Mission

SEFLIN, the Southeast Florida Library Information Network, is a non-profit membership organization of Southeast Florida libraries dedicated to supporting cooperation between all library types in our service area. The SEFLIN region includes Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties with a service population of over six million. Founded in 1984, SEFLIN strives to pioneer innovative services that support library staff and library services. SEFLIN is one of five Multitype Library Cooperatives in Florida. The mission of SEFLIN is “Empowering Libraries to Transform Communities.”

Vision

SEFLIN will be a world-class collaborative guiding dynamic library cooperative to add value for Southeast Florida Libraries and their communities (statement approved 2012). 

Purpose of Policy

Because our libraries participate in resource sharing, a Collection Development Policy is necessary to inform what content is appropriate and desired and to standardize guidelines for all libraries participating in SEFLIN’s eContent Consortiums. The Collection Development Policy ensures that the SEFLIN shared collections will remain current, robust, and reflect the needs of SEFLIN region patrons. To achieve this, all consortium participants will order titles on a regular and consistent basis, whether by organization or by SEFLIN proxy, maintain the holds queues, and review titles that may be expiring. SEFLIN continually explores new resource sharing and consortia partnerships.

Collection Characteristics

SEFLIN is responsive to the diverse needs, interests, and values of our region’s six million service population and, in tandem, honors the commitments outlined in American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, The Freedom to View statement, diversity principles, Web Accessibility Guidelines, Code of Ethics, and SEFLIN’s Freedom to Read statement. Our shared collections are in electronic format, accessible via the internet.

According to www.census.gov, the Southeast Florida region includes patrons of diverse cultures, family structures, ages, social contexts, and economic statuses.  Our SEFLIN Member Library microcosm includes public, academic, and special libraries. Our Collection Development Policy addresses Member Libraries’ policies and our shared collection policies. There are two roles in this process: the Member Library role and SEFLIN’s role.

Funding Statement

This project was funded under provisions of the State of Florida Library Cooperative Grant program, administered by the Department of State’s Division of Library and Information Services. For FY2022-23, 91% of the total costs for the SEFLIN Library Cooperative Grant program 2022-23 ($400,000) is supported by State of Florida money. The total budget of the project is $440,478.

Member Libraries’ Policies

As a consortium representing public, academic, and special libraries, each of our Member Libraries has their own local collection development policies to address their communities’ needs. These collections represent the interests, values, and requirements of the organization.

Collection Development of Shared Content and Roles

Member Library Role

Our priorities are to develop and maintain eContent for a broad range of interests and opinions, with modern significance and timeless value, based on community need. In order to ensure that the Collection is maintained and kept current, Member Libraries may order new material in response to identified, expressed, or anticipated demand. Resources should reflect prominence, authority or competence of the creator, with attention to reviews and criticisms, and provide literary, cultural, educational, informational, and recreational utility. Member Libraries are encouraged to purchase content for traditionally underrepresented populations and allocate a portion of their funds to non-English resources. SEFLIN maintains that the opinions represented in the collections are not necessarily endorsed by SEFLIN, its employees, or its board but are an important expression of our commitment to intellectual freedom. Each Member Library will appoint at least one staff member to manage the ordering of new titles, maintain titles on hold, and review titles that will be expiring. Each Member Library will make a best faith effort to spend the entirety of their Content Budget each year, as applicable. Finally, to increase discoverability, and overall circulation, each Member Library will also upload MARC or MARC Express records into their catalog, or otherwise make the eContent discoverable from their catalog. Member Libraries may opt for the following:

• Request that SEFLIN or another library spend all or a percent of their content credits (or similar credit allocation program) at the beginning of the contract year. Each library will be responsible for their share of the overall financial commitment to Collection Development each contract year.
• Request SEFLIN’s assistance with purchasing, if unable to order new material on a regular or consistent basis, or unable to spend a minimum of 80% of their credit allocation or shared collection commitment amount by August 30^th.

SEFLIN Role

SEFLIN staff will support the Member Library to ensure the collection is current and robust. To achieve this, SEFLIN will manage the contracts with eContent vendors, assist in obtaining training and marketing materials, provide budget information, and assist with ordering as needed. If requested, the Member Library will authorize SEFLIN to order content on their behalf for the agreed upon amount.

Shared Collection Evaluation

Shared collections will be evaluated annually, by analyzing usage statistics. The following is criteria for withdrawal consideration:

• Items that did not circulate well (≤ 3 circs)
• Duplicate items that exceed 10 copies

Material Reconsideration

SEFLIN is a 501(c)(3) organization. Under Section 501(c)(3), an organization must not serve any private interests, including the interests of the creator, the creator’s family, shareholders of the organization, other designated individuals, or other persons controlled by private interests. Further, SEFLIN does not provide direct access to collections; collections may only be accessed via a participating member library. As such, SEFLIN does not accept material challenges from the public. Member library local policies govern collection development and material reconsideration at the local level regarding material purchased by library entities with public funds.

This policy will be reviewed every three years.

For further elucidation of our collection development values:

• SEFLIN Freedom to Read Statement
• Ranganathan’s Laws
• ALA Freedom to Read Statement
• FLA Statement on the Freedom to Read
• The Library Bill of Rights
• Core Values of Librarianship
• ALA Statement on Book Censorship