Policy+High+Points

Fayetteville, Arkansas 1. Members of the school community involved in the collection development process employ educational criteria to select resources unfettered by their personal, political, social, or religious views. Students and educators served by the school library media program have access to resources and services free of constraints resulting from personal, partisan, or doctrinal disapproval. School library media specialists resist efforts by individuals or groups to define what is appropriate for all students or teachers to read, view, hear, or access via electronic means. 2. Selection of library materials is initiated by the school librarian after evaluating the individual school’s needs and considering: A. requests of faculty and students B. knowledge of the curriculum and educational application C. knowledge of the existing collection 3. Materials for library purchase are considered on the basis of the following criteria: A. overall purpose and educational significance B. validity, timeliness or permanence, and appropriateness of material C. contribution the subject matter makes to the curriculum and __the interests of the students__ D. high __artistic quality and /or literary style__ E. __high degree of potential user appeal including varied interests that reflect religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds__
 * //Reminding the public that unbiased purchasing is, I think, important. It not only warns the public that we, as educators, will not fall into other group’s agendas to place biased material in the library, but we will not include our own personal thought/beliefs/feelings into the selection (as much is humanly possible, that is.)//
 * //I think it is also important to mention that LMS are not the ONLY people to help create the collection – but other faculty and students help as well. We are just the ones on the front lines. It is also important to realize that we do this with the knowledge of what our collection already has vs. what it needs. So, if one purchase order has a lot of books on religion, for example, it may be because we are lacking in that area—not because we are trying to make a biased collection.//
 * //All of the underlined portions above are what I feel are especially important to mention. I find that so many of our banned or challenged books are “pleasure reading” works. Therefore, the interests of our students and general high literary style are important to include.//

4. Materials for library purchase are considered on the basis of the following criteria: F. __representation of opposing sides of controversial issues__ in order to develop critical reading, listening, viewing and thinking
 * //Also, for communities that seem to be very strictly liberal or conservative (either on a particular topic like abortion, or in general), it is great to mention that we MUST include both sides of controversial issues for our students.//

5. To assure that all materials will be dealt with fairly, no more than two requests for reconsideration of a work will be accepted from one patron at a time. When a Request for Reconsideration is in process, no other requests concerning the same material filed at any other school will be heard until the request on file is complete. In order to establish a process to allow all materials to be dealt with fairly, these procedures allow no more than a total of 4 books to be under reconsideration within the district at any given time.
 * //Limiting the amount of books being reconsidered at a given time, as well the amount any one patron can give is a great idea. This stops groups from recommending large sections of materials to be challenged over any one topic/ideal/etc. Any time you have too many books on your plate, to use the cliché, no one book will be given the fair time and consideration. I’m afraid that without this limitation, it would be easier to get rid of all books with XYZ topic in one fell swoop.//

Blue Valley 1. The District shall provide a wide range of quality learning resources for students to deliver, support, enrich, and assist in implementing the District’s educational program. Learning resources shall be defined as textbooks, library acquisitions and ancillary materials for classroom use, and any other resources used for formal or informal teaching and learning purposes. Learning resources may be print or non-print and may be acquired through purchase, as gifts, or as loans 2. Quality of Resource • Favorable reviews found in reputable professionally prepared sources. • Favorable recommendations based on preview and/or examination of materials by District certified staff. • Reputation and significance of the author, producer, and/or publisher. • Potential user appeal. • Artistic quality and/or literary style. • Quality and variety in format, content, and production. • Overall strengths. 3. Complete Second Document: CHALLENGES TO AND RECONSIDERATION OF LEARNING RESOURCES 4. Any Directly Affected Person… shall first discuss that complaint with the teacher or library media specialist…[to pursue the matter] contact the principal, who will advise to complete a form. 5. A Learning Resource(s) may be considered for reinstatement… A Learning Resource(s) that has been retained may not be challenged again for two years… unless (a) change in district curriculum that changes the grade level of student use, or (b) approved for students of another grade level.
 * //This definition is important for the general public. Knowing that materials being considered are used IN the classroom (being taught) and as library materials (personal reading) can change one’s perspective. Also, knowing that materials in the school can be there as interlibrary loan, for example, or from gifts is important to the patron having full background knowledge about the system.//
 * //I like the idea of including reviews by certified staff in the description of what is a “quality resource.” It is our staff that knows our children best. Pair that with the professional sources, and you’ve got a case. Quality and variety in format… is great, too, for the fight FOR alternatives to novels, like graphic novels.//
 * //I like the idea of having the levels of reviews/appeals: School and then District (board of education). Like I mentioned before, it is the staff that knows our children best. So, to start at the school level, the people who work with the patrons of that school daily, and then move to the district level seems ideal. I also liked the idea that the “intellectual freedom” documents, some from ALA, is a great thing to include at each level of these meetings as a reminder of what we stand for.//
 * //I like the chain being presented here. Start with the teacher, then work up. So often, informal conversations can solve a problem. For example, my freshmen read the book// Forgotten Fire //by Adam Bagdasarian. Great novel, MANY controversial scenes (set in the Armenian Genocide- violence and some sexual abuse). When parents went directly to me, I’d let them know that I was **happy** to give alternate assignments and work with them. When they went directly to the office(s), it became a long process and paperwork just to come to the same conclusion: alternate assignment. I understand the importance of the process, but if it can be solved informally, that’s better!//
 * //I like including this because it gives the chance for materials to be reconsidered, one way or the other, if the “times” change. If it has been taken from the library, it can be reinstated if something changes. It also limits the time between challenges. If a book has been challenged it can’t be challenged again (without changes to intended audiences) for two years. That way, a group can’t keep coming back year after year, attacking the same material.//