Policies

Media Policies

Circulation

Circulation is set up in the Follett Software System as follows

• Regular Circulation loan period = 14 days; renewable once

• Reference Circulation loan period = 1 day; Reference circulation is discretionary depending on in-library use of the material; recommendation for material to be checked out at the end of the school day and returned at the beginning of the next school day.

• Student patrons are limited to two check-outs at a time, however the LMC may override this when special circumstances arise.

Fines for Overdue

• At this time, there are no fines at the elementary and middle school level.

• At the high school level, fines for regular circulation materials are assessed at .10 per day for each school day overdue, not to exceed $5.00.  There is a grace period of two days for regular check-outs.  Fines for Reference materials are assessed at .25 per day for each school day with no grace period, not to exceed $5.00.   

• The 2022-2023 student handbook states that no schools are to collect overdue fines.

Interlibrary Loan

Patrons may request materials from other schools.  Loan is discretionary and the loaning  school should give first priority to its patrons and the curriculum needs.  Faculty patrons are encouraged to request materials through media coordinators when possible. All materials borrowed from another location should be returned in a timely manner.  

Lost/Damaged Books

• Patrons are responsible for the replacement costs of lost and damaged materials.  Once items are determined to be “lost”, they should be marked lost.  Patron is responsible for the full cost of the lost item.  

• Items that are damaged beyond use should be treated as a “lost” item.  Patron is responsible for the replacement cost of the book, but may retain possession of the damaged book.  

• Items that are damaged but can remain in circulation may be assessed a damage fee as determined reasonable by the library media coordinator.  

• A lost book located after it has been “purchased” may be returned to circulation ONLY after a refund is issued. If a refund cannot be issued, the book should not be returned to circulation for any reason.  

Student Owing Library Debt

A student who has accumulated a debt or lost a book should make every effort to resolve the issue before checking out additional materials.  Allowing additional materials to be checked out are at the discretion of the present school library media coordinator and principal.  Suggestions from other LMC’s as to how to handle this include

• allowing only one book to be checked out until lost items are recovered

• allowing student to select from paperbacks or books no longer housed in the media collection

LMC’s are reminded that circumstances are sometimes beyond the student’s control and good judgment should be used when these circumstances arise.  

Transfer Student Owing Library Debt

Within the school district, library records are maintained for students who move from school to school.  Students should be held accountable for such debts.  Books may be returned to “loaning school” via interlibrary mail.  Because books cannot be checked in from a different location, the accepting LMC should record the transfer of the returned books to the loaning school through a patron note.  To do this, go to patron status and add note.  Note should indicate the title of the books that were returned, date the books were sent back to the loaning school, and the name of the media personnel who handled this transaction.  

Debts resolved by payment should be indicated in patron records with a student note, as directed above. The receipting school should make a payment to the loaning school.  Once this has occurred, the loaning school is to remove the fine or fee from the patron record.  

Flexible Access

Flexible access is the ability of any student, teacher, or staff member to access the school library media center and the computer lab and their resources when needed.  The goals of flexible access include:

• To make available the school library media center and the computer lab resources when they are needed to support, supplement, and enhance teaching and learning, thus impacting student achievement

• To enable the school library media coordinator and the instructional technology facilitator to plan with teachers and staff for instructional purposes

• To guide students in their search for information and resources, thus fostering independence and life-long learning

Flexible access does not mean that the school library media coordinator or the instructional technology facilitator teaches a fixed schedule of classes while teachers and students move in and out of the facility.  Nor does it mean that the media coordinator teaches a fixed schedule of classes and opens the media center for flexible scheduling during the remainder of their day.  This is known as a combination schedule and is a recipe for media coordinator burnout.

Flexible access does not mean that the school library media center or the computer lab is open before and after school and during lunch, with a fixed schedule of classes being taught during the regular school day.

Flexible access does not mean that the students, staff, and teachers take the initiative to use the facility and resources.  On the contrary, the media coordinator and the technology facilitator are constantly in the classrooms talking with teachers about their plans and encouraging them to use the resources and facilities available.  

Hours of Operation

Teachers and students should have the opportunity to use the media center and its resources during the entire school day, as well as before and after school, as staffing permits.  At no time should the media center be used for activities that interfere with its intended purpose and/or services.  Media coordinators will observe the same work hours as teachers depending on the individual workday schedule.  Staggered schedules may be developed for media centers employing two or more professionals in order to provide extended time for use. 

Media Technology Advisory Committee

Effective student-centered media and technology programs are based on careful planning by a Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC).  The following list outlines the make up and functions of the Media and Technology Advisory Committee and the responsibilities of the committee chairs and members.  The school level MTAC meets quarterly.  Minutes and sign in sheets should be kept for each meeting.  A copy of the quarterly minutes should be placed in the Google Drive folder.

Media and Technology Advisory Committee Membership

• Principal

• School library media coordinator

• Technology facilitator or Technology Mentor

• Representative from each grade level or department

• Representative from special areas

• Parent Representative

• Student Representative (at middle and high school level)

Responsibilities

• Set goals and priorities

• Promote initiatives

• Communicate expectations

• Evaluate program for effectiveness

• Solve problems 

• Handle challenges to instructional materials 

• Advocate for the media and technology program

• Identify and recommend resources, hardware, and infrastructure.  (This responsibility requires the members to follow the NC Educational Technology Plan, The WCPS district technology plan, the board-approved LEA selection policy, and the school library media center’s collection development plan to meet the curriculum and individual needs of the students and staff.)

Responsibilities of the committee chair 

(The media coordinator serves as the chair.  In schools that have a full-time technology facilitator, the media coordinator and the technology facilitator may co-chair the MTAC) 

• Attend grade level or departmental meetings to become knowledgeable about the school curriculum and instructional initiatives

• Keep up to date on available resources, equipment, and trends

• Plan and prepare for committee meetings and agendas

• Provide the committee with relevant resources and information for consideration or discussion based on current selection tools

• Follow through on any recommendations, directives, or decisions reached by the committee

• Provide leadership in implementing and adapting plans and monitor planning processes and results

• Advocate for the media and technology program

Responsibilities of the committee members

• Seek input from teachers and students

• Participate in the decision-making and other work of the committee

• Support the decisions and actions of the committee

• Keep faculty informed of actions and recommendations of the committee

• Assist the instructional technology facilitator and the school library media coordinator with public relations efforts

• Strategies for the Media and Technology Advisory Committee

• Request one teacher from each subject area and or grade level to serve on the committee

• Require any non-consumable media materials purchases with capital outlay, instructional supply, and other funds available to instructional staff to be handled through the committee

• Discuss needs of media program in department and media advisory committee meetings

• Review county and state selection policies 

• Assist in developing a long-range plan for upgrading the media collection

• Have departments generate short-range priority lists for media expenditures

Media/Technology Staff Development

Training should be offered at the school level so that faculty members can best utilize the resources available to them and their students.  A record of the staff development should be maintained and updated quarterly.  This document will be found in the Google Drive folder.  

Staff development can be offered as face-to-face sessions and/or online modules

Suggestions for Media & Technology staff development include

• New Staff Orientation

• Media & Technology Policies, including Copyright, Video Policies 

• Using the Online Catalog; Creating Resource Lists, Webpath Express, Destiny Quest, eBooks

• Internet Safety for Faculty

• Brittanica and EBSCO Resources, NCPedia, GoOpenNC

• SchoolNet Resources

• Academic Integrity/Plagiarism

• Blended Learning

• Integration of Systemic Resources, like Pear Deck, HMH, Study Island

Orientation

Orientation sessions are an effective way of letting teachers and students know about the library media program and its services.  Sessions can be given to individuals, small groups, or whole classes.  Orientation should be planned early in the school year.  Note for Secondary Schools:  All 9th grade classes must receive media orientation at the beginning of the school year.  Orientation cannot be limited to only English classes under block scheduling.  Methods for reaching all 9th grade students will vary from school to school.  Your orientation agenda may include such items as:

• Introduction of media staff

• Procedures for library media center use

• Location of materials and defined areas

• Rules and Regulations

• Circulation procedures 

• Specific or special services

Technology Policies/Forms

Media Policies/Forms

Selection of Materials and Challenges