The Albany County Public Library Board of Directors (Directors) hereby gives notice of its intent to revise the Collection Development Policy (last amended January 2015) following a public hearing at the Director’s regular meeting on May 26, 2026, at 4:00 pm on Zoom: https://bit.ly/ACPLBoardMeeting.

The principal reason for the proposed revision of the Collection Development Policy is to update a policy that has not been reviewed since 2015.

Copies of the proposed revisions are available for public review at ACPL Laramie Main Library, 310 S. 8 th St, Laramie, WY 82070 and are included following this notice.
Interested persons may present their data, views, or arguments at the public hearing and in writing to the Directors at PublicComment@acplwy.org. All comments received prior to or at the public hearing will be part of the public record for the proposed rules and regulations.

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY

1. GENERAL. The Albany County Public Library (“ACPL”) makes materials that reflect the diversity of ideas, backgrounds, and experiences in our community publicly available. ACPL selects a wide variety of materials that satisfy the diverse interests of the community including religious, racial, cultural, and gender identities. The selection of library materials is predicated on the patron’s right to read, listen, or view, free from censorship by others. These needs will be met through printed, audiovisual, and electronic resources. ACPL supports and adheres to the "Freedom to Read Statement" and the "Library Bill of Rights". The ACPL Board of Directors (“Board”) has delegated to the Library Director and library staff the responsibility for selecting the particular materials available in the collection. 
2. SELECTION CRITERIA. Materials shall be selected in accordance with the following criteria:
   1. Selections are made based on reviews of materials, considering positive reviews, most popular, and trends in reading.
   2. Selections are made based on the materials’ literary value, authority, and permanent value to the collection.
   3. Selections are made based on the Albany County community’s interest in materials.
   4. Selections are made so the collection represents the diversity of the Albany County community.
   5. Selections are made so that, as far as possible, all sides of controversial subjects are presented. 
   6. Selections are based upon the constraints of the library’s budget and storage capacity. 
   7. The following materials are not generally selected:
      1. Inaccurate materials.
      2. Highly technical or scholarly works.
      3. Materials created using generative artificial intelligence. 
      4. Self-published materials. 

1. SELECTION REQUESTS. Library card holders may suggest that ACPL select certain materials by submitting the ‘Suggest a Purchase’ form available on the ACPL website. Suggestions will be reviewed by the Library Director’s designee, and decided upon in accordance with the selection criteria of this policy.
2. WITHDRAWING. ACPL’s entire collection is periodically examined to keep it current and in good repair. Materials are studied for their sustained value, and when found dated, no longer useful, available elsewhere in the community, or in poor condition, they are to be withdrawn. Materials that are damaged to such an extent they are no longer usable shall be discarded in a safe manner.
   1. ACPL adheres to a policy of Continuous Review, Evaluation and Weeding (CREW) and MUSTIE: 

1. As ACPL’s collection and materials are evaluated under CREW, materials shall be removed if the material meets any of the criteria under MUSTIE.
2. Withdrawn materials may be given to the Friends of the Library (“FOL”) to sell in the FOL Book Sale, offered to other governmental or community entities, or recycled.

1. COLLECTION MATERIALS COMPLAINTS AND CHALLENGES. Complaints about and challenges to the inclusion of materials in ACPL’s collection or the location of collection materials within a library may be made in accordance with the following procedures: 
   1. INFORMAL RESOLUTION PROCEDURE. A member of the Albany County community with a complaint about a collection material shall first request a meeting or conversation with the Library Director or the Library Director’s designee by speaking with or otherwise contacting library staff or the Library Director. The Library Director or designee shall provide the community member with a copy of this policy and discuss the complaint with the community member within seven (7) days of receipt of the request in order to understand the community member’s concerns. After discussing the complaint and unless informal resolution is reached, the Library Director or designee shall either withdraw the complained about material from the collection, relocate the complained about material to a different section of the library deemed appropriate by the Library Director or designee, or decline to take further action on the complained about material. The Library Director or designee shall verbally or by some other means notify the community member of the decision within seven (7) days of the discussion with the community member.  
   2. REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS PROCEDURE. If a community member wishes to formally challenge a collection material following the informal resolution procedure, the community member shall, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice of the Library Director or designee’s decision, submit a complete “Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials” form to the Library Director or designee. A request for reconsideration of library materials that is not in writing or does not contain the required information shall not be considered. Upon timely receipt of a complete Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials: 
      1. The Library Director shall immediately provide notice of the challenge and a copy of the Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials to the  Board. The challenged material shall remain in ACPL’s collection and/or location pending the outcome of the Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials procedure.
      2. The Library Director shall appoint an ad hoc review committee, consisting of three to five library staff members, who shall read and collectively evaluate the challenged material within thirty (30) days of receipt of the Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials. The committee’s evaluation of the challenged material shall consider published reviews of the material, the collection standards and criteria in this policy, and the information in the Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials. The committee shall provide a written report of its evaluation and decision on the challenged material to the community member and Library Director within forty-five (45) days of the Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials. The committee’s decision shall either withdraw the challenged material from the collection, relocate the challenged material to a different section of the library deemed appropriate by the committee, or decline to take further action on the challenged material.
   3. APPEAL TO BOARD PROCEDURE. The community member may seek the Board’s review of the committee’s decision by submitting a written appeal to the Library Director within thirty (30) days of the committee’s decision. The written appeal shall include the original Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials, rationale for overturning the committee’s decision, and any other pertinent information or argument the community member wishes the Board to consider. The Library Director shall immediately provide the appeal to the Board. Upon the Board receipt of the appeal:
      1. The Board shall schedule a public hearing to consider the appeal at its second regular meeting following receipt of the appeal. The Board shall invite public comment at the hearing and may establish a time and date before the hearing by which all written comments must be submitted. The Board shall read the material prior to the public hearing.
      2. At the public hearing, the Board shall receive all public comment from those present and all written comments received by the Board prior to the hearing. The Board may impose a time limit for individual commenters and guidelines for public participation. Copies of this policy, including copies of the “Freedom to Read Statement” and “Library Bill of Rights” will be made available to the public at the hearing.
      3. Following the public hearing and in the same meeting, the Board shall deliberate on the appeal. The Board shall consider the public comments received, reviews of the material, the collection standards and criteria in this policy, the committee’s report and decision, and the arguments and information in the written appeal. The Board shall issue its final, written decision on the appeal, including the reasons for the decision, within fourteen (14) days of the public hearing to the community member and the Library Director. The Board’s decision shall either vacate, modify, or affirm the decision of the committee.  The decision shall be posted in the library and on the library’s website.
      4. No other complaint on or challenge to the material can be initiated within 24 months of the Board’s decision. 

Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials

The Albany County Public Library Board of Directors has delegated the responsibility for selection and evaluation of materials to the Library Director and staff. Before considering a challenge to an item in the library’s collection, the staff seeks to understand the objection to the item and the patron’s concern. A person with a complaint about an item in the library shall first talk to the Library Director or designee. Completing this form is the next step in the reconsideration process. Please return the completed form to: 

Library Director

Albany County Public Library

310 S. 8th St.

Laramie, WY 82070

CONTACT INFORMATION (REQUIRED)

Name________________________________________________________________________

Date ____________________________________ Lib. Card #____________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________

City ______________________________________ State/Zip ____________________________

Phone ____________________________________ Email _______________________________

Do you represent self? ▢  Or an organization? ▢      Name of Organization: _________________

MATERIAL FOR CONSIDERATION

1. Resource on which you are commenting: 

▢ Book ▢ Newspaper/Magazine ▢ Movie/Video/DVD/Game 

▢ Audiobook/Play-away ▢ Music ▢ Other:______________________

Title ____________________________________________________________________

Author/Producer _________________________________________________________

1. How did this material come to your attention?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. Have you examined the entire resource? If not, what sections did you review?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. Please describe your concerns regarding this material. If the work purports to be a work of nonfiction, what inaccuracies did you observe?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. What specific pages, sections, tracks, etc. illustrate your concerns? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. In its place, what would you recommend we add to our collection that would convey as valuable a picture and perspective on the subject? Please list specific titles with authors of materials. (Note: Material must cover the same subject matter. Out-of-print publications will not be considered.)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. What action are you requesting the library consider?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You should have received a copy of the Collection Development Policy with this form. The ad hoc committee will respond to your concerns in writing within 30 business days from the date of the request. The policy describes additional steps in the process. Be sure you have a copy of your complaint.

Signature of Patron                                                                                                             Date

Signature of Staff Member Receiving Form                                                                    Date received