School Library Collection Development Resources for School Librarians - Index "It does not matter how many books you may have, but whether they are good or not." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca (3 B.C.-65 A.D.), Epistolae Morale Collection Development in General - Web Sites Information Access and Delivery - A guide for policy writing and collection maintenance by the Purdue University School of Library and Information Science. Average Book Prices, 2018 - School Library Journal, March 2018.Average Book Prices, 2017 - School Library Journal, March, 2017. School Library Collection Policies Collection Development Policies Selection Policies Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, & Academic Libraries - From the American Library Association, January, 2018. Selection and Use Policies for Electronic Materials and Internet Sites Why Have a Technology Policy in your School or Library - From Scholastic. Up to Top Collection Evaluation and Weeding Preservation and Repair of Books and Other Materials
Libraries and Intellectual Freedom - The First Amendment Encyclopedia The First Amendment’s right to freedom of expression encompasses intellectual freedom, which includes an individual’s right to receive information on a wide range of topics from a variety of viewpoints. Publicly funded libraries play an important role in facilitating this free and open access to information. (Photo via Pixabay, CC0) The First Amendment’s right to freedom of expression encompasses intellectual freedom, which includes an individual’s right to receive information on a wide range of topics from a variety of viewpoints. Library Bill of Rights affirms protection of First Amendment freedoms Publicly funded libraries play an important role in facilitating free and open access to information. As agents of the state, public librarians and state and local governing boards make and implement library policy under the Tenth Amendment’s recognition of state powers to protect the health, safety, welfare, and morals of their citizens. This article was originally published in 2009.
Intellectual Freedom: Issues and Resources | Advocacy, Legislation & Issues A commitment to intellectual freedom transforms your library. ALA actively advocates and educates in defense of intellectual freedom—the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profession, and a basic right in our democratic society. A publicly supported library provides free, equitable, and confidential access to information for all people of its community. Assistance and Consultation The staff of the Office for Intellectual Freedom is available to answer questions or provide assistance to librarians, trustees, educators and the public about intellectual freedom issues and resources.
Rainbow Book Lists « Rainbow Book List Rainbow Book List Rainbow Book Lists The Rainbow Book List is released every January. Books on the list are published within the assigned calendar year or between July 1 and December 31 of the previous calendar year. 44 Responses to "Rainbow Book Lists" 1 | The Rainbow Project | Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories September 19, 2011 at 5:15 pm […] Here’s their bibliography of their top recommendations for young people interested in the topic for the past four years. Reply 2 | That GayYA Thing | Memoranda November 2, 2011 at 7:54 am […] American Library Association’s Rainbow Books lists for […] Reply 3 | Queer Romance | BlogTown February 17, 2012 at 2:50 pm […] are a few books that feature queer romance. Reply 4 | Rainbow Book List: LGBTQ books for teens « Erinn Batykefer, MLIS May 3, 2012 at 9:56 am […] a great tool for collection development and readers’ advisory for LGBTQ teens. Click HERE to access the list archives. Reply Reply Reply […] those materials! Reply Reply Reply Reply Reply Reply Reply
Workbook for Selection Policy Writing Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association Why Do I Need a Policy? Every school system should have a comprehensive policy on the selection of instructional materials. A comprehensive policy on the selection of instructional materials also will enable school professionals to rationally explain the school program to the community. A good policy on the selection of instructional materials will be relevant to your particular system and include basic sections on objectives, responsibility, criteria, procedures for selection, reconsideration of materials, and policies on controversial materials. Basic Components of a Selection Policy OBJECTIVES Your policy should state succinctly what your system is trying to accomplish in its educational program, and, in somewhat more detail, the objectives of selection. Your overarching goal may be very broad. More specific goals should be established by professionals for each learning level. Current reviewing media Sample Procedure Statements
Access to Resources and Services in the School Library: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights - ALA The school library plays a unique role in promoting, protecting, and educating about intellectual freedom. It serves as a point of voluntary access to information and ideas and as a learning laboratory for students as they acquire critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed in a pluralistic society. Although the educational level and program of the school necessarily shape the resources and services of a school library, the principles of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights apply equally to all libraries, including school libraries. School librarians assume a leadership role in promoting the principles of intellectual freedom within the school by providing resources and services that create and sustain an atmosphere of free inquiry. School librarians cooperate with other individuals in building collections of resources that meet the needs as well as the developmental and maturity levels of students.
Copyright Tools | Advocacy, Legislation & Issues Copyright tools can help libraries and others to be more comfortable with their work to interpret the limitations and exceptions to the exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder under U.S. Copyright law. By exercising these valuable exceptions, we strengthen copyright’s primary purpose "to promote the progress of science and useful arts." Over the past several years, ALA has developed tools to educate libraries, librarians, and others about copyright. Public Domain Slider The Public Domain Slider is a tool to help determine the copyright status of a work that is first published in the U.S. Section 108 Spinner This simple tool can help you determine whether or not a particular reproduction is covered by this exemption. Exceptions for Instructors eTool If you have feedback or ideas for future development or upgrades to the tools, please contact Carrie Russell: crussell@alawash.org Tool Modification
1000 Black Girl Books Resource Guide – GrassROOTS Community Foundation This resource guide was created in direct response to the multiple requests made by educators, parents and students. Like Marley Dias, so many of you have asked for books with black girls as the main characters. And because of you, we have received thousands of books. This resource includes words of welcome from Marley Dias, Creator of the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign. As the President and Co-Founder of GrassROOTS Community Foundation, I have added a few words and call to action to the guide. We have reviewed the titles and descriptions of books to ensure that they fit the criterion of having a black girl as the main characters. Each month we will update the list and continue to serve as an information repository for Black Girl Books. If you know of a black girl book, not listed here, please send us a copy so we can add it to our collection. GrassROOTS Community Foundation 59 Main Street Suite 323 West Orange, NJ 07052 Financial donations are always welcomed. Thank you.
Where to Find the Best Children's Book Reviews Online There are more great children’s books being published than ever before, but how do you know which ones to read? Fortunately, today there are so many ways to access children’s book reviews. Here are some of the best places to find reviews of children’s literature. Part 1: General Children’s Book Reviews In this first section of our roundup of the best children’s book review websites, I’ll discuss publications that cover all things kid lit. The Children’s Book Review As its name implies, The Children’s Book Review is all about book reviews of children’s literature. The Kids Are All Right Newsletter Sign up to The Kids Are All Right to receive news and recommendations from the world of kid lit and middle grade books. Thank you for signing up! By signing up you agree to our terms of use Common Sense Media The Horn Book Children’s book review magazine The Horn Book takes its name from”horn books,” which were some of the earliest books made to educate children. Kirkus Reviews Children’s Books
In the News: Librarians could be jailed and fined under a proposed censorship law A bill pending in Missouri's legislature takes aim at libraries and librarians who are making "age-inappropriate sexual material" available to children. The measure, championed by Ben Baker, a Republican lawmaker, calls for establishing review boards who would determine whether materials in libraries contain or promote "nudity, sexuality, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sadomasochistic abuse." In addition, the boards, which would be comprised of parents, would root out materials lacking "serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value." Librarians who defy the review boards by buying and lending such materials would be subject to misdemeanor charges, fines upward of US$500, and a potential jail sentence up to one year. As a librarian, and now as an educator who teaches aspiring librarians, I see this bill as the latest chapter in a long history of books being banned from public and school libraries. Censorship and book banning J.K. A profession Librarians are professionals.
School Librarians as Learning Leaders 2016-2017 AASL president Audrey Church’s presidential initiative focused on furthering administrators’ understanding of the key role that strong school libraries and certified school librarians play in student learning. Members of the Presidential Initiative Task Force curated selected quality resources that demonstrate the important instructional role of librarians in 21st century schools. Please utilize these products created by the Task Force to inform principals and other stakeholders that school librarians are learning leaders. June 2017 AASL Advocacy & Legislation Coalition Call ArchiveAudrey and Presidential Initiative Task Force Members Deb Levitov, Michelle Folk, and Priscille Dando introduce the initiative and resources. #SchoolLibrariansTransformStudentLearning #AdvocacyBeginsWithEachOfUs
Reconsideration of Materials - Athens High School Library Requests for Reconsideration of Materials Censorship leaves students with an inadequate and distorted picture of the ideals, values, and problems of their culture. Despite a sound book selection policy for the selection of worthwhile books for students to read, occasional objections to a work will undoubtedly be made. Books are potentially open to criticism in one or more of these general areas: treatment of minorities, ideologies of love and sex, and use of language not acceptable to some people as well as other concerns. See Appendix H: Request for Reconsideration of Challenged Materials Request for Informal Reconsideration 1. 2. 3. Request for Formal Reconsideration 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Source: See Appendix H: Request for Reconsideration of Challenged Material
*AASL Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit Toolkit Cover (Print Version) Since 1998, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Workbook for Selection Policy Writing has provided guidance to school librarians. After two decades, the document needed a makeover! The Process and the People In February 2016, Kristin asked three persons representing school, public, and academic libraries to meet during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Boston to discuss the project. Overview of the Online Toolkit The “Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, and Academic Libraries” is ready to use. The toolkit is organized into 4 basic areas: 1) Introduction–Why Do I need a Policy? Color Coding (Print Version) Also in Print The toolkit is online, but shortly there will also be a print version available to order from ALA. Advice from the Toolkit Team The core group that created the “Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit” has advice for school librarians using it: The toolkit is intended as guidance. Images Author: Helen Adams Like this:
In the News: Up to the Challenge When I worked as a school librarian at Little Elementary in Arlington, Texas, I was terrified of having a book challenged. Sometimes I would wake up at night worrying. I was afraid a parent would be angry with me, and my principal would think I was a bad librarian. If you ever find yourself wide awake and troubled about possible challenges: Get out of bed, drink some water, and remember that you have nothing to fear—if you’re prepared before a complaint occurs. Build your foundation The first step is to be an excellent educator. The second step is to find the section in your district’s school library handbook on reconsideration of school library materials. The third step is to have a policy allowing all students the opportunity to come to the school library daily to check out books. Real-world applications You are likely to have five to 10 books to worry about. For example: A parent walks into the school library. Know how many challenges I had that moved up the chain of command?