Statement of Purpose

The Long Beach Public Library adheres to the United States constitutional guarantees of free speech and free press through free access to open repositories of information without regard to a person’s educational attainments, individual ability, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or economic condition. The public library serves as a center for voluntary inquiry and dissemination of information and ideas. 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, using the framework of the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read statements adopted by the American Library Association.

While the ultimate responsibility of materials selection rests with the Director of Library Services, professional library staff select items for the collection based on library industry best practices, with the intent of maintaining a collection that meets the broad and diverse interests of the community and respects both the library’s autonomy and their specific community needs. The Library is a supplementary, rather than a primary, source for students.

There may be items in the collection that individuals find objectionable. The selection of any item for the collection does not imply endorsement of an author’s viewpoint. Instead, the intent is to maintain the right of the public to receive access to a range of social, political, aesthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences.

The Library does not add materials to the collections it deems to be proselytizing, propagandistic, or containing hate speech.

General Statement of Collections

Scope of the Billie Jean King Main Library Collection

The Billie Jean King Main Library serves the entire Long Beach community and serves as a resource for the branch libraries. As an urban library, the Main Library has a broad choice of circulating print and non-print materials that are selected to accommodate the diversity of tastes, reading levels, languages, and interests of users of all ages. The Main Library also houses the majority of the special collections, which include the Long Beach local history collection and materials by local authors.

Scope of the Branch Libraries Collections

The eleven branch libraries serve specific neighborhoods in the city. The diverse interests, tastes, reading levels, and languages of the actual and potential users of the branch are reflected in the materials available at the branches. Branch collections are designed to serve the current, high interest needs of library patrons.

Scope of World Languages Collection

Long Beach Public Library focuses on three primary languages for the World Languages Collection: Spanish, Khmer, and Tagalog. Other world languages are included based on availability, demand, and budget. Materials include single language and bilingual items, as well as resources for language learning.

Scope of Special Collections

Materials in the Special Collections cover a variety of topics related to Long Beach history and government, as well as a large Khmer collection and the African American Resource Area. Items are added by donation and purchase. Further information can be found in the Special Collections Policy.

Scope of the Digital Library

Resources in the Digital Library may include eBooks and eAudio, movies, music, and educational resources in the form of courses and study materials, and research databases. Professional library staff evaluate new resources before they are added to the Digital Library.

Selection Criteria

All materials selected are based on some or all of the following criteria:

• Creator’s qualifications and popularity
• Currency of subject matter
• Quality of information and writing
• Price and availability
• Format and accessibility
• Media coverage, reviews, and expected popularity
• Patron and staff recommendations
• Community relevance and interest
• Publisher reputation
• Collection need
• Age-appropriate content and style
• Creator’s original intent
• Budget constraints
• Diversity of creator’s viewpoint or perspective, content, and representation
• Space considerations
• Usage or circulation of similar materials

Donated Items and Patron Suggestions

Long Beach Public Library welcomes donations from the community and purchase suggestions from patrons. All donations and gifts are evaluated by professional librarians. The Long Beach Public Library retains unconditional ownership of all materials given, donated, or willed to the library and makes the final decision on the use or disposition of the gift. Patron suggestions help the library develop collections which serve the interests and needs of the community. Patron suggestions are subject to the same selection criteria as other materials.

Reconsideration of Materials

Persons raising an objection to a book or other material in the library collection will be asked to provide a written explanation of their objections, citing specifics from the material in question. The request for reconsideration will be reviewed by the Library Director and staff. The Library Director or designee will respond within 30 days of receiving the formal request.

Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of a Book (PDF)

Deselection of Materials

In order to have an accessible collection useful to all patrons as well as staff, materials in the library collection need to be weeded as part of an active, ongoing selection policy.

A regular weeding program achieves the following goals:

• Improves access to materials: By deselecting materials that are obsolete or not being used, relevant materials become easier to find.
• Improves currency and accuracy of information: Materials that have become dated or superseded may have inaccurate information and should be removed.
• Improves shelf space: Removing duplicates and non-circulating items makes room for new materials.
• Improves appearance of collection: Materials that have deteriorated should be removed and reordered or mended if they are still in demand.

Senior Librarians and General Librarians are expected to weed their areas of responsibility. The Senior Librarians also assume overall responsibility for their department or branch library collection.

To weed successfully, a thorough knowledge of both the collection and the community is a necessity. Therefore it is recommended that a librarian should hold a position for at least 6 months before commencing an in-depth weeding project.

July 2023