Completed-Library-Policy.Pdf
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Library Media Mission Statement The mission of the school library program is to ensure that students and staff are effective and efficient users and creators of ideas and information. • By providing services, information and technology to support the academic, artistic and recreational needs of the staff, students and learning community • By promoting literature appreciation and information literacy • By providing a stimulating environment, which encourages a love of reading and learning Goals and Objectives To provide intellectual access to information through learning activities that are integrated into the curriculum and that help all students achieve information literacy by developing effective cognitive strategies for selecting, retrieving, analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing, creating, and communicating information in all formats and in all content areas of the curriculum. To provide physical access to information through a. A carefully selected and systematically organized local collection of diverse learning resources that represent a wide range of subjects, levels of difficulty, and formats; b. A systematic procedure for acquiring information and materials from outside the library media center and the school through such mechanisms as electronic networks, interlibrary loan, and cooperative agreements with other information agencies; and instruction in using a range of equipment for accessing local and remote information in any format. To provide learning experiences that encourage students and others to become discriminating consumers and skilled creators of information through comprehensive instruction related to the full range of communications media and technology. To provide leadership, collaboration, and assistance to teachers and others in applying principles of instructional design to the use of instructional and information technology for learning. To provide resources and activities that contribute to lifelong learning while accommodating a wide range of differences in teaching and learning styles, methods, interests, and capacities. To provide a program that functions as the information center of the school, both through offering a locus for integrated and interdisciplinary learning activities within the school and through offering access to a full range of information for learning beyond this locus. To provide resources and activities for learning that represent a diversity of experiences, opinions, and social and cultural perspectives and to support the concept that intellectual freedom and access to information are prerequisite to the effective and responsible citizenship in a democracy. To foster enjoyment of reading through promoting reading and providing reading advisory. Selection Policy Responsibility for Selection While the legal responsibility for the purchase of all instructional materials is vested in the Belleville District 201 School Board, the responsibility for the selection of library materials is delegated to the certified library media specialists of the district. Philosophy of Selection This selection policy reflects the mission and goals of the District 201’s libraries and supports the principles of intellectual freedom described in Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs, the Library Bill of Rights (ALA), Students' Right to Read (NCTE), and other position statements on intellectual freedom from the American Library Association and the American Association of School Librarians. (See appendix.) Objectives of Selection To assure that the school media program is considered to be an integral part of the educational program of the school, the following selection objectives are adopted: • To provide materials that enrich and support the curriculum and personal needs of the users, considering their varied interests, abilities and learning styles • To provide materials that stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values and ethical standards in the pluralistic society • To provide a background of information which enables students to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives • To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that users may develop the practice of critical analysis • To provide materials which realistically represent our pluralistic society and reflect the contributions made by all groups and individuals to our American heritage • To put principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in selection of materials of the highest quality to assure a comprehensive library media collection for all users Criteria for Selection The following criteria for selection address the educational goals of the school district, individual student learning modes, teaching styles, curricular needs, faculty and student needs, existing materials and networking arrangements: • Relevance to today’s world; reflecting problems, aspirations, attitudes and ideals of society • Educational significance • Need of and value to the collection • Contribution of the subject matter to the curriculum and to the interests of the students • Overall quality as evidenced through favorable reviews found in the standard selection sources • General quality as based on preview and examination of materials by professional personnel • Reputation and significance of the author, producer, and publisher • Validity, currency, and appropriateness of material • Contribution the material makes to breadth of representative viewpoints on controversial issues • Appeal of the material to the library’s users • Artistic quality and/or literary style • Quality and variety of format • Value commensurate with cost and/or need • Timeliness or permanence • Integrity • Stimulus to creativity Procedures for Selection In selecting materials for the school media programs, the certified library media specialists will: • Evaluate the existing collection • Assess curricular needs • Examine materials • Consult reputable, professionally prepared selection aids, such as reviews and recommended lists • Solicit and consider recommendations for acquisitions from faculty and students • Judge gift materials by the criteria listed in the preceding section and accept or reject the materials based on the basis of those criteria. Library Reconsideration Policy Occasionally objections to the library’s instructional materials will be made, in spite of the quality of the selection process. The School Board supports the principles of intellectual freedom inherent in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States and expressed in the Library Bill of Rights of the American Association of School Librarians, and the Students’ Right to Read of the National Council of Teachers of English. If a complaint is made the following procedures should be followed: 1) The complainant should contact a library/media specialist and verbally state his/ her complaint. 2) The library media specialist will review the complaint and respond verbally to the complainant within 7 work days. 3) If the complainant is not satisfied with the library/media specialist’s response, the library media specialist will request the complainant to submit a formal “Request for Reconsideration of Material.” 4) Upon receipt of the completed form, the library media specialist will notify the principal and forward to him/her a copy of the request. The principal will request a review of the challenged material by an ad hoc materials review committee within fifteen (15) working days, and will notify the district superintendent that such review is being done. The review committee will be appointed by the principal, and shall include library media specialists, teachers, one or more parents, and one or more students. 5) The challenged material will remain on the shelves during the reconsideration process. 6) The review committee shall take the following steps: a. Examine the challenged resource b. Determine professional acceptance by reading critical reviews of the resource c. Weigh values and faults and form opinions based on the material as a whole rather than on passages or sections taken out of context d. Discuss the challenged resource in the context of the educational program e. Discuss the challenged item with the complainant when appropriate f. Prepare a written report 7) The principal will inform the complainant and notify the superintendent about the review committee’s recommendation 8) A written appeal may be made to the superintendent concerning the review committee’s recommendation. 9) A written appeal may be made to the School Board concerning the superintendent’s decision. 10) The library will retain or withdraw challenged materials as mandated by the decision of the School Board. (The above material was adapted from the Yellow Pages for School Library Media Specialists, pp. 3, 6-3, 8) Library Request for Reconsideration of Material Hardcover______________Paperback_________________Other___________________ Author_______________________________________ Title___________________________________________________________________ Publisher (If known)______________________________________________________ Request initiated by_______________________________________________________ Telephone______________________________Address__________________________ City____________________________________Zip_____________________________ Complainant represents: _____Himself / Herself _____Son/Daughter _____(Name of Organization)_______________________________________________ _____(Identify other Group)________________________________________________