Staff members involved in selection of resource materials shall use the following criteria as a guide:
- educational significance
- contribution the subject matter makes to the curriculum and to the interests of the students
- favorable reviews found in standard selection sources
- favorable recommendations based on preview and examination of materials by professional personnel
- reputation and significance of the author, producer, and publisher
- validity, currency, and appropriateness of material
- contribution the material makes to breadth of representative viewpoints on controversial issues
- high degree of potential user appeal
- high artistic quality and/or literary style
- quality and variety of format
- value commensurate with cost and/or need
- timeliness or permanence
- integrity
The following recommended lists shall be consulted in the selection of materials, but is not limited to their listings:
Bibliographies (latest editions available, including supplements), such as
- Children’s Catalog
- Nonbook Materials Core Collection
- Subject Guide to Children’s Books in Print
- ALSC Notable Children’s Books
Current reviewing media
- Booklist
- Book Links
- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
- Horn Book
- Kirkus Reviews
- Library Journal
- School Library Journal
The following criteria will be used as they apply:
- Learning resources shall support and be consistent with the general educational goals of the state and district and the aims and objectives of individual schools and specific courses.
- Learning resources shall meet high standards of quality in factual content and presentation.
- Learning resources shall be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social development of the students for whom the materials are selected.
- Physical format and appearance of learning resources shall be suitable for their intended use.
- Learning resources shall be designed to help students gain an awareness of our pluralistic society.
- Learning resources shall be designed to motivate students and staff to examine their own duties, responsibilities, rights, and privileges as participating citizens in our society, and to make informed judgments in their daily lives.
- Learning resources shall be selected for their strengths rather than rejected for their weaknesses.
- The selection of learning resources on controversial issues will be directed toward maintaining a diverse collection representing various views.
- Learning resources shall clarify historical and contemporary forces by presenting and analyzing intergroup tension and conflict objectively, placing emphasis on recognizing and understanding social and economic problems.
The following kinds of material should be selected for the media center:
- Materials integral to the instructional program.
- Materials appropriate for the reading level and understanding of students in the school.
- Materials reflecting the interests and needs of the students and faculty served by the media center.
- Materials warranting inclusion in the collection because of their literary and/or artistic value and merit.
- Materials presenting information with the greatest degree of accuracy and clarity possible.
- Materials representing a fair and unbiased presentation of information. In controversial areas, the media specialist, in cooperation with the faculty, should select materials representing as many shades of opinion as possible, in order that varying viewpoints are available to students.