Richton Park Public Library District

Mission Statement	Collection Development Policy
Departments	Internet Link Guidelines Policy
Library Board of Trustees	Internet Policy
History	Reference Service Policy
	Library Hours

Mission Statement

The Richton Park Public Library is committed to quality library service that is responsive to the people of the library district; it will provide recreational reading, listening, and viewing materials; it will help to provide material for the informational needs of the community; it will furnish supplementary resources for use by elementary and secondary school students; and it will make available its facilities, resources and programs for the library district. The Library will do the above in a fiscally responsible manner.

Departments

Do you need help finding information or need a question answered about the Library? We would be pleased to help you. Contact any of the staff listed below for your information needs. We will return your message or email within 48 hours.

Telephone Number: 708-481-5333
Email: library@richtonparklibrary.org

Head Librarian
Patrick Nevins

Circulation
Doris Dougher

Information & Public Services
Lisa Morrison Korajczyk

Technical Services/Interlibrary Loan
Audrey Tucker

Youth Services
Kim Scott

Library Board of Trustees

The Library Board of Trustees meets on the 3 rd Wednesday of the month at 7:30 P.M. in the Library's Meeting Room. The minutes of every meeting are available to the public and are kept in the Reference Department.

Evelyn Green, President

Yvonne Croswell, Vice-President

Myrna Brady, Secretary

Gina Middleton, Treasurer

Warrette Coleman

Larry McCoy

Thomas Young

History

The Richton Park Public Library District is a perfect example of community library support. This began when village trustees investigated library services. Interest in a library was strong, and in 1972 a storefront was rented, located at 22365 Governors Highway.

The storefront had been a coffee-house and volunteers did extensive cleaning and renovation in order to convert it into a library. Books were obtained through donations from area residents, and the Suburban Library System and the Illinois State Library. Fundraisers, including bake sales, book sales and paper drives were held. Volunteers constructed shelves for the books and furniture was donated to the library.

The Library soon opened and was staffed entirely with volunteers. In 1974, village residents gave their approval to a referendum to establish the Richton Park Public Library District.

With rapid growth of the Library, it was soon realized that the storefront facility was inadequate. A solution was found in 1979 when the village agreed to lease the old Village Hall to the Library. After extensive renovation, the Library opened on March 30, 1981 at its new location, 4045 Sauk Trail.

The next years brought new patrons, more books and growth in library services. The need for more space was again apparent. In the fall of 1984 an addition was built, adding more room for books and people.

The library continued to grow in use throughout the 1980’s and the 1990’s. In 1995, the voters approved funding for double the size of the Library. With a larger building, more services were added, including Internet access.

Collection Development Policy

A. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to clearly outline to both the staff and patrons of the Richton Park Public Library the principles and guidelines for the development and maintenance of the Library's resources. The policy will be used to build and maintain a collection that not only supports the designated mission of the Library, but will also allow the staff to respond to the changing needs of the Richton Park community. The same policy will govern selection and maintenance for both the adult and the children's collections.

The types of resources that the Library may include in the collection, but not be limited to are, print and non-print, audio-visual and electronic materials such as CD-ROM products, databases and Internet links.

Finally, this policy is a tool for communicating to the public the criteria that is used by the Richton Park Library for the selection and maintenance of the Library's materials.

B. Selection Responsibility

The Board of the Richton Park Library has granted the ultimate authority and responsibility for the selection and maintenance of the Library's resources to the Head Librarian. The Head Librarian may then delegate the day-to-day activities to qualified staff in order to select resources that fall within the parameters of this policy.

C. Selection Process

The factors used in the selection process for materials held in the Library's collection include but are not limited to the following:

Evaluation of the existing collection
Assessment of need through the examination of daily reference sheets
Consultation of reputable reviewing sources
Tracking and analysis of school assignments
Examination of materials through previews or Inter Library Loan
Use of advertisements, catalogs or newspapers
Patron input
Budgetary constraints

D. Selection Criteria

The Board of Trustees believes that censorship is the responsibility of the individual therefore the Board will not restrict the freedom of patrons to read. The selection of materials will not be made on the basis of any anticipated approval or disapproval by the community. Material will not be marked to show approval or disapproval by the staff or community nor will it be set aside except for the purpose of protecting it from injury or theft. The selection of materials for the Richton Park Library's collection include but are not limited to the following factors:

The Library will purchase materials to meet its Goals and Objectives (see section I. B. above)
The Library will provide materials for people of all ages to meet the educational, cultural and recreational interests and needs of the Library district.
Popularity of author/subject
Issues of current interest
Authority of author/publisher
Suitability/treatment of subject, style or format
Supplementary reference value of non-fiction material
Reference material will be timely and relevant
Relevance to community needs
Availability/accessibility of material through the Suburban Library System
Space considerations
To build on existing strengths of the Library's collection.
Literary merit
To provide materials on opposing viewpoints so that no one viewpoint is unduly represented.
The Library will not maintain a textbook collection
The Library will not purchase legal, medical, or technical materials that are not addressed to lay persons.

E. Collection Maintenance

Any item may be withdrawn from the collection because it no longer meets the selection criteria designated by this policy. Both print and non-print materials in the collection will be reviewed and evaluated at regular intervals by the Head Librarian and designated staff of the Richton Park Library. Materials that are withdrawn from the collection can be used for the Library's book sale, offered to other libraries or discarded. Factors that impact the withdrawal of an item from the collection include but are not limited to the following:

Insufficient use
Obsolete or inaccurate information
Irreparable damage
Historic value of item for the Library or the community
Availability of item through Inter-Library Loan
Does the item still meet the selection criteria?
Does the Library own multiple copies of the item?
Budget allocation
Space limitations

F. Gifts

Gifts of materials for the Library's collection are accepted and are greatly appreciated by the staff of the Richton Park Library. All donated items are subject to the same selection criteria as items purchased by the Library, and all unused donated material may be used for the book sale or discarded by the staff. Neither the Head Librarian nor the staff will assign a monetary value to any donated material. However, a patron may request a receipt with the number of items donated to the Library.

G. Patron Suggestions

The Head Librarian and the staff welcome patron input concerning the selection of materials for the Library's collection. If patron would like to recommend a book to the staff for inclusion in the collection then a Library "Purchase Suggestion Form" may be filled out, and the designated staff member will evaluate the suggestion using the criteria designated by this policy.

H. Reconsideration of Materials

The Richton Park Library recognizes that some resources may be considered controversial and respect the diverse opinions of this community. If a resident of the Library District would like to register a formal complaint concerning an item in the collection; then the "Resident Request for Reconsideration of Material" form will be issued to the patron. The Head Librarian will respond and review all reconsideration complaints, and if the resident is not satisfied he/she may appeal to the Board of Trustees, who, in conjunction with the Head Librarian, will review the complaint.

Internet Link Guideline Policy

The staff of the Richton Park Public Library has gathered together a collection of Internet links for its website to enrich and expand access to information for all the patrons of the Richton Park community. We have attempted to feature links that will be informative, educational, or entertaining for the Library's patrons.
Because the Internet is a constantly changing and fluid resource these linked sites are subject to change or disappear from the Internet all together. The staff will check and re-evaluate the links on a regular basis, and Internet links for the Library's website are not added upon request. Patron objections to any of the Internet links will be handled in a manner consistent with objections to print material. The patron should fill out a "Resident Request for Reconsideration Material" form, and the Head Librarian will review and respond to the complaint.
The guidelines for selection are consistent with the Library's current Collection Development Policy, and also include criteria that are used specifically for the Internet. These criteria include:

Currency or timeliness of material
Credibility of the author
Organization of the website
Accessibility
Ease of navigation
Suitability of subject matter
The site updates regularly
The site loads quickly
The website adheres to copyright policy
All links on the recommended website should follow the same criteria as above

Library Internet Policy

It is a role of the Library to provide access to information so that those in the community can make informed decisions. Use of electronic information networks (Internet) expands the Library’s collection with information which otherwise may not be available.
The Internet contains a rapidly expanding universe of useful information, but it is an unregulated medium which contains resources that may be offensive. Because the Internet changes as quickly as it expands, the Library cannot control the information contained on it, and takes no responsibility for the quality, accuracy, or suitability of any Internet resource.
It is the responsibility of parents to monitor the library use of their children.
a. Children 10 or under must be accompanied by an adult to use the Internet.
If available, Library staff will help beginning users get started. Library staff cannot teach patrons how to use the Computers or programs.
Patrons may not:
a. Use the Internet for any purpose resulting in the harassment of others.
b. Tamper or alter the Library’s hardware or software.
c. Download or store data to anything other than a personal storage device.
d. Use the Internet in any way that violated Federal, State or Local laws, licensing agreements, or the privacy of others.
e. Use sounds or visuals in a manner disruptive to normal Library operations.
6. The Library does not:
a. Offer personal electronic mail (e-mail) accounts.
b. Assume responsibility for any damage to materials provided by the patron.
The Library may set rules for computer use involving time limits, printing, etc.
c. Download or store data to anything other than a personal storage device.
d. Use the Internet in any way that violated Federal, State or Local laws, licensing agreements, or the privacy of others.
e. Use sounds or visuals in a manner disruptive to normal Library operations.

Reference Service Policy

Statement of Purpose

The reference staff of the Richton Park Public Library is dedicated to providing the best possible access to information for all its patrons regardless of age, race, sex, disability, social, or economic status. Reference service will be provided at least 90% of the hours that the Library is open. The services provided by the reference staff shall include but not be limited to the following: ready reference, reader's advisory, interlibrary loan, instruction on the use of the online catalog and other electronic resources within the library, and assistance on the public access computers. The purpose of the reference collection is to answer general reference questions and to supplement homework assignments for the students of the Richton Park community. All patron questions will be handled confidentially, impartially and with courtesy. This policy is available to the public both at the Front Desk and on the website of the library at http://www.richtonparklibrary.org. The Richton Park Library adheres to and supports the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights and Code of Ethics.

Basic Reference Service

1. Reference service is provided in response to all forms of inquiry including telephone, fax, and email. In-person questions will take precedence over all other reference questions. Telephone inquiries, including homework assignments, are limited to less than five minutes and patrons may asked to come to the Library when on-site use is advisable. Reference questions submitted by email will be answered within two days of receiving the question.

2. Any reference questions that cannot be answered with materials from the Library's collection will be pursued via the Internet, interlibrary loan service, telephone calls to other agencies or referrals for patrons to other resources outside the Library.

3. The maximum time allotted to a patron for a reference question will be determined by the number of available staff on duty at the library, the amount of traffic in the library, and the librarian's evaluation of the patron's needs.

4. The staff will not answer questions related to puzzles or contests, but will assist patrons in their search for the information.

5. The staff will not conduct genealogical research for its patrons but will direct them to resources found within the Library's collection.

6. Staff may not offer personal opinion, advice or interpretation as fact.

7. The staff is not legally qualified to offer legal, medical or tax advice, but will direct patrons to resources found within the Library's collection.

8. Financial appraisals for collectibles such as works of art, coins, stamps, ect., will not given by the reference staff, but they will direct patrons to resources within the Library's collection.

9. The staff will not translate materials for patrons but will locate resources for translation.

10. The staff will not proctor examinations.

11. Any costs incurred by the library for interlibrary loan will be passed on to the patron. The cost for printing material either from the photocopier or the printer is ten cents per sheet.

12. Materials marked as reference will not circulate and must be used within the Library.

Staff

1. The reference staff shall have the knowledge to meet the information needs of the patrons of the Richton Park Library. The staff will be familiar and competent with various information sources and technologies used in the Library.

2. Continuing education is fundamental to the professional growth and development of the reference staff and the Library will encourage and support these efforts on behalf of its staff.

3. The reference staff has read and understands the policy as outlined in this document.

Evaluation

1. The Reference Service Policy of library will be evaluated every two years by the staff, administration and the Board of the Richton Park Public Library.

2. There will be a regular evaluation of the reference service and resources of the Richton Park Public Library at least every two years by the Library's reference staff.

Library Hours

Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. / Sunday Closed

Days Closed:

New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
3rd of July – Closed at 6:00 pm
4th of July
Labor Day
Day before Thanksgiving – Closed at 6:00 pm
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day