The Baltimore County Public School policy states that each office
in the Department of Instruction shall establish a Materials Review
and Selection Committee to determine criteria for selecting materials
to ensure that all instructional materials extend the knowledge
and understanding of the Essential Curriculum. The following policy
was developed by the Office of Library and Information Technology.
School library media specialists are responsible for the review,
evaluation, and selection of the school library media collection.
They are guided by the system-level selection policy that embodies
the philosophy and procedures set forth in national, state, and
county documents. Library media specialists work cooperatively
with administrators and teachers to provide resources which represent
diverse points of view, stimulate growth in thinking skills, and
promote the overall educational program. Library media collections
are developed to meet both curricular and personal needs. To ensure
that these needs are met, library media specialists apply selection
criteria and use recommended selection tools. All purchases, including
gifts, should meet the same selection standards.
This selection policy reflects the philosophy and goals of the
school system and supports the principles of intellectual freedom
described in Information
Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs, the
Library
Bill of Rights (ALA), Students'
Right to Read (NCTE), and other position
statements on intellectual freedom from the American Library
Association and the American Association of School Librarians.
Baltimore County Public Schools compiles with federal laws regarding
Internet safety and protection by requiring a filtering proxy
server on its wide area network. See Baltimore
County Public Schools Telecommunications Policies and Rules.
Library media materials should be accessible to students of varied
abilities, and meet informational and interest needs of all students.
Library media materials should be selected on the basis of assessed
curricular needs. Materials should reflect the identified learning
outcomes of the instructional program.
Library media materials should present facts in an objective manner.
Authority of the author, organization, publisher/producer should
be a consideration in selection. Materials concerning human development
and family life should contain facts which are presented in a
manner appropriate to the level of the students.
Library media materials should provide a global perspective and
promote diversity as a positive attribute of our society. It is
important to include materials by authors and illustrators of
all cultures.
Materials should reflect the basic humanity of all people and
be free of stereotypes, caricatures, distorted dialect, sexual
bias, and other offensive characteristics. Library materials concerning
religious, social, and political content should inform rather
than indoctrinate.
Students have the right to information on both sides of a controversial
issue. By having access to a variety of resources students will
have the knowledge base to develop critical thinking and problem
solving skills. The school library media center provides free
and equitable access to all information.
Library media materials should be available in variety of formats,
e.g., print, nonprint, electronic, multimedia, to meet the needs
and learning styles of a diverse student population.
Library media materials should be assessed for currency of the
information as it relates to the content and purpose of the item.
Literary quality, technical merit, physical arrangement, and aesthetic
characteristics should be considered as integral components in
the evaluation of all media formats.
Library media materials should be evaluated for cost effectiveness
in terms of accessibility, projected use, and durability.
Library media materials should be provided to meet curricular
needs and the individual needs, interests, and learning styles
of all students at all levels.
The objective of the selection policy is
to increase the awareness of educators of the many considerations
one must apply when making decisions about information resources
available to students and teachers. The rapid production of knowledge
as characteristic of the "Information Age" brings with
it many challenges. According to John Naisbitt, "we have
for the first time an economy based on a key resource (information)
that is not only renewable, but self generating. Running out of
information is not a problem, but drowning in it is."
Library media specialists take leadership in communicating to
the educational community the purpose and scope of the selection
policy. The responsibility for coordinating the selection of library
materials rests with the library media specialist who seeks faculty,
student, and parent recommendations for purchase of library media
materials. Favorable reviews from professional review journals
and authoritative selection references should be used when developing
library media collections. Wherever possible, direct examination
of materials is advisable to ensure that they meet selection criteria.
Library media materials listed in the Instructional Materials
Catalog, the Periodicals Catalog, and the H.W. Wilson
Catalog have been evaluated by school library media specialists
and approved for purchase.
Essential Curriculum and Collection Development
The major emphasis of collection development should be to provide
materials which meet curricular needs. To assess these needs,
knowledge of the Essential Curriculum and access to these guides
is important. It is recommended that a copy of each curriculum
guide be housed in the library media center. The library media
specialist needs to be familiar with changes and additions to
the curriculum and how they effect collection development.
Teacher Recommendations
Communication with teachers to assess curriculum needs and recommendations
for purchase is an important part of the selection process. Since
the library media collection is an integral part of the instructional
and learning process, the strength and value of the collection
are ensured when teachers are actively involved in the selection
process. A sample form is included at the end of this document.
Student and Parent Recommendations
Suggestions from students and parents is also an important part
of the selection process. As students seek information for curricular
purposes or use the library media center for personal interests,
students and parents are encouraged to make recommendations of
specific resources or subject areas where information is needed.
A sample form is included at the end of this document.
Professional Review Journals
The following online sources are recommended as tools to locate
reviews. Most are considered professional review journals, e.g.
Booklist, Booklinks, Multicultural Book Reviews, and School Library
Journal; however, some are considered general popular review sources.
Keep this in mind when using these sources. Many of the sources
listed below are available for purchase on the Periodicals
Catalog.
Review Resources
Core Collection Tools
Core collection tools are authoritatative selection references
to help assess the quality of the media collection and the availability
of resources from various publishers/producers. Unlike review
journals which are published monthly/bi-monthly, core collection
references are updated annually. The following core selection
references are available from the LAMS Professional library or
may be purchased locally:
Online Collection Development and Acquisitions
Using technology to work effectively and efficiently is a goal
of the Office of Library Information Services . During the 2000-2001
school year, a most successful 10.529 million online collection
development, fund tracking, and acquisitions pilot revolutionized
the way in which library media specialists do business. In addition,
we piloted the same process with elementary school libraries using
the S.A.F.E. Grant funding.
Online ordering greatly reduces the volume of paperwork and ensures more timely delivery of goods, as well is a savings to the school system by reducing the costs incurred with the preparation of Purchase Requisitions. This process will be our "preferred" method of collection development and acquisitions. The Office of Library Information Services will continue to work with vendors and library media specialists to develop selection guides using the online ordering system and coordinate the process with the Business and Finance and Purchasing Departments of the Baltimore County Public Schools. For a description of the process, see the School Library Facts website created for the 10.529 million secondary library collection project.
Vendor Catalogs
Publisher and jobber catalogs can
be useful in preparing orders and determining the availability
of materials. The library media specialist should keep in mind
that these are marketing tools, not selection tools. It is recommended
that a Publisher & Producer file be kept only for those
catalogs which are most useful and appropriate for the collection.
Some catalogs list review sources, but they may not necessarily
be positive ones. Also, some jobbers will prepare upon request
subject specific bibliographies of materials, e.g., multicultural
with reference to reviews. These lists can be used to facilitate
preparation of purchase requisitions.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR SELECTION OF PRINT MATERIALS
There are general selection criteria which apply to all library
media materials. The following media formats require additional
considerations.
Books
Due to the high cost of materials, it is important to examine
books with the following additional criteria in mind before purchasing:
Paperbacks
Paperbacks are an inexpensive way to supplement the library
media collection for duplication of titles, in-depth studies,
special projects, and leisure reading. It is recommended that
first copies of picture books be hardbacks.
When deciding whether to purchase paperback books or hardbound
books consider the following:
Periodicals
Periodicals support the curriculum and provide leisure reading
for students. Professional review journals and library periodicals
for instruction may be considered for purchase. Consider access
to full text online periodical databases, e.g., ASAP1 from Dialog
Information Services.
Newspapers
Newspapers may be ordered as needed. Consider access to full text
online newspaper databases, e.g., Baltimore Sun, New York Times
from Dialog Information Services and the limited editions of the
same titles on the World Wide Web.
Pamphlets
Pamphlets that support the curriculum may be added to the collection.
It is recommended that they be organized in an information file
by subject rather than fully cataloged. Apply general selection
criteria.
Reference
Reference materials in both print and electronic formats provide
comprehensive information in both general and subject-specific
areas. They also serve as access tools to information from other
sources including school, public, academic, and electronic collections.
The following points need to be considered:
SELECTION OF NONPRINT INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Each curricular office is responsible for establishing an
Instructional Materials Evaluation Committee as set forth in the
Baltimore County Public School's selection policy statement. As
part of the review process, an annual Instructional Materials
and Technology Exhibit is held to showcase instructional materials
for sale by various publishers/producers. The exhibit is open
to all teachers, students, and citizens interested in previewing
instructional materials.
The Office of Library and Information Technology establishes a
Nonprint Evaluation Committee to preview and evaluate instructional
materials which are being considered for inclusion in the Library
Instructional Media Catalog. All materials listed in this
catalog are approved for purchase. Library media specialists who
wish to suggest titles for preview and evaluation should
request these materials through the Office of Library and Information
Technology Review and Evaluation Center.
Considerations for Selection of Nonprint Materials
The criteria for selection of nonprint materials are essentially
the same as for print materials. The quality of auditory and visual
presentation should be considered as well as accuracy of information
and the appropriateness of format.
Nonprint materials should:
Considerations for Selection of Electronic Resources
The criteria for selection of electronic resources
are essentially the same as for print materials. Electronic resources
such as CD-ROM, computer software, and online services provide
greater access to information. Access to these fee-based database
services should be 24-hours a day with remote access from home.
Availability of network versions and site license agreements are
also factors in selection. See the evaluation
form for detailed evaluation criteria developed for the K-12 Maryland Digital
Library Project, an initiative of the Maryland State Department
of Education, Division of Library Development and Services and
chaired by Della Curtis, Coordinator, Office of Library Information
Services.
Electronic resources should:
Access to Internet Resources
Access to the Internet is a right and privilege granted to all
students by the Baltimore County Public Schools. Through the annual
notification process of the Baltimore County Public School Discipline
Code, parents or guardians will receive a booklet of all behavior
expectations, including appropriate and safe use of the Interent.
Parents or guardians who DO NOT want their child to have access
to Internet resources must submit a letter the school principal.
The Telecommunications Policy defines use of the Internet for
"educational purposes," outlines expectations for appropriate
and acceptable use. guidelines for school and office web publishing,
and copyright compliance. Go to the Baltimore County Public Schools
Telecommunications Policy and Rules.
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
The school library media program is an integral part of the
instructional process. As part of the instructional process, the
collection development is based upon the belief that all students,
teachers, administrators, and support staff should have open access
to all forms of information relevant to learning and teaching
the curriculum. To ensure access to quality library media collections,
a systematic process for assessing and building library media
collections is essential.
Collection development is the ongoing process of identifying strengths
and weaknesses of library media collections in terms of student
needs. Collection development demonstrates that funds are being
spent wisely and that library media collections meet the informational
needs of the curriculum as well as independent reading and viewing
needs of students. The three components involved in the collection
development process are:
Analysis of the School Community
In order to be responsive to the unique needs of each school,
a collection development process must be based upon an analysis
of student needs at that particular school. There will be some
similarities among library media collections across the county,
but the profile provided by this analysis will ensure that the
specific needs of each school are addressed.
Assessment of the Library Media Collection
Collection assessment is needed to determine the quality of
the existing library media collection. It is an organized method
for collecting statistics on the age of the collection, the number
of titles in the collection, and the ability of the collection
to meet curricular needs.
Selection and Acquisition of Materials
The selection and acquisition of new library media materials will
be based upon the needs of each library media center as determined
by the collection assessment process and upon the availability
of funding The Baltimore County Board of Education policy should
be followed when selecting all library media materials.
MANAGING ORGANIZED COLLECTIONS FOR ACCESS
The Annotated Code of Maryland (COMAR 13A 05 04) and the Maryland
State Standards for School Library Media Programs specify
that students and staff shall have access to "an organized
and centrally managed collection of instructional materials and
technologies." The Baltimore County Public Schools ensures
this regulation by its policy that all materials will be cataloged
and processed, U.S. MARC Records are made for all holdings, and
these digital records are imported in school library automated
catalogs and circulation systems. Go to Automation
and Media Processing Center website for vision, policies,
and procedures.
ASSESSMENT AND INVENTORY PROCESS
An essential step in collection development is assessment of the
needs of the curriculum and student population with regard to
library media resources. Library media specialists will develop
yearly and long-range plans to assist in ongoing assessment.
Assessment of the collection includes taking inventory of existing
materials, assessing materials in relation to needs of instructional
units, and weeding outdated and inappropriate materials.
The inventory is a process by which holdings are checked against
the automated cataloging system and the actual item to determine
if the resource is still part of the collection and still meets
selection criteria. The objective of this inventory is to ensure
that the automated cataloging system accurately reflects the collection
which is the key access point for students and teachers to locate
information within the library. This procedure should not disrupt
the library media program as automation of school library holdings
greatly speed up the process using the barcode scanning feature.
An annual inventory is recommended as the data is critical to
making collection development decisions about the quality and
quantity of the collection in meeting the needs of students and
staff.
INVENTORY PROCEDURES
Weeding Library Media Materials
A good collection development plan must include weeding. The
process of weeding is a key part of assessing the collection.
It helps keep collections relevant, accurate, and useful; and
it facilitates more effective use of space in the library media
center.
Library media materials should be weeded if they:
Withdrawing Library Media Materials
Although the final decision to withdraw materials from the library
media collection is one which is made by the library media specialist,
subject area, grade level teachers, and other faculty members
may be invited to review the items marked for withdrawal. All
withdrawn materials must be sent to the Pulaski Warehouse /Distribution
Center for recycling. Withdrawn materials should not be sent to
classrooms; the same standard of quality applies to all other
instructional materials within the school.
CONSIDERATION FILE
Library media specialists should maintain a CONSIDERATION FILE
for future purchases. This file should reflect school needs, staff
recommendations, and reviews. Technology has greatly enhanced
the efficiency of creating consideration files, e.g., Follett's
Titlewave. For items not available book jobbers who have online
ordering and collection development, create a database to input
ordering information for resources which are recommended for purchase
and to output a list of resources to order. Some suggested database
fields are: Title, author, publisher, copyright, review source,
price.
Rebinding Procedures
Some books can be easily repaired by the library media specialist.
If a book cannot be repaired locally, a decision must be made
to rebind or reorder the book.
Rebinding is usually not an attractive or cost efficient option.
Books that are rebound will have plain cloth covers without printed
titles, illustrations, or book jackets. The best candidates for
rebinding are expensive reference books and textbooks which are
updated and expected to stay in the collection. Out of print books
should be carefully evaluated as to their merit before rebinding.
Books which have dirty, torn or brittle pages should be reordered
and not sent for rebinding.
The cost of rebinding will be billed to the local school library.
The total expenditure must be deducted from the next year's library
materials allotment. Although the cost of rebinding varies yearly
according to the bid price, an average book can be estimated at
25% of the replacement cost.
The REBOUND BOOK form is issued yearly in late spring along
with updated price list and instructions. Follow these procedures
for books that need rebinding:
RECONSIDERATION
of INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
When a concern is expressed about instructional materials or library
media resources, the library media specialist needs to consider
both the citizen's "right" to express a opinion and
the principles of Intellectual Freedom. School library media specialists
support the right of students, parents, or legal guardians to
reject the appropriateness of materials for themselves or their
child/ward.
The Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials
form is used to notify the Department of Curriculum and Instruction
of an objection to information resources available in the library
media center.
The library media specialist and complainant will be informed
of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction's committee action
concerning the controversial material.
Author:_______________________________________________________________________
Type of Instructional Material:_____________________________________________________
Title:_________________________________________________________________________
Publisher (if known):____________________________________________________________
Request initiated by:_______________________________________Telephone:_____________
Street Address:_________________________________________________________________
City:____________________Zip Code: _________________
Curriculum area and grade of item:__________________________________________________
Complainant represents:___________________________________________________________
Please circle : self (name of organization) (identify other group)
1. To what in the item do you object? (Please be specific)
2. What do you feel might be the result of using this item?
3. For what age group would you recommend this item?
4. Do you feel there is any value in this item?
5. Did you examine the entire item?What parts?
6. Have you had an opportunity to discuss the proposed use of
this item with a staff member?
__________________________________________________Date____________________
Signature of Complainant
Please send this request to:
Dr. Richard Bavaria
Executive Director
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Baltimore County Public Schools
6901 Charles Street
Towson, MD 21204
You will receive a response from: The Department of Curriculum
and Instruction
BCPS 7/96
Form
Only
Teacher's Name ________________________________________
Date________
Subject Area: ___________________________Grade Level:__ Reading
Level:__
Curriculum Unit ____________________________________________________
Special Needs (Visually impaired, ESOL, G/T):
Type of media requested, e.g., book, video, computer software,
CD-ROM
Please list specific recommendations:
Review Source (if known)
Please list specific recommendations:
Review Source (if known)
Name_____________________________________________ Date_______________
Address___________________________________________ Telephone___________
I would like materials on these subjects in the library media
center:
I would like the following books in our library:
The library needs more information on the following subjects:
I would like to have the following nonprint or electronic resources
in the library media center: