Policy Number LE.11.1128 SCHOOL COUNCIL POLICY Pikeville Independent Schools Pikeville Junior High/High School Policy Type (Check One) Council Operations School Operations POLICY TOPIC DESCRIPTION COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY – LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER POLICY STATEMENT Mission Statement The Pikeville High School Library Media Center strives to provide access to information for the students, faculty, and staff of the school. The library media center will educate students on the proper use of library materials and will allow students access to these materials. The library media center of Pikeville School operates to support the overall school curriculum and to provide users with updated information needed to learn and function outside of the school. Purpose The purpose of the Collection Development Policy for the Pikeville High School Library Media Center is to establish criteria for selection of materials, provide guidelines for removal of items from the library collection, and reduce personal bias on the part of the library media specialist as the primary selector of library materials. The Collection The collection maintained in the Pikeville High School library media center is chosen primarily to peak student interest in reading for learning and leisure, and to support the curriculum of the school and the Kentucky Common Academic Standards. Guidelines for Selection of Materials The materials selected for the Pikeville High School library media center will be chosen based on the following criteria: • Materials which support the school curriculum • Materials which align with Kentucky Common Academic Standards. • Books for leisure based on student interests Additional questions which will be considered when choosing materials for the library media center include: • Are the materials age appropriate for the intended readers? • Are the materials going to become obsolete or out dated quickly? • Will the materials help expand a smaller area of the collection or are there sections of the collection that are already full? • Is the format appropriate for the library and its readers? • Are the materials accurate in content and appropriately formatted for the subject matter? • Will the materials be widely used? • Are the materials cost effective? Suggestions for material purchases may be made by faculty, staff, students, and parents. The certified library media specialist, using the collection development policy as a guide, however, makes the ultimate decision as to what materials are purchased for the library media center collection. Specific Criteria for Material Selection Books: • Reviews from reputable organizations will be considered. • Reviews from online sources such as Novelist will be considered. • The school library media specialist will view the books in person whenever possible. • The physical condition of the books should be of high quality and long lasting. Although paperbacks may be purchased if no other binding type is available. Periodicals: • Periodicals will be chosen that have a wide appeal among students. • Periodicals will be chosen for leisure reading and to support the curriculum. Graphic Novels: • These books will be selected to encourage reluctant readers. • Graphic novels that are selected should age appropriate. Audio Visual Materials (DVDs, CDs, Videos, etc): • These materials will be chosen to help support the overall school curriculum. • Materials which will not quickly become outdated will be chosen. • Professional reviews will be considered with the library media specialist viewing the materials in person when possible. Electronic Resources: • Subscription databases and software will be selected to help support the curriculum. • Electronic resources offering reference capabilities will be a priority in selection. • Electronic resources should help foster knowledge of and ability to use technology. • User friendly, age-appropriate resources will be selected. Reference Materials: • Reference materials should support the school curriculum. • Reference materials that will not become outdated quickly will be given top priority. • Reference materials that do not duplicate information available through the media center’s electronic resources are preferred. Miscellaneous Materials: • Miscellaneous materials such as book displays, games, etc may be purchased for library use. Though these items are not considered to be a part of the library collection, they will still be chosen with collection development criteria including: o Age-appropriateness o Support of curriculum o Ability to be widely used o Will not become outdated quickly Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources All uses of the electronic resources available in the Pikeville High School Library Media Center must abide by the guidelines set forth by the Pikeville Independent Schools Acceptable Use Policy. Evaluation and Weeding In order to keep the materials available in the Pikeville High School library media center relevant and in good useable condition, the overall collection will periodically be evaluated and appropriate materials will be “weeded,” or removed from the collection (at least once per school year). Library materials will be weeded when: • They are in poor physical condition • They have not been checked out of the library in the last ten years • They have become outdated, are no longer relevant, or contain inaccurate information • They have content which displays inappropriate stereotypes • They are not age appropriate for the intended readers • They have become outdated because of the graphic design or photography contained within the material • They are part of a large section of the library collection which is no longer highly popular • They are of poor quality When materials are weeded from the library collection they will be donated or discarded,. The final decision as to what library materials will be discarded is up to the discretion of the library media specialist. Reconsideration of Materials If a material is removed from the library at the suggestion of the library media specialist, and following the guidelines marked in the collection development policy, yet a student, parent, or staff member of Pikeville High School believes the material should remain in the library, a reconsideration of materials request form may be filled out. This request form will be reviewed by the library media specialist, as well as the school administration and applicable teachers (dependent upon the material subject matter) and a decision will be made as to the ultimate fate of the material. Challenged Materials While the collection development policy will be followed in order to select materials for the library media center, materials may still be found objectionable to some and therefore may be challenged. The Pikeville High School Library Media Center supports the first amendment right to free speech as well as the School Library Bill of Rights (see appendix) of the American Association of School Librarians. If library materials are challenged, adherence to these guidelines will be followed. If a library material is challenged, the following will take place: • The person challenging the material will be given a copy of the collection development policy for review. • The challenger may submit a reconsideration of materials request form. • The library media specialist, administration, SBDM members and relevant teachers will review the reconsideration of materials request. • The material will either be judged suitable and will continue circulating or will be pulled based on the committee’s decision. • If the material is deemed appropriate and the challenger still wishes to file an additional complaint, an appeal may be made to the school board for another review of the reconsideration of materials request. • The school board’s decision regarding the challenged material will be final. Gifts and Donations The Pikeville High School library media center gladly accepts gifts in the form of both monetary donations and gifted library materials. Material donations and gifts, however, will be evaluated under the same criteria as new materials purchased for the media center. If donated materials are not judged to be relevant according to the collection development policy, the donations will be respectfully declined, or used for other purposes rather than becoming a part of the circulation library collection. Donated materials are not completely “free.” Processing, evaluating, and shelving materials, whether purchased or donated, requires valuable time and resources from library staff. It is essential that all materials, gifted or purchased, fit the criteria laid out in the collection development policy. Reconsideration of Materials Request Form Pikeville High School Library Media Center Date: ___________________ Type of Material (check one): ______ Book _______ Periodical ______ Audio Visual _______ Electronic _______ Other Title of Material: _________________________________________________________ Author: __________________________ Publisher: _____________________________ Requester’s Name: ________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________ Phone Number(s): ________________________________________________________ Complaint represents (check one): _____ Self _____ Organization (specify) ___________________ Did you read or view the material in its entirety? ________ Yes _________ No What concerns do you have about this material (please be specific): _________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________