Library Policy Development: General
When developing policies, each library needs to consider the community that it serves.
Library Policy Development
Policies have several functions in today’s complex organizations. Their statements help define the values of the organization, and they help managers and staff translate those values into service priorities. Policies establish a standard for services that can be understood by users of the service and providers. Policies ensure equitable treatment for all, and polices provide a framework for delivery of services. When policies have been adopted by a library’s governing agents in a formal process and are consistent with local, state, and federal laws, they will be enforceable.
This resource guide provides basic first steps on developing a library policy, as well as directories for policy guidance organizations, resources on sample policies, and a selected bibliography on policy development.
First Steps
Below are some recommended steps to create an enforceable policy for your library:
- Contact the library development office of your state library. The staff in that office will help you with policies that build on the laws in your state. See the Resources box for a directory of state libraries.
- Review the Positions and Public Policy Statements approved by the Council of the American Library Association. These cover such topics as Services and Responsibilities of Libraries, Intellectual Freedom, Library Personnel Practices, and Library Services for the Poor. When you reference these, be sure to cite the most current version. See the Resources box for links to the ALA Guidelines and Standards and the ALA Policy Manual.
- Research sample policies that are applicable to your library and community. See the Sample Library Policies box for resources.
Sample Library Policies
- Sample Library Policies for the Small Public LibraryCompiled by the Small Library Committee of the Wisconsin Association of Public Librarians, 2nd Edition, Revised by David L. Polodna, 1999 Converted to HTML by OWLS and posted with permission. Adapt the information to suit your needs.
- Sample Policies - United for LibrariesA brief collection of library policies shared by members of United for Libraries, a division of ALA.
Resources
- ALA Guidelines and StandardsMany units of the American Library Association have developed documents that give advice to librarians on various aspects of library service. These documents may be called "standards " or "guidelines".
- American Library Association Policy ManualThe ALA Policy Manual includes brief statements of policies adopted by the ALA Council. Where ALA has made a position statement applicable to the operation of libraries, ALA accepts that statement for its own relevant operations.
- Developing or Revising a Library Privacy PolicyAll types of libraries are urged to draft, adopt and/or revise privacy and confidentiality policies. This document offers guidance for public, academic, research, school, and special libraries, as well as library systems. Special considerations are raised for school and academic libraries and for public library services to minors because each are affected by laws and practices unique to those particular contexts. Other considerations may also apply. When drafting a policy, library administrators should check with their parent institutions to ensure compliance with those institutions’ norms and policies. Some elements of this guidance may not pertain to all libraries.
- Directory of State LibrariesCompiled by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, this directory lists the 50 state libraries.
- Guidelines for the Development of Policies and Procedures Regarding User Behavior and Library UsageTo ensure the effective delivery of service and to provide full access to library resources, libraries should develop policies and procedures to address user behavior that may interfere with others’ use and enjoyment1 of the library. The American Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee recommends that publicly supported libraries use these guidelines to develop policies and procedures governing the use of library facilities.
- Position Statements from AASLThe official positions tacked by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) on matters related to the school library profession.
- State Library WebsitesThis is a list of state library agency websites, including a clickable map, compiled by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
- Writing a Selection Policy - OIFWritten by the Office for Intellectual Freedom at ALA. A good policy on the selection of materials will be relevant to your particular system and include basic sections on objectives, responsibility, criteria, procedures for selection, reconsideration of materials, and policies on controversial materials.
