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614 LIBRARY BOOK SELECTION POLICY AND PHILOSOPHY

A. Objectives The school library is an educational device used to implement all classroom and school activity and is an integral part of the curriculum. The primary objective of the school library shall be to implement, enrich, and support the educational program of the school. Other objectives are concerned with 1) the development of reading skill, literacy taste, and discrimination in choice of reading material; and 2) instruction in the use of books and libraries. It offers enrichment for the students with the intent of further developing youth intellectually, socially, and spiritually. It shall also be a source of material for the faculty. B. Legal Responsibility for Book Selection: 1. The board of education, as the governing body of the district, is legally responsible for the selection of the library staff and school library materials. It shall appoint a person qualified as a professional school librarian to administer the school library. It shall appoint additional professional and clerical staff as deemed necessary to meet state and local standards of school library service and as the total school budget will permit. 2. Responsibility for the selection of materials must be delegated to the professional librarian who will encourage teachers and students to participate in suggesting and selecting materials for the collection. The selection of materials must be a shared responsibility with a teamwork approach. The total school curriculum, the courses of study, the methods of teaching, and the individual differences of the pupils in the school, for whom the materials are provided, will be the prime consideration for the selection of materials. C. Criteria for Book Selection: There are certain criteria to be applied throughout the school in selecting library materials. These materials should: 1. Enrich and support the curriculum. 2. Provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may develop the practice of critical reading and thinking. 3. Provide a background of information which will enable students to make intelligent judgments in their daily life. 4. Provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to our society. 5. Judge the value and impact of any literary work as a whole, taking into account the author's intent rather than individual words, phrases or incidents out of which it is made. 6. In selecting books, the contemporary standards of the community will be considered, as well as the age and maturity of the students. Books will be chosen with consideration being given to the fact that attendance at public schools is for the most part compulsory and that exposure to school library materials is therefore on a different basis from that in general public libraries or college and university libraries. D. Personnel Involved in Selection of Library Books 1. School Librarian 2. Building Principal - The building principal will be included in the selection of library materials if he/she chooses. If a strong difference of opinion exists between the librarian and the principal regarding specific materials, the matter will be brought to the superintendent and then to the board, if necessary. 615 PARENT CONFERENCES Parent conferences shall be scheduled in accordance with the school calendar. Individual conferences are encouraged whenever a pupil's educational interests can best be served.

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