Bowling Green City School District
Media Center Materials Selection Policy
Goals
A goal of the Bowling Green City School District, as stated in its Philosophy of Education, is to establish a plan of educational development which will produce in its students an awareness of responsibility and responsiveness to others; a knowledge of the skills of inquiry, analysis, and problem–solving both individually and in group situations; and an ability to communicate and cooperate with others from a diversity of cultural backgrounds.
Another goal of the school district is to recognize the importance of the freedom to read as established by the First Amendment. The students' right to read is a major student right and should influence the selection of materials for media center collections.
The school media centers have an important role in implementing the goals of the school system. The guidelines they have established for themselves are found in the School Library Bill of Rights (approved by the Council Association of School Librarians endorsed by the Council of the American Library Association, July 1955)
- To provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the pupils served.
- To provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards.
- To provide a background of information which will enable students to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives.
- To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may develop under guidance the practice of critical reading and thinking.
- To provide materials representative of many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contribution of our American heritage.
- To place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive selection appropriate for the users of the library.
Selection Personnel
The Bowling Green City Board of Education is the legal body in which rests the ultimate responsibility for the selection of materials for the Bowling Green City Schools Media Centers. The responsibility for the actual selection of materials for the school media center shall be delegated to the professional librarian of each school based on the goals of the school system and the curriculum.
The personnel who assist in the actual selection of materials for the media centers must include the professional librarians, and may include other media specialists, curriculum consultants, teaching staff, administrators, other staff, students and parents.
Criteria Used in Materials Selection
Selection of materials for the Bowling Green City School District Media Centers is a continuous, year–long process, based on the needs of a constantly changing and evolving curriculum, and on the extremely diverse interests of students and teachers. It is the policy of the Bowling Green City School District to select materials for our libraries according to the following guidelines.
- Basic materials are chosen which help to develop literary and artistic appreciation in young readers. Media which treats social and human problems are selected for all levels of readers' understanding.
- Fiction is evaluated on the basis of the following criteria: true representation of the aspect of life chosen by the author to describe; effectiveness in sustaining the reader's interest; a plausible plot; structural soundness and clarity of style; and vitality and consistency in characterization.
- Non–fiction is chosen in consideration of these elements: concern with subjects of significance; accuracy; sufficient scope; presentation of an informative point of view; current interest or relevance; an acceptable format; and effectiveness in presentation.
- Films recordings, filmstrips and other non–print materials are selected for artistic and technical quality and for the value of the content for individual and group appreciation and discussion. Materials are included which are representative of current trends in technique.
- Materials are purchased which are of value to individuals with limited reading ability or limited vision. ANY medium of format is considered, if it help to inform or to improve communication.
- Literary excellence alone may be the sole criterion for selection of some materials.
- The goals and guidelines previously defined in this policy statement will be implemented in the selection of media center materials.
Selection of Controversial Materials
Materials on controversial topics, as well as materials containing controversial language, may be included in the Bowling Green City School District Media Centers if they are recommended in the professional and commercial reviewing journals, if they meet the evaluation criteria listed above in this policy, if they are relevant to the curriculum and are consistent with the Philosophy of Education of our school district.
Policy Relating to Special Areas
- Professional Book Collections – Each library shall select appropriate materials for teacher use, and professional growth. These materials would generally not be for pupil use nor aimed at recreational interests.
- Paperback Books and Ephemeral Materials – Media centers include paperback books to supply extra copies of popular titles and to add variety to the collection. Cataloging procedures for these paperback titles may vary from formal cataloging to simplified or none at all at the discretion of the professional librarian. Ephemeral materials including items such as timely pamphlet materials may be included at the discretion of the librarian. (These are not cataloged.)
- Expensive Materials – Unusually expensive material may occasionally be purchased for the media centers if the item meets the criteria for selection better than other less expensive material or fills a definite curriculum need.
- Gifts – The School Libraries accept gifts with the privilege of including at their discretion, those materials which meet their needs. The Librarian shall decide which gifts will be kept, cataloged and/or added to the collection. Such materials will be judged by the evaluative criteria of selection used for purchased materials as described in the section on Criteria. Gifts of money, including memorial gifts for the purchase of materials are accepted.
- Sponsored Materials – For sponsored material (instructional items for use in public schools provided by private concerns or commercial organization) the same selection criteria shall be applied as for all other material. It will not be chosen if it attempts to establish the exclusiveness of a particular product or service.
- Weeding – Weeding the media center collections by withdrawing and discarding materials is as important in maintaining a useful and usable collection as is the careful selection of new materials. Print and non–printing materials which are in poor physical condition, which contain outmoded or obsolete subject content, or which are of doubtful literary quality are all candidates for removal for the collection. Weeding should be a continuous process.
- Selection of Jobbers or Publishers – The Librarians of the Bowling Green City Schools will select jobbers or publishers who can give prompt, reliable service.
- Challenged Materials – There shall be a procedure by which citizens, staff, or pupils may challenge materials. Such a procedure shall include a review of the challenged materials.
The Board of Education adopted the following policy as Library Procedure for dealing with challenged materials. (June 7, 1983)
- If the first contact is with a secretary or teacher:
- Try to direct complainant to librarian or principal.
- If unwilling to be directed, listen courteously, making no judgments and offering no personal opinions.
- When contact is with the principal:
- Listen courteously, making no judgments and offering no personal opinions.
- Since no parent or group of parents has the right to determine reading matter for students other than their own, materials shall not be removed from the shelves at this step; however, a parent may request that his child not read a given book, provided written request be made to the principal.
- If parent is not satisfied with restricting the use of the material with his own child, make an appointment for a three–way conference (complainant, librarian, principal, and/or teacher).
- Principal will notify the superintendent of the complaint and that "Library Procedures" are being followed.
- Librarian shall collect reviews and accumulate data on how the material conforms to the selection policy.
- If at the conclusion of the three–way conference the complainant is still not satisfied, ask him/her to fill our Complaint Form.
- Principal shall notify the superintendent and assistant superintendent the results of the conference. Include copies of complaint form, reviews, and data collected if complaint procedure is continuing.
- Superintendent shall appoint a review committee to include a librarian, a teacher, an administrator, and a parent. The committee will review the material, judge whether it conforms to the Selection Policy and submit its report in writing to the assistant superintendent, superintendent, and building principal.
- If the matter cannot be resolved at the building level, final disposition will be made by the superintendent and the Board of Education. Concerned parties will be notified of the final disposition in writing.
