowment Fund was established to acquire and invest contributions that provide, in perpetuity, income used to enhance the Library's collections. It may include distinct funds established in honor or memory of an individual. 

3.14     Copy Machine and Copyright Law

Kettleson Memorial Library complies with Title 17 of the United States Code, titled "Copyrights," and other federal legislation related to the duplication, retention and use of copyrighted materials.  Patrons using Library materials are responsible for the legal use of those materials.
 
 

IV.     Library Users

4.1     Welcome

Kettleson Memorial Library welcomes people of all ages, ethnic and cultural back-grounds, and socio-economic levels to use its collection, resources and services.

4.2     Registration

Borrowing privileges are free to all permanent residents of the City and Borough of Sitka.  Identification and official proof of local residency are required to qualify for a permanent Library card.  Short term residents may apply for limited borrowing privileges as visitors.

4.3     Entitlement

Kettleson Memorial Library is available to persons of all ages.  While each person has
the right to use the library facilities, services and resources, no one has the right to
interfere with the ability of others to use and enjoy them.

4.4     Circulation Policy - Borrowing

4.4.1     Books, Recorded Books,  Music Cassettes and Compact Disks

           • Loan Period: 30 days with one 21-day renewal, if there are no holds 
           • Limit: 75 total items 
           • Fine: $.05 per day (after a six-day grace period), per item.  Maximum Fine: $3.00
             per item.

4.4.2    Videocassette Tapes,  DVDs and Non-Current Magazines

           • Loan Period: 7 days with one 7-day renewal, if there are no holds
           • Limit: 75 total items 
           • Fine: $1.00 per day, per item for videos.  Maximum Fine: $10.00 per item
           • Magazines have a 6-day grace period and then fines accrue at $.05/day 

4.4.3   16mm Projector, Slide Projector and Screen

           • Loan Period: 1 day with one 1-day renewal, if there are no holds 
           • Fine: $5.00 per day, per item.  Maximum Fine: $50.00 
           • Replacement fees will be charged for lost or damaged items 

4.4.4   Municipal Documents

            • May only be checked out with staff authorization
            • Loan Period: 1 day with one 1-day renewal, if there are no holds
            • Fine: $1.00 per day, per item
            • Replacement fees will be charged for lost or damaged items

4.5     Borrower Responsibilities:

A registered borrower agrees to:

            • Observe library policies while in the building
            • Be responsible for all materials checked out on his or her card
            • Return all materials by the due date or pay overdue fines
            • Pay damage or replacement costs for damaged and/or lost materials

4.6     Overdue Policy

           • When an item is fourteen (14) days overdue, a notice will be sent to the patron
             indicating the overdue materials and replacement costs of the items
           • At four (4) months overdue, items will automatically receive a lost status, 
             and a bill  for replacement costs will be sent to the patron

4.7     Loss of Loan Privileges:

           • Any patron will lose borrower privileges if an item is lost/damaged for a year and 
              has not been paid for
           • Adults owing $75.00 will lose borrower privileges until paid below the $75.00 limit 
           • Minors owing $25.00 will lose borrower privileges until paid below the $25.00 limit 
           • A patrons may make payments and regain borrower privileges if the total fine 
              amount due falls below the maximum limit and (s)he has no lost or damaged
              items outstanding more than one year
            • Patrons who lose or damage more than one item received through interlibrary
              loan will lose further interlibrary loan borrowing privileges

4.8     Code of Conduct 

4.8.1  Rules

To ensure that everyone enjoys using the Library, the following rules of conduct have been established.  No one shall:

            • Engage in any unlawful activity
            • Possess or display weapons, including concealed handguns
            • Steal Library property or make unauthorized or inappropriate use of Library 
              equipment
            • Destroy or deface Library resources or property or
              others' personal   property
            • Exhibit disruptive, uncontrolled behavior or exceed acceptable noise levels
            • Verbally abuse or harass Library users or staff, or attempt to engage them in 
              unwanted discussion
            • Trespass into any unauthorized area
            • Eat or drink, unless authorized by Library personnel
            • Smoke in the Library 
            • Use a bicycle, skateboard, scooter, or skate in the Library or directly in front of
              the main entrance doors
            • Maintain bodily hygiene that is so distracting to others that it interferes with the 
              patrons' use of Library resources or staff work

4.8.2    Enforcement

Library staff are responsible for enforcing patron conduct in the Library. Anyone interfering with another's use and enjoyment of the Library will be  asked to stop his or her behavior.  If the behavior persists, staff will ask the individual to leave the premises.  Failure to comply will result in police intervention.  Repeated or serious violations may result in suspension of Library privileges or permanent exclusion from the premises.

4.8.3    Children

Children are welcome in the Library, and we are concerned about their welfare and safety.  Parents, guardians and care givers are responsible for monitoring the activities and behavior of their children while they are in the Library.  If an unattended child is being disruptive, is left unattended for a long period of time or appears to be at risk, staff shall try to locate a parent, guardian or care giver.  If necessary, law enforcement or child protective authorities will be notified to take custody of the child.

4.9     Public Relations Policy

We wish to ensure that the public receives consistent and accurate information about
Library policy, procedures, programs and services.  Contacts to the media initiated by
the Library will be handled by the person in charge of the specific program, service or
policy being addressed.  Contacts initiated by the media should be directed to the
Library Director.  Speaking engagements will be scheduled with the Library Director.

4.10     Internet Safety and Use Policy 

4.10.1     Purpose

Kettleson Memorial Library provides access to a broad range of informational resources, including those available through the Internet.  The Library makes this service available in support of its mission to provide free and equal access to all types of information in a variety of formats for library users of al backgrounds and ages.  Consistent with its mission, the Library is guided by a commitment to safeguard the principles of intellectual freedom, equity of access, First Amendment rights, individual responsibility, and confidentiality of information about users and their use of  library resources.

4.10.2    Choosing and Evaluating Sources

The Internet is a vast repository of information providing unprecedented access to a wealth of information which can be personally, professionally and culturally enriching.  The Internet is a vast, unregulated information network. It enables access to ideas, information, images and commentary beyond the Library's collection, mission, selection criteria and collection development policies. Because of this access, the Library cannot protect users from information and images which they might find disturbing or offensive. Some sources provide information that is inaccurate, incomplete or outdated.  As with print information, users are encouraged to use critical judgement when evaluating the validity and appropriateness of information found electronically. The Library cannot control the information available over the Internet and assumes no responsibility for any damages, direct or indirect, arising from connections to the Internet. The Library makes no guarantees, either expressed or implied, with respect to the quality or content of information available on the Internet. Providing access does not mean nor imply that the Library sanctions or endorses  the point of view or content of any information which may be found on the Internet. 

4.10.3     Privacy

When using a Library computer, complete privacy cannot be guaranteed. Users are cautioned that public access computers are located in public areas which must be shared by Library users of all backgrounds, sensibilities and ages. Individuals are asked to consider this and to  respect the sensibilities of others when accessing potentially offensive information and images.  Users are cautioned that because security in an electronic environment such as the Internet cannot be guaranteed, all transactions, files and communications are vulnerable to unauthorized access and use, and, therefore, should be considered public.
 

4.10.4     Access by Minors

Kettleson Memorial Library uses no technology protection measures to block or filter the Internet or other forms of electronic communications. Library staff does not censor nor deny access to inappropriate information. We uphold the right of each individual to have access to constitutionally protected materials and affirm the right and responsibility of parents and legal guardians to determine and monitor their children in the use of library materials and resources.  We encourage parents and guardians to guide their children in the use of the Internet and inform them of materials they should not use.

The Library cautions minors to keep in mind the following safety guidelines when using electronic mail, chat rooms and other forms of  direct electronic communications.  We also recommend that patrons  refrain from the unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal information regarding minors by urging them to observe the  following procedures :

             • Never give out identifying information such as home address, school name, or 
               telephone number
             • Let parents or guardians decide whether personal information such as age, 
               marital  status, or financial information should be revealed
             • Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone via the computer without 
               parents' or guardians' approval
             • Never respond to messages that are suggestive, obscene, threatening, or make 
               one uncomfortable
             • Have parents or guardians report an incident to the National Center for Missing 
               or Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 if one becomes aware of the 
               transmission of child pornography
             • Remember that people online may not be who they say they are
             • Remember that everything one reads on the Internet may not be true

4.10.5     Children's Internet Protection Act

It is the policy of Kettleson Memorial Library to comply with the Children's   Internet Protection Act [Pub. L. No. 106-554 and 47 USC 254(h)] as it is currently applied to public libraries.

This Internet Safety Policy was adopted by the Kettleson Memorial Library Board Commission at a public meeting, following normal public notice on June 26, 2002.  It was revised and adopted on January 29, 2003. 

4.10.6      Library Policy and Guidelines

To make the Internet available to as many people as possible and to  ensure that it is used in a manner consistent with Library policies, the Library has adopted rules regarding acceptable use of electronic resources.  All Internet users are asked to respect the privacy and rights of others.  Compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, including laws governing the transmission and dissemination of information  while accessing the Internet is required.  Internet users must make reservations, check-in and pay for copies with personnel at the front desk.  Violation or attempted violation of any laws, regulations or policies   may result in loss of library privileges and possible civil or criminal  penalties.  Internet users may not: 
            • Use the network to make unauthorized entry into other computa tional, 
              informational or communications services or resources
            • Distribute unsolicited advertising
            • Engage in any activity that is harassing or defamatory
            • Use the Internet for any illegal/unauthorized activity, including the violation of 
              copyright law
            • Make any attempt to damage or tamper with computer equipment or software
            • Remove privacy screens from monitors
            • Use an Internet access computer for more than one hour a day without staff 
               permission

4.10.7     Supervision and Monitoring

The Library endeavors to provide Internet access in an inviting, healthy learning environment in which individuals are encouraged to safely access, explore and discover the world.  The Library staff neither supervises nor monitors Internet access for the public.

4.10.8    Guidelines on Access to Information

Kettleson Memorial Library is guided by the following American Library Association statements on access to information:

          •  The Library Bill of Rights
          •   Freedom to Read 
          •   Intellectual Freedom Statement
 

4.11    Policies Regarding Law Enforcement Requests for Patron      Information 

4.11.1     Background

Kettleson Memorial Library has certain legal obligations that come from the "USA Patriot Act" as well as professional concerns for privacy and information in a free society.  The Library Board Commission has established guidelines for responding to requests from law enforcement authorities for Library records involving patron data, while keeping in mind the American Library Association Code of Ethics which recognizes that we protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality. 

4.11.2     Application of the Law

The "USA Patriot Act" supercedes state laws that control access to patron   records.  Should an individual or individuals representing themselves as law enforcement agents approach the Library staff requesting access to records involving patron data or information about library users with or without any form of written authorization, staff shall inform them that   they are not authorized to provide the information and immediately notify   the Library Director or Acting Library Director and the City Attorney. The  existence of an information request, the nature of the request and the names of the library patrons are to be treated in the strictest confidence  and are not to be discussed or revealed, as required by the USA Patriot Act.
 

4.11.3    Patron Data Retention

Library Records, which may be the focus of law enforcement requests,  include electronic, print, and other forms of patron information.  Archives  of information that reveal identities of individuals should be kept only  when clearly necessary for the regular operation of library business.

4.12     Display Policy

Kettleson Memorial Library displays are prepared or approved by staff, who use experi-
enced judgement regarding display materials and topics of community interest.  The
Library welcomes exhibits and displays of interest, information and enlightenment to
the community by individuals, organizations or community groups.  Application for ex-
hibits or displays will be made through the Displays Librarian on a first-come, first-
served basis.  The Library shall have the final decision on the arrangement of all exhi-
bits or displays.

In developing library exhibits, staff will present a broad spectrum of ideas and view-
points.  Just as libraries do not endorse the beliefs or affiliations of those whose work is
represented in their collections, libraries do not endorse the beliefs or viewpoints of
topics which may be the subject of library exhibits.

Patrons concerned about display topics or materials are encouraged to discuss those
concerns with a library staff member and/or the Library Director.  Patrons who wish to
have the library reconsider display topics or materials may use the library's Request for
Reconsideration form.  The Library Director will decide what action is appropriate and
notify the patron.  If the complainant is not satisfied with the Library Director's decision,
(s)he may submit a written appeal to the Library Board Commission, which will review
the matter during its next meeting.  The Library Board Commission will consider the
appeal and inform the complainant(s) of its decision.  If the patron is not satisfied with
the Commission's decision, he or she may make an appeal to the City Manager. 

The Library assumes no responsibility for the preservation, protection or possible
damage or theft of any item exhibited or displayed.  All items placed in the library are
done so at the owner's risk.
 
 

Policies revised and adopted January 29, 2003, by the Kettleson Memorial Library Board Commission
 
 
 
 

APPENDIX I

Library Bill of Rights

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and
ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

 I.   Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

 II.   Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

 III.   Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

 IV.   Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

 V.   A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

 VI.   Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.
 

Adopted June 18, 1948.
Amended February 2, 1961, and January 23, 1980,
inclusion of "age" reaffirmed January 23, 1996,
by the ALA Council.
 
 

APPENDIX II

The Freedom to Read
 

The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack.
Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to
remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label
"controversial" views, to distribute lists of "objectionable" books or authors, and to
purge libraries. These actions apparently rise from a view that our national tradition of
free expression is no longer valid; that censorship and suppression are needed to avoid
the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We, as citizens devoted to
reading and as librarians and publishers responsible for disseminating ideas, wish to
assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.

Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of
democracy: that the ordinary citizen, by exercising critical judgment, will accept the
good and reject the bad. The censors, public and private, assume that they should
determine what is good and what is bad for their fellow citizens.

We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their
own decisions about what they read and believe. We do not believe they need the help
of censors to assist them in this task. We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice
their heritage of a free press in order to be "protected" against what others think may
be bad for them. We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression.

These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought
against education, the press, art and images, films, broadcast media, and the Internet.
The problem is not only one of actual censorship. The shadow of fear cast by these
pressures leads, we suspect, to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by
those who seek to avoid controversy.

Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change.
And yet suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension.
Freedom has given the United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps
open the path of novel and creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice.
Every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the
toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with
controversy and difference.

Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms. The freedom to
read and write is almost the only means for making generally available ideas or
manners of expression that can initially command only a small audience. The written
word is the natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come
the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that
serious thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into
organized collections.

We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society
and a creative culture. We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the
danger of limiting the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our
democracy and our culture depend. We believe that every American community must
jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own
 freedom to read. We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound
responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the
readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings. The freedom to read is guaranteed
by the Constitution. Those with faith in free people will stand firm on these
constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that
accompany these rights.

We therefore affirm these propositions:

1.  It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox or unpopular with the majority.

Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different. The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested. Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the established orthodoxy. The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them. To stifle every nonconformist idea at birth would mark the end of the democratic process. Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic mind attain the strength demanded by times like these. We need to know not only what we believe but why we believe it.

2.  Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public interest for them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated.

Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning. They do not foster education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought. The people should have the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read should be confined to what another thinks proper.

3.  It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author.

 No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its creators.  No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.

4.  There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine adults to the reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve artistic expression.

To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves. These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ, and values cannot be legislated; nor can
 machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.

5.  It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept with any expression the prejudgment of a label characterizing it or its author as subversive or dangerous.

 The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad for the citizen. It presupposes that individuals must be directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.

6.  It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people' s freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their own standards or tastes upon the community at large.

It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political, the moral, or the aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another individual or group. In a free society individuals are free to determine for themselves what they wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely associated members. But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society. Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive.

7.  It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the freedom to read by providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise of this affirmative responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a "bad" book is a good one, the answer to a "bad" idea is a good one.

The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader's purpose. What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the major channel by which the intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of its testing and growth. The defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all citizens the fullest of their support. 

We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations. We here stake out a lofty claim for the value of the written word. We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous variety and usefulness, worthy of cherishing and keeping free. We realize that the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons. We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.

Adopted June 25, 1953; revised January 28, 1972, January 16, 1991, July 12, 2000, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee.
 
 

APPENDIX III

 

Intellectual Freedom Statement
 

"Intellectual Freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive
information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all
expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement
may be explored. Intellectual freedom encompasses the freedom to hold, receive and
disseminate ideas."-