Media Center Goals

The primary goal of the Media Center and its programs is to support our School Improvement Plan and Mission Statement. We aim to provide a welcoming atmosphere conducive to enrichment and learning. Materials are made readily available for all faculty, staff, parents and students as to enhance our Positive Learning Community. We are also here to support our fellow public school libraries in Alachua County when possible.

Criteria for Selection and Donations

The Media Specialist is the person responsible for making decisions on purchases when it pertains to the library and its materials. The Media Specialist may discuss the needs of the school with administration and teachers when deemed appropriate. The following criteria is considered when dealing with purchasing and donated material.

• Popular interest
• Accuracy
• Permanent value or significance
• Age appropriateness of subject matter
• Format and ease of use for patrons
• Age of copyright
• Quality according to a variety of review sources (i.e. Book Links, ALA, School Library Journal, Follett and Makin Reviews)

Intellectual Freedom

The Media Center supports the belief of intellectual freedom as a first amendment right. ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Manual (8th edition) states that, “Censorship to restrict or suppress information for almost any reason (e.g., moral guardianship or political purpose) is absolutely opposed to the principles of intellectual freedom. Censorship flourishes when no one safeguards intellectual freedom.”

Censorship challenges will be handled through ACPS district policy.

Weeding Materials

Books and other materials are weeded throughout the year. The following criteria will be considered for withdrawing materials.

• Materials that are damaged and beyond repair.
• Age of material, not to exceed the amount of materials able to be replaced.
• Date of last check-out (longer than 5 years)

Collection Assessment

The Media Specialist regularly assesses the collection and makes purchases based upon the needs of the student, faculty, and staff. The age and condition of the materials is also in great need of improvement as funds allow. Input will be sought and revisions will be made every two years. (odd years) Standards for selection are aligned with the ACSB.

The policy reads as follows:

There are two key words used in the selection process: evaluation and selection.

Evaluation is judging the intrinsic merits of materials and selection is determining whether the materials meet the needs of the intended users.

Chapter 233.43 of the Florida Statutes states that "such policies shall also provide for an evaluation of any instructional materials to be requisitioned that have not been previously in the schools of the district."

Chapter 233.165 states:

“(1) In the selection of textbooks, library books, and other reading material used in the public school system, the standards used to determine the propriety of the material shall include:

(a) The age of the children who normally could be expected to have access to the material.

(b) The educational purpose to be served by the material.

(c) The degree to which the material would be supplemented and explained by mature classroom instruction as part of a normal classroom instructional program.

(2) No books or other material containing hard-core pornography or otherwise prohibited by s. 847.012 shall be used in the public school system of the State of Florida."

The media specialist is responsible to the principal who must take the legal responsibility for problems that arise from selection. In serious censorship cases, the buck stops with the governing body -- which may either stand behind or reject the opinion and action of the media specialist. In the past several years, there have been a number of censorship cases involving Florida school media centers.”

 Basic selection tools for books (the list is not complete but representative) are:

• Periodicals: Booklist
• Library Journal
• Book Report and School Library Journal
• Books: Children's Catalog
• Junior High School Library Catalog
• Senior High School Library Catalog
• Books for Secondary School Libraries
• Core Media Collection for Secondary Schools
• The Elementary School Library Collection
• Guide to Reference Books for School Media Centers
• The Best in Children's Books
• Adventuring With Books: A Booklist for
• Pre-K - Grade 8
• Best Books for Children - Preschool through the
• Middle Grades
• Award Lists: Notable Books of 20--
• Best Books of the Year from English Journal and The Reading Teacher
• Selection tools for A-V materials:
• Periodicals: Booklist and Book Report
• School Library Journal
• Books: Core Media Collection for Secondary Schools
• Elementary School Library Collection
• Multimedia Approach to Children's Literature
• Ethnic American Minorities: A Guide to Media and Materials
• Recordings for Children: A Selected List of Records and Cassettes

Goals and Objectives

• The Media Center should be a place where all are welcomed and invited. My goal is for students, faculty, staff, and parents to want to come to the Media Center to check out books, etc. and for the Media staff to provide for those needs as best as possible.
• Another goal of the Media Center is to decrease the age of the collection as funds allow.
• The Media Center will also weed materials in order to make room for new books and materials that are relevant to the curriculum and the interest of students.
• Another goal is to improve the production lab area of the Media Center.  There are plans to purchase stronger work tables and added materials for use. Student Check-out

Students will have an opportunity to check out books during their scheduled class time. In addition, students are encouraged to return books and check out new ones throughout the day. The only hindrances would be if the Media Specialist is with a class and without an aide or on lunch break and no other Media staff are available or during the morning news program.

All students must check in with their teachers and receive a pass before checking out a book from the Media Center before school, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian. This is to ensure students are not tardy and are accounted for when arriving on campus. Passes are provided for your convenience.

If a student has a book that is overdue, he or she is not allowed to check out another book until it is either returned or resolved.