Selection Policy

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

Selection Policy

Evaluative Criteria

The primary goal of the AHS Library Media Center is to provide library media services that support and enrich the curriculum and fulfill the needs of students and teachers.

The purpose of the Media Center’s program in selecting resources is to improve instruction and learning that is in alignment with the philosophy and curriculum of the school. The selection of resources for the Media Center collection is a process that includes a continuous evaluation of student needs, an ongoing review of the many resources available in the marketplace, and periodic assessment of the changing nature of information storage and delivery.

Recommendations from students, staff, and parents shall be sought and considered for purchase. Media Center information resources shall be in a variety of formats (electronic, print and non-print) and include ownership of actual physical material as well as subscription to/contract with information services and digitized collections.

Collection Objectives

1. Support the school’s priority areas.

2. Reflect the local and regional community, and the United States heritage as well as information of a global nature.

3. Support the principle of inclusion.

4. Support curriculum needs.

5. Support controversial issues of political, economic or social significance.

6. Reflect the recreational needs of the students.

7. Include a wide range of formats, e.g. books, videos, electronic resources, audio tapes, magazines.

General Criteria

Materials selected for inclusion into the AHS Library Media Center's collection should reflect the mission statement and:

  • be accurate, current, and authoritative.

  • be of authentic quality.

  • be age appropriate and reading level appropriate.

  • reflect a diverse culture free of stereotypes.

  • provide different points of view.

  • be of optimal educational value.

  • be attractive and functional.

  • meet the needs of different learning styles.

  • be in alignment with curriculum needs and standards.

  • encourage a life-long love of reading and learning.

  • cover a range of formats with an emphasis on print.

  • support school-wide reading programs and reading development.

  • include high interest, low level reading material.

  • provide resources to support instruction.

  • further the professional development of the staff.

Specific Criteria

All formats must conform to the aforementioned selection guidelines. In addition, the following attributes are desirable and are not in priority order. The Library Media Specialist should make full use of selection tools.

Books – General:

  • two reviews from approved selection aid.

  • support reading programs and a range of reading levels.

  • reflect recommended reading lists.

  • be attractive, of lasting quality, and unabridged.

  • illustrations should be clear and convey meaning.

  • have concise, readable indexes.

Books – Fiction:

· Literary and artistic merit

· Originality

· Award winner/notable resource

· Educational and entertainment value

Books – Non-Fiction:

· Accuracy, objectivity, and timeliness of the information

· Educational presentation of materials

· Presentation of differing perspectives

· Logic and clarity of presentation

· Appropriate depth of coverage for intended purpose

· Award winner/notable resource

· Supports established curriculum

Newspapers:

  • local newspapers should be available for perusal.

  • at least one local and national newspaper should be available through any medium.

  • reflect an unbiased account of the news and editorials should be clearly identified as such.

Periodicals:

  • magazines should encourage leisure reading.

  • there should be at least four highly informative publications on subscription in hard copy.

  • other periodicals should be available via an electronic database for research.

  • should be age-appropriate and have a recommendation from an authoritative source.

  • inter-disciplinary titles with widest appeal are most desirable.

Comic books and graphic novels:

  • provide age-appropriate palatable reading material.

  • encourage reluctant readers.

  • promote leisure reading.

  • present excellence in illustration and story.

  • refrain from gratuitous accounts of violence and inappropriate behavior.

Films & Videos:

  • should reflect non-stereotyped and multicultural points of view.

  • should be in alignment with the curriculum.

  • picture quality should enhance meaning.

  • color, sharpness and contrast of images must create a quality visual image.

  • editing should be smooth where appropriate and enhance the overall internet of the directory without overshadowing meaning.

  • audio quality should be crisp and clean and clearly audible.

  • use of background music and sound should not hijack the overall content.

  • sub-titles or dubbing should enhance meaning.

  • should have a teacher's guide and/or classroom activities.

Audio:

  • works of classical, artistic, and historical music are desirable.

  • should have optimal audio clarity demonstrative of overall artistic merit.

  • audio books should be of sound literary value.

  • audio books should conform to the standards for print books.

Online:

  • Internet is a source of information subject to the same general selection guidelines.

  • filtering will be challenged when erroneously deselecting quality Web sites.

  • sites of particular educational interest and of lasting appeal will be added to the collection.

Pamphlets:

  • be authoritative and reflect current trends and information.

  • cover a range of relevant topics.

Manuscripts and archival material:

  • be of good quality, and able to withstand a hands-on environment.

Maps:

  • should be legible and stand up to regular use.

  • should cover a range of geographical and historical purposes.

Government documents:

  • selected from recognized sources.

  • should fit easily into the curriculum-enriched collection.

Software, databases, and electronic resources:

  • should be utilitarian in nature.

  • contain features like help files, indexing, and searching facilities.

  • be interactive and functional.

  • should conform to copyright or licensing requirements.

  • have a teacher's or user's guide.

  • have an 800 number technical support facility.

Selection Responsibility

1. The Board of Trustees assumes legal responsibility for the selection of materials in the district’s library information centers.

2. Responsibility for the selection of all library materials is delegated to the professional library staff through the building principal. It is the function of librarians to select and to withdraw library materials, and to advise on their use. They are qualified through training and experience; however they must of necessity work within limitations of space and budget. Recognizing that sensitivity to the needs and interests of the education community is essential to the development of library collections, the AHS Library Media Center welcomes advice and suggestions from administrators, faculty, supervisors, and students. Librarians, however, are responsible for judging the needs of their collection and their community, and they must make the final choices. Final selection is based upon evaluation by the professional library staff, using professional library tools and other review media.

3. In selecting materials, library, staff, administrators, and faculty are guided by the principles incorporated in the School Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, standards adopted by the American Association of School Librarians, and the School Library Standards of the Texas State Department of Education.

4. The collection will be developed systematically, ensuring a well-balanced coverage of subjects, opinions, and formats and a wide range of materials on various levels of difficulty supporting the diverse interests, needs, and viewpoints of the school community.

Budgetary Sources

The library will be supported financially by regular funding through the school district. Grants and other fundraising measures may augment district funding.

Deselecting of Library Resources

Responsibility for deselecting (also known as weeding) lies with the library staff. This activity is necessary to provide up-to-date, accurate, and attractive resources and to provide space for new acquisitions. Trained volunteers may assist with this procedure under the guidance of library staff.

Materials may be reviewed on an annual or ongoing basis. The CREW Method Manual** will serve as one resource for deselecting materials from the collection.

General Criteria for Weeding:

· Appearance and condition

· Poor content or out-of-date

· Inappropriate for school’s curriculum

· Age of material format

Exceptions:

· Classics

· Local, state and national history

**Note: The CREW Method: Expanded Guidelines for Collection Evaluation and Weeding for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries is available from the Texas State Library, Austin, Texas at http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/

See Appendix J: Guidelines for Collection Evaluation and Weeding

See Appendix K: Weeding Schedule for Athens High School LMC

Disposal of Discarded Materials

Various methods of disposal may be used by the Media Center including: taking to the dump, burning, selling them to patrons, etc. Some libraries mark each book as discarded first. If they are sold or given away, this is very important as they have a way of wandering back to the library. For out-of-date or damaged materials, it is not recommended that they be passed on to other libraries, nursing homes, etc. If they are no longer suitable, they are no longer suitable.

See Appendix J: Guidelines for Collection Evaluation and Weeding