What is the purpose of a library's collection development policy?

A library's collection development policy serves as a crucial foundational document that outlines the rationale for acquiring and maintaining materials. This policy provides clear guidelines on what types of resources are deemed necessary to meet the information needs of the community it serves. It defines the criteria for selection, assessment, and discarding of materials, ensuring that the collection remains relevant and valuable. By articulating the library's goals and objectives related to its collection, the policy helps library staff make informed decisions about purchasing new items and weeding out outdated ones.

In addition to this, the collection development policy fosters consistency and transparency in the collection-building process. It communicates to stakeholders, such as patrons and funding bodies, how and why certain materials are added or removed from the collection. This is essential for maintaining trust and understanding between the library and its users.

The other options do not accurately capture the primary purpose of the collection development policy. While managing staff assignments, increasing circulation rates, and promoting digital resources may be relevant activities within a library's operations, they do not fundamentally represent the core objective of guiding the development and maintenance of the library's collection.