Maine InfoNet Digital Collections Policy

I. Mission & Vision

Maine InfoNet, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, is a collaborative of academic, public, school, and special libraries that provides leadership in resource sharing, promotes cost effective solutions for quality library information services, and supports the cultural, educational, and economic development of Maine.

In support of this mission, Maine InfoNet (MIN) finds innovative ways to enable Maine libraries to purchase digital content for use by participating libraries. This has typically taken the form of maintaining vendor relationships so that MIN may act as a fiscal agent, buying content for multiple libraries’ use. Examples include the Maine InfoNet Download Library (MINDL) initiated in 2008 and the Comics Plus subscription initiated in 2021.

II. Purpose and Scope

This policy acts as a guide for MIN selectors to ensure comparable collection depth and breadth between collection areas and uniform selection criteria among selectors. This policy intends to assist selectors in building collections that are responsive to the community’s general interest, recreational, and entertainment reading needs in keeping with the mission and goals of both MIN and participating libraries.

This policy also informs the public of the intellectual freedom principles upon which collection decisions are based. This policy defines the scope of the collection, provides a plan for continual and strategic development, and identifies strengths in the collection. Parents or guardians are responsible for a child’s access to materials licensed by Maine InfoNet.

This policy pertains to content licensed and purchased by MIN. From time to time, it may be possible for individual participating libraries to purchase licenses for items which are seamlessly mixed with MIN-purchased materials, as with the Private Cloud collections of some MINDL libraries. MIN does not exercise control over collection development decisions of the participating libraries, and this policy does not govern content purchased by individual libraries and shared through MIN-managed digital resources.

MIN cannot be responsible for customizing MIN digital collection interfaces to meet local demands.

MIN also maintains integrated library system software such as URSUS, Minerva, MILS, and MaineCat. This policy does not relate to that work. This policy is specifically related to MIN’s work in purchasing content for the use of patrons at participating libraries.

III. Collection Development

A. Development of All Digital Collections of Maine InfoNet

The Executive Director (ED) of Maine InfoNet (MIN) will select digital resources and platforms which fit the mission, purpose, and scope defined above. The ED will identify a funding mechanism and confer with the MIN board prior to establishing an entirely new collection or platform.

However, the Maine InfoNet Download Library collection is selected item-by-item with individual licenses for each item. When a MIN resource (such as MINDL) involves item-by-item purchasing, a team of volunteer selectors will be identified to select items for the collection. As such, this policy gives greater attention to the individual selection policies for MIN-purchased MINDL content.

B. Maine InfoNet Download Library (MINDL) Selector Responsibilities

MIN staff and ED make some selections such as boosting the number of available copies of high-demand titles, re-purchasing expiring content, and bulk purchases of standard collections such as the Maine School Book Award titles and direct requests from member libraries and their users.

Still, much of the collection is selected by volunteer selectors from member libraries. Selectors are required to attend an initial training meeting, make a monthly commitment to purchasing content, and attend a quarterly meeting of selectors to conduct the work of the program. An effort will be made to recruit a diversity of selectors from member libraries. Selectors for specific areas/publishers will be allocated by interest, knowledgeable expertise, and qualification.

Though items are selected by selectors, the MIN ED actually executes the purchase of materials. As such, the MIN ED may also choose to remove items from carts of selected items, typically based on cost or licensing.

C. Scope of Aggregated Collections

From time to time, Maine InfoNet will select and license aggregated collections of items. An “aggregated collection” is understood to be a purchase which contains multiple distinct items that are purchased under a single contract whose terms do not permit a-la-carte purchasing of individual items.

This may be a separate title and may initially have a distinct interface, such as the ComicsPlus purchase of 2021 referenced above. This may be a specific collection of materials purchased through MINDL, such as the Independent Author Publications (IAP) collection.

D. Scope of MINDL Collection

MINDL is funded by its member libraries. Member libraries have access to the digital collaborative collection and as such, people with borrowing privileges at member libraries are authorized users of MINDL. The community served by this collection is diverse and as such, the collection must reflect the needs, interests, and viewpoints of this large community in its entirety, taking into consideration access needs in a digital environment.

The collection is broad, current, and popular. The collection may include, but is not limited to, e-books, digital audiobooks, and digital magazines. Any of these formats may include items that correspond to any number of sub-formats such as graphic novels or comics. MIN aims for a balance of popular materials and provides a supplemental format to the materials already in the possession of member libraries. The materials chosen support general interest in a broad range of categories and reflect contemporary significance instead of long-term enduring value.

The current focus of the collection is on popular genres in fiction. Non-fiction materials consist of a mixture of titles covering popular subject areas which include, but are not limited to biographies, business, health, and historical materials. The collection intends to portray different viewpoints, values, philosophies, cultures, and religions in order to serve the varied statewide community. A variety of reading and comprehension levels are also represented in the collection, based on community need.

E. Selection Criteria

The following criteria are taken into consideration when selectors are choosing eBooks and audiobooks.

Identified, expressed, or anticipated need in the general community
Availability of titles from vendors
Contemporary significance or popular interest
Attention of critics and reviewers
Prominence, authority, significance, and/or competence of author or creator
Timeliness and accuracy of material including new editions of existing materials
Relation to existing collections, such as titles in a series
Provide a balanced representation of the contributions of diverse groups and individuals to our American and global heritage.
Production quality

An item need not meet all of the criteria to be selected.

Public demand for an author, title, or subject is an important criterion. User satisfaction and demand in similar subject/genre areas will also be given consideration. All requests from patrons for specific authors, titles, or subjects will be considered. Member libraries are responsible for forwarding patron requests to the selection group. Member libraries are encouraged to review the request prior to submitting the title in order to provide more context and information to the selectors.

MIN is also constrained by title availability in various formats. Given the volatile world of digital rights and publishers, it is important to note that although titles may be available for purchase to consumers from various outlets, they may not be available to MINDL because some publishers and copyright holders do not allow libraries to purchase digital editions of titles, and/or place embargoes on new titles for a designated time period. In addition, titles may be pulled from MINDL by publishers without prior notice.

In addition, given the digital nature of this collection, selectors must also take into consideration licensing and format factors. The following criteria will be considered.

Affordability
Appropriateness of format
Quality of content presentation
Narrator’s qualifications for audiobooks
Stability of content, g. expiration of licenses
Titles with simultaneous use rights

Typically, MINDL will not purchase abridged versions of titles. Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis, if a high-demand title is only available in an abridged format or if the abridged version has characteristics such as a reduced lexile range needed for literacy learners.

MIN will select or make accessible through MINDL some multi-title collections whose titles generally fit within the criteria listed above.

F. Selection Tools

Standard selection tools that may be used to identify items for selection are as follows:

F1: Standard collection lists, recommended lists, award lists, recommended/notable titles, and professional journal reviews. Professional journals are given preference, along with any other nationally recognized library-oriented journals may include but are not limited to:

Kirkus
Booklist
School Library Journal
Library Journal
New York Times Book Review
Publisher’s Weekly
Horn Book

F2: Non-standard selection tools, such as online user reviews from Amazon.com, Goodreads.com, and Audible.com are consulted to determine popular demand.

Selectors will make use of format reviews, although at times, selectors must rely on content reviews alone because of the lack of format reviews.

G. Gift Policy

Given technical and licensing limitations as they stand today, MINDL is unable to accept gifts of personally purchased items. Monetary donations to MIN may be designated for MINDL, but cannot be designated for purchase of specific items.

H. Deaccession

Although a digital collection does not have the same space constraints of a physical collection, deaccession (i.e.–weeding, withdrawal, removal) is necessary to upgrade the collection in terms of usefulness and accuracy. Deaccession also allows for greater review of the collection, helping to determine gaps and deficiencies, assisting selectors in creating a collection that is more responsive to patron demand and need. MINDL also has the constraints of metered access by certain publishers, whereby their titles are restricted to a set number of checkouts or a specific time period, after which the item is automatically inaccessible from use unless another copy is purchased. The selectors will determine if the metered access titles merit repurchase. The single-license titles will be periodically reviewed for continued inclusion.

IV. Intellectual Freedom

Maine InfoNet (MIN) aims to provide collections with information spanning a broad spectrum of opinions, directing patrons to the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read statement. These principles guide the materials selection policies.

Selection decisions are based on the merit of works as they relate to the mission and goals of MIN and participating MINDL libraries. Works are selected to meet expressed and anticipated needs of the statewide community. These works are inclusive of statewide cultures and opinions, not just the opinions of a particular community. Variety and balance of opinion is sought in all collections.

MIN recognizes that some materials may be controversial or offensive to an individual, but maintains that individuals can apply their values to only themselves. MIN collections provide access to a well-balanced collection of topics, appropriate for different age levels and opinions to all members of the community. An opinion represented in the collection is an expression of the participating libraries’ commitment to intellectual freedom and not an endorsement of a point of view or opinion.

V. Request for Reconsideration Policy

A. The Initial Request

Individuals with borrowing privileges at participating libraries may communicate their concerns about materials in Maine InfoNet’s digital collections through the Request for Reconsideration form which is a part of this policy. Completed requests must be sent via email or mail to the Executive Director (ED) of Maine InfoNet, who will respond in writing within thirty calendar days from the date the completed form was received.

The ED will use the procedure listed below and will ground their decision in the principles and practices set forth in this policy. Requests for reconsideration of aggregated collections will be weighed in terms of the entire collection (i.e.–a whole collection will not be reconsidered solely on the basis of a single title in it).

B. Procedure for Responding to the Initial Request

The ED will first determine whether the Request for Reconsideration is in order. If a request is not in order, the ED will inform the requestor and explain why, so that the requestor may choose to resubmit or redirect their request. Examples of requests that are not in order:

Request is for a title that is not licensed by MIN (e.g.–a “Private Cloud” item licensed by a partner library)
Request is for a title in an aggregated collection, but the form does not reference the aggregated collection; the requestor deserves to know the scope of the collection since that is how their request will be considered
Request is made by an individual who does not have access to the item through MIN (e.g.–neither they nor their child has borrowing privileges at a participating library)

The ED will then inform the board that a reconsideration request has been received and will review the item with the selectors.

After review, the ED will issue a written decision to the requestor(s). This decision will also be made available to the board and the selectors.

C. Right of Appeal

The decision of the ED may be appealed to the Maine InfoNet board. An appeal is initiated by contacting the ED in writing and requesting an appeal. Appeals must be initiated within thirty calendar days from the date the ED’s written decision was sent to the requestor.

The Maine InfoNet board will review the original Request for Reconsideration and the written decision of the ED. The board’s internal conversations must occur in a face-to-face or teleconference meeting and may not be conducted over email. The board will vote in open session, simply stating one of the following: that the Executive Director’s decision is upheld in its entirety, that the decision is upheld only in part, or that the decision is overturned. The Chair of the Maine InfoNet board will communicate the board’s decision to the requestor and the ED in writing within sixty calendar days from the receipt of the written request for appeal.

The decision of the Maine InfoNet board is final.

D. Other Considerations

Once an individual has requested reconsideration of a title, the individual may never request reconsideration of that same title again. If the ED receives multiple reconsideration requests for the same title within a five-year period, the ED may adopt essentially the same written decision for each request, without repeatedly seeking advice from the selectors.

In extenuating circumstances, the ED may seek the consent of the Chair of the Maine InfoNet board to adopt a revised timeline for consideration of reconsideration requests. This adjusted timeline will be communicated to the requestor by the ED or board chair.