BOOK SELECTION POLICY

I. Objectives and Philosophy

A. Recognizing its responsibility toward the people it serves to promote and preserve intellectual freedom and, therefore, recognizing the need for conscientious evaluation and selection of educational materials, the Educational Materials Selection Policy Committee* endorses the School Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association, approved by the American Association of School Libraries, 1996. 

B. In the continual process of implementing these objectives the Educational Materials Selection Policy Committee subscribes to the philosophy expressed as appended from the Students' Right to Read published by the National Council of Teachers of English. 

C. The Educational Materials Selection Policy Committee also subscribes to the concordant philosophy expressed as an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights in the American Library Association's Statement on Labeling, amended 1990.  

II. Selection Principles

A. Pursuant to the views expressed above, the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School seeks materials contingent upon the following factors:

1. the current and evolving needs and interests of the people it serves

2. the individual merit of the educational material

3. the physical and financial capabilities of the school

B. Selection of non-fiction materials is based on the following criteria:

1. scope of the contents

2. comprehensiveness of the subject(s) treated

3. authority of the author and credentials of the publisher

 

*Educational Materials referred to in this Policy are any print or non-print resources used by any employee of the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District in order to carry out his/her professional responsibilities.

4. organization and clarity of presentation and special features

5. reliability of information and recency

6. potential usefulness

7. relative value in relation to existing library collection

8. relative merit in comparison with other materials on the same subject

9. attractiveness and durability of format

10. published critical reviews

C. Selection of fiction materials is based on the following criteria:

1. style of artistic expression

2. dramatic interest

3. thematic honesty and integrity

4. vitality and effectiveness of characterization

5. technical competence of the author

6. potential usefulness

7. structure of the plot

8. originality and imagination

9. attractiveness and durability of format

10. published critical reviews

*The Educational Materials Selection Policy Committee is the body chiefly responsible for the implementation of this Policy. The Committee is composed of eight members, including: a parent, a teacher, a coordinator, a staff member, the superintendent of the Instructional Materials department, the Librarian, a School Committee member, and a student.

D. The Library and Instructional Materials Center provide educational resources for every area of the school curriculum. Evaluation and selection of materials is a continual process involving the cooperation of school personnel and utilizing the following professional selection aids:

1. New materials -

2. Evaluation of current materials and retrospective selection -

Requests for materials are also accepted from students and staff.

III. Advisory Opinion

The Educational Materials Selection Policy Committee will be available to advise any department concerning the application of the Selection Policy. After careful review, a statement will be prepared by the Committee to summarize its findings. This statement will be presented within one school month after the request is made.

*Gifts or donations of print or non-print educational materials are included in the Library or Instructional Materials collection if such items are deemed by the Librarian and the IMC Supervisor to satisfy the selection principles stated in this Policy.

Out-of-date and no longer useful items are withdrawn from the collection. Worn-out or damaged but still useful items may be rebound or replaced as needed.

IV. Re-Evaluation Procedure

If a teacher, department coordinator, administrator or School Committee member receives an oral or written complaint regarding any educational material, the following process will be followed:

A. Immediate notification will be given by the person receiving the complaint to the chairperson of the Educational Materials Selection Policy Committee.

B. The Committee chairperson will invite the complainant to a meeting with school personnel directly involved in the selection of the material in question.

C. If the complaint cannot be successfully resolved at the aforementioned meeting, the complainant will be asked to submit a formal, signed Request for Re-Evaluation (pdf file). 

Since the Committee recognizes that complete responses to all questions on this form are essential to the Committee's re-evaluation of the material in question, no formal action will be taken by the Committee until the complainant has completed the form and returned it to the Committee Chairperson.

D. The Committee will meet promptly to discuss the Request for Re-Evaluation and prepare a written statement.

E. If the material in question is determined by the Committee to be in accordance with the objectives and criteria of this approved Selection Policy, the Committee, in its detailed written response to the complainant, delivered in person at a subsequent meeting, will recommend that the material be retained in the school's collection and that the complaint be withdrawn.

F. If the material in question is determined by the Committee to fall short of meeting the objectives and criteria outlined in the Materials Selection Policy, the materials will be removed temporarily from the school's collection pending further action by the Committee, which may include any or all of the following:

  1. re-negotiation with the complainant
  2. recommendation to substitute other material for the material in question to fulfill requirements of the classroom assignment
  3. recommendation to restrict access to material in question
  4. recommendation to remove materials from school holdings

Appendices to follow

FIRST VOTE: April 7, 1992

SECOND VOTE: May 12, 1992

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