Policies govern many aspects of library services and are approved by the Library Board of Trustees.
Art Exhibit
Thank you for your interest in our art galleries. The Raynham Public Library offers 12 monthly exhibits per year in our hallway which extends to our downstairs Meeting Room. We are able to offer up to 12 hanging works and 3-4 pieces for display, depending on the size of the artwork.
We welcome Raynham residents as well as members of our surrounding community. Artists from a variety of ethnicities and life experiences are encouraged to apply.
Guidelines for Applying and Showing
- All work presented must be original.
- We ask that your pieces are prepared with a wire across the back for hanging.
- Artists are responsible for setting up and taking down their work.
- Please avoid adhering or applying anything directly to our walls.
- Showings are limited to 12 hung pieces and 3-4 pieces for shelf display.
- The library will schedule what month your show will take place, feel free to let us know if you have a preferred month to display your work.
- The Library reserves the right to reschedule or cancel exhibits when necessary.
- The exhibit will be on display the entire month assigned, during all regularly scheduled library hours.
- Permission to exhibit the material does not imply Library sponsorship, endorsement of content, or responsibility for representation of all viewpoints.
- Acceptance to display your work is at the discretion of the Director.
- The Raynham Public Library takes no commission for work sold, does not hold insurance for artwork on exhibit, and is not responsible for loss or damage of the artist’s work.
Approved by the Library Board of Trustees, May 2023
Behavior Expectations
The Raynham Public Library is a place for everyone. The behavior expectations enable library users and staff to have a pleasant environment that is safe for all.
- We expect users to respect the comfort and safety of fellow library users and library staff. If your behavior is making others unsafe, we will ask you to stop. If your behavior impedes other’s use of the library, or operations of the library, we will also ask you to stop.
- We expect users to comply with requests from library staff. If you don’t, you may be asked to leave.
- We expect users to comply with local, state, and federal laws. The police will be contacted in situations of potential lawbreaking.
If you feel that something or someone is making your experience here uncomfortable or unsafe, please let a staff member know.
The following are prohibited at all times:
- Soliciting, petitioning, selling, or canvassing of any kind.
- Playing audio equipment and/or personal devices so that others may hear it (without headphones or with headphones at a volume audible to others).
- Disruptive or unsafe behavior including any conduct that interferes with the use of the library by others or with the functioning of the library staff.
- Use of profane and/or loud, abusive, threatening or insulting language.
- Sexual harassment or misconduct.
- Activities that may result in damage to library property.
- Smoking/vaping in or on library property.
Please note:
- All patrons must leave promptly at closing time.
- All persons are required to be fully clothed, including footwear.
- Restrooms are for intended use only.
- Caregivers are responsible for children 12 years old and younger, see our Unattended Child Policy
Failure to comply with the Library’s established standards of acceptable behavior may result in removal from the building. Police may be summoned at the staff discretion.
Approved by the Library Board of Trustees, June 2023
Collection Development
Purpose
This Collection Development policy guides the Raynham Public Library staff in their efforts to meet community needs and interests while balancing the library’s budget and space. This policy is used by library staff to evaluate and select materials. This policy also serves to acquaint the public with the principles which guide staff through the selection process.
General Principles
The Raynham Public Library provides a contemporary, relevant collection of resources in a wide range of formats to meet the informational, educational, and recreational needs of its community. The Library strives to meet these needs within the limitations of space, staffing, and budget. The Library endeavors to make use of new technologies and formats to offer library users the greatest access to information and ideas. The Library also strives to build a diverse collection that reflects our community and offer materials that are by and about a wide array of people and cultures to authentically represent a variety of ideas, information, stories, and experiences.
The Library recognizes that there are ideas, opinions, viewpoints, beliefs, and philosophies which are subject to discussion and debate and that any community will be made up of citizens with divergent viewpoints. The Library endeavors to provide access to diverse points of view within the limits of financial resources and physical space. Inclusion in the library’s collection is not an endorsement of a particular point of view or belief. The Library adheres to the provisions of the American Library Association’s “Library Bill of Rights,” (Appendix 1).We believe in the library user’s freedom to read and to view materials and uphold the principles articulated in the American Library Association’s “Freedom to Read Statement,” (Appendix 2), and the “Freedom to View Statement, (Appendix 3). It is the right of the individual not to read, view, or hear materials that the individual considers objectionable. It is never the right of any library user or users to deny access to library materials to others.
Responsibility for Selection of Materials
The Board of Library Trustees delegates the authority and responsibility for selection and management of all print, non-print, and electronic materials to the Library Director and appropriate professional library stay ff members with expertise, library degrees, or both. Selection and management of the materials in the library’s collections are shared among the professional staff accordingly, who shall use this collection development policy as a guide to the growth and management of all library collections.
General Criteria for Materials Selection
Budget allocation by subject and format is based on public demand, usage, relevance, and available resources. Selectors use several criteria when evaluating material, keeping in mind physical space requirements and the library’s resources. Materials and formats are not maintained past their relevance. Items need not meet all criteria for inclusion in the collection, but should not have significant negative evaluations in any one criterion.
Evaluation Criteria
- Public demand and anticipated demand
- Relevance to the interests and needs of the community
- Attention of critics and reviewers, award winners
- Significance, timeliness, or permanence of subject matter
- Relevance and suitability of physical format
- Representation of diverse points of view
- Accuracy of information
- Literary merit and contribution to the field of knowledge
- Relationship to the existing collection
- Reputation or qualifications of the author, creator, or publisher
- Value of the resource in relation to its cost, including costs of acquisition, processing, or storage
- Suitability of subject and style for intended audience
- Availability of content through the internet, subscription databases, or other means
- Condition of material
Continuous evaluation is necessary for a healthy collection. Materials are regularly withdrawn (weeded) to maintain a current, accurate, and appealing collection and to facilitate its ease of use. Selection of materials for weeding is based on the industry standard CREW method of Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding. Examples of criteria used for weeding include: misleading and/or factually inaccurate information, material is superseded by a new edition or a better source, material is trivial or of little overall merit, or the material may be easily borrowed from another source.
Collection Maintenance (weeding)
Materials may be discarded based on the availability of physical space in the Library as well as at the discretion of the librarians responsible for acquisitions. Materials are discarded from our collection with an eye towards sustainability and reuse. Weeded items may be redistributed or recycled. Collection maintenance also includes periodic reconsideration of how areas of the collection are cataloged, with the goal of identifying any sections in which the arrangement could be made more equitable and accessible. Library materials may be relocated at the discretion of library staff.
Local Authors, Self-published Authors, Unsolicited Materials
Materials submitted by local authors, self-published authors, and unsolicited materials from publishers will be considered for inclusion in the library collection using the General Criteria for Materials Selection. In addition, the following factors also will be taken into account for self published works or when inviting authors of self-published books to speak at the Library:
- Does the book have positive reviews in professional journals e.g. Library Journal, School Library Journal, Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and/or Horn Book?
- Are full bibliographic records available in MARC?
- Does the book have an International Standard Book Number (ISBN)?
- Does the book contain unique local or regional content?
- Is the book bound and suitable for circulation?
- Has the book been edited and proofed by a professional editor and proofreader?
- Is the book available through major distributors, e.g. Ingram, Baker & Taylor?
- Is this a local author/illustrator from this area?
Patron Requests for Purchase
Recommendations for purchase by the public are welcomed by the Library, with the understanding that these materials are evaluated based on the same criteria for selection as other considered materials. In the event that patrons request to borrow an item that the Library has not purchased, they will be referred to network, statewide or national lending resources to meet their needs.
Gift and Donations of Materials
Gifts/donated materials will be added to the library collection using the same criteria used for purchasing materials. All donations become the property of the library and cannot be returned. Gifts/donated material may be added to the library collection, sold for the benefit of the library, or disposed of in a manner appropriate to their condition and usefulness.
Reconsideration of Library Materials
Patrons with concerns about the content of materials are invited to document specific objections on the “Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials” form (Appendix 4). Please note that:
- The material in question will not be removed while a reconsideration is in the process of being reviewed.
- A material can only be reconsidered once every 4 years.
- If the requester hasn’t read the entire material or submits an incomplete form, the resource will not be reconsidered.
The Library Director will make determinations on any removal or retention of materials, in consultation with the staff responsible for that collection area.
Appendices
Appendix 1 – American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights
Appendix 2 – American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Statement
Appendix 3 – American Library Association’s Freedom to View Statement
Appendix 4 – Reconsideration Form
Raynham Public Library appreciates the libraries of Newton, Wellfleet, Thayer, and Worcester for their assistance in the drafting of this policy.
Approved by the Library Board of Trustees, April 2023
Donation
The Raynham Public Library is pleased to accept donations and gifts year round. Please complete the donation form so that we know who to properly thank! Donations of $50 or more will receive a letter from the Library acknowledging your donation. If you wish for your donation to be anonymous please indicate that on the donation form.
The Library prefers unrestricted funds so we can adapt spending to use when and where is most needed. Donations might be used to purchase books, materials, technology, or pay for programming. You can specify adult programming, children’s programming, or technology if you prefer.
Money donated to the Library goes to the Town of Raynham for administration and is placed in a Library “Donations/Gifts” account solely for Library use. Please make your check payable to: The Raynham Public Library.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask any Library staff member. Thank you for your kind donation and support of the Raynham Public Library.
Approved by the Library Board of Trustees, April 2023
Hotspot Policy
The Raynham Library has five hotspots available for checkout. Hotspots have unlimited 4G LTE data and will allow internet access on up to 10 devices at a time. There is no installation required to access the hotspots.
- You may check out a hotspot the same way you would check out a book: visit the Library or request one online. Anyone who has a valid SAILS library card and is 18 years of age or older may check out a hotspot.
- You can borrow a mobile hotspot for four weeks. Renewal is not available for hotspots. Overdue hotspots will have internet access deactivated within 72 hours beyond their due date. For hotspots that are overdue after 3 days there is a fine of $1.00 a day ($5.00 maximum).
- Replacement cost is $10.00.
- Hotspots must be returned to the Raynham Library Main Desk. Do NOT return hotspots in the book drop. Please return the device with the case, charger, and a fully charged battery.
- In general, there is no data limit. However, the service provider may lower speed or limit the amount of data that its network can handle for a short time.
- The hotspot periodically receives software updates from the service provider. You can accept the update, which may take a few minutes.
The Library reserves the right to adjust availability of hotspots for fair and equal distribution to the community.
Approved by the Library Board of Trustees, June 2023
Meeting Room & Judy’s Garden Use Policy
The Library Meeting Room and Judy’s Garden are used to support library programs and events. Rules and procedures for use are established by the Library Board of Trustees and are reviewed as needed.
- The Behavior Policy of the Raynham Public library is in effect during all meetings.
- Meetings should be scheduled to conclude 15 minutes prior to closing time. All activities must be confined to the enclosed space and/or gated outdoor space.
- Facilities must be left in the condition found including kitchen area (if utilized).
- All library programming and events are open to all, space is restricted to room capacity for everyone’s safety.
- The library accepts no responsibility for the personal safety of any person, either inside or outside a library building.
- The library is not responsible for damage, loss or theft or personal property.
- Children 12 years old or younger must be accompanied by a caregiver (16+) while using the outdoor space.
- No admission charges, solicitation or money-raising activities, except those to benefit the library, are allowed.
- Food may be served at programs/events taking place in the Meeting Room provided it is store bought or from a person or group that is ServSafe certified.
Approved by the Library Board of Trustees, April 2023
Unattended Child Policy
The Raynham Library welcomes children of all ages and strives to create a warm, inviting learning environment. The Library offers many programs and services that encourage children to develop a love of books and reading. However, the Library is a public building, and the well-being of children left alone at the Library is a serious concern. Young children are not safe when left unattended in a library or any other public place.The responsibility for children using the Library rests with the child’s caregiver.
The safety and well-being of every child is very important and to ensure their protection, the Raynham Public Library has adopted the following policy.
- The Library staff is not responsible for supervising children.
- Children age 12 or younger must be accompanied and directly supervised by a designated caregiver (aged 16+) at all times.
- If a child age 12 or younger is left unattended, every effort will be made to contact their caregiver. If the caregiver cannot be located, the police will be contacted.
- Caregivers (aged 16+) must not leave the Library while their children, age 12 or younger, are attending a Library sponsored program.
- Children age 13 and older should be familiar with, and adhere to, Library policies and hours of service. A child, old enough to use the Library alone, whose conduct interferes with another patrons’ ability to use the Library in violation of posted policies will be asked to leave the building. Children should know how to reach their caregiver during their visit.
- Under no circumstances will a staff member transport a child from the Library.
- Library staff cannot prevent children from interacting with or leaving with persons who are not the appropriate chaperone.
Approved by the Library Board of Trustees, June 2023
