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This selection policy is provided by Becky Nelson of Hearn Elementary School in Frankfort, KY.

HEARN ELEMENTARY

LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER SELECTION POLICY 

March 2002

The objective of the Hearn Library Media Center is to instill in students a life-long love of reading and to provide the knowledge, tools, and technology to research for personal interests and educational needs encouraging students to make research and reading a life-long skill.

The library media specialist has primary responsibility for selecting materials with input from administration, staff, and students. The Hearn Site-based Council has ultimate authority over expenditures of all school funds and may review orders for materials at any time.

Orders for materials will be placed as early in the school year as possible to allow students maximum use of current year funds. 

The library media specialists' primary objective in developing a selection policy is to assist in the implementation, enrichment, and support of the educational program of the school system by selecting and providing:

· Educational materials that reflect today's society 

· Educational materials in all formats (printed, nonprint, electronic) on all levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal, which reflect a variety of viewpoints 

· Educational materials that satisfy the curricular needs as well as the individual recreational and research needs of the student, faculty and staff 

GENERAL SELECTION CRITERIA

Media Center materials support the educational goals of the school district and the objectives of the board-approved curricular offerings.

Media Center materials are selected for a reason and purpose. The materials are evaluated as to their aesthetic, literary and social value, appropriateness to student age and emotional maturity and relevance to the curriculum.

Media Center materials reflect sensitivity to the achievements, needs, and rights of men and women, various ethnic groups, and other cultures.

The selection of media center materials about political theories and ideologies, religion, public issues and controversial topics is directed toward maintaining a balance representing various opinions.

Media center materials are judged as a whole, considering the author's/producer's intent rather than focusing solely upon individual works, phrases, pictures or incidents taken out of context. 

SPECIFIC SELECTION CRITERIA:

Materials are further selected with an eye toward:

AUTHORITY - refers to the qualifications and credibility of the persons accountable for the creation of the material.

SCOPE - refers to the overall purpose and coverage of the material.

FORMAT & TECHNICAL QUALITY - refers to the physical character and creation standards evident in the work.

AUTHENTICITY - refers to the validity, reliability and completeness of the material as well as the degree of bias or objectivity presented; accuracy and timeliness are important considerations here, also.

TREATMENT & ARRANGEMENT - refers to the clarity, logical development and flow of the content.

AESTHETICS - refers to the material's appeal to the imagination, senses, and intellect so that the user's discernment and sense of artistic appreciation will be developed .

PRICE - refers to the value of the contemplated selections relative to existing budget limitations and other priorities.

SUITABILITY - refers to the appropriateness of the material to the prevailing maturity level of the students who will be utilizing the resource and its application to the school district's educational objectives and curriculum.

SPECIAL FEATURES - refers to any distinctive or unique characteristics of one material that may be absent from others on the same subject.

PROCEDURES FOR SELECTION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS 

Library Media Specialists will consult respected review sources as guides such as:

Booklist, School Library Journal, Library Talk

as well as professional development presentations, bibliographies from curricular texts and professional education journals. Recommendations from staff, parents, and students will be purchased if at all possible if appropriate. All Caldecott and Newbery Medal books will be purchased. 

All gifts are appreciated and will be accepted if they meet selection policy standards. Otherwise they will be disposed of appropriately. 

Worn or missing items are replaced periodically.

Materials that are out of date or no longer used are to be withdrawn from the collection.

Review of Instructional Materials

Any resident, employee of the Franklin County school district, or parent/guardian of an enrolled child may formally or informally challenge instructional materials used in the school's educational program on the basis of appropriateness.

 PROCEDURE

A. Informal Reconsideration

  • The school library media specialist shall explain to the complainant the school's selection procedure, criteria, and qualifications of those persons selecting the material(s). 

  • The school library media specialist or the classroom teacher shall explain the particular place the questioned material occupies in the educational program, its intended educational usefulness, and additional information regarding its use.

B. Formal Reconsideration

  • If the complainant wishes to file a formal challenge, the complainant must personally obtain a copy of the school's "Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials" which is kept on hand in the school library media center.

  • The form shall be fully completed, signed, and dated by the complainant and f iled with the principal with a copy to the library media specialist.

  • The material in question will not be pulled from the instructional program during the reconsideration time . 

C. Guidelines for the Reconsideration Committee

  • The library media specialist will alert the principal when a written complaint is submitted. A District Reconsideration Committee, appointed by the Elementary Supervisor, will include a school library media specialist, two classroom teachers, a parent, a district-level administrator, and a student (with signed parental permission). These participants will be neutral parties i.e. not from the school where the challenged material is in question.

  • At the first organized meeting, the committee members will receive a copy of the challenged material.

  • Within thirty working days of the initial meeting, the District Reconsideration Committee will convene and prepare a written recommendation to the Elementary Supervisor for the disposition of the complaint.

  • The Elementary Supervisor will notify the site-based school council, in writing, of the committee's decision with a copy to the media specialist and the principal.

  • The Site-based Council will vote to accept or reject the decision of the District
        Reconsideration Committee and will notify the complainant in writing of the Council's Decision.

REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION

OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL

School_____________________________ Date ______________

Address______________________________ Phone______________

City_____________________________ State ______ Zip_________

I. OBJECT OF CHALLENGE

Title ______________________ Copyright/Issue Date_____________

Author/Performer(s) _________________________________________

Publisher/Producer __________________________________________

Print: __ Book __ Textbook __ Magazine __ Newspaper __ Pamph. __ Play __Student Publn.

Nonprint: ___Artwork ___Film __Photo ___Sound Recording __ Video __CD-ROM __LDisc

Or: __Collection __Computer Software __Exhibit __Performance __Speech __ Other

II. INITIATOR OF CHALLENGE

Request Initiated By:

Name____________________________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________________

City _________________________ State ________ Zip _____________

Phone ( )__________________________________

Do you represent:

Yourself __________________________________________________________

An Organization (Name, please) _______________________________________

Other Group (Name, please) __________________________________________

III. COMPLAINT RESPONSE (Please comment on each question.)

1. Have you been able to discuss this work with the teacher or school library media specialist who ordered, used or assigned it? _____ Yes _____ No

Please explain:

2. How did you learn of this work?

3. What do you understand to be the general purpose for using this work?

4. Does the general purpose for the use of this work, as described by the teacher or school library media specialist, seem a suitable one to you? ___ Yes ____No

Please explain:

5. What do you consider to be the general purpose of the author/producer of this work?

6. To what do you object? Please be specific. Cite pages, illustrations, audiovisual section, etc.

7. Did you read/view the entire work? ____ Yes ____ No

Please explain:

8. In what way do you think a work of this nature is not suitable in a learning situation?

9. What do you feel might be the result of exposure to this work?

10. What did you find positive about this work?

11. Have you been able to determine the student's(s') responses to this work?

What responses did the student(s) make?

12. For which age group would you recommend this work?

13. Are you aware of the judgement of this work by reviewers or critics? __Yes __No

Please list the findings:

14. In its place, what work would you recommend that could convey as valuable a perspective of the subject?

15. Do you have other comments concerning this request?

_____________________________________

Signature of Complainant

______________________________

Date

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