Selection Policy

Individual teaching and learning styles, the curriculum, and the existing collection are given consideration in determining needs for additional resources.


Per Durham Public School Board of Education Policy, the Teacher-Librarians will select materials based on:


  • the material’s overall purpose, educational significance, and direct relationship to instructional objectives and the curriculum and to the interests of the students;

  • the material’s reliability, including the extent to which it is accurate, authentic, authoritative, up-to-date, unbiased, comprehensive, and well-balanced;

  • the material’s technical quality, including the extent to which technical components are relevant to content and consistent with state-of-the-art capabilities;

  • the material’s artistic, literary, and physical quality and format, including its durability, manageability, clarity, appropriateness, skillfulness, organization, and attractiveness;

  • the possible uses of the material, including suitability for individual, small group, or large group introduction, in-depth study, remediation, and/or enrichment;

  • the contribution the material will make to the collection’s breadth and variety of viewpoints;

  • recommendations of school personnel and students from all relevant departments and grade levels;

  • the reputation and significance of the material’s author, producer, and publisher; and

  • the price of the material weighed against its value and/or the need for it.


After a careful needs assessment, resources considered for purchase will meet the criteria for the selection of materials based on:


  • Purpose: Overall purpose and its direct relationship to instructional objectives/curriculum

  • Reliability: Accurate, authentic, up-to-date, authoritative treatment: Clear, skillful, well-organized, unbiased, comprehensive, well-balanced

  • Technical quality: Relevant to content, sound and visuals consistent with state-of-the-art capabilities

  • Format: Well-organized, attractive, appropriate

  • Construction: Durable, manageable

  • Possible Uses: Individual, small group, large group, introduction, in-depth study, remediation, acceleration, enrichment