Local and Independent Authors Policy - Approved 10-25

As part of our commitment to supporting local creativity and providing access to diverse voices, Middletown Public Library welcomes the opportunity to include works by local and independent authors in our collection and/or make them available for public browsing in designated areas.

Submission Guidelines
Authors who reside in Rhode Island or whose work is of particular local interest may submit their materials for consideration. All submissions must include:

• A copy of the work (print only, not accepting digital or audio works at this time)
• A completed submission form (available upon request or on our website)
• Author contact information
  
  Important Notes:

1. Content Responsibility
   The inclusion of self-published or local materials in the library does not constitute an endorsement of the content. The library is not responsible for the views, opinions, or information presented in these materials.
    
2. Review Status
   Due to limited resources, materials submitted by local authors may not undergo the same review and selection process as items added through our standard collection development procedures.
    
3. Collection Development Policy
   Materials submitted under this policy are not considered part of the library’s permanent collection and may not be subject to the same retention, cataloging, or weeding policies. The library reserves the right to remove materials at any time and without notice.
    
4. Placement and Availability
   Approved materials may be placed in a designated “Local Authors” section, or otherwise made available at the discretion of library staff. The library does not guarantee placement in the main collection, inclusion in the catalog, or ongoing availability.
    
5. Donations Only
   The library does not purchase self-published or local author materials unless they have been professionally reviewed and selected according to the Collection Development Policy. All submissions are considered donations and become the property of the library, and will not be returned.
    
6. Items Not Accepted
   Items with loose pages, stapled or clipped pages, ring or fastener-type bindings will not be accepted - the binding should be strong enough to withstand multiple checkouts. We also will not accept self published family histories, text books, cassettes, ebooks, CDs, DVDs, or works with CDs or DVDs.

Approved by the Middletown Board of Library Trustees on October 21, 2025