Mission Statement
It is the primary objective of Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library Youth Services Department to provide and organize materials for people from infancy through grade 12, making available carefully selected materials of purpose and quality that will meet the needs and interests of the users of the Medford community. Our Library’s mission is to be a center for innovation, opportunity, creativity and learning and the collection reflects these goals.
The purpose of this document is to establish the rules by which the Library develops its collections for young people.
Collection Access
Medford Public Library provides free access to information and resources through physical collections, digital collections, and interlibrary loan. The Medford Library does not restrict use or borrowing of any materials according to age. The borrowing and online privileges of patrons whose library cards have fines, fees, or outstanding materials over certain amounts will be restricted until materials are returned or fines are paid. Access to some digital resources is limited to Medford residents only. Use of materials within the library is unrestricted although patrons with charges on their cards may not be able to access public computers.
Collection Scope
Recognizing that library users use a variety of formats, the Library provides access to content through print, media, and technology. As of 2026, the primary collection formats are as follows:
- Print: Hardcover, trade paperback, large print, magazines and newspapers
- Non-print: DVDs, Audiobooks, Music CDs, and video games
- Digital: eBook/audiobook platforms, streaming services, educational, informational, and recreational databases and services
Due to budgetary and space limitations, the Library does not purchase items in all available formats. When several similar formats exist, such as DVDs and Blu-Ray discs, or audiobooks on CD, MP-3, and Playaway, the Library will choose the most popular format. Interlibrary loan is available for those patrons who prefer formats that the Library does not carry. When new formats are introduced, the Library will create a collection if there is sufficient demand and funding.
The Youth Services collection offers developmentally appropriate materials that meet the informational and recreational needs of youth from birth through grade 12. The Children’s Section collects materials for people from infancy to grade 5. The Teen Section collects materials for people from grade 6 through grade 12. In addition, the Children’s Section collects materials on child-reading and development for caregivers and teachers.
Some materials in the Youth Services collection might not be considered appropriate by all adults for all youth. While some books are too mature for one young person, other youth may be ready for them. Only an individual youth and their caregivers can decide what material is suitable for that young person to read.
Collection Procedure
All materials are selected by professional staff using a variety of selection tools. Reviews are a major source of information about new materials. During selection, the library staff use such library and publishing industry publications as Hornbook, School Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist. Librarians also consult publishers’ catalogs, genre selection lists, bestseller lists, major book awards, lists of upcoming releases, and independent book review websites and blogs.
Criteria for Selection
Selection decisions are made by professional librarians and overseen by the Youth Services Manager, Assistant Director, and Director, as applicable. Youth Services Librarians use their knowledge and expertise of Children’s and Young Adult literature and resources in addition to the criteria listed below to evaluate and select materials for the collection. The main points considered in the selection of materials are:
- popular appeal and public demand
- subject or genre
- format
- quality of reviews
- local interest and relevance
- existing library and network holdings
- accuracy, timeliness, format durability and ease of use
- cultural significance and critical acclaim
- authority and reputation of author, illustrator, or publisher
- diversity of viewpoint
- price and availability
The Library does not purchase textbooks to support educational curricula. However, in rare circumstances, textbooks may be added to the collection if they provide the best or only source of information on a subject, or to complement an existing area with another perspective.
Periodicals are added to the collection on the basis of relevance and community interest.
Technology is selected with regard to usefulness, interest, and the broadness of its implications and importance.
All criteria need not be met for purchase consideration.
Fiction
The fiction collection contains titles meeting the recreational and educational needs of youth in grades K-12. The fiction collection includes a variety of novels that fit into the following genres: adventure, action, realistic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, romance, historical fiction, and more.
Duplicate copies are purchased when demand is high either by popularity, or its inclusion in the public school curriculum (for example: summer reading lists).
Nonfiction
The nonfiction collection seeks to find a balance between the educational requirements and recreational interests of Medford youth in grades K-12. Nonfiction titles will be added to the collection if they support the needs of the curricula and current trends in informational and recreational needs of the Medford community.
Particular attention is given to the following criteria: source citations within the material, topic, ease of readability, credibility of author and/or publisher, average shelf-life of material, support for curriculum, and Medford community demand.
Graphic Novels
Graphic novels, manga, and comic books are selected based upon popularity and age-appropriateness of the text and illustrations. The collection includes titles for older teens, including texts that are rated T and T+. The collection also includes nonfiction and classics in graphic novel format. Selections are based upon professional reviews, customer requests, and the popularity of styles, characters, and series.
World Languages Collection
In an attempt to meet the needs of Medford’s diverse multilingual population, the Library strives to maintain a collection of non-English language books and primers for youth. Selection of these items is based on availability, popular demand, and price. Requests for additional books or languages and donations of books are welcome.
Youth Media Award Winning Titles
The Youth Media Awards, as presented annually by the American Library Association, celebrate titles selected by a panel of librarians as ‘best books’ for the year. The Library maintains a historic collection of the following Youth Media Awards:
- American Indian Youth Literature Awards
- Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
- Coretta Scott King Book Awards
- Newbery Medal
- Pura Belpré Book Award
- Randolph Caldecott Medal
- Schneider Family Book Awards
- Stonewall Book Award
- Sydney Taylor Book Awards
These collections represent a snapshot of a particular time and the preferences of a particular selection committee and, as such, what is deemed age-appropriate content and language may shift. The purpose of this collection is to maintain a historical record of these texts. Newer award winners that are particularly popular might reside in both the general collection and in the special collection. The library will endeavor to maintain the entire corpus of these awards.
Audiobooks
The nonfiction collection seeks to find a balance between the educational requirements and recreational interests of Medford youth in grade K-6. Nonfiction titles will be added to the collection if they support the needs of the curricula and current trends in informational and recreational needs of the Medford community.
Particular attention is given to the following criteria: source citations within the material, topic, ease of readability, credibility of author and/or publisher, average shelf-life of material, support for curriculum, and Medford community demand.
Graphic Novels
When available, audiobooks that meet the selection criteria for fiction and nonfiction materials are purchased in a variety of formats to meet the listening needs of the community.
Magazines
Basic popular and general informational magazines of interest to children are selected to supplement the book collection and meet the recreational reading needs of youth. Back issues of most periodicals are kept for one year before being discarded; back issues of periodicals published weekly are kept for six months before being discarded.
Video Games
Popular video games of interest to teens are selected to meet the recreational needs of the teen community. Games selected are for the PlayStation 4, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch consoles. The collection includes titles for older teens, including games that are rated T.
Collection Evaluation and Deselection
The acquisition of materials does not commit us to keep them in perpetuity. The periodic withdrawal of materials allows us to add new items to the collection. These decisions are made using established procedures based on the type of the collection, and utilizes statistics on library usage which informs the decision-making process, allowing staff to remove outdated, inaccurate, unused, and low circulating items, or where duplication exists. We also withdraw items in poor condition. When items are withdrawn for reason of condition, loss, or damage they will be considered for replacement if they are still current and in demand. Items removed from the collection are disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.
Intellectual Freedom Section & Requests for Reconsideration
The Medford Public Library defends and protects freedom of information rights of our users. The Library upholds the following documents from the American Library Association: Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read, and Freedom to View statements. Individuals should form their own opinions about the resources they choose to read, view, listen to, or otherwise access, and the Library supports this by providing unrestricted access to materials. As minors under the age of ten cannot be in the Library without an adult or guardian, responsibility for their materials selection rests with their adults.
The Library believes in providing access to the widest possible range of materials, which in some cases may include unpopular points of view. While individuals are free to personally reject materials of which they do not approve, individuals or groups may not restrict or exercise censorship over anyone’s freedom to read, learn, or inquire.
Our holdings may contain historical materials that reflect the attitudes, norms, and ideas of the era and culture in which they were created or collected. As such, some materials and item descriptions contain imagery, language, or opinions that may be offensive or harmful to marginalized communities. We continue to make these materials available because access to primary source materials is uniquely valuable to the community at large.
Any patron may question the inclusion of materials in our collection. Those individuals may ask for a “Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials” form from a staff member. All forms must be signed, as anonymous complaints will not be considered. The item will be reviewed by a staff committee that will take into consideration professional reviews and our criteria for selection. The committee will submit its recommendation to the Library Director. It is the responsibility of the Library Director to determine the Library’s official response. No titles will be removed from the library collection while they are reviewed. We reserve the right to limit the number of times an individual can request reconsideration of titles within a time frame of 1 full year; individual titles that have already faced a request in that time frame will not be reconsidered.
Last updated 7/17/26; approved by Library Board of Trustees 7/17/26