Collection Development Policy

Content, materials and resources are selected to meet the general informational, cultural, educational, instructional, and recreational interests and needs of patrons. The collection supports the development and sustainability of an engaged community through free access to ideas and information. It reflects both the diversity of the local community and global perspectives. The collection provides access to content through print, multimedia, and electronic formats with varied levels of difficulty so that most patron needs can be met within LCLS’s current budget and physical space limitations.

LCLS collects for general reference and general research in its Special Collections; please refer to that section of this policy for more information. LCLS does not generally collect textbooks, academic or technical materials.

Materials added to the collection will not be limited or denied because of the origin, race, religion, age, background, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or political/social views of any author, artist or creator.

LCLS recognizes intellectual property rights and follows existing copyright law. In selecting electronic resources for its collections, LCLS favors those which are device and platform neutral; which use open and/or public file formats; and which support traditional legal principles of first sale and fair use. For these reasons, LCLS does not generally collect materials created using generative artificial intelligence (AI).

LCLS materials and resources are available to all. LCLS supports the right of every individual to access information and upholds the related tenets of patron privacy and confidentiality.

Anticipated demand, the needs and interests of LCLS patrons, physical space limitations, and available budget inform staff selection decisions, the number of copies purchased, and where materials are located in the LCLS system.

Materials in LCLS collections are classified according to professional cataloging standards. Materials are differentiated in separate collections based on reading and development level and intended audience. These collections may be housed in separate areas to aid discoverability and are labeled only by classification or as a directional aid.

In order to improve patrons’ opportunities to access a wide range of materials and resources, LCLS participates in resource sharing and cooperative collections.

• LCLS participates in cooperative interlibrary loan programs at the local, state and national level.
• LCLS partners with other members of the Wyoming Library Database (WYLD) consortium to provide a broad selection of electronic materials at the state level.

The Library’s Special Collections area collects, preserves, and makes available materials relating to Wyoming and western history. It is comprised of purchased and donated materials about people, real estate, and events in local history.

LCLS’s collection is maintained to be vital and dynamic. New resources are continually added to the collection, and the collection is systematically reviewed for relevancy and value to the community. The addition of any material or resources to the collection is not an endorsement by LCLS Board, Administration or Staff of any theory, idea, or policy contained therein.

Responsibility for material and resource selection rests with the library director, who delegates the selection and removal of materials and resources to professional staff members.

Staff Selectors give consideration to works as a whole, using various industry selection tools. In curating a collection, selectors apply the following general criteria:

• Current and potential relevance of the material to community needs
• Extent of publicity, critical review, and current or anticipated demand
• Local or global significance, or reputation of the author, artist, performer or subject matter
• Representation of all reading levels and audiences
• Suitability of subject and style to intended audience
• Suitability of format to library circulation and use
• Availability, cost of purchase, and cost to make ready for use
• Relation to existing collection
• Digital licensing requirements
• Speed, flexibility, and layout/appearance of electronic resources
• Availability of full-text articles that can be downloaded, printed, and emailed
• Not every selection criterion will apply to every material or resource considered.

Community suggestions for purchase of materials are welcomed and are subject to the same selection criteria as any other items considered for the collection. Selectors consider purchase suggestions within the overall balance and scope of the collection.  

Decisions concerning the removal of materials and resources from LCLS collections are based on patterns of use, the capacity of each location, and the holdings of other libraries available to LCLS patrons. Staff members evaluate the collection using the following criteria:

• Physical condition
• Number of copies in the collection
• Relevance to the needs and interests of the community
• Current demand and frequency of use
• Accuracy and timeliness
• Availability elsewhere including other libraries and online resources

Not every criterion will apply to every material or resource evaluated. 

Donated materials are subject to the selection criteria in this policy and are not always added to the collection. LCLS sells donated materials in the used bookstore and through online vendors. Donated materials that are not considered by LCLS or its book sale vendors as suitable for sale are responsibly recycled as a last resort. Revenues from donated material sales are used to fund the volunteer services program, special projects, and/or the purchase of library materials and resources.

A Laramie County resident has the right to request reconsideration of materials or resources in the LCLS collections, events, exhibitions, and displays by completing and submitting a Request for Reconsideration Form. Please review the Request for Reconsideration Policy.

Approved by the Laramie County Library System Board of Directors on November 21, 2025.