REPORT TO BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Revised Santa Clara City Library Collection Development Policy
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency
BACKGROUND
The State of California passed Assembly Bill (AB) 1825, the California Freedom to Read Act (Act), on September 29, 2024. This bill requires public library jurisdictions to establish and maintain a publicly accessible and compliant collection development policy by January 1, 2026.
The Board of Library Trustees has approved a collection development policy ("Policy"). Updates to the Policy were made as recently as November 4, 2024. The updates to the Policy included clarifying the material reconsideration policy and creating appropriate appeal procedures in the event a request for reconsideration is denied. In addition, the updates aimed to provide greater transparency around the deselection or "weeding" part of the overall collection management process.
Based on a review of the City's collection development policy for compliance with AB 1825, the City Attorney's Office recommends adding certain acknowledgements that are required by the statute.
DISCUSSION
The California Freedom to Read Act requires that every public library that directly receives any state funding to establish, adopt, and maintain a written and publicly accessible collection development policy by January 1, 2026, and shall submit such policy to the State Librarian. The collection development policy shall, at a minimum, do the following:
* Establish a process for community members to share their concerns regarding library materials and to request that library materials be reconsidered for inclusion in the library's collection.
* Guide the selection and deselection of library materials.
* Contain the following acknowledgements:
o The library's collection meets the broad and diverse interests of the community and respects both the library's autonomy and their specific community needs.
o ...
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