Service Alert
Should a member of the community wish to request that the library reconsider a book or other material in the collection, they may follow the procedure outlined below. The Library’s Collection Development Policy will be used by all involved to inform every stage of the review process. The materials in question will remain in the library collection during the review process.
The patron will be referred to the staff member responsible for the collection in question. If that staff member is not available, the patron may leave a message for the designated staff member to contact them.
If the patron is not satisfied with the response, the request will be forwarded to the library director, who will speak with the patron about their concerns.
If the patron is still not satisfied, they will be offered a Request for Reconsideration of Materials form. A separate form must be filled out for each item that the patron would like to request for reconsideration. Upon receipt of the form(s), the library director will respond in writing within 14 calendar days, with extensions provided for holiday closures, planned vacation, and medical leave. Longer periods may also be necessary in the case of multiple request forms being submitted within a short time period.
If the patron is not satisfied with the library director’s written response, they may submit an appeal to the Library Advisory Board. Per the bylaws of the Library Advisory Board as approved by the Board of County Commissioners, requests for items to be included on the agenda must be submitted in writing to the library director no later than 14 calendar days before the next regularly scheduled Library Advisory Board meeting in order for it to be placed on the agenda.
At the meeting where this item is on the agenda, the Library Advisory Board will make a formal response to the request(s) for reconsideration of material. Per the bylaws of the Library Advisory Board as approved by the Board of County Commissioners, the Library Advisory Board serves as the final authority in re-determination of the availability of library materials (i.e., requests to remove materials from the collection viewed as objectionable by an individual or group).
Adopted by the Pender County Library Advisory Board, date unknown.
Revised and adopted by the Pender County Library Advisory Board, June 20, 2022.
