Selection Policy

Objectives
The selection of materials is the responsibility of the school media specialist in
consultation with administration and faculty. In the selection of materials for purchase,
the media specialist will consider the goals established by the School Media Committee
and the criteria listed below. Individual parents, students, and teachers may also make
recommendations for materials to be purchased.

Internet resources are not subject to this policy. The internet is largely unregulated, and
not all of the information it carries is suitable for school aged children. Although the
district prescribes to a filtering service that blocks much inappropriate material, the
Technology Use Policy and the Guidelines for Acceptable Use of the Internet represent
an understanding on the part of the student and his/her parents or guardians that this
district does not control the contents of the internet.

Any resident or employee of the Transformational School District may formally

challenge library resources on the basis of appropriateness. This shall be done through
administrative procedure.

Criteria for Selection of Media

Guidelines
I. Objectives of Selection
Instructional media and equipment will be selected, acquired, and used to
implement the philosophy and educational goals of the school system and to
support the learning activities designed for students. To promote maximum
utilization, media will be provided for all instructional levels and curricular
content. It will have a diversity of appeal, present various viewpoints, and be
provided in a variety of formats. It should relate to the curriculum and meet the
developmental needs, varying interest, learning modalities, and differing ability
levels of students; stimulate intellectual curiosity and growth in factual
knowledge; promote broad awareness and reflect and diversity of our country and
the world.

Ample equipment shall be provided and maintained to promote maximum

utilization of all available material formats, to increase technological applications,
and to encourage incorporation of media into learning activities.

II. Responsibility for Selection of Library Resources

The elected Board of Education shall delegate to the Superintendent of schools
the authority and responsibility for all print and non-print materials.
Responsibilities for actual selection shall rest with the school librarian who shall
discharge this obligation consistent with the Board’s adopted selection criteria and
procedures. However, the responsibility of coordinating the selection of library
 resources and for making recommendations to purchase rests with the certified
librarian.
The selection of library resources will include:
• The district superintendent
• One member from the network/technology department
• One parent volunteer at large
• One board member
• The district special needs coordinator
• One school media specialist and one classroom teacher from an elementary,
middle and high school
• The district curriculum coordinator
III. Criteria for Selection of Library Resources
A. The following criteria will be used as they apply:
1. Learning resources will support the mission and the academic, social,
and civic expectations of the Transformational School District; the
mission, philosophy, guiding principles, and annual goals of each
individual school; and the standards and frameworks of the State of
Georgia.
2. Learning resources will support the existing curriculum, as well as the
personal needs and interests of library users.
3. Learning resources will meet high standards of quality in factual
content and presentation.
4. Learning resources will be appropriate for the subject area and for the
age, emotional development, ability level, learning style, and social
development of the students for whom the materials are selected.
5. Learning resources will be selected to help students gain an awareness
of our pluralistic society.
6. Learning resources on controversial issues will be directed toward
maintaining a diverse collection representing various views.
7. Learning resources will be selected for their strengths rather than
rejected for their weaknesses.
8. Learning resources will be accurate in terms of content.
9. Learning resources will be free of bias and stereotype
10. Learning resources will be the appropriate format to effectively teach
the curriculum
11. Learning resources will be cost effective in terms of use
12. Learning resources will be accurate, current, and authoritative.
13. Learning resources further the professional development of the staff.

B. Electronic resources
1. Electronic content should be comparable in cost to its print analog,
unless there is substantial added value.
2. The library should not be required to purchase both the print and its
digital equivalent.
3. The library would prefer pricing based either on simultaneous use or
 by transaction. Site licensing pricing should be tied to FTE student
count as opposed to the district population.

VI. Procedures for Selection of Library Resources

A. In selecting library resources, the librarian will measure available materials
against the above criteria, the emerging needs of the curriculum, and the library’s
current two-year Collection Development Plan.
B. The librarian will consult reputable, professionally prepared selection guides
and other appropriate review sources. Such sources include-but are not limited to-
American Historical Fiction, Booklist, Children’s Library Catalog, Junior High
School Library Catalog, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal.
C. Administrators, teachers, instructional assistants, students, parents, and
community members will be regularly encouraged to make recommendations for
purchase.
D. When feasible, the resource itself will be examined.
E. Gift materials will be measured against the above criteria and will be accepted
or rejected accordingly.
F. Resource selection will include the routine removal of outdated and inaccurate
materials, as well as the replacement of lost or worn items still of educational
value.
G. When selecting digital media, objective evaluation information like those
provided by the Educational Products Information Exchange (EPIE) will be used.
These resources include-but are not limited to The Educational Software Selector
(TESS), The EPIE report on Computer Based Integrated Systems, and EPIE’s
Curriculum Analysis Services for Education.
H. Digital media selection will also include surveying sources and reference
guides such as A-V Online, Bowker’s Complete Video Guide, Only the Best
Computer Programs, Best Videos for Children and Young Adults, Elementary
School Library Collection, and the U.S Department of Education’s Gateway to
Educational Materials (GEM) database.

V. Controversial Materials
During the selection process, the Transformational School District will uphold the First
Amendment of the United States Constitution, “Congress shall make no law respecting
an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of press; or the right of the people peaceable to assemble, and to
petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Further, the school board
subscribes in principle to the statements of policy on library philosophy as expressed in
the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights.
Article
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA153101.html?q=selection+policy

Policies
http://www.ncwiseowl.org/impact/progadmin.htm
http://www.eduref.org/plweb-cgi/fastweb?getdoc+listservs+LM_NET-
2001+15807+7+wAAA+media%26committee
http://facstaff.colstate.edhttp://www.hopkintonschools.org/hhs/library/selpol.htmlu/kufori
ji_paulina/6116_Review_of_Collection_Development_Policy.doc

Additional Resources
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?
Section=dealing&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=111
73
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/librarybill/lbor.pdf
Smaldino, S., Lowther, D., and Russell, J. Instructional Technology and Media for
Learning, Ninth Edition.