Poolville
Libraries Policies and Procedures

Poolville Library Home Page
Table of Contents

Access
Budget
Challenged Materials
Circulation
Public Relations
Record Keeping
Selection of Materials


Appendixes:

A. Acceptable Use Policy and Consent Form
B. American Library Association (ALA) Freedom To Read Statement
C. ALA Library Bill of Rights

Access
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I.   Statement of Policy

   Students and parents of students currently attending school may have access to library facilities, personnel, and resources during the school hours of operation. Faculty and staff currently working at a campus may have access to the library and its resources. Students may have access to the library outside the regular hours of the school day as defined by the administration.
   The librarian will uphold the Library Bill of Rights to provide users with as much as can be made available with school resources (see the Library Bill of Rights statement, Appendix C). The librarian must also follow district guidelines for the use of library resources. It is the responsibility of the parent to decide what materials his/her own child can or cannot use. It is the parents’ responsibility to inform their child of their wishes. (See Freedom to Read statement following this section.)

II.   General Access

   A.   During school hours, students need a pass to come to the library unless they are attending with their class. Before and after school, students may come to the library without a pass.

   B.   Students will follow the district code of conduct while using any of the campus facilities at all times.

III.   Non-print Materials

   A.   CD-ROMS, Internet databases, and other forms of non-print material are available to students as needed. If demand is high, time-limits may be enforced to allow access to as many students as possible. Use of the Internet is provided to those with signed, current Acceptable Use Policy forms on file.

   B.   Videos, audiocassettes, or CDs are available for student use. The length of checkout times may vary for these materials. (See Circulation section)

IV.   Use of Internet

   The use of the Internet is available to all students for academic purposes during library operation hours, if a current signed Acceptable Use Policy form is on file. (See Acceptable Use Form included in this appendix.) The district code of conduct and the Acceptable Use Policy must be followed while using the Internet on school property. Violations of policy will result in revoked privileges.

V.   Individual choice

Students and users of the library are encouraged to choose materials that fit their needs and interests. Instruction is available to help students learn how to make good choices in different situations.

It is not up to the librarian to choose materials for users unless requested to do so.

VI.   Copyright

   A.   Librarians, teachers, staff, and students must follow district policies and legal guidelines concerning copyright and fair use laws. (See additional information at the end of this section.)

   B.   Materials must not be copied for a teacher’s own gain or profit. Copyrighted materials must not be copied without being sure of the legality of copying or without permission from the copyright holder.

   C.   Fair Use
      There are some instances in which the copying of copyrighted material is allowed. These exemptions are included in 17 (United States Code) 106, section 107: “…, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use, the factors to be considered shall include—
      1.  the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature, or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
      2.  the nature of the copyrighted work;
      3.  the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation the the copyrighted work as a whole; and
      4.  the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.”

   D.   Copying from books and Periodicals
      Copies can be made if Fair Use standards are met. Copying of materials should not substitute for the purchase of those materials or be repeated by the same teacher from term to term. No charges to students can be more than the actual cost of the photocopying.

   E.  Video and Television
      1.   Librarians/Teachers may show purchased, rented, or borrowed videotapes in the classroom only if it is for curriculum-supported, face-to-face teaching activities.
      2.   Librarians/Teachers may not show purchased, rented, or borrowed videotapes for entertainment, rewards, inclement weather, testing, filler, or non-instructional purposes.
      3.   Ask your librarian or see district or state manuals for guidelines about off-air television recordings and their uses.

   F.   Internet and Digital Information
      Making copies of copyrighted works, creating derivative works, and distributing or displaying copyrighted works over a network must be applied to fair use guidelines. (See above.)
      Material from a web site may not be posted to another web site without permission of the creator or copyright holder.
      Material collected from Internet may not be compiled into a new work.
      Copyrighted materials may not be scanned for a school publication, multimedia work, or web page without permission of copyright holder.

   G.   Audiovisual and Electronic Software
      Any audio and/or visual materials may not be reproduced without the permission of the copyright holder.
      Computer software may not be loaded on more than one computer at a time or a network without the purchase of a multiple user or network license.
      See district guidelines for more complete definitions of rules and restrictions.

      For more information on Copyright Visit the following web sites:

Conference on Fair Use (U. S. Patent and Trademark Office)

Copyright for Educators (Internet School Library Media Center)

Copyright Workshop from Cyberbee.com

U.S. Copyright Office Homepage

University of Illinois Guidelines for Classroom Copying of Copyrighted Materials

University of Texas Crash Course in Copyright

10 Big Myths about Copyright Explained

Budget Policy
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I.   Operating Budget:


      To meet acceptable standards, the library shall receive a minimum of one (1%) percent of the school’s instructional budget amount. To meet exemplary standards, the library shall receive three (3%) percent or more of the school's instructional budget amount. The amount must be sufficient to acquire materials, equipment, and supplies each year to support the library programs. Supplies include materials needed to repair damaged books and equipment, materials for cataloging and circulation, and materials such as posters and bookmarks to promote reading. Materials include books, films, filmstrips, slides, audiotapes, videotapes, and computer software to maintain a balanced collection that supports the school’s curriculum. Equipment includes audio-visual equipment, computer equipment, and library furnishings.

II.   Additional Funds


      Additional funds will be provided to replace materials that are worn, dated, or lost, as well as specialized materials for special programs. The operating budget should average $23 per student for elementary schools; $25 per student for middle schools; and $32 per student for high schools.


III.   Periodical subscriptions

   Libraries should subscribe to periodicals for both student and faculty use. Elementary libraries will maintain and minimum or 25 subscriptions; middle school libraries, a minimum or 50 subscriptions; and high school libraries, a minimum or 75 subscriptions. In addition, the library should provide at least one local and one state or national news source and a minimum of one database. Database subscriptions that include periodicals may be considered as part of the requirements.

Challenged Materials
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I.   Statement of Policy

   Any resident or employee of the school district may formally challenge learning resources used in the district’s educational program on the basis of appropriateness. This procedure is for the purpose of considering the opinions of those persons in the schools and the community who are not directly involved in the selection process.

II.   Request for Informal Reconsideration
   The school receiving a complaint regarding a learning resource shall try to resolve the issue informally.
   A.   The principal or other appropriate staff shall explain to the questioner the school’s selection procedure, criteria, and qualifications of those persons selecting the resource.
   B.   The principal or other appropriate staff shall explain the particular place the questioned resource occupies in the education program, its intended educational usefulness, and additional information regarding its use, or refer the party to someone who can identify and explain the use of the resource.
   C.    If the questioner wishes to file a formal challenge, a copy of the district Selection of Learning Resources policy and a Request for Reconsideration of Learning Resources form shall be handed or mailed to the party concerned by the principal.

III.    Request for Formal Reconsideration

   A.   Preliminary Procedures
      1.   Each school will keep on hand and make available Request for Reconsideration of Learning Resources forms. All formal objections to learning resources must be made on these forms.
      2.   The Request for Reconsideration of Learning Resources form shall be signed by the questioner and filed with the principal or someone so designated by the principal.
      3.   The district superintendent and the library media specialist shall be informed of the formal complaint received.
      4.   The request for reconsideration shall be referred to a reconsideration committee at the school level for reevaluation of the resource.

   B.   The Reconsideration Committee
      1.   Upon receipt of a request for formal reconsideration of a learning resource, the principal shall:
         a.   Appoint a reconsideration committee including the following membership as appropriate:
            One member of the district staff chosen by the district superintendent;
            One member of the school teaching staff chosen by the school staff;
            The library media specialist;
            One member of the school site-based committee chosen by the site-based committee;
            Two students chosen by the student body.
         b.   Name a chairman of the reconsideration committee.
         c.   Arrange for a reconsideration committee meeting within 10 working days after the complaint is received.
      2.   The reconsideration committee may choose to consult district support staff and/or community persons with related professional knowledge.
      3.   The reconsideration committee shall review the challenged resource and judge whether it conforms to the principles of selection outlined in the district’s Selection of Learning Resources policy.
   C.   Resolution
      1.   The reconsideration committee shall:
         a.   Examine the challenged resource;
         b.   Determine professional acceptance by reading critical reviews of the resource;
         c.   Weigh values and faults and form opinions based on the material as a whole rather than on passages or sections taken out of context;
         d.   Discuss the challenged resource in the context of the educational program;
         e.   Discuss the challenged item with the individual questioner when appropriate;
         f.   Prepare a written report.
      2.   The written report shall be discussed with the individual questioner if requested.
      3.   The written report shall be retained by the school principal, with copies forwarded to the district superintendent. A minority report also may be filed.
      4.   Written reports, once filed, are confidential and available for examination by trustees and appropriate officials only.
      5.   The decision of the reconsideration committee is binding for the individual school.
      6.   Notwithstanding any procedure outlined in this policy, the questioner shall have the right to appeal any decision of the reconsideration committee to the Board of Trustees as the final review panel.
   D.   Guiding Principles
      1.   Any resident or employee of the school district may raise objection to learning resources used in a school’s educational program, despite the fact that the individuals selecting such resources were duly qualified to make the selection, followed the proper procedure, and observed the criteria for selecting learning resources.
      2.   The principal should review the selection and objection rules with the teaching staff at least annually. The staff should be reminded that the right to object to learning resources is one granted by policies enacted by the Board of Trustees.
      3.   No parent has the right to determine reading, viewing, or listening matter for students other than his or her own children.
      4.   Poolville I.S.D. supports the Library Bill of Rights, adopted by the American Library Association. (A copy of the Library Bill of Rights is attached to this policy.) When learning resources are challenged, the principles of the freedom to read/listen/view must be defended as well.
      5.   Access to challenged material shall not be restricted during the reconsideration process.
      6.   The major criterion for the final decision is the appropriateness of the material for its intended educational use.
      7.   A decision to sustain a challenge shall not necessarily be interpreted as a judgment of irresponsibility by the professionals involved in the original selection and/or use of the material.

Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources


   The school board of Poolville (Texas) I.S.D. has delegated the responsibility for selection and evaluation of library/educational resources to the school library media specialist/curriculum committee, and has established reconsideration procedures to address concerns about those resources.

   Completion of this form is the first step in those procedures. You may request a printed form from the librarian. If you wish to request reconsideration of school or library resources, please return the completed form to the Library Media Specialist, Poolville I.S.D., 1001 Lone Star Road, Poolville, TX 76487.

Name ___________________________ Date ___________________________
Address ___________________________
City ___________________________ State ___________________________
Zip ___________________________
Phone ___________________________

Do you represent self? ________ Organization? ____________________________

   1.   Resource on which you are commenting:
   ____ Book ____ Textbook ____ Video ____ Display
   ____ Magazine ____ Library Program ____ Audio Recording
   ____ Newspaper ____ Electronic information/network (please specify)
   ____ Other ___________________________
Title ___________________________
Author/Producer ___________________________
      2.   What brought this resource to your attention?

      3.   Have you examined the entire resource?

      4.   What concerns you about the resource? (use other side or additional pages if necessary)

      5.   Are there resource(s) you suggest to provide additional information and/or other viewpoints on this topic?

Revised by the American Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee June 27, 1995


Circulation Policy
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I.   Statement of Policy

   All students and staff are welcomed and encouraged to use the resources of the district libraries. These policies have been established to allow fair access to information for all members of the school district.

II.   Patrons

   A.   Elementary students are enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade. Junior high students are enrolled in 6th through 8th grade. High School students are enrolled in 9th through 12th grade. Parents may also check out materials if they have a child enrolled in the district.

   B.   Faculty and staff are defined as teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, custodians, cafeteria workers, and any other employees of the school district.

III. Materials and Circulation/Loan Periods

   A.   Students may have checked out to their name no more than 2 items at any given time, unless permission is granted by the librarian for special purposes, i.e. research, teacher note.

   B.   Parents may also check out two items at a time.

   C.   Faculty and staff have no limitations on the number of items checked out.

   D.   The library has made arrangements to borrow materials from other nearby institutions, such as Weatherford College. All patrons may make arrangements to check out these materials with the librarian. The resource will be checked out following the same loan periods as in-house materials.

IV.   Loan Periods

   A.   Books
      K-1st students: 1 week (These students check out books that are kept in their homeroom.)
      2-12th students: 2 weeks
      Parents: 2 weeks
      Faculty and Staff: Indefinite, unless otherwise indicated

   B.   Reference Materials
      Students must utilize Reference Materials within the library. Faculty or staff may check out reference items for use within their classrooms for up to one week.

   C.   Reserve Items
      The loan period for items on reserve shall be set by the faculty member who has placed the items on reserve. Generally this time period will be between 1-3 days.

   D.   Current Magazine Issues
      Available for Overnight Check Out.

   E.   Back Issues of Magazines
      All students: 3 days
      Parents: 1 week
      Faculty and Staff: 1 week

   F.   Audiobooks
      Students may only check out one audiobook at a time.
      Faculty and Parents may check out two audiobooks.
      Loan periods will be the same as listed in Section IV above.

   G.   Videotapes
      Faculty, staff and parents may check out videotapes as needed for a 3-day time period. Students may not check out videotapes.

   H.   Equipment
      Students and parents may not check out audiovisual equipment without a note from a teacher. The equipment is to be used for school projects/purposes only. The checkout period shall be no longer than 3 days. A release form stating that the patron is responsible for the use of the equipment must be signed.
      Faculty and Staff: AV equipment must be returned in good condition at the end of the term.

XII.   Renewal of Materials

   Items may be renewed twice for the same length of loan period, unless a hold has been placed on the item. The item normally must be physically present when rechecked.

XIII.   Overdues

   If an item is not returned to the library on time, it is considered to be overdue. When items are overdue, other patrons cannot use them. Therefore, it is important that all materials be returned to the library on time. Notices about overdue books will be sent to students in a timely manner.

   If an item is not returned on time, fines may be charged.

XIV.   Fine Charges

   Patrons have a one-day grace period for overdue items, but the fine accrues from the second day until the item is returned.

   Elementary students: No fine if returned in good condition
   Junior High and High School $0.05/day
   Secondary students and Parents: $0.05 / day
   Faculty and Staff: No fines if returned

XV.   Damaged and Lost Materials

   When materials are damaged, they cannot be used by other patrons until repaired. Fees will be charged to pay for the repair or replacement of materials.

   A.   Damage fees (books only)
      1. Torn page: $0.25 per tear
      2. Pen marking: $0.10 per mark
      3. Loose page: $1.00 per page

   Sometimes an item is damaged so badly that it cannot be repaired adequately for the use in the library. Therefore the item must be replaced, and the patron is charged for the full price of the item plus one dollar ($1.00) for processing costs.

   B.   Damage to equipment:

      Fee will depend on the repair price of the equipment.

   C.   Other
      The full price of the item will be charged in the following circumstances:
      1. Front or back cover is missing or removed
      2. Page(s) missing
      3. Large sections (5 or more pages) are loose
      4. Extensive marking in the book
      5. Tape is broken (audiobooks and videotapes only)
      6. Case is broken (audiobooks and videotapes only)
      7. Water damage
      8. Equipment that cannot be repaired for less than the cost of a comparable piece.

XVI.   Lost Book Fees

   If an item has not been returned to the library within one month of its due date, it will be considered lost. The patron will be charged the full price of the item, plus one dollar ($1.00) for processing costs. If the patron has paid for the item and the item is later returned to the library, the patron will receive a refund of the price of the item. However, the one dollar processing charge will be retained by the library.

XVII.   Handling Fees And Fines

   See Record Keeping Policies

XVII.   Restriction of Library Privileges

   Patrons who have not returned items or who have more than $1.00 in fines may not check out items from the library.

   Public Relations
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I.   Statement of Policy

   Library public relations are a coordinated, continuous effort to communicate a positive image of the library. A well-rounded public relations program will promote the availability of the library’s resources, services, and programs. All public relations efforts should be an integral part of the library’s long-range plan; the public relations plan should be designed to target school demographics and take full advantage of promotional opportunities.

II.   Objectives
   The primary public relations objectives shall be as follows:
      1.   Recognize that excellent library services and a courteous well-trained staff that meet the needs of library patrons are the heart and soul of any public relations/marketing effort
      2.   Design and fund public relations program using various approaches to publicity with visually attractive print and electronic materials, signage, and graphics
      3.   Evaluate the image of library services, staff and programming.
      4.   Evaluate all polices and procedures in terms of effect on the school and the library’s public relations.
      5.   Use basic PR/marketing tools such as brochures, flyers, bookmarks, web pages, story times, displays and programs in the library
      6.   Use extensive approaches such as videocassettes, electronic bulletin boards, online catalog, newsletters, and speakers for community programs, posters, programs outside the library.
      7.   Evaluate school attitudes and determine needs.
      8.   Allow time/funds for staff to join local service organizations and to attend conventions and other activities (Chamber of Commerce, ALA and TLA conventions, regional activities, etc.)
      9.   Execute a program of action to earn understanding and acceptance.
      10.   Target special groups within the school for programs or services (ethnic populations, grade levels, etc.)
      11.   Proactive community involvement such as booths at fairs, local events
      12.   Conduct a survey of awareness of library services at least every 2 years
      13.   Inform the school of all library services offered and to explain to the administrators the library objectives, problems, plans, projects, standards, and accomplishments.
      14.   Promote and encourage active participation in the varied services offered by the library to students and teachers

III.   Publicity Materials
   Public relations is an administrative function and the Library Director shall be the official spokesperson for the library. All printed publicity, including materials to be used by the press, radio, and television, shall be approved by the Library Media Specialist and the Principal. Recognizing that public relations involve every person connected with the school, in addition to the library, staff members shall be informed and any voluntary staff trained to give courteous and efficient service to library patrons. Encourage volunteer staff to realize that he or she represents the library in every contact.

Record Keeping Policies
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I.   Statement of Policy

   It is the policy of this library to maintain and record accurate records that will adequately reflect the operations. The record keeping procedures should not be such that may interfere with the normal daily operations of this library but that the information attained would be necessary to meet the needs of its patrons more efficiently.

II.   Objectives of Record keeping

   It is the responsibility of the Library staff to maintain and record accurate records according to the procedures detailed in this document in the following areas:
   Patrons and patron usage
   Overdue fines and payments
   Circulation records
   Reference usage
   Grants, gifts, and federal funds
   Book orders
   Programming usage
   Computer usage
   Lost materials
   Discarded or weeded materials

III.   Patrons and patron usage

   Patrons will be grouped by both grade level and class. Each will be provided with an ID number for recording checkouts. Students may sign in upon entering the library and include their library number, grade and class unless they are entering as a class and accompanied by their teacher. The library staff will document usage by an entire class. This information will be compiled as needed for usage reports.

IV.   Overdue fines and payments

   Patrons will be notified in writing of any overdue books or fines they may have incurred. These notices are distributed as needed. A patron has a one-day grace period but the fine accrues from the second day until the item is returned. Paid fines will be noted in the circulation system. Payments for lost books will also be recorded in the system. In the case of a lost book the patron may be given a receipt that includes the name of the book, the cost, the date paid, and the library staff person who collected the money. In cases where the book is later found, the patron will receive a full refund in the amount they paid. These records will be kept for five years. A monthly report of fines and payments collected can be derived from this record. These records are confidential and are not disclosed to any other party with the exception of a parent of a child under eighteen.

V.   Circulation Records

   The circulation of items will be recorded by their Dewey numbers during 2 representative months per year. During these designated months a tally system will record the books checked out. These statistics will be multiplied for annual statistics. Peak or low usage times should be noted and investigated. The librarian should continue to observe and be aware of the titles that circulate more frequently and those that rarely circulate. No records are kept regarding what titles are checked by a specific patron under their rights of privacy.

VI.   Reference Usage

   Reference usage will be gathered at representative time periods throughout a given school year. The results should be divided by the number of hours usage was recorded and multiplied by the number of hours the library is open per week. To translate this information for the annual report just multiply the weekly result by the number of weeks the library is open. Peak and low usage times should also be noted and investigated.

VII.   Grants, Gifts and Federal Funds

   Any monies that are attained through grants, gifts, or federally approved funds should be recorded and the records kept in the permanent records and reported yearly. All expenditures of these monies must be documented with written verification.

VIII.   Book Orders

   Copies of all book orders are kept for five years. Verification of the books that arrived should be indicated and any not included in the order should be placed as the priority on the next order. Orders may be placed one or more times per year.

IX.   Programming Usage

   Records are kept of the patrons attending any library-sponsored program. These records must include the grade level of the patron and the type of programming being presented. Sign in sheets may be helpful when applicable as well as other pertinent demographic information. A documented list of the programs offered is included the annual report and is part of the permanent record.

X.   Computer Usage

   All patrons using the computers may be required to sign in and include their name, date, grade level, and purpose for using the computer. Passes are required. This information may be gathered to be included in monthly and annual reports. These records are kept on file for two years.

XI.   Lost Materials

   Once an item has been designated as lost the record must continue to be a part of the collection for one year. After that year the item may be deleted from the collection if not found. Records these items will be noted in the circulation system. Records of payment for lost items by patrons are recorded in the circulation system. The number of lost items per year is a documented part of the annual report.

XII.   Discarded Materials

   Once an item has been discarded, it is noted in the circulation system. The number of discarded items is documented and is a part of the yearly report.

XIII.   Permanent and Non-Permanent Records

   All the records kept can be divided into two categories: Permanent and non-permanent.

   A.   Permanent:
      Annual reports
      Expenditures of Federal monies, grants or gifts
      Annual Budget

   B.   Non-Permanent:

         Patron usage report (3 years)
         Fine Report (3 years)
         Book orders (5 years)
         Receipt Book (3 years)
         Inventory Records (until superseded)
         Executive Correspondence (1-5 years if no historical value)
         Purchase Orders (3 years)

Selection of Materials
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I.   Statement of Policy
   The policy of the Poolville I.S.D. Board of Trustees is to provide a wide range of learning resources at varying levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal and the presentation of different points of view to meet the needs of students and teachers.

II.   Objectives of Selection
   A.   For the purposes of this statement of policy, the term “learning resources” will refer to any person(s) or any material (whether acquired or locally produced) with instructional content or function that is used for formal or informal teaching/learning purposes. Learning resources include textbooks, other books, supplementary reading and informational materials, charts, community resource people, agencies and organizations, dioramas, filmstrips, flash cards, games, globes, kits, machine-readable data files, maps, microfilms, models, motion pictures, periodicals, pictures, realia, slides, sound recordings, transparencies, videocassettes or DVDs.
   B.   The primary objective of learning resources is to support, enrich, and help implement the educational program of the school through the interaction of professional personnel and other members of the school community. It is the duty of professional staff to provide students with a wide range of materials at varying levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal, and the presentation of different points of view.
   C.   To this end, the Poolville I.S.D. Board of Trustees affirms that it is the responsibility of its professional staff:
      1.   To provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, learning styles, and maturity levels of the students served;
      2.   To provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and societal standards;
      3.   To provide materials on various sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may have an opportunity to develop under guidance the practice of critical analysis and to make informed judgments in their daily lives;
      4.   To provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and that contribute to our national heritage and the world community;
      5.   To place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection appropriate to the school community.

III.   Responsibility for Selection of Learning Resources
   A.   The Board of Trustees delegates the responsibility for the selection of learning resources to the professional staff employed by the school system, and declares that selections made shall be held to have been made by the Poolville I.S.D. Board of Trustees.
   B.   While selection of learning resources involves many people (administrators, teachers, students, community persons, media center personnel) the responsibility for coordinating the selection of school learning resources and making the recommendation for purchase rests with the principal and professional personnel.

IV.   Criteria for Selection of Learning Resources
   A.   The following criteria will be used as they apply:
      1.   Learning resources shall support and be consistent with the general educational goals of the state and the district and the aims and objectives of individual schools and specific courses.
      2.   Learning resources shall be chosen to enrich and support the curriculum and the personal needs of users.
      3.   Learning resources shall meet high standards of quality in:
         artistic quality and/or literary style
         authenticity
         educational significance
         factual content
         physical format
         presentation
         readability
         technical quality
      4.   Learning resources shall be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social development of the students for whom the materials are selected.
      5.   Learning resources shall be designed to provide a background of information that will motivate students and staff to examine their own attitudes and behavior; to comprehend their duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges as participating citizens in our society; and to make informed judgments in their daily lives.
      6.   Learning resources shall provide information on opposing sides of controversial issues so that users may develop under guidance the practice of critical analysis.
   B.   The selection of learning resources on controversial issues will be directed toward maintaining a balanced collection representing various views.
      Learning resources shall clarify historical and contemporary forces by presenting and analyzing intergroup tension and conflict objectively, placing emphasis on recognizing and understanding social and economic problems.

V.   Procedures for Selection of Learning Resources

   A.   In selecting learning resources, professional personnel will evaluate available resources and curriculum needs and will consult reputable, professionally prepared aids to selection and other appropriate sources. Among sources to be consulted are:
      1.   Bibliographies (latest edition available, including supplements):
         American Film & Video Association Evaluations
         American Historical Fiction
         Basic Book Collection for Elementary Grades
         Basic Book Collection for Junior High Schools
         The Best in Children’s Books
         Booklist
         Children and Books
         Children’s Catalog
         Elementary School Library Collection
         European Historical Fiction and Biography
         Guide to Sources in Educational Media
         Junior High School Catalog
         School Library Journal
         Reference Books for School Libraries
         Subject Guide to Children’s Books in Print
         Subject Index to Books for Intermediate Grades
         Subject Index to Books for Primary Grades
         Westinghouse Learning Directory
         and as a part of the vertical file index, other special bibliographies, many of which have been prepared by educational organizations for particular subject matter areas.

      2.   Current reviewing media:
         AASA Science Books and Films
         Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
         Horn Book
         Kirkus Reviews
         Booklist
         Library Journal
         AFVA Evaluations
         School Library Journal
         Other sources will be consulted as appropriate. Whenever possible, the actual resource will be examined.

   B.   Recommendations for purchase involve administrators, teachers, students, district personnel and community persons, as appropriate.
   C.   Gift materials shall be judged by the criteria outlined and shall be accepted or rejected by those criteria.
   D.   Selection is an ongoing process that should include the removal of materials no longer appropriate and the replacement of lost and worn materials still of educational value.

(This policy last updated April 2005)


Appendix A

ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY OF POOLVILLE I.S.D. TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES
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   The Poolville Independent School District provides technology resources to its students and staff for educational and administrative purposes. The goal in providing these resources is to support learning and to enhance instruction in the Poolville schools by facilitating resources sharing, innovation, and communication. This is done with support and supervision of parents, teachers, and support staff.

Definition of District Technology Resources
   The district’s computer system and networks include all the computer hardware, telephone systems, operating system software, application software, stored text, and data files. This includes local databases, the Internet, CD-ROM, digital images, digitized information, communications technologies, and new technologies as they become available. Poolville ISD reserves the right to monitor all technology resources activity.

Appropriate usage of Technology Resources – Including the Internet
      •   Students are to use all computers in a responsible, efficient, ethical, and legal manner.
      •   Internet use must support education and research. It must also be consistent with the educational objectives of Poolville I.S.D. Transmission of any material in violation of any U.S. or state regulation is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material, or material protected by trade secret.
      •   The use of Internet is a privilege, not a right. Inappropriate use will result in cancellation of those privileges. The administration will deem what is inappropriate use and their decision is final.
      •   Poolville I.S.D. makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the services it is providing through the Internet. Use of any information obtained is at your own risk. We specifically deny any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through the Internet.
   Please note that the Internet is a network of many types of communication and information networks. It is possible that users may access areas of adult content and/or material they may find objectionable. While Poolville I.S.D. has taken reasonable steps to restrict access to such material, it is not possible to absolutely prevent such access.

Inappropriate Uses
      •   Attempting to harm or destroy Poolville I.S.D. equipment, materials, data or another user, or any of the agencies or other networks that are connected to the Internet.
      •   Deliberate attempts to degrade or disrupt system performance may be viewed as violations of this acceptable use policy, and possibly as criminal activity under applicable state and federal laws. This includes, but is not limited to, the down/uploading or creating of computer viruses.
      •   Knowingly bringing or transmitting prohibited, obscene, or pornographic materials into the school’s electronic environment.
      •   Copying commercial software in violation of copyright laws.
      •   Using the network for personal financial gain, for commercial activity, or for any illegal activity.
      •   Forgery or attempted forgery of electronic mail messages.
      •   Revealing personal information, addresses, or phone messages.
      •   Pretending to be someone else when sending/receiving messages.
      •   Gaining unauthorized access to restricted information or resources.
      •   Installing programs on computer resources.
      •   Participating in and/or visiting chat rooms.
      •   Tampering with, changing, or otherwise interfering with data files, settings, programs, or configurations of the network and/or individual computer.

Consequences
      •   Suspension of access to the system
      •   Revocation of access privileges
      •   Other disciplinary or legal action, in accordance with the Student Handbook and applicable laws
      •   Restitution for costs associated with system restoration, hardware, or software costs.

Poolville Independent School District Internet Consent Form


STUDENT Full Name                                                                           Grade   9   1   11   12
                                             Please print                                                 (please circle one)

   I have read the Acceptable Use Policy and will abide by the stated terms and conditions. I further understand that any violation of the regulations stated in unethical and may constitute a criminal offense. Should I commit any violation, my access privileges may be revoked, school disciplinary action may be taken, and/or appropriate legal action.

Student’s signature                                                                                 ___________/______/_______
                                                                                                               Month             Day          Year

PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN
Please check the appropriate line.

   ____ I do NOT give permission for my child to use the Internet computer network.

   ____ I give my permission for my child to use the Internet computer network. I have read the Acceptable Use Policy and understand the terms and conditions stated. I understand that this Internet access is designed for educational purposes and Poolville ISD has taken available precautions to eliminate controversial material. However, I also recognize it is impossible to restrict access to all controversial materials and I will not hold Poolville ISD responsible for materials acquired on the network.

Parent or Legal Guardian’s name                                                                           
                                                     Please print
Parent's signature                                                                                 ___________/______/_______
                                                                                                               Month             Day          Year


Copyright © 2003 by Texas Association of School Boards


Appendix B

ALA The Freedom to Read Statement
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   The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack. Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label “controversial” views, to distribute lists of “objectionable” books or authors, and to purge libraries. These actions apparently rise from a view that our national tradition of free expression is no longer valid; that censorship and suppression are needed to avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We, as citizens devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible for disseminating ideas, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.

   Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy: that the ordinary citizen, by exercising critical judgment, will accept the good and reject the bad. The censors, public and private, assume that they should determine what is good and what is bad for their fellow citizens.

   We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. We do not believe they need the help of censors to assist them in this task. We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be “protected” against what others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression.

   These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against education, the press, art and images, films, broadcast media, and the Internet. The problem is not only one of actual censorship. The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads, we suspect, to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy.

   Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change. And yet suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension. Freedom has given the United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path of novel and creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with controversy and difference.

   Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms. The freedom to read and write is almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially command only a small audience. The written word is the natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that serious thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized collections. We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture. We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend. We believe that every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read. We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings. The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution. Those with faith in free people will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights.

   We therefore affirm these propositions:
      1.   It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox or unpopular with the majority. Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different. The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested. Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the established orthodoxy. The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them. To stifle every nonconformist idea at birth would mark the end of the democratic process. Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic mind attain the strength demanded by times like these. We need to know not only what we believe but why we believe it.

      2.   Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public interest for them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated.
   Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning. They do not foster education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought. The people should have the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read should be confined to what another thinks proper.

      3.   It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author.
   No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its creators. No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.

      4.   There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine adults to the reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve artistic expression.
   To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves. These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ, and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.

      5.   It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept with any expression the prejudgment of a label characterizing it or its author as subversive or dangerous.
   The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad for the citizen. It presupposes that individuals must be directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.

      6.   It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people’s freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their own standards or tastes upon the community at large.
   It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political, the moral, or the aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another individual or group. In a free society individuals are free to determine for themselves what they wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely associated members. But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society. Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive.

      7.   It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the freedom to read by providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise of this affirmative responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a “bad” book is a good one, the answer to a “bad” idea is a good one.
   The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader’s purpose. What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the major channel by which the intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of its testing and growth. The defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all citizens the fullest of their support.

   We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations. We here stake out a lofty claim for the value of the written word. We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous variety and usefulness, worthy of cherishing and keeping free. We realize that the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons. We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.

   This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council, which in 1970 consolidated with the American Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American Publishers.

Adopted June 25, 1953; revised January 28, 1972, January 16, 1991, July 12, 2000, June 30, 2004,by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee. A Joint Statement by: American Library Association and Association of American Publishers and subsequently endorsed by American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Society of Journalists and Authors, American Society of Newspaper Editors, Association of American University Presses, The Children’s Book Council, The Electronic Frontier Foundation , Freedom to Read Foundation, International Reading Association, The Media Institute, National Coalition Against Censorship, National PTA, People for the American Way, Student Press Law Center, and The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression

Appendix C

Library Bill of Rights
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   The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.
   I.    Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
   II.    Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
   III.    Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
   IV.    Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
   V.    A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.
   VI.    Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted June 18, 1948.
Amended February 2, 1961, and January 23, 1980, inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996, by the ALA Council.


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