School Library Selection Policy

1. School Library Selection Policy Coosa Valley Elementary School

2. Statement of Policy • The mission of Coosa Valley Elementary Library Media Center is to provide a positive, welcoming learning environment that provides for the maximum academic social, and emotional growth of students, enabling them to become active, productive members of society.

3. Objectives of Selection: • Materials that enrich and support the curriculum • Consider interests, abilities, and learning styles • Accurate materials- free of bias • Materials with greatest value to school as a whole • Representative of different cultural groups • Materials that promote enjoyment of reading • Use awareness of bias and personal opinion to make objective purchasing decision • Wide range of materials in a diversity of formats

4. Responsibility of Selection • School faculty shall participate in the collection development process by means of their input through members of the Media Selection Committee. • Selection Committee- representatives from each academic area of the curriculum, the media specialist, a student, administrator, a parent, and other community persons. • The final decision in selecting media is the responsibility of the media specialist.

5. Criteria for Selection • Personal needs, interests and reading levels of the library users • Organization and presentation • Importance of the subject matter • Quality of production and durability • Appeal and appropriateness to the students’ age, emotional development and learning style • Factual content, validity and presentation • Format and price

6. Selection Guides and Review Resources • American Historical Fiction • Booklist • Children's Library Catalog • Kirkus Reviews • Reference Books for School Libraries • School Library Journal • Elementary School Library Collection • Horn Book

7. Procedures for Selection • Base on selection criteria and emerging curriculum. • Administrators, teachers, instructional assistants, students, parents and community members will be regularly encouraged to make recommendations for purchase. • When feasible, the resource itself will be examined. • Gift materials are selected or rejected according to the selection criteria. • Reviews from reputable professional organizations and other objective reviewing sources shall be consulted regarding proposed acquisitions.

8. Selection Procedures cont. • Textbooks: Selected by the textbook committee which consists of a teacher from each grade level, the reading coach, the library media specialists and curriculum coordinator. • Audio Visuals: Purchased based on curriculum standards and will be previewed by members of the Selection Committee. • Weeding: Existing collection will be evaluated and will include the routine removal of outdated and inaccurate materials, as well as the replacement of lost and worn items still of educational value.

9. Dealing With Challenged Materials • Informal Challenge: the principal will try to resolve • Formal Challenge: • Formal complaint form submitted • Reviewed by committee • Committee will act on formal complaint • Appeals process follows set procedure

10. Statement on Intellectual Freedom • The Pell City School System subscribes in principle to the statements of policy on library philosophy as expressed in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, a copy of which is appended to and made a part of this policy.