We welcome your suggestions. Please fill out the suggestion form to suggest materials and/or programs for the library. Scroll farther for our request for reconsideration policy for materials and/or programs.
While we would love to purchase everything that you suggest, we simply don’t have the budget or space. Requested materials will be evaluated by our experienced staff members. Because space for materials is at a premium, we frequently remove materials that aren’t checked out often so that we have more space for new materials. Please see our “Selection of Material” policy below.
5.7.1 Selection of Material
(revised October 21, 2019)
The responsibility for the policy governing the inclusion of materials in the Library collection rests with the Library Board.
The actual task of selection is delegated to the Library’s professional staff whose selections follow the guidelines set by the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read statements.
The materials selection for the North Riverside Public Library is based on financial consideration, community needs and interests and space available. Following the Library Bill of Rights, no selection or rejection of titles shall be made solely because of racial, national, social, political or religious background of the author, or the subject treated in the material.
We also provide a materials reconsideration form (link to form). Please read and fully answer each question to help us understand why you are requesting that these materials, programs, etc be removed from the Library.
5.7.5 Request for Reconsideration
(revised October 21, 2019) (revised 2022)
The choice of library resources by a library user is an individual matter. While a person may reject resources for oneself, he or she may not restrict access to those resources by other library users.
The North Riverside Public Library recognizes that certain resources are controversial and that any given item may offend some library user. The procedures enumerated below have been developed to assure that the requests of those who disagree with the inclusion of specific items in the collection are handled in an attentive and consistent manner.
A library user who requests the reconsideration of a library resource will be referred immediately to the department manager. This staff member will discuss the Selection of Materials Policy and the application of selection principles.
If a library user insists that an item be withdrawn from the collection, the library’s procedure for reconsideration will be carefully explained and followed. A separate Request for Reconsideration of a Library Resource form must be filled out for each item.
The procedure for the reconsideration of a library resource consists of the following:
- The person requesting the material be reviewed must be a North Riverside Library patron with an active library card.
- The library user must complete the Request for Reconsideration of a Library Resource Form which will be submitted to the appropriate department manager.
- The Request will be reviewed using the general criteria of the Resource Selection Policy and reviews from recognized evaluative sources to determine whether retention of the item would be in violation of the Resource Selection Policy.
- The library director will respond in writing to the library user regarding the recommendation of professional librarian staff.
An appeal of this recommendation may be made to the Library Board of Trustees. Such appeal must not exceed two pages and must include copies of both the original Request for Reconsideration of a Library Resource form and the library director’s written response. The Library Board will review the staff decision based on whether or not the particular item conforms to the General Criteria outlined in the Resource Selection Policy. The Board of Trustees will then make the final determination of the matter, notifying the library user in writing of this action, in a timely manner.
The decision on reconsideration of a specific item will remain in effect for three years.
During the review process the Library will take appropriate action to insure that the item will continue to be available.