HIT: Selection Policy Part 1

[mary ann harlan <persei@earthlink.net>]

Hi folks -
Several of you asked for a hit on selection policies.  I wanted to wait
and make sure everyone who was going to respond had an oppurtunity and I
don't have time during the week so I apologize for the lag time in
posting this hit.
Thanks to everyone who responded.  It helped me articulate why we needed
to reexamine our policy and produced some ideas.
Here it is:

#1
Give ALA a call.  They have at least one recent book on the subject.
Linworth
Press is another likely source.  That way you can create your own with
some
confidence that you've covered all of the bases.  My policy is actually
a
"Collection Development" policy and covers such things as what I do with
gifts, how I deal with challenges (censorship issues) in addition to
what
levels I try to reach in the collection in the different subject areas.
You
are going to have quite an interesting time looking at your collection
once
you have a new document in place.

#2
POLICIES FOR SELECTION OF MEDIA MATERIALS


I.      OBJECTIVES OF SELECTION:

        The primary objective of the school's media center is to
implement,
enrich, and support the
educational program of the school.  It is the duty of the center to
provide a
wide range of materials
on all levels of difficulty with diversity of appeal,
and the presentation of different points of view.

        The responsibility of the library/media center of Seton Catholic
Central
High School in the
selection of materials is:

To provide materials which will enrich and support the curriculum,
taking into
consideration
the varied interests, abilitites, and maturity levels of the students
served.

To provide materials which will stimulate growth in factual knowledge,
literary
appreciation,
aesthetic values, and ethical standards.

To provide materials which will enable pupils to explore the culture,
history,
and doctrine of
their Catholic heritage.

To provide a background of information which will enable pupils to make
intelligent
judgments in their daily life.

To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that
young
citizens may
develop the practice of critical analysis of all media.

To provide materials representative of many ethnic and cultural groups
and their
contributions to 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
collection
appropriate to
the users of the library media center.

To provide materials in a variety of forms so that users may have access
to and
learn the use
of different types of media.




II.  RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELECTION OF MATERIALS:

        The Administration is legally responsible for all matters
relating to the
operation of Seton
Catholic Central High School.  The responsibility for the selection of
library-media center materials is
delegated to the professionally trained personnel employed by the
school, namely
the librarian and
the av specialist. Selection of materials involves many people: the
principal,
media specialist(s),
department heads, and teachers. The responsibility for coordinating the
selection
of materials and
making recommendations for purchase rests with the media specialists.


III.    CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF MATERIALS

        The first considerations in the selection of materials are given
to the
needs of the curriculum
and of the current collection.
Materials for purchase are consdiered on the basis of:

        Overall purpose
        Timeliness and/or permanence of value
        Importance of subject matter
        Quality
        Accessability (readability)
        Authoritativeness
        Reputation of the publisher
        Reputation of the author, producer, etc.
        Format and price

        Requests from faculty and students are given high consideration.


IV.     PROCEDURES FOR SELECTION

        In selecting materials for purchase, the media specialist
evaluates the
existing collection and
consults:

        Reputable, professionally prepared selection aids.
        Specialists from concerned departments.

        Gift materials are judged by basic selection standards and are
accepted
or rejected by these
standards.  Materials given in memorial are given special consideration.

        Worn, outdated, or missing standard items are replaced as
possible.

        Out of date, worn out, and no longer useful materials are
withdrawn from
the collection.



V.      CHALLENGED MATERIALS

        Occasional objections to a selection will be made by the public,
despite
the care taken to
select valuable materials for student and teacher use and the
qualifications of
persons who select the
materials.

        The principles of the freedom to read and of the professional
responsibility of the staff must
be defended, rather than the materials.

        If a complaint is made, the procedures are as follows:

        1. Be courteous, but make no commitments.

        2. Invite the complainant to file his/her objections in
writing.  Give
him/her a copy of the
"Request for reconsideration of instructional/library materials" form in
the
office files, to be returned
to the school principal's office.

        3. Temporarily withdraw the material pending a decision of the
media
review committee.

        4. Inform the principal.  The principal should inform the
superintendant
of schools.

        5. The media review committee shall:

           a. Read/examine the materials referred to it.

           b. Check reviews and professional evaluations of the material
in
question.

           c. Weigh values and faults against each other and form
opinions based
on the material as a
whole and not on passages pulled out of context.

           d. Meet to discuss the material and to prepare a report of
the
committee's findings and
recommendations.

           e. File a copy of the report with the school and diocesan
administrative offices.

Media Review Committee

        The media review committe shall consist of: the Librarian-Media
Specialist and/or the AV
Specialist, the Assistant Principal, and representatives from the
Theology,
English, and Social
Studies Departments.

        If the challenged work concerns the area of another department
(e.g. Art
or Science), then a
representative from that department shall be appointed to the committee
for that
review.

Mary Ann Harlan
persei@earthlink.net
Golden West Middle
2651 De Ronde Drive
Fairfield CA 94533

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