Life Cycle of a Book PDF Print
Written by ARSL Advocacy Committee   
Thursday, June 27, 2024 10:49 AM

New customizable resource for explaining the life cycle of a library book!

Help your community understand the process of collection development and review at your library – especially the many ways that decisions are made locally, by local staff, with your community in mind.

Use this Canva template to add details, your library logo and contact information – explaining how books are selected and purchased, how users access them, how they are weeded and what happens when someone makes a book challenge.

As you customize the document, think about the information and choice of language that will help build your community’s confidence in its library during an era of frequent book challenges. All text within the document can be edited to accurately reflect your library's organizational structure and processes.

This graphic may be especially helpful when speaking to concerned residents and local officials, as well as helping your board and staff understand their part in the process.

Please note: this template is NOT for use in Wisconsin – Wisconsin libraries should contact the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) for a similar flyer that is used statewide. ARSL thanks and acknowledges WLA for their gracious sharing of this document for local customization in other states.

Template Design (click for full resolution):

 The front page of the Life Cycle of a Library Book infographic. It features a stack of books that act as a metaphorical road map explaining the process by which a library book is acquired, evaluated, and if needed, discarded. It details both the library staff and library user perspectives on this process. There is a space in the bottom right corner for customization using a library's logo. The bottom of the document features attribution to the Association for Rural and Small Libraries.   The back page of the Life Cycle of a Book infographic, subtitled When There Is a Library User Concern. This document explains in more detail than the front page the general process that libraries take to add materials to their collections. It also explains the general process for addressing user concerns about library materials. There is space in the bottom right corner of the document for customization of the template with a library's logo and contact information. The bottom of the document features acknowledgement of the Association for Rural and Small Libraries.