5410   R&P        

SELECTION AND PROCUREMENT OF MEDIA:   

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

5410    R&P

The mission of the media and technology program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. The program is designed to support, complement, and enhance the educational philosophy, goals, and objectives of the school system. The media and technology program makes available, through the school’s collections, a wide range of print, non-print, and technology resources on varying levels of difficulty with a diversity of appeal compatible with the different needs, interests, and viewpoints of students and teachers.

5410.1

The Library Media Services Department of the Wake County Public School System is responsible for:

A.

Developing written media selection guidelines that support the instructional program and are based on recognized principles of intellectual freedom;

B.

Developing criteria for the selection of instructional materials and equipment;

C.

Providing opportunities for review and evaluation of new media and technology resources;

D.

Providing a framework that allows students, staff, and parents the opportunity to recommend materials for consideration for selection;

E.

Developing guidelines for ongoing maintenance, management, and evaluation                       of materials and equipment;

F.

Providing information and direction for completing local and state reports.

5410.2

 Media And Technology Advisory Committee

The principal shall designate a Media and Technology Advisory Committee to include the principal, the school media coordinator, teachers, and diverse parent and student representatives.  To ensure the appropriate use of funds, the committee will consider school-wide needs in cooperation with the school leadership team and school improvement team. Under the leadership of professional media personnel, this group sets priorities for establishing school guidelines consistent with Wake County guidelines, and sets priorities for acquisition of materials based on school-wide objectives and on strengths and weaknesses in the existing collections; however, approval of instructional materials resides with the principal.  Ongoing evaluation is necessary and based on information from standard selection tools or preview of materials.  The selection should reflect a realistic, long-range acquisition program to provide high quality materials.

5410.3

Instructional Resources

Educators shall:

A.

Be knowledgeable of and follow Board policies and guidelines on the selection and   purchase of media materials for the instructional program.

B.

Work to develop strong lines of communication with civic, religious, educational, and political groups in the local school community.

C.

Maintain an active public relations program within the school and the community to create an understanding of the policies, procedures, and programs of the school system.

D.

Provide information to parents about selected materials at the beginning of the year, semester, or summer.

E.

Work closely with the Media and Technology Advisory Committee.

F.

Use a variety of resources, including selection publications, when judging the appropriateness of materials.

G.

Select media that align with and enhance the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and honor the guidelines for appropriate selection of instructional materials. Educators who wish to show a film, other than one from the school library media center or grade level/department collections, must complete and submit the Request for Prior Approval for Showing Films in School. Educators who wish to invite a guest speaker, other than one from the WCPSS approved community resource list, must complete and submit the Guest Speaker Request Form. In addition, educators and guest speakers must review and sign the Agreement and Guidelines for Guest Speakers. Secondary educators who choose reading materials beyond those recognized on existing district lists must complete and submit the Request for Prior Approval: Assigning Supplemental Texts in Secondary Classrooms.

  H.

Honor the guidelines for appropriate selection of instructional materials in choosing reading materials that are included in any supplementary reading program(s).

5410.4

Consideration of Challenged Material

When materials are challenged, all complaints, whether received by telephone, letter, or in personal conversation, shall be referred to the building principal.  Recommendations made in selection publications should not be viewed as the final judgment on the appropriateness of materials.

Resolution of the complaint shall first be sought through a discussion with the principal and/or his or her designee.  In an informal discussion, the complainant will be informed about the selection policy, criteria, and merits of the material being questioned.  If the complainant does not submit a formal request for reconsideration within two weeks, the complaint will be considered closed.

If the complainant chooses to file a formal complaint, the following procedures should be used:

A.        

The principal or his/her designee will explain the school selection procedure and criteria to the complainant.  This should be done courteously with no commitment made as the Reconsideration Committee has responsibility to respond.

B.        

The principal or his/her designee will provide the complainant with a copy of the form Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials.  The complainant should be advised to submit the form to the principal.

C.        

When a formal complaint has been initiated, the principal will appoint an ad hoc Reconsideration Committee. Minimum representation on this committee will be the media coordinator, two teacher representatives who are specialists in the content area(s) being challenged, two parents, and the principal.

D.        

The challenged material will continue to be used until the consideration process is completed; however, the use of the material(s) for that particular student shall be suspended, if requested by the parent(s).

E.        

The Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, appropriate Area Regional Superintendent, and Director of Library Media Services will be informed of the complaint by the principal.

F.        

The Reconsideration Committee will be activated within thirty days to:

Ÿ          Examine the challenged material;

Ÿ          Read appraisals of the material in professional reviewing sources;

Ÿ          Form opinions based on the material as a whole and not on passages

            isolated from context;

Ÿ          Prepare a report responding to the complainant;

Ÿ          File a copy of the report with the Principal, Superintendent, Chief Academic

      Officer, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, appropriate

      Area Superintendent, and Director of Library Media Services;

Ÿ          Inform the complainant of the decision of the committee;

Ÿ          Retain or withdraw the challenged materials based on the decision of the

            committee.

G.        

If the complainant is dissatisfied with the decision of the school-based   Reconsideration Committee, s/he may appeal to the Wake County Board of Education in accordance with board policy 1316.

5410.5

   Library Bill of Rights

A.        

Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

B.        

Libraries provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues.  Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan and doctrinal disapproval.

C.        

Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

D.        

Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.          

E.        

A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

F.        

Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted: October 18, 1995

Revised: June 20, 2006

Revised: May 20, 2007