Neighbor-to-Neighbor Guides

Program Policy

1. Mission Statement: As the information center of the community, the Brownwood Public Library will be accessible and active in reaching out to people of all ages and backgrounds.  The Library will enable the public to be informed, educated, entertained, and culturally enriched, bridging the past to the future and act as a central community resource for all.  The Library will offer a diverse collection of print and electronic resources to fulfill this mission through this strategic plan. It will emphasize excellent customer service in a welcoming environment throughout the Library system.
   
2. Philosophy and Scope of the Collection: The Brownwood Library collects materials, in a variety of popular formats, which support its function as the major information source for the Brown County community. The Library upholds the right of the individual to read and borrow library materials, even those that may be controversial or unorthodox. Within a limited budget, the library seeks to stock materials that represent both the popular reading interests of the community as well materials that reflect the diverse citizens of Brown County, providing the resources for citizens to make the informed choices necessary in a democracy.
3. Purpose of Neighbor-to-Neighbor Guides: Members of the Brownwood Library often look for certain types of media or seek to avoid media with certain sensitive or triggering topics. Patrons have several options to learn more about the media they are considering reading, listening to or watching, such as by reading book reviews online. In order to facilitate another resource for patrons in finding these resources, the Brownwood Library provides a method for Brownwood Library patrons to provide recommendation and feedback to fellow patrons.
4. Limitations of Neighbor-to-Neighbor Guides:
   1. The Brownwood Library does not have the resources or wisdom to identify each item in the collection to reflect the varied reading interests and disinterests. Therefore, only media that patrons identify according to this policy will receive a bookplate.
   2. The library cannot keep a databases of recommended titles. Recommendations will only be taken for titles currently in the collection. New editions or formats of the same title may require an additional submission.
5. Requirements and Restrictions for Adding New Neighbor-to-Neighbor Guide: A patron who wishes to contribute a recommendation on a book must:
   1. Be a resident of Brown County
   2. Have an active, unexpired library account with Brownwood Library
   3. Not submit more than 10 Neighbor-to-Neighbor Guides per calendar year
   4. Have reviewed enough of the selected material to cite supporting passages
   5. Completely fill out and submit electronic or paper form