Wayland Union School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

6161.03 - MATERIAL SELECTION FOR MEDIA CENTERS AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT

The Wayland Board of Education has delegated the responsibility for the selection of materials relating to the operation of the Wayland Union Schools to the professionally trained personnel employed by the school system.

Selection of materials for the media center involves all of the professional staff, but the responsibility for coordinating the selection of instructional materials rests with the professionally trained librarian/media specialist.

The primary objective of the school's media center is to implement, enrich and support the educational program of the school by providing a wide range of materials on all levels of difficulty with diversity of appeal. To these ends, the Wayland Board of Education supports the objectives of the Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs 1988; the American Library Association, Library Bill of Rights; the American Association of School Librarians, School Library Bill of Rights.

In selecting materials for purchase, the media specialist or curriculum director will consider the needs of the curriculum and the individual students. Reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared selection aids and the teachers of various departments or grade levels will be consulted. The two basic factors of truth and art are prime criteria in making selections. Other criteria are: overall purpose, appropriateness, timeliness, readability and popular appeal, reliability and reputation of the author/producer, etc. and value in comparison to cost. Materials shall not be excluded because of race, nationality or political views of the author. Fullest, practical provision will be made for materials presenting all points of view. The sensational and overdramatic shall be avoided. Materials containing references to sexual incidents or profanity will be judged on literary merit and whether the materials present life in its true proportions, taking the level of readers into consideration. These criteria also apply to gift materials. Worn or missing items will be replaced and materials no longer useful will be withdrawn from the collection.

A clearly defined policy for the selection of materials will fully inform all teachers, media specialists, administrators, members of the School Board and the community of the specific materials selection practices of the school system. The responsibility and limits of responsibility of the individuals participating in materials selection will be clearly stated. Such a selection policy will set forth clearly detailed criteria and selection of materials. A basis for common agreement for those responsible for selection of materials will be provided and a procedure for handling challenged materials will be defined.

Media and Curriculum Support Material Objectives:

 A.To provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities and maturity levels of the students served.
 B.To provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values and ethical standards.
 C.To provide a background of information which will enable pupils to make intelligent judgements in their daily life.
 D.To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may develop under guidance the practice of critical analysis of all media.
 E.To provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to our American Heritage.
 F.To place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality in order to assure of comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the library media center.

If objections to selections are raised by the public, a materials selection committee, consisting of two School Board Members, two teachers, two students (secondary only), two members at large, a media specialist, and curriculum director shall process the complaint. The curriculum director or their designee will chair the committee. The building administrator may serve on the committee at his/her discretion. The following procedure will be followed:

 A.The complainant will be asked to file their objections in writing through the questionnaire prepared by the National Council of Teachers of English. This will be handled by the media specialist or curriculum director, who will notify the principal.
 B.The committee shall read and examine the material, check general acceptance of the materials by reading reviews. Then they shall meet to discuss the material weighing its values and faults against each other, basing their decision on the material as a whole and not on a passage pulled out of context. A report will be filed with the building principal, a recommendation given to the Board of Education.
    1. The committee will meet and make a recommendation within
      thirty (30) school days from the filing of the written complaint.
 D.No material shall be withdrawn from circulation or classroom use until the committee has recommended that it be withdrawn.
 E.A final decision will be made by the Board of Education and relayed to the complainant by media specialists or curriculum director.

Adopted 3/12/01