The Board delegates the authority for the selection of library materials to the Superintendent and designees. In order to provide the Superintendent and their staff with guidance in the acquisition of instructional resource material, such as library books, references, audiobooks, digital resource, maps, etc., the District will take into consideration the following guidelines:
provide information that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the students served;
provide information that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards;
provide information that will enable students to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives;
provide information on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may develop under guidance the practice of critical reading and thinking;
provide information representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to our American heritage;
reflect and promote the understanding and appreciation of the diversity of the student body and the country as a whole.
The Superintendent and designees shall be responsible for the selection of resource materials within the aforesaid guidelines and for the determination of factual accuracy, readability, authoritativeness, integrity and quality of format. To assist in the selection process, reputable, unbiased professionally prepared aids (such as the Horn Book, School Library Journal, etc.) shall be consulted as guides. Material which evidences sex and profanity is to be subjected to an examination by the staff as to its educational merit, and its portrayal of reality in life. Material which has been prepared to sell on a basis of pornographic plots, pictures or language or on the basis of obscene language shall be avoided.
On a periodic basis, the Board may authorize a review of the effectiveness of the school library's materials using the recommendations of the American Library Association.
In order to respond to any complaints about, or challenges to, the selection of library materials, the District has a policy adopted and regulations establishing a complaint procedure and providing for a committee to review such complaints or challenges.
Complaints from parents or students regarding library materials shall be handled via a procedure established by the Superintendent and approved by the Board and contained in Regulation 1420-R.
Cross-ref: 1420, Complaints about Curricula or Instructional Materials
1420-R, Complaints about Curricula or Instructional Materials Regulation
4511, Textbook Adoption and Selection
4524, School Libraries
Ref: Education Law §§1709(15); 1711(5)(f)
Board of Educ., Island Trees UFSD v. Pico, 457 US 853 (1982)
Adoption date: December 1, 1995
Amended date: August 24, 2009
Amended date: June 5, 2023