About Our Library

A. PATRONS

1. User Privileges.

a) The use of all library materials is free to all students. In order to check out materials from the library, however, the individual must be a registered student at Arcadia Public Schools. A computer identification number will be issued.

b) Non-discrimination. Service will not be denied or abridged because of religious, racial, social, economic, or political status.

2. Rules of Conduct.

a) Food and beverages cannot be brought in to the library.

b) Soliciting in the Library building or on its grounds is prohibited.

c) Disruptive behavior and offensive language is prohibited.

d) Damaging, defacing or misusing library resources, equipment, or facilities is prohibited.

e) Patrons in violation of the above rules may be asked to leave the Library and/or have their library privileges suspended.

3. Closing.

a) The library will be open every school day, Monday-Friday, from 7:45 am-4:00 pm. It is not open during the summer break, and is closed on all school holidays, teacher in-services, and other days that the school is not open to the student body.

B. CIRCULATION

1. Library materials may be checked out for three weeks. This includes all books and magazines. Reference books may be checked out at the librarian’s discretion.

2. Periodicals. Current issue periodicals may not be checked out.

3. Fines.

a) A fine of $.10 (ten cents) a day will be charged on each overdue item. The maximum fine assessed will not exceed the cost of the item.

b) Lost books and materials must be paid for by the borrower at the replacement cost.

C. REFERENCE SERVICES

1. The Library Media Center staff assists patrons in obtaining the information that they need.

D. CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS

1. The Library’s recognizes its circulation records identifying the names of library users with specific material are to be confidential in nature.

2. All Librarians and employees are advised that such records shall not be made available to any agency of state, federal, or local government except pursuant to such process, order, or pursuant to federal, state or local laws relating to civil, criminal, or administrative discovery procedures or legislative power.

3. The Library shall resist the issuance or enforcement of any such process, order, or subpoena until such time as proper showing of good cause has been made in a court of competent jurisdiction.

E. SELECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF LIBRARY COLLECTION

Selection Objectives of the Media Center

The Arcadia Public Schools Library Media Center is committed to providing a variety of different materials at all reading levels, while simultaneously furnishing a range of materials that are equally appealing, educational, and which cover various topics. In order to achieve this goal, the APS Library Media Center will work to continuously improve and cultivate an environment to support all of the different subject areas and programs within the school system.

The media center will reaffirm the Library Bill of Rights the American Library Association and assert that the responsibility of the school library is as follows:

  1. To implement and maintain for students, faculty, and staff an assortment of materials that will both support and enrich the current curriculum
  2. To make various materials at all of the appropriate levels of difficulty for the patrons of the school
  3. To complement the curriculum with materials that provide a wide range of different points of view of numerous religious, cultural, ethnic, and social groups within the community
  4. To choose materials that depict multiple viewpoints of disputed issues in order for students to have a chance to develop their own proficiency in critical analysis and in developing their own informed opinions and judgments in their daily lives
  5. To place principle above personal opinions/prejudices in developing a comprehensive collection of materials deemed appropriate for use in the school community
  6. To furnish materials in multiple formats, included but not limited to print and electronic materials, to support the students’ learning needs
  7. To choose materials that will encourage and stimulate an increase in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and societal standards

Criteria for Selection

Materials selected for the school media center will be of all types, including both print and non-print. Selection will be a continuous and systematic process that takes place throughout the school year. This will ensure that library media resources will be balanced in terms of both curriculum needs and the need and interests of individual students and instructors. Materials should be evaluated, if possible, by the departments in which most of their use will occur, and as well as personally by the library media specialist and staff.

1. Print and non-print materials will be selected to support the curricular and educational goals of the Arcadia Public Schools district and state guidelines.

2. Library materials and resources will be selected to reflect the different interests of the PreK-12th grade students. Resources that enrich, entertain, educate, and inform will be provided. Materials will include both classic works of permanent value and timely materials based upon current issues.

3. Materials may present controversial issues, but they will provide many viewpoints for the study and understanding of thought-provoking and current issues. For challenged materials, see “Section II: Policy and Procedures for Challenged Materials.”

4. Materials considered standard for elementary, middle school, and high school collections will be selected.

5. Materials are selected to encourage growth of knowledge; to develop literary, cultural, and aesthetic appreciation, and to foster ethical development.

6. Materials will reflect the concerns and contribution of both sexes and members of various religious, ethnic, social, and cultural groups, both current and historical.

7. Materials will be appropriate for the age, social, and emotional development, ability levels, and learning styles of the students for whom they are chosen. Thus, children’s, young adult, and adult titles will be included in the collection.

8. Materials will be selected to promote lifelong learning and the effective implementation of ideas and information.

9. Ultimate responsibility for the selection of materials and resources will lie with the library media specialist. However, all faculty and staff members are encouraged to participate in the selection process, and all suggestions will be considered. Student and community recommendations are also considered, with the final purchase decisions resting with the Library Media Specialist.

Tools for Selection

Because no individual in a school system can read all materials, references such as standard catalogs, book reviews, and book selection magazines will be used in the selection process. These selection tools include, but are not limited to:

1. School Library Connection

2. Teacher Librarian

3. Booklist

4. School Library Journal

5. Commercial publishers and jobbers

6. Producers of non-print media

7. Any other source deemed suitable by the library media specialist

Selection Criteria for Media Materials

Media should support the educational goals of the school district, as well as assist in supplementing individual learning styles, and the special interest of faculty, staff, and students.

The established criteria for all subjects and formats includes:

1. Importance of subject matter to the collection

2. Authoritativeness and accuracy of the information

3. Reputation and significance of the author/performer, producer, editor, or publisher

4. Timeliness or permanence of the material

5. Appearance of the title in recommended bibliographies, indexes, or review sources

6. Balance of special group interest with general demand

7. Scarcity of material on the subject

8. Appropriateness for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social development of the students

9. Presentation of multiple perspectives on controversial issues

10. Clarity of style and format

11. Reasonableness of cost

12. Appeal to our student population

13. Accurate in terms of content, free from bias or stereotype

Gifts

All gift materials become will become the property of the Arcadia Public Schools district and will be dispensed of as deemed appropriately and by the discretion of the school library media specialist. Gift materials will be evaluated according to the library media selection policies and criteria, and accepted or rejected according to these policies. If they are not deemed suitable or useful, they may be given away or discarded. The APS Library Media Center will not accept gifts entailing restrictions or conditions in relation to their final use or location.

Gift donations of money from organizations or persons are accepted according to school policy allowance, and will be used to purchase resources and/or materials to further enhance the library media center.

Evaluation of Collection and Weeding Guidelines

In order to maintain an up-to-date, attractive, and currently useful collection, a continuous method of discarding, replacing, and mending will be conducted in accordance with professional standards. Print materials which are outdated, discredited, in poor condition, or no longer of interest will be discarded. The same selection criteria will be applied in the decision of whether or not to keep specific items in the collection as used in acquiring new materials. The evaluation process will be conducted by the library media specialist and staff, and considerations and opinions will be taken from the teachers and students on the collection deficiencies and needs. Library resources and materials selection is an ongoing process which includes the removal of materials no longer appropriate and the replacement of lost and worn material stills of educational value.

Guidelines for weeding:

  1. Have not been circulated in the last five years
  2. Are no longer relevant due to new or revised information
  3. Books that are dirty, shabby, worn out, etc.
  4. Books with small print, brittle paper, or missing pages
  5. Books that are biased or portray stereotypes
  6. Unsolicited and unwanted gifts
  7. Are not selected in accordance with general selection criteria.

The mere fact that a book is duplicated or worn out does not necessarily mean that it should be discarded. Past use of the item should be the final, deciding factor. Also, some consideration should be given to the question of whether it will be possible to find a replacement if that is what is required. All final decisions rest with the library media specialist.

Professional Collections Policy

The Arcadia Public Schools library media specialist and staff will provide some materials in a separate collection for the use and professional development of the staff. The selection process will follow the materials selection policy, with all input and suggestions submitted from the administration, faculty, and staff taken into consideration.

Policy and Procedures for Challenged Materials

Despite the quality of the selection process used by the Arcadia Public Schools Library Media Center, occasional objections to materials available within the library and instructional materials collections may come into question. The Arcadia Public Schools Board of Education supports the principles of intellectual freedom established within the First Amendment of the constitution of the United States and formally expressed within the Library Bill of Rights (Appendix A) adopted by the council of the American Library Association in 1948 and amended in 1961 and 1967. No questioned materials shall be removed from the collections prior to a final decision being issued. In the instance of a complaint, the following procedures shall be put into action:

1. The school professional receiving the complaint should work to resolve the issue in an informal manner. Often, an explanation of the selection process, policies, procedures, criteria, and an explanation of the items placed within the collections and curriculum will resolve the problem.

2. If the initial discussion does not resolve the issue, the complainant will be directed to the school library media specialist or principal for further clarification of the district’s policies. If still left unresolved, the complainant will be asked to complete a written complaint form (see Appendix B), after which the following procedure will take place:

a. The completed form must be returned to the building and/or principal within 10 days after receiving the form.

b. Once the form has been returned, the principal will inform the superintendent of the request for formal reconsideration.

c. After the formal complaint form has been filed, the previously established Library/Curriculum Advisory Committee (consisting of an administrator, a classroom teacher from the appropriate grade level or subject area, the school library media specialist, an objective parent, and, if the challenged material is within the secondary school, a student), will convene within twenty days of the form being filed. The school library media specialist will chair the committee. Each member of the committee will be provided with a copy of the challenged material, the objection(s) raised by the complainant, and professional review sources of the material in question.

d. The Library/Curriculum Advisory Committee’s majority decision will be presented in writing to the complainant and the Superintendent within 15 days after the formal complaint is filed. The summary of the decision will include the relevant professionally prepared selection aids, reviews, and reasons for the decision made.

e. If the complainant has further objections after the committee’s decision has been issued, it may be appealed the Arcadia Public Schools Board of Education within 30 days after the complainant and the Superintendent have received the final decision.

f. Any appeal needs to be issued to the Board through the Superintendent’s office.

F. EXHIBITS AND DISPLAYS

1. No posters, displays, pamphlets, brochures, etc., shall be placed in the Library for distribution without permission. Staff will be responsible for placement of any article left in the Library for display purposes.

2. The Library assumes no responsibility for the preservation, protection, or possible damage or theft of any item displayed or exhibited. All items placed in the Library are done so at the owner’s risk.

G. COMPUTER AND INTERNET USE POLICY

1. The Library reserves the right to terminate the Internet access privileges of any person damaging the equipment or software, changing computer settings, or printing without paying.

2. The library staff will assist users with computer questions to the best of their ability. However, the staff is not responsible for the training of patrons in computer use.