Collection Development

Developing the library media center collection is primarily the responsibility of the library media specialist, who, along with other staff members, will evaluate a variety of materials and select materials based upon the curriculum and the objectives of the school. The Coordinator of Library Media will provide guidance regarding a countywide Collection Development Plan and guidance for individual schools. Selected materials will then be ordered following standard prescribed procedures.

Evaluation and Selection

School library media collections should meet current state standards and should conform as nearly as possible to the American Library Association standards. After the basic collection is acquired, additional materials should be selected to support the curriculum and new or special programs, to enrich all phases of school activities, to give depth to the collection, and to update and replace materials as needed.

The Howard County policy regarding the selection of instructional materials, including those placed in the library media centers, is the primary source for selection criteria. Materials at the appropriate grade level may be selected from the following:

To be compliant with the HCPSS selection policy for school library media centers, acceptable positive reviews must be:

Elementary – may select appropriate materials for PreS – grade 5 and for grade ranges that include the elementary grades, e.g., grades 4 – 6.

Middle - may select appropriate materials for grades 6 - 8 and for grade ranges that include the middle grades, e.g., grades 5 – 9.

High - may select appropriate materials for grades 9 - 12 and for grade ranges that include the elementary grades, e.g., grades 7 – 10. High schools may also select general adult audience titles that are indicated in reviews as appropriate for young adults or high school students. Other general adult audience titles require a Selection Criteria for Media Center Materials form (see Appendix).

When the upper level of a grade range is beyond the usual grades in the school choosing the material, carefully consider the nature of the content and its appropriateness for the students.

Any materials not reviewed in approved selection aids may be purchased upon favorable evaluation by three certificated professional staff members, using the established Selection Criteria for Media Center Materials form in the appendix. One form including all three signatures is acceptable. Use a separate form for each item purchased.

NOTE: Completed Selection Criteria forms are to be submitted to Media Technical Services with the items to be added to the collection. After entering the information into the database, the forms will be returned to the school that sent them. The forms are to be retained at the school until the item is no longer in the HCPSS database (PAC).

In addition to observing the evaluation and selection policies established by The Howard County Board of Education, the library media specialist should also be aware of the suggestions of the American Association of School Librarians, which reaffirm its belief in the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association. Whenever it does not conflict with county policy, it is the responsibility of the library media center:

“To provide a comprehensive collection of instructional materials selected in compliance with basic written selection principles, and to provide maximum accessibility to these materials.

To provide materials that will support the curriculum, taking into consideration the individual’s needs, and the varied interests, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and maturity levels of the students served.

To provide materials for teachers and students that will encourage growth in knowledge, and that will develop literary, cultural and aesthetic appreciation, and ethical standards.

To provide materials which reflect the ideas and beliefs of religious, social, political, historical, and ethnic groups and their contribution to the American and world heritage and culture, thereby enabling students to develop an intellectual integrity in forming judgments.

To provide a written statement, approved by the local Boards of Education, of the procedures for meeting the challenge of censorship of materials in school library media centers.

To provide qualified professional personnel to serve teachers and students.”

   School Libraries, vol. 19, no. 2, p.61

Media Materials on Family Life and Human Sexuality and HIV/AIDS

Audiovisual Materials

The K-12 Health Education Office will provide library media specialists with an approved list of audiovisual materials that may be purchased for library media collections that deal with these topics. Each fall an updated list will be distributed to all library media specialists. Library media specialists should not purchase audiovisual materials that deal with these topics if they are not on the approved list. If a library media specialist would like to have a specific title added to the approved list, recommendations should be made to the K-12 Health Education Office.

Books

When ordering books, both fiction and nonfiction, that deal with HIV/AIDS, sexuality, and family life, library media specialists should always check the review sources to make sure that the materials are consistent with the health curriculum and appropriate for the grade level. After the materials arrive in the school, library media specialists should look through them to ensure that the materials are appropriate for the library media collection. If a library media specialist has any questions about whether or not to include an item in the collection, the Coordinator of Library Media should be contacted. These materials will then be referred to the K-12 Health Education Office to determine if they should be included in the library media collection.

Gift Materials

Gift books or other materials, which are offered to library media centers, must meet the selection standards of The Howard County Public School System. For guidance, see the Selection of Instructional Materials Policy #8040 (see Appendix).