Selection Policy
Code No. 600.1
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: The Board of Directors of the College
Community School District hereby
declares the policy of the district to provide a wide range of instructional materials on all levels of difficulty, with diversity
of appeal and the presentation of different points of view. The Board of Directors will also allow orderly review of instructional
materials alleged to be inappropriate by any resident of the district.
I. Objectives of Selection: The primary objective of a school educational media
center is to implement, enrich, and support the educational program of the school. It is the duty of the center to provide
a wide range of materials on all levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal and the presentation of different points of
view. The responsibility of a library media center is: "to provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum,
taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the pupils served; to provide materials
that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards; to provide
a background of information that will enable pupils to make intelligent judgments in their daily life; to provide materials
on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may develop, under guidance, the practice of critical analysis
of all media; to provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions
to our American heritage; 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 for the users of a library media center."
Further, we endorse the ideas in the pamphlet prepared by the National Council of Teachers of English, "The Students' Right
to Read", specifically: (Code No. 600.1) "The right of any individual to read is basic to a democratic society. This right
is based on the only tenable assumption of democratic living: that the educated free man possesses the powers of discrimination
and is to be entrusted with the determination of his own actions. To deny the opportunity of choice in the fear that it may
be unwisely used is to destroy the freedom itself. We oppose the efforts by individuals or groups to limit freedom of choice
of others or to impose their own standards or tastes upon the community at large. We affirm the professional right and responsibility
of trained teachers to determine the best and most challenging reading for their students."
II. Responsibility for Selection of Materials: The legal responsibility for school
policies and their application is vested in the Board of Directors. Any discussion of new textbooks should start with the
Principal of each respective building. The Principal must give teachers permission to begin the selection process. Principals
must confer and agree on the need for new texts if the text (s) is to be used in more than one building. The responsibility
for the selection of instructional materials - both print and non-print is delegated to the professional personnel trained
in the selection of instructional materials and literature for young people. The responsibility for coordinating the selection
of text materials for distribution to classes will rest with the appropriate Instructional Councils Textbook Selection Committee
and the Principals. Text materials will include textbooks and other print and non-print materials provided in multiple copies
for use of a total class or a major segment of such a class.
III. Criteria for Selection of Instructional Materials: Needs of the individual
school based on knowledge of the curriculum and of the existing collection will be carefully evaluated before purchase.
The opinions of professional reviewers and authorities in the various fields will be weighed and the following criteria observed
in making selections. (Code No. 600.1)
- The authority and reliability of the author and publisher.
- The accuracy, recency, and objectivity in the treatment
of factual materials.
- The accuracy, recency, and objectivity of the material
with regard to multicultural and non-sexist references.
- The coverage and limitations as compared with similar works.
- The quality of the writing.
- The appropriateness for the curriculum and maturity level of students for whom
it is intended.
- The physical characteristics and quality of the material.
- The popularity of the work with students.
- Compatibility with community standards.
IV. Procedures for Selection Media:
1. In selecting materials for purchase for the media center, the media specialist
will evaluate the existing collection and the curriculum needs and will consult reputable, professionally prepared selection
aids and other appropriate sources.
2. Recommendations for purchase will be solicited from faculty and students.
3. Gift materials shall be judged by the criteria in Section III, and will be accepted
or rejected by those criteria.
4. To keep up with changes in curriculum, content of courses, new methods of instruction
and the current needs of students and teachers, the selection of instructional materials is necessarily a continuous process.
Outmoded and inappropriate materials will be discarded and replaced with more suitable materials.
LEGAL REFS: Code of Iowa, Chapter 301 Iowa
Administrative Code, 670.--3.5(20) Adopted: 4/14/70 Revised: 3/9/76 Revised: 1/6/81 Revised: 4/18/94 Reviewed: 10/19/98 Reviewed:
4/14/03
