Administrative Procedure – Selection of Library Learning Center Resources
Objectives
- The main objective of the selection procedure is to provide students with a wide range of educational resources on all levels of difficulty and in a variety of formats, with diversity of appeal, allowing for the presentation of many different points of view.
- The objective of the Library Learning Center is to make available to faculty and students a collection of materials that will enrich and support the curriculum and meet the needs of the students and faculty served.
Selection criteria
- Resources of educational significance that implement, enrich, and support the instructional program for the student
- Resources that stimulate growth in knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards
- Resources that are appropriate for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social development of the students
- Resources that offer a variety of formats to meet varying learning styles
- Resources that reflect the interests and needs of students and faculty served by the Library Learning Center
- Resources that have a high degree of potential user appeal
- Resources that have suitable physical format and appearance
- Resources that are produced by reputable authors, producers, and publishers
- Resources that merit inclusion in the collection because of their literary and/or artistic value and style
- Resources that present current information with the greatest degree of validity, accuracy, and clarity possible
- Resources that reflect timeliness or permanence
- Resources that are representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to our American heritage
- Resources that depict in an accurate and unbiased way the cultural diversity and pluralistic nature of American society
- Resources that provide background information to enable students to make intelligent judgments
- Resources that represent a fair and unbiased presentation of information and that respect the diversity of many differing points of view on controversial issues
- Resources selected will be in compliance with current copyright laws. See the policy on Copyright.
Responsibility for selection
Selection of Library Learning Center materials should be the responsibility of the Library Information Teacher, taking into consideration recommendations of administration, staff, students, and parents.
Procedure
Selection tools:
Standard selection tools and reviewing sources, as well as preview and examination, should be used to select materials with the overall collection in mine, in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of materials and provide a well-balanced collection.
The following recommended lists shall be consulted in the selection of materials, but selection is not limited to their listings:
Awards:
- Caldecott Medal/Honor
- Coretta Scott King Award
- Newbery Medal/Honor
- Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award
Catalogs:
- Wilson’s Children’s Catalog
- Wilson’s Junior High School Library Catalog
Lists:
- Notable/Best Books (ALA)
- Science Notable
- Social Studies Notable
Periodicals:
- Book Links (ALA)
- Booklist
- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
- Five Owls
- Horn Book
- Kirkus Review
- Library Talk
- Publishers Weekly
- School Library Journal
- Voice for Youth Advocates
Replacement of materials:
Only titles of proven merit and continued value should be replaced.
Reconsideration of resources:
In order that all complaints about existing resources may be treated in a consistent manner throughout the district, a standard policy and procedures on reconsideration will be followed. See the District 41 Reconsideration Policy and Procedures (Policy #6:260, #6:260AP)
Gifts:
Gift materials shall be judged by the selection criteria for educational resources and shall be accepted or rejected accordingly. The Gifts and Contributions Policy number 8:80 shall be followed.
Types of materials that may be included in Library Learning Center collections
- Books
- Periodicals
- Reference materials
- Almanacs
- Atlases
- Dictionaries
- Encyclopedias
- Audio visual materials
- Audiobooks
- Cassette tapes
- CD ROMs
- DVDs
- Films
- Globes
- Kits
- Models
- Pictures
- Realia
- Sound filmstrips
- Transparencies
- Videos
- Vertical files
Website selection:
When selecting websites for student use or to include as links on the District 41 website, staff members will use the district-approved website evaluation instrument, a copy of which is appended to and made part of this policy.
National policies
The School Board subscribes in principle to the statements of policy on library philosophy as expressed in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Media Program, (An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights,) copies of which are appended to and made part of this policy.
Reviewed: February 27, 2006
Adopted: May 15, 2006
Revisions Adopted: September 15, 2008
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