• 2530 - EDUCATIONAL MEDIA MATERIALS SELECTION

     

    Objectives of Selection

     

    The primary objective of the school's educational media center is to implement, enrich, and support the educational program of the school. The center shall provide a wide range of materials on all levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal, and the representation of different points of view. The Board asserts that the responsibility of the media center is to provide:

     

    1. materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interest, abilities, and maturity levels of the students served;

       

    2. materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards;

       

    3. a background of information enabling students to make intelligent judgments in their daily life;

       

    4. materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to the American heritage; and

       

    5. a comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the media center which places principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality.

     

    Criteria for Selection of Educational Materials

     

    1. The standards to determine the propriety of the educational materials shall be pursuant to F.S. 1006.34(2)(b).

       

    2. First consideration shall be given to the needs of the individual school based on knowledge of the curriculum, of the existing collection, and of the needs of children and youth. Requests from users of the collection (i.e., administrators, faculty, parents, and students) shall be given high priority.

       

    3. Materials shall be considered on the basis of accuracy of content, overall purpose, timeliness, importance of the subject matter, quality of the writing/production, readability and popular appeal, authoritativeness, comprehensiveness of material, reputation of the publisher/producer, reputation and significance of the author/artist/composer/producer etc., format and price.

       

    4. Gifts of media or money shall be accepted with the understanding that their use or disposition shall be determined by those persons having the responsibility for acquisitions, according to the same selection criteria and procedures as purchased materials.

     

    Procedures for Selection

     

    In selecting materials for purchase, the school media specialist shall evaluate the existing collection and shall consult with:

     

    1. reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared selection aids;

       

    2. media staff, curriculum consultants, faculty, students, and community representative.

    In specific areas, the media specialist shall:

     

    1. purchase materials which are outstanding and frequently used;

       

    2. replace periodically worn or missing basic items; and

       

    3. withdraw out-of-date or unnecessary items from the collection.