A school library/library media center shall be established and maintained in each school. The library in each elementary and secondary school shall meet the needs of the pupils, and shall provide an adequate complement to the instructional program in the various areas of the curriculum.

 

1)     For secondary schools in which the average daily attendance is fewer than two hundred (200) pupils:

 

a.      The library/librarymedia center of a junior high school shall contain at least one thousand

(1,000) titles;

 b.      The library/library media center of a high school shall contain at least one thousand (1,000) titles;and

 

c.      The library/library media center of a junior-senior high school shall contain at least two thousand (2,000) titles.

 

2)     The library/library media center of a secondary school in which the average daily attendance is more than two hundred (200) but fewer than five hundred (500) pupils shall contain at least three thousand (3,000) titles.

 

3)     The library/library media center of a secondary school in which the average daily attendance is more than five hundred (500) but fewer than one thousand (1,000) shall contain at least five thousand (5,000) titles.

 

4)     The library/librarymedia center of a secondary school in which the average daily attendance is more than one thousand (1,000) pupils shall contain at least eight thousand (8,000) titles.

 

Objectives of Evaluation and Selection

 

The intense proliferation, broad range, and varying suitability of all forms of instructional materials which are available for purchase, demand careful evaluation before they are selected for use in the Marcus Whitman Central School District. The primary objectives of our school library/media centers is to implement, enrich, and support the instructional program of our schools through selection of a wide range of materials, on all levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal and presenting differing points of view. Likewise, the selection of any instructional materials which will be used in the Marcus Whitman Central School District should be based upon the same criteria and evaluation procedures,as outlined in the selection policy and regulation.

Instructional materials as used in this regulation include all print and non-print materials used both  in  the  classroom  and  library/media  center  to  facilitate  the  learning  process.  This  includes textbooks,  workbooks,  literature  books,  story  books,  charts,  films,  film  loops,  filmstrips,  games, globes,  kits,  maps, model,  microforms,  pamphlets,  pictures,  recordings,  slides,  specimens, transparencies, videotapes, and the like. (No attempt is made to present specific criteria for the Board media of communications such as magazines and newspapers. However, evaluative sources such as the American Library Association's Periodicals for School Libraries are consulted before magazine or newspaper subscriptions are placed.)

 

We  reaffirm  and  endorse  the  tenets  of  the  School  Library  Bill  of  Rights  of  the  American Association of School Libraries, which states that it is the responsibility of the library media center, and of all teachers to their students to:

 

1)      Provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the

)                varied interests, abilities and maturity levels of the students served.

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

 

3)     Provide materials on opposing  sides of controversial  issues so that young citizens  may develop under guidance the practice of critical thinking and analysis of all media.

 

4)    Provide materials representative of the many religious and cultural groups and their contributions to our American heritage.

 

5)     Place principle  above  personal opinion  and  reason  above prejudice  in the selection  of materials of the highest quality in order to assume a comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the Library Media Center.

 

Responsibility for Selection of Materials

 

_         The Board of Education  is legally responsible for all matters relating to the operation of the Marcus Whitman Central School District. While the legal responsibility for the purchase of all instructional materials is vested in the Board of Education, the responsibility for the selection of instructional materials is delegated through the Superintendent to the professionally trained personnel employed by the District.

 

Each School District shall employ a certified school Library Media Specialist, unless equivalent service is provided by an alternative arrangement approved by the Commissioner, in accordance with the following standards:

1)     In a secondary school with an enrollment of not more than one hundred (100) pupils, a certified school Library Media Specialist should devote at least one school period each day to school library work.

 

2)     In a secondary school with an enrollment of more than one hundred (100) but not more than three hundred (300) pupils, a certified school Library Media Specialist shall devote at least two school periods each day to school library work.

 

3)     In a secondary school with an enrollment of more than three hundred (300) but not more than five hundred (500) pupils, a certified school Library Media Specialist shall devote at least one half of each school day to school library work.

 4)     In a secondary school with an enrollment of more than five hundred (500) but not more than seven hundred (700) pupils, a certified school Library Media Specialist shall devote at

()    least five school periods each day to school library work.

5)      In a secondary school with an enrollment of more than seven hundred (700) but less than

one thousand (1000) pupils, a certified school Library Media Specialist shall devote the

entire school day to school library work.

 

6)    One additional full-time assistant certified school Library Media Specialist shall be employed in each secondary school for each additional one thousand (1000) pupils enrolled in such school.

 

The School Library Media Specialists have been charged with the responsibility of identifying, ordering, and organizing materials for the Library Media Centers which will implement, enrich, and support the educational programs of the school and will meet the needs, interests, goals, concerns, and abilities of the individual students.

 

The Curriculum Coordinators/Department Heads and teachers have  been charged with the responsibility of identifying, ordering and organizing those materials (both print and non-print) which, intheir professional opinion, will best facilitate the accomplishment of the goals and objectives of the Marcus Whitman Central School District's curriculum. The District shall ensure that special education teachers will be included in the review of possible new material.

 

In carrying out their responsibilities, the school Library Media Specialist and instructional staff involve students, supervisors, administrators, the Board of  Education and the community in  the evaluation and selection process.

 Criteria for Evaluation and Selection of Instructional Materials

 

The needs of the individual school, based upon knowledge of the curriculum and of the existing collection, as well as the requests of teachers, students and administrators are given primary consideration.

 

The needs of the individual student, especially as regards diversity of learning styles, and varying levels of ability, are also taken into consideration, and materials are selected to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

 

200.2(b)(10)).The NYS Education Department (NYSED) recommends that school districts choose to participate in NIMAC, because this national effort to centralize the distribution of instructional materials in alternate formats will help guarantee timely provision of such materials to students.Each School District has the option of participating in the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC). Whether a district does or does not participate in NIMAC,the district will be responsible to ensure that each student who requires instructional materials in an alternate format will receive it in a timely manner and in a format that meets NIMAS standards (8 NYCRR section

 

For school districts, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), State-operated schools, State-supported schools and approved private schools that choose to participate in NIMAC, contracts with publishers executed on and after December 3, 2006 for textbooks and other printed core materials  mustinclude a provision that requires the publisher to produce NIMAS files and send them to the NIMAC (this will not add any cost to the contract).

 

For more information regarding NIMAC including model contract language, Steps for Coordinating with NIMAC and an IDEA Part B Assurances Application please see http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialedlpublications/persprep/NIMAS.pdf.

 

Each title or item is judged as a whole work, on its individual merits and curricular needs. Judgments should be based upon the entire work,and not upon vulnerable minor episodes and parts of work. Anitem may be purchased if itis the most appropriate title to fit a given need, even if its rating is not high in all categories.

 

Both print and non-print materials are evaluated on the basis of:

 

1)     Educational significance and importance of the subject matter.

 

2)     Need and value to the collection for which the material is being evaluated.

 

4)      Reputation of the publisher or producer.

 

5)      Reputation and the significance ofthe author/artist composer, etc.

 

6)      Clarity, adequacy, and scope of the text or audio-visual presentation.

 

7)     Validity, factual accuracy, objectivity, and timeliness or permanence of the text or audio­

visual presentation.

 

8)     Organization and presentation of contents.

 

9)      Specific needs and objectives of the curriculum.

 

10)   Appropriateness to a particular reading level.

11)   Point of view, including unbiased treatment of minorities, ideologies, sex roles, etc.

 

12)   High degree of readability and/or comprehensibility.

 

13)   Potential user appeal.

 

14)  Artistic quality and/or literary style.

 

15)   Format and quality of materials.

 

16)   Value commensurate with cost and/or need.

 

Procedures for Evaluation and Selection

 

Library Media Centers

 

Inselecting materials for purchase, the Library Media Specialist evaluates the existing collection and consults:

 

1)      Reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared selection aids.

 

2)      Specialists from all departments and/or all grade levels. However, the Library Media Specialist is not necessarily required to have read, listened to, or previewed every item selected.

3)      Authoritativeness
 

4)      Reputation of the publisher or producer.

 

5)      Reputation and the significance of the author/artist composer, etc.

 

6)      Clarity, adequacy, and scope of the text or audio-visual presentation.

 

7)     Validity, factual accuracy, objectivity, and timeliness or permanence of the text or audio­

visual presentation.

 

8)     Organization and presentation of contents.

 

9)      Specific needs and objectives of the curriculum.

 

10)   Appropriateness to a particular reading level.

)        11)   Point of view, including unbiased treatment of minorities, ideologies, sex roles, etc.

 

12)   High degree of readability and/or comprehensibility.

 

13)   Potential user appeal.

 

14)  Artistic quality and/or literary style.

 

15)   Format and quality of materials.

 

16)   Value commensurate with cost and/or need.

 

Procedures for Evaluation and Selection

 

Library Media Centers

 

Inselecting materials for purchase, the Library Media Specialist evaluates the existing collection and consults:

 

1)      Reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared selection aids.

 

2)      Specialists from all departments and/or all grade levels. However, the Library Media Specialist is not necessarily required to have read, listened to, or previewed every item selected.

 

Student Use of Calculators

 

The District can require students to provide their own "supplies" (defined as something which is consumed  in use, loses its appearance and shape  in use, expendable,  and  inexpensive).  Examples include pencils, pens, paper, etc. Calculators do not fall into this category and must be considered like classroom teaching materials for which the District is authorized to levy a tax. Inaddition, the District may purchase, but must still provide, calculators even under a contingent budget.

 

As the New York State Education Department requires the use of calculators for intermediate and high school level mathematics and science assessments and are considered a necessary part of the educational  program, the District must  provide  them. Under  no  circumstances  should  students  be charged for a calculator or be otherwise required to purchase one in order to participate in the District's educational program.

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE:        Refer also to Regulation #54lOR-- Purchasing:  Vendor Business Guidelines