Internet Resources for Librarians

You can find more sample policies at: http://www.cmrls.org/policies/index.html


Policy Archives that Include a Variety of Sample Policies


Sample Ohio State Library Policy Statements  The Ohio Policy Pages have been established to assist Ohio libraries in the development of effective policies and practices. Materials contained on this site represent a sample of policies from small, medium and large libraries in Ohio on a wide variety of topics including everything from acceptable use for the Internet to unattended children in the library.

University of Delaware's Collection of Policies  Take a look at some policies from an academic institution.  Includes their mission and vision statement, as well as policies about food and beverages and smoking in the library.

Computers and Academic (CAF) Freedom Library Policy Statement Archive  A good collection of policies relating to academic freedom.  Collected from many library and computer agencies, the collection includes everything from ALA's bill of rights to policies on electronic rights and ethics.

ALA Policies


ALA's Clearinghouse of Disaster Policies   This site is a selective resource, developed by the
Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, a division of ALA, for libraries of
all sizes and types. It contains resources and links to the disaster preparedness sites of agencies whose primary role is emergency response or conservation, as well as information on available training.

ALA Collected Collection Policies for Electronic Formats  The Reference and User Services Association
Collection Development & Evaluation Section (CODES) has collected and analyzed collection policy statements for electronic formats for the last four years.  The complete archive of policy statements assembled by the Committee have been deposited in the ALA Library in Chicago where they are now available on interlibrary loan. Requestors should ask for "Collection Development Policies for Electronic Formats".

ALA Policy Manual    The ALA Policy Manual includes brief statements of policies
adopted by the ALA Council.  The full text of pertinent position statements, policies, and
procedures is retained in the "Current Reference File" at ALA.  The ALA Policy Manual is divided into two sections: Organization and Operational Policies, and Positions and Public Policy Statements.

Other ALA Policies on Freedom to Read, Confidentiality, Access, Library Behavior 
Sample policies from ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom.  This group is charged with implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Association's basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials.

ALA's Guidelines for Developing an Internet Use Policy for Public Libraries Consistent with policies which collectively embody the library profession's understanding of First Amendment constraints on library Internet use, the Intellectual Freedom Committee offers guidelines to public libraries.  The Committee suggests adopting a comprehensive written Internet use policy.  This site offers guidelines for writing one, as well as offering a wealth of information about answering objections about Internet use. 

Collection Development


ALA Collected Collection Policies for Electronic Formats  The Reference and User Services Association
Collection Development & Evaluation Section (CODES) has collected and analyzed collection policy statements for electronic formats for the last four years.  The complete archive of policy statements assembled by the Committee have been deposited in the ALA Library in Chicago where they are now available on interlibrary loan. Requestors should ask for "Collection Development Policies for Electronic Formats".

Confidentiality

Sample Massachusetts Policies:

Disaster Planning


ALA's Clearinghouse of Disaster Policies   This site is a selective resource, developed by the
Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, a division of ALA, for libraries of
all sizes and types. It contains resources and links to the disaster preparedness sites of agencies whose primary role is emergency response or conservation, as well as information on available training.

Electronic Reserves Policies

Indiana University's Policies on Electronic Reserves  Specific policies concerning the types of materials that may be submitted for electronic reserves are discussed, as well as copyright arrangements, and details about processing time for electronic reserves.   Also available at the site are examples of forms for submitting material for electronic reserves and an e-reserves copyright form. 

Northwestern University's Policies on Electronic Reserves and Copyright  Very useful site for understanding copyright provisions involved in electronic reserves.  There is also a sample letter that is used to ask permission for electronic copyright from publishers. 

Electronic Resources

Internet Policies

ALA's Guidelines for Developing an Internet Use Policy for Public Libraries  Consistent with policies which collectively embody the library profession's understanding of First Amendment constraints on library Internet use, the Intellectual Freedom Committee offers guidelines to public libraries.  The Committee suggests adopting a comprehensive written Internet use policy.  This site offers guidelines for writing one, as well as offering a wealth of information about answering objections about Internet use. 

Internet Policies from a Presentation at ALA by Gail Junion-Metz in June '98  A great site to begin researching an Internet use policy.  Junion-Metz includes information on types of policies as well as implications related to services, training and assistance, filtering, liability and enforcement.  There is even a role-play exercise for library staff in regard to Internet use.

Mission Statements

BUBL Collection of Library Mission Statements  Includes mission statements from a wide variety of libraries, including public, special and academic institutions.

Personnel Policies

Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) Site for Personnel Policies on the Web  SHRM is providing links to a sampling of these handbooks as a public service.   Many of the handbooks
referenced here come from academic employers. There are links to handbooks and policies on at-will employment, e-mail in the workplace, sexual harassment, benefits, eeo/affirmative action and many more topics.

Strategic Planning

Society for College and University (SCUP)Planning Page on Strategic Plans  A growing collection of strategic plans from academic institutions.  There are some forty institutions listed here alphabetically.

St Charles City-County Library System's Strategic Planning Process  Uses the format from the publication, "Planning for Results-A Strategic Planning Process".   Includes information gathered in the following areas:demographic trends, telecommunications and technology, transportation, education, economic development, as well as scanning the community. 

Technology Plans

Maricopa (AZ) Community College Collection of Plans  The site, known as "Technoplanning", includes a collection of resources related to the issues of technology planning for educational institutions.  There are guides for creating technology plans, examples of many plans as well as pointers to information about technology classrooms and assessments/evaluation of technology at institutions, and much more.

Publib Listserv's Collection of Technology Plans  The Public RefDesk, maintained by the Berkeley Digital Library, includes up-to-date resources on the technology planning process.  You will find guides for writing a technology plan, as well as links to sample technology plans from around the country.

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