Trustees approve revised collection development policy to meet California Freedom to Read requirements

The Carlsbad Library Board of Trustees voted to approve revisions to the library's collection development policy at its July 23 meeting to comply with new state requirements and to clarify selection practices.

Senior librarian Jackie Petri told trustees the revised policy incorporates four specific statements required by state legislation she identified as "Assembly Bill 1825," also described in the staff report as the California Freedom to Read Act. Petri said the bill "codifies some key prohibitions and protections that apply to state and school libraries" and "newly requires each library to have a collection development policy that contains four specific statements ... and post it publicly by 01/01/2026." Petri read the four sentences into the record from the revision, including: "The collection meets the broad and diverse interests of the community and respects both the library's autonomy and specific community needs," and "Library materials should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people and should present diverse points of view in the collection as a whole."

Petri said the revision was shared with the State Library as a preliminary draft and was cleared to proceed. Aside from the required language, staff made non-substantive edits to remove redundant wording, removed a demographic background section, added selection guidance for electronic resources related to vendor licensing, and included brief guidance asking staff to follow professional best practices for content created by or with generative artificial intelligence.

Trustees moved and seconded a motion to approve the updated policy; the clerk called the roll and the board approved the revision. The updated policy includes the four statutory sentences and attaches the text of AB 1825 as an appendix. Petri recommended the board file the policy with the State Library and make it publicly available as required.