Intellectual Freedom
North Side Trailhead Library Policy Regarding Student Choice and Responsibility
The mission of North Side is to develop the full potential of every student by fostering an educational environment that encourages critical thinking, inspires student confidence, and nurtures both the intellectual and social development necessary to graduate college and become successful leaders in the global community.
The library contributes to the success of this mission by providing students with the opportunity for exploration and independence. Students are taught how to evaluate information sources and identify materials that fit their needs, both for academic use and recreational reading. The library collection includes materials selected to broaden student horizons, expose them to new perspectives, and provide them with a safe space to explore complicated issues. In order to allow for the development of critical thinking and self directed learning, and in accordance with the Library Bill of Rights, students are not forbidden access to the collection on the basis of age, grade, or reading level. The library provides directional guidance to students to aid them in locating materials that will be the right for them by using viewpoint neutral genre and Dewey Decimal labeling, as well as identifying books targeted for a young adult audience.
In a library that serves students ranging in ages from fourteen to eighteen, a wide variety of materials are needed. What is interesting and appropriate for fourteen-year-olds may not be interesting and/or appropriate for eighteen-year-olds and vice versa. Libraries are all about choice, regardless of age.
Students: You are free to check-out any book that you choose. It is your responsibility to monitor yourself to determine if a book is the right fit for you. Your librarian is available to help with recommendations and guidance in finding what you need. If you choose a book that makes you uncomfortable or that would make your caregivers uncomfortable, consider returning it and finding a book you can completely enjoy. Identify adults in your life with whom you can discuss your reading safely and comfortably.
Caregivers: You are responsible for maintaining an open dialogue with your student about what they are reading. If they check out something that makes you uncomfortable, that is a great opportunity to discuss your values together. The librarian is available to you if you would like to learn more about how to engage with your student about what they are reading. The goal of the library is to empower you to support your student’s social, emotional, and academic learning through reading.
Access to Resources and Services and Students' Right to Read
The school library is guided by the principles set forth in the Library Bill of Rights and its interpretative statements, including Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Program and The Students’ Right to Read statement of the National Council of Teachers of English.
Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
The school library plays a unique role in promoting, protecting, and educating about intellectual freedom. It serves as a point of voluntary access to information and ideas and as a learning laboratory for students as they acquire critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed in a pluralistic society. [...] Intellectual freedom is fostered by educating students in the use of critical thinking skills to empower them to pursue free inquiry responsibly and independently. [...] Students and educators served by the school library have access to resources and services free of constraints resulting from personal, partisan, or doctrinal disapproval. [...] Major barriers between students and resources include but are not limited to: imposing age, grade-level, or reading-level restrictions on the use of resources; limiting the use of interlibrary loan and access to electronic information; charging fees for information in specific formats; requiring permission from parents or teachers; establishing restricted shelves or closed collections; and labeling. Policies, procedures, and rules related to the use of resources and services support free and open access to information.
The right to read, like all rights guaranteed or implied within our constitutional tradition, can be used wisely or foolishly. In many ways, education is an effort to improve the quality of choices open to all students. But to deny the freedom of choice in fear that it may be unwisely used is to destroy the freedom itself. For this reason, we respect the right of individuals to be selective in their own reading.
Common Sense Media rates movies, TV shows, books, and more so parents can feel good about the entertainment choices they make for their kids. We offer the largest, most trusted library of independent age-based ratings and reviews. Our timely parenting advice supports families as they navigate the challenges and possibilities of raising kids in the digital age. Our vision: Families taking charge of their digital choices. -Excerpt from Common Sense Media’s “About” page
The site tracks 57 avoidable story elements, which it calls “triggers.” They range from kid stuff like “Does someone fart or spit?” and “Is Santa spoiled?” to more serious triggers like “Is someone tortured?” and “Does someone die by suicide?” The site gets specific about forms of violence and self-harm, but unlike many other content warning sites, it’s not at all obsessed with sex. It cares more about questions like “Does a dragon die?” -Excerpt from the article “Be Warned About Unpleasant Scenes in Entertainment With ‘Does the Dog Die?’” published on LifeHacker.com
Goodreads is the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations. Our mission is to help people find and share books they love. Goodreads launched in January 2007. -Excerpt from GoodReads' "About" page
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