|
|
|
|
Statement of Policy The selection policy of Harlan Community Academy Library is designed to:
- provide materials to enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities and maturity levels of the students served
- provide materials which will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literacy appreciation, aesthetic values and ethical standards
- provide a background of information which will enable students to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives
- provide materials which presents different viewpoints so that students may develop higher order thinking skills
- provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups, showing their contributions to our American heritage.
Responsibility For Selection
The Chicago Board of Trustees delegates the responsibility of selecting instructional materials and resource to the professional staff employed by the school system
- The school library media specialist is responsible for the selection of library resources through collaboration with all members of the learning community including, but not limited to, teachers, students, parents, curriculum specialist and administrators
- The responsibility of final selection rests with the school library media specialist
- Professionally recognized reviewing tools and other selection aids are used by the library media specialist, faculty and staff members to guide them in their selection.
Criteria For Selection Selection of library materials is a continuous process based on the needs of the curriculum and on the diverse interests of the students served. The Department of Libraries and Information Services of the Chicago Public schools recommends the following criteria for selecting library materials.
- Educational significance
- Contribution that the subject matter makes to the curriculum and to the interests of the students
- Favorable reviews found in standard selection source
- Recommendations made on preview and examination of materials by professional personnel
- Reputation and significance of the author, producer, and/or publisher
- Validity, currency, and relevance of material
- Contribution that material makes to expanding viewpoints on controversial issues
- High degree of potential user appeal
- High artistic quality or literary style
- Quality and variety of format
- Value commensurate with cost and/or need
- Timeliness or permanence
- Integrity
Staff involved in the selection of learning resources shall use the following recommended lists, however selection is not limited to the list.
Current Reviewing Tools
- American Historical Fiction
- Basic book Collection for High schools Grades
- Junior High bschool Catalog
- Senior High school Catalog
- Guide to Sources in Educational Media
- Reference books for School Libraries
- AASA Science Books
- American Film video and Films and Video association Evaluations
- Booklist
- Bulletin of the Center for children's Books
- Hornbook
- KIrkus Review
- School Library Journal
The following criteria will be used as they apply:
- Learning resources shall support state and local and curricular goals.
- Learning resources shall meet high standards of quality in factual content and presentation.
- Learning resources shall be appropriate for the content areas, the age,the emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social development of students for whom the materials are selected
- Physical format and appearance shall be suitable for intended use
- Learning resources shall be designed to help students gain awareness of our puralistic society
- Learning resources should be planned to motivate user to examine their own social responsibilities as participating citizens in our society and make informed judgements in their daily lives.
- Rwsources shall be selected for their strength rather than their weaknesses.
- The selection of resources on controversal issues will be directed toward maintaing a diverse collection representing various viewpoints
- Learning resources clarify historical and contemporary forces by presenting and analyzing inter group action tension and conflict objectively placing emphasis or recognizing and understanding social and economic problems
Selection of Controversial Materials
- The selection of instructional materials on controversial issues will be focused on maintaining a diverse collection representing various views.
- Instructional materials shall be selected for their strengths rather than rejected for their weaknesses.
- The CPS Board of Trustees subscribes in principle to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and to the statements of policy on library philosophy as expressed in the American Library Association?s Library Bill of Rights A copy of the Library bill of Rights is appended to and made a part of this policy
Criteria For Gifts and Unsolicited Materials
Gifts and unsolicited materials must meet the following general selection criteria in order to be accepted and become a part of the school library collection:
- Gifts and unsolicited materials must support and be consistent with the general educational goals of the state and district and the aims and objectives of the individual schools and specific courses.
- Gifts and unsolicited materials must meet high standards of quality in factual content, artistic and literary value, and presentation.
- Gifts and unsolicited materials must be current and up-to-date
- Gifts and unsolicited materials must be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social development of students for whom materials are selected.
- Physical format and appearance of gifts and unsolicited materials must be suitable for their intended use.
- Gifts and unsolicited materials must help students gain an awareness of our diverse society.
Reconsideration of challenged Library Materials
The Board recognizes the need and right of students to free access to many different types of print and non-print materials. Despite the quality of the selection process, occasional objections to instructional materials may be made. No questioned material shall be removed from the school except upon the recommendation of a reconsideration committee, with the concurrence of the Superintendent If an individual or group ask to have any instructional material withdrawn from school use the following procedure must be observed.
- All complaints to staff members shall be reported to the building principal involved, whether received by telephone, letter, or in personal conversation.
- The principal shall contact the complainant to discuss the complaint and attempt to resolve it informally by explaining the philosophy and goals of the school district, the selection procedure, criteria and qualifications of those persons selecting the resource.
- If the complaint is not resolved informally, the complainant shall be supplied with a copy of the District?s Instructional Materials Selection Policy and a copy of the Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials form.
- This form shall be completed and returned before consideration will be given to the complaint
- If the formal request for reconsideration has not been received by the principal within two weeks, it shall be considered closed.
- If the request is returned, the reasons for selection of the specific work shall be reestablished by the appropriate staff.
- In accordance with statement of philosophy, no questioned materials shall be removed from the school pending a final decision.
- Pending the outcome of the request for reconsideration, however, access to questioned materials can be denied to the child (or children) of the parents making the complaint, if they so desire.
- Upon receipt of a completed objection form, the principal in the building involved will convene a committee of five to consider the complaint.
- The principal, library media center specialist, a teacher, and a PTO representative.
- The committee shall meet to discuss the materials, following the guidelines set forth in Instructions to Reconsideration Committee, and shall prepare a report on the material containing its recommendations on disposition of the matter.
- In answering the complainant, the principal shall explain the instructional material selection system, give the guidelines for selection, and cite authorities used in reaching decisions.
- If the committee decides to keep the work that caused the complaint, the complainant shall be given an explanation.
- If the complaint is valid, the principal will acknowledge it and make recommended changes.
- If the complainant is still not satisfied, he or she may ask the Superintendent to present an appeal to the Board of Education, which shall make a final determination of the issue.
- The Board of Education may seek assistance from outside organizations such as the American Library Association, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, etc., in making its determination.
Appendix A
Library Bill of Rights The Library Bill of Rights:the American Library Association Adopted June Amended February 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; and January 23, 1980. The history of this statement with interpretative documents appears in Intellectual Freedom Manual (4th edition, American Library Association, 1992). Reprinted with permission of the American Library Association and the Office for Intellectual Freedom (50 S. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611) from Intellectual Freedom Manual, edition, c1992
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.
- Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest,information and enlightenment of of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin , background or view of those contributing to their creation.
- Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
- Librarians should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightment
- Librarians should cooperate with all persons and groups concern with resisting abridgement of free expression and free access to ideas.
- A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or view.
- Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affilications of individuals or groups requesting their use
Appendix B Reconsideration Of Challenged Library Resources
Appendix C
Instructions to Reconsideration Committee
- Bear in mind the principles of the freedom to learn and to read and base your decision on these broad principles rather than on defense of individual materials.
- Freedom of inquiry is vital to education in a democracy.
- Study thoroughly all materials referred to you and read available reviews.
- The general acceptance of the materials should be checked by consulting standard educational aids and local holdings in other schools.
- Passages or parts should not be pulled out of context. The values and faults should be weighted against each other and the opinions based on the materials as a whole.
- Discuss the challenged resource in the context of the educationalprogram.
- Prepare a written report, presenting both majority and minority opinions.
Library Home Questions:Email Hazel