Carthage R-9 | R 6310 School Libraries

District library guidelines are based on the American Library Association Library Bill of Rights. School District media personnel are concerned with generating understanding of American freedoms through the development of informed and responsible citizens. To this end the American Association of School Librarians asserts that the responsibility of the school library media center is:

To provide a comprehensive collection of instructional materials selected in compliance with basic written selection principles, and to provide maximum accessibility to these materials.
To provide materials that will support the curriculum, taking into consideration the individual's needs, and the varied interests, abilities, socio-economic backgrounds, and maturity levels of the students served.
To provide materials for teachers and students that will encourage growth in knowledge, and that will develop literary, cultural and aesthetic appreciation, and ethical standards.
To provide materials which reflect the ideals and beliefs of religious, social, political, historical, and ethnic groups and their contribution to American and world heritage and culture, thereby enabling students to develop an intellectual integrity in forming judgments.
To provide a written statement, approved by the local Board of Education, of the procedures for meeting the challenge of censorship of materials in school library media centers.
To provide qualified professional personnel to serve teachers and students.

Selection Procedures

Curriculum needs are considered first and foremost in selection of library materials and equipment. The librarian must have a thorough knowledge of the curriculum, the strengths and weaknesses of the current collection, and an understanding of the students' abilities and skills. The librarian can then effectively select materials which will not only meet the instructional objectives, but will be educationally enriching to the student and fully utilized by the teacher.

Knowledge of student interests and capabilities will enable the librarian to select educational and enjoyable materials acceptable to the student for recreational reading. Faculty and students are encouraged to suggest materials to be considered for purchase. The final decision is left to the librarian (based on the criteria listed below) and with the principal approving the requisition. Materials will be examined upon delivery and will be kept if they fill the need for which they were intended.

Selection Criteria to Consider

Importance and Need of Subject Matter
Intended Age Level and Comprehensibility
Potential User Appeal
Quality and Durability
Authoritativeness
Price

Weeding Procedures

Removing materials from the library that are no longer useful is important in maintaining a collection which is timely, reliable, and inviting. The librarian will examine materials while doing the end of year inventory and during routine day-to-day circulation of materials. Anything meeting the criteria for weeding will be withdrawn from library records and discarded. If it is an item for which there is still a need, a replacement will be purchased; if a purchase is not possible at that time, it shall be added to the Teacher/Student Request List for future consideration.

Criteria for Materials to be Weeded

Items which are soiled, damaged, or torn beyond repair.
Items which are so outdated that they are useless.
Items found to contain unreliable information or information which is no longer true.

Objectionable Materials

Students or parents/guardians who find materials in the library objectionable in any manner may make a formal complaint by obtaining from the building principal's office Form 6241 - Request for Reconsideration of Materials. (See also Policy and Regulation 6241 - Challenged Materials.)

This written complaint will be considered by the review committee in weighing the educational value of that particular book challenged material against the segment found objectionable to the complainant. Contingent with the final decision, the material will be retained for continued use or removed from use.