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Media Selection

Media Selection. Policies and Procedures. The Same…but Unique. No two library centers will have the same collection and they shouldn’t! The media center should reflect the specific needs of the school it serves. But all media centers share three basic goals….

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Media Selection

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  1. Media Selection Policies and Procedures

  2. The Same…but Unique • No two library centers will have the same collection and they shouldn’t! • The media center should reflect the specific needs of the school it serves. • But all media centers share three basic goals….

  3. Library Media Center’s Three Primary Goals • Satisfy the needs of students for curriculum related materials. • Fulfill students’ wishes concerning materials for recreational purposes. • Provide teachers with professional information.

  4. To Reach These Goals • Coalesce all decisions into a policy manual to serve as guide. • What do you need in order to make decisions?

  5. You Need Background Knowledge • Community • Students • Faculty • Curriculum • Media • Bibliographic and Review aids • Existing collection • Budget

  6. Knowledge of Community • Community • Ethic and religious background • Occupations • Economic, educational status • Business and transportation • Libraries and cultural resources

  7. Knowledge of Students • Students • Age groups • Reading ability • Test scores • Technology skills • Interest and activities • Hobbies • Sports • Jobs?

  8. Knowledge of Faculty • Teaching assignments • Classroom use of media/technology • Teaching methods • Media center use by department • In-service needs

  9. Knowledge of Media • Availability and Use of: • Educational and Technology materials • Characteristics • Strengths • Limitations • Potential • Site Licenses for Integrated Library System like Follett?

  10. Knowledge of Bibliographic Tools • Bibliographies • American Historical Fiction • Basic Book Collection for Elementary Grades • The Best in Children’s Books • 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 • 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

  11. Knowledge Reviewing Tools • Current reviewing media: • AASA Science Books and Films • American Film & Video Association Evaluations • Booklist • Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books • Horn Book • Kirkus Reviews • School Library Journal

  12. Knowledge of Existing Collection • Size • Strengths and weaknesses • Age and physical condition • Basic usefulness • How to find out?? • Use computer shelf list and inventory records to ascertain. • Browse the shelves

  13. Knowledge of the Budget • Budget allotments for the current year • Additional funds? • Federal, state and local • Plan expensive purchases especially on a 3 -5 year schedule?

  14. Knowledge of Databases and Research Sources • Do you need full-text periodical databases like ProQuest or Ebsco? • Site Licenses

  15. Overall the Media Specialist at the school level should: • Organize and administer the reviewing procedures at the school. • Route catalogs, bibliographies and other selection aids to faculty asking for purchase suggestions • Involve as many people as possible • Attend faculty and departmental meetings • Conduct interest surveys and inventories of students and faculty • Maintain a file of current commercial catalogs of materials and equipment

  16. Why Create a Media Selection Policy? • It is the foundation of the media center program, it serves many purposes: • Criteria and selection procedures for the collection • Blueprint for future growth of the collection • Prevents haphazard collection development • Prevents unnecessary disputes involving controversial material

  17. What Should the Policy Manual Contain? • The selection policy should include: • Mission/philosophy statement of school • Goals and objectives of the school • Broad universal principals of the profession • Freedom to Read Statement (ALA) • The School Library Bill of Rights (AASL) • All groups affected by the policy should participate in its formation. • Faculty, administration, students and the community (PTO) • It should be officially adopted by these groups

  18. Materials Selection Policies • Elements are listed in the Morris text on page 302. • Websites: • ALA Componets of Selection Policy http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=Dealing_with_Challenges&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=11173 • Policy Manuals for School Libraries http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/libpolicy.htm

  19. Standards • Specify norms for quantities and in some cases, quality of the center’s collection • SLMS should be familiar with at the State federal, and district levels • Should be included in the policy if appropriate

  20. Selection Aids • Both primary and secondary sources • Primary – the item itself is examined before purchase • Preview materials from publishers • Preview materials at conventions and exhibits • On approval purchases **The explosion of information and materials make hands-on examination neither possible nor practical for the vast majority of LMS’s!

  21. Selection Aids • Secondary selection aids – reviewing sources • Bibliographies • Catalogs • Indexes • Review periodicals • Best lists “The proper interpretation, evaluation and understanding of these aids is one of the essentials of effective selection.”

  22. Retrospective aids • Very helpful in building the initial collection and in filling in gaps in the existing collection. These contain time tested general recommendations for general and specific needs. • Children’s Catalog • Senior High School Library Catalog (Wilson) • Middle School Library Catalog • Elementary School Library Collection (Brodart)

  23. Current Selection Aids • Primarily for new materials: • Booklist (ALA) • School Library Journal (ALA) • English Journal (NCTE) • Baltimore County Public School, Resources for Information Specialist Role http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/office/infospec.html

  24. Criteria for Choosing Selection Aids • Authority • Who are the reviewers and their qualifications • Scope • What types of material are listed? • Books, AV software, equipment • For adults, children, or everyone • Certain ages, languages, time periods • How often up-dated • Directions for use

  25. Criteria for Choosing Selection Aids • Arrangement • Alphabetical, classification or subject • Index • Annotations or Reviews • Descriptive, critical or both • Detailed or broad • Basic to collection or supplemental • Consistent in treatment • Comprehensive • Reviewer checked for accuracy and reliability

  26. Practical Points to Aid Selection • Participation in the Selection Process • Input from you the LMS is essential • Diversity in Material – get something on everything • Diversity in Students – get something for everyone – including Non-users • Selection, Not Censorship!

  27. Practical Points to Aid Selection • Subjectivity vs Objectivity • Make purchases from the user’s point of view…. not only what the student should be reading or using but also what the student wants and is capable of using. • Media and Messages • Is the medium the most appropriate to convey the contents to the student? • Duplication • User demand

  28. Practical Points to Aid Selection • Use many selection aids • Cooperative Acquisitions • Schools within a district decide areas of concentration • Out of Print Materials • If still needed for faculty & students, find a source. • Publishers’ and Manufacturer’s Catalogs • Use cautiously

  29. Practical Points to Aid Selection • Gifts and Free materials • Policy should clearly state: • Only items appropriate to the collection will be kept • LMC may dispose of the material in any way. • Professional Library • Sample textbooks, workbooks • Curriculum guides • File of web sites for lesson plans

  30. Practical Points to Aid Selection • Local History Collection • Internet Resource Materials • How web sites will be selected • http://207.238.25.30/library/libraryinfo/InternetCollection.htm

  31. Censorship and the SLMC • Complaints involving out of date material at the school level are not usually subject for concern and settled easily. • Complaints from parents or groups are more complex and not easily solved. • Usually involves sex, race, religion, profanity, drugs or sex-role sterotypes.

  32. Dealing with Censorship • A sound Selection Policy • Committe appointed by superintendent to hear complaints • PTA • Teacher, LMS, administrator, community • Educational personnel

  33. Dealing with Censorship • Citizen’s Request Form for Reevaluation of Learning Resource Center Materials • Identify complainant, group or organization • Identify the work in question • Statement that the complainant has read or seen the work in question • Identify or supply critical reviews of the work in question • Recommendation of the eventual disposition of this material • Signed by complainant

  34. Sequence of Steps to Follow in Handling a Complaint • Explanation of the selection procedures and policies • Criteria used in selection • May supply reviews or recommendations • If it is still not resolved, then the complainant should file the full complaint form. • Do not remove the item in question during this reevaluation process. • Refer to the reevaluation committee with all pertinent data and reviews. • Decision of the committee is usually sent to the superintendent for review. • Decision is given to the complainant. • Include a regulation that the item will not be reevaluated for a given period – usually three years.

  35. Court Decisions • To prevail you must have: • Detailed, explicit and widely distributed set of policies and procedures. • The support of the school board and administrators at all levels.

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