Statement of Purpose

Solon Community School District Libraries are committed to providing a wide range of materials in a variety of formats to encourage the development of strong literacy skills and a lifelong love of reading for all Solon students.  Library collections are curated with the intent to provide access to materials that will interest students at various reading levels and provide accurate, timely information to support classroom instruction and personal development.  

Material Selection

The SCSD library staff follow best practices and board policy when selecting materials for school library collections.

Board Policy 605.5 Media Centers

Board Policy 605.1 Instructional Material Selection

Additionally, school librarians utilize the following criteria and resources to aid in the selection of materials for each school library:

General Criteria:

• Support and enrich the curriculum and/or students’ personal interests and learning

• Meet high standards in literary, artistic, and aesthetic quality; technical aspects; and physical format

• Be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social, emotional, and intellectual development of the students for whom the materials are selected

• Incorporate accurate and authentic factual content from authoritative sources

• Exhibit a high degree of potential user appeal and interest

• Represent differing viewpoints on controversial issues

• Provide a global perspective and promote diversity by including materials by authors and illustrators of all cultures

• Include a variety of resources in physical and virtual formats including print and non-print such as electronic and multimedia (including subscription databases and other online products, e-books, educational games, and other forms of emerging technologies)

• Demonstrate physical format, appearance, and durability suitable to their intended use

• Balance cost with need

Resources:

• Journals: including but not limited to, School LIbrary Journal, Booklist, Kirkus

• Award lists: ALA, YALSA, and ALSC

• Iowa Award Lists: Goldfinch, ICCA, IHSBA and ITA

• Grant Wood AEA recommendations 

• Staff and student requests

SCSD collections are available to access on the Solon Community District Libraries website.

SCSD Libraries Home

Collection Maintenance

The school librarian and staff will regularly conduct an inventory of the school library collection and equipment. The inventory can be used to determine losses and remove damaged or worn materials which can then be considered for replacement. The inventory can also be used to deselect and remove materials that are no longer relevant to the curriculum or of interest to students.

Guidelines for withdrawing materials:

• Materials are damaged, worn or beyond repair

• Outdated or inaccurate information 

• Low circulation and little lasting value to the collection

• Decreased popularity does not necessitate multiple copies

• Space constraints

• Subject matter is no longer of interest

• Format no longer supported

Withdrawn materials are donated or recycled when possible.  The condition, format and informational accuracy of the materials informs whether or not the material is suitable for donation or resale. 

Gifts and Donations

• Monetary gifts to SCSD Libraries are subject to Board policy 704.4 Gifts-Donations. Materials bought with donated funds are subject to the same material selection guidelines as other materials. They may be withdrawn or replaced without notice to the donor.  Donated materials are also subject to the same guidelines. A list of suggested materials may be obtained from district library personnel.

Material Reconsideration Requests

Materials reconsideration requests are subject to Board policy 605.3 Objections to Instructional Materials. More information can be found on the District website.

Lost or Damaged Books

Students are responsible for the proper care of library materials as well as returning them to the library in a timely manner.  Guardians will be notified in instances where a book is extremely overdue or damaged to such an extent that it can no longer be a part of the collection.  

Guardians will be given the option to:

• Return the item, if lost

• Purchase the exact item from a vendor of their choice and donate it to the library

• Purchase a replacement item with similar content suggested by the district library staff

• Donate a flat fee of $15 per item, payable by cash or check to Solon Community School District.  Funds received in this manner will be dispersed into the District’s general fund. 

• Wonderbooks (Available at SIS only) have a replacement fee of $65

Circulation Guidelines

The following are general circulation guidelines.  Library personnel have the discretion to modify these guidelines as needed after consultation with the library director and/or principal.

• Students are limited to 2 physical materials at one time

• Electronic books do not have limitations

• Books may be renewed as long as the book has not been reserved by another student or staff member

• Daily fines will not be assessed.  Students will be notified of their overdue materials and encouraged to return their books or notify staff that they are lost.

• Students may check out additional materials for classroom use only, regardless of any lost or missing books. Teachers may be notified that materials are expected to remain in the classroom.

• All reasonable efforts will be made by the student to recover or replace library materials. However, two weeks after the new school year begins all outstanding materials will be marked as lost and the student’s record will be cleared.

• Graduating students will be expected to clear their library accounts before graduation.