Library Policies

CIRCULATION OF MATERIALS:

Policy Statement:

The school library, including its materials and collections are for the purpose of enhancing the knowledge and reading interest of the students of Anderson-Shiro Elementary. Therefore, to ensure that all patrons have fair opportunities to materials, guidelines are necessary. The librarian will adhere to this policy and hold patrons accountable to the following set of guidelines.

Policy Specifics:

• Library patrons may borrow materials for a limited time period.
• Students will be allowed 2 books for a 2-week period.
• Teachers are expected to return materials in a timely manner.
• Library patrons must go through the check-out procedure for any materials to exit the library.
• Library patrons that have not returned materials according to due date; will not be able to check out materials upon next visit.
• Any materials that are lost, ruined, or resulting in removal from circulation, are the patron’s responsibility to pay the replacement cost.

Procedures:

1. Students will check out books at the circulation desk before leaving the library.
2. The librarian will monitor the number of books each student has checked out.
3. Any overdue books will result in a notice sent with the student. If the student has not returned the item after one week, a second notice will be sent home. After the second notice, a phone call will be made by the librarian to notify parents.
4. Any replacement fines that are not paid by the end of the year will result in a hold placed on the distribution of the student’s report card.

CHALLENGES TO MATERIALS:

Policy Statement:

The Anderson-Shiro Elementary library observes the right that patrons have a freedom to read. It has the responsibility to patrons to make resources available and known. If any patrons, including the parents of students, have a differing opinion or objections to a material being available to patrons, they may challenge the material.

Policy Specifics:

Staff members, students and student parents are allowed to challenge a material of the library for any objection they see fit. Although the material may be challenged, it will not be removed from the library and will remain on the shelf until the process is complete and a review committee has made a decision. The review committee will be appointed at the start of each school year and will consist of a community member, an administrator, two teachers and the librarian.

Procedures:

1. If anyone would like to challenge an item in the library, they must fill out the form, Request for Reconsideration of Library Items. The form must be delivered to the principal and librarian.
2. The principal will notify the committee members and inform the superintendent of the challenge.
3. Within 5 days of receiving the form, the committee will meet. The item will be presented and discuss the reason for the request.
4. Within 30 days, the committee members must read, listen to or view the item in its entirety and be ready to discuss and reach a decision.

The principal will present a written decision to the superintendent. If the superintendent is in agreement with the committee and no further discussion is needed, they will then notify the complainant of the decision.

INTERNET ACCESS:

Policy Statement:

The Anderson-Shiro Elementary Library will provide access to computers with Internet access to any user. The library would like to allow this technology resource with the agreement from the user to follow the Internet guidelines set forth.

Policy Specifics:

• Security and Privacy – The library will not release information on search history for any user unless it is legally authorized to do so.
• Filters on computers - There are filters in place that prohibit users to access any pornographic, sexually explicit or phishing sites.
• Blocked sites – “Under Federal and Texas law, it is a crime to distribute or exhibit material that is ‘harmful’ to minors, or to be reckless about ‘whether a minor is present who will be offended or alarmed by the display’ of harmful material.” (Austin Public Library)

Procedures:

1. All library users must sign an Internet Acceptable Use Policy form that will be sent home at the beginning of the year.
2. The librarian will be notified of any users not in agreement.
3. Any site that a user feels is unnecessarily blocked may request a review of the site. They must complete a Request for Reconsideration of Library Items. The form must be submitted to the librarian and the process for Challenged Materials will begin.