Kenwood Library Policy
Updated 7/4/2016
LIBRARY MISSION STATEMENT
To build on the strengths inherent in Kenwood’s students, teachers, and families by connecting them to relevant and motivating resources that help us discuss, question, remix, and create our world.
This mission is accomplished by:
· Providing intellectual and physical access to materials in all formats.
· Providing instruction and programming that fosters competence and stimulates interest in reading, viewing, and using information and ideas.
· Working with other educators to design learning strategies to meet the needs of individual students and to meet school and grade-level goals.
ACCESS & CONDUCT
Student Access to the Library
The library hours are from 7:25 am to 2:30 pm when school is in session. We welcome students all during the school day for reading and research, but students must obtain a pass from their classroom teacher to use the library.
Student Conduct
The Kenwood standard of behavior is Respect Yourselves. Respect Others. Respect Property. The library is a place where students come to learn and read. All students are expected to behave according to the district code of conduct and the library expectations.
Specific library expectations are:
1) Enter and exit quietly and calmly. Sit on the reading rug criss-cross, hands in lap or at assigned seats with hands to yourself.
2) To share your idea or ask questions, raise your hand and wait to be called on. Participate!
3) Once the lesson is over, user whisper voices while waiting for a book and silent read once you have a book or magazine.
4) When it is time to checkout, walk up to the circulation desk when your table is called. After checking out, sit down in line and quietly read your own book.
General library expectations are:
Listen and follow directions the first time they are given. Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself. Show respect to people and property.
These rules are explained and modeled so that each student understands the behavioral expectations in the library.
BORROWING PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
All students are allowed to check out library materials. Students will visit the library with their class once a week for checkout. Students who have an overdue book may not check out a new book until the overdue book has been returned or the cost of a lost book has been paid. Students may come to the library to check out new books as often as allowed by their classroom teacher.
K-1 students may check out one book each week. Typically, we ask that K-1 students bring books back the day before they are due.
Grade 2-5 students may check out two books each week. One of these titles may be a magazine and one title may be from the new books cart. One book must be a “just right book” that the student has done the “five finger check” on.
Overdues, Lost, Damaged Materials – If a student repeatedly fails to return overdue materials they may be billed for lost materials and their checkout privileges may be blocked until payment is made. Students, parents, and teachers are asked to use care in their handling of library materials. Ms. Larson discusses this at the beginning of the year with all students. Students are expected to pay for any lost or damaged library materials. A student will not be able to check out further books until s/he has taken responsibility for the lost or damaged title.
Should a fifth grade student not return books, their borrowing privileges at middle school will be suspended until they have accounted for the materials.
Returning Materials
The standard lending period for all materials is one week. Students in kindergarten and first grade are asked to return materials the day before they come to the library. Students may not check out materials for other students. The student who checked out the materials is personally responsible for returning them.
Library notices to students regarding overdue materials will be distributed by the library staff to the classroom teacher.
Growing Good Readers
One of the toughest things for students to learn is how to pick a book that is “just right” for them. Here are two lessons covered in library that help students select books effectively:
Five Finger Rule – Read any page in the text. If there are five or more words on that page that you either do not know how to say or do not know what they mean, then it is not a “just right” book. One or two unknown words on a page would signal a “just right” book. Also, one should read the book out loud. Does your reading sound natural or robotic? We should be able to read “just right” books fairly smoothly.
What Readers Ask – Before choosing a book, readers ask themselves what their purpose for reading that day may be. Are they selecting a book as a research tool? Are they choosing a title to read during silent reading? Are they simply pleasure reading? Based on their purpose, good readers then can ask whether a given book is right for them on that particular trip to the library.
PROGRAM AND PATRON NEEDS
SELECTION RESPONSIBILITY
The Kenwood Elementary Librarian is responsible for the selection of materials with oversight by the building principal. All library materials shall be chosen by the librarian in cooperation with staff and students.
Criteria for Selection
Materials selected for inclusion shall include the following:
- Materials selected shall support the curriculum and meet the educational and emotional needs of all students.
- Materials shall meet the highest criteria in the following: physical format, treatment of subject, accuracy and currency of information, arrangement and organization, literary style
- Materials shall be appropriate for the age and emotional development of Kenwood’s students.
- Materials shall represent differing viewpoints.
- Materials shall reflect the diverse experiences and cultural backgrounds of Kenwood students and our increasingly globalized society.
- Materials selected shall, whenever possible, be free of bias and negative stereotypes
Selection:
The librarian will use the following resources to aid in selection:
School Library Journal, Bulletin of The Center for Children’s Books, Booklist, ALA Award Lists, materials suggested at conferences and professional development opportunities
The librarian will also consider recommendations from staff and students.
Professional Collection:
The librarian will purchase resources recommended by the staff but not covered by district curriculum budgets.
AV Policy
The library will purchase AV materials that support the school curriculum and meet the educational needs of students and staff. The librarian will use previously listed selection tools to guide decision making about AV materials.
The library’s AV collection is primarily DVDs and audiobooks.
Preservation:
The library will make every effort to control temperature and humidity in the library.
The librarian and library clerk will make every effort to repair damaged books (broken binding or loose pages) before discarding. If a book cannot be repaired, then the library will replace any damaged book that is in high demand by students.
The librarian will conduct mini-lessons for students on the care and handling of materials.
The librarian will refer to ALA’s Disaster Response fact sheet in case of an emergency.
GIFTS
The Kenwood Elementary Library welcomes gifts. The librarian will use the selection criteria listed above to determine whether the book will be added to the library’s collection. Books not selected for submission will be donated. The library does not appraise gifts for tax or estate purposes. Upon request, new titles and gifts donated to the Kenwood Elementary Library will include a book plaque on the inside front cover of the book indicating the person or family that made the donation.
DESELECTION
The Kenwood Elementary Library understands the importance of maintaining a current and useful collection. With this in mind, there will be times when books will need to be removed from the collection. The collection will be monitored continuously for damaged or worn books that need to be removed and replaced.
The librarian will use the following criteria to when deselecting:
· Physical Condition
· Last date of circulation (five years except for classic works of fiction)
· Duplicates
· Timeliness (out-of-date materials, lack of demand, old edition)
INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM
The Kenwood Elementary Library upholds the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights and the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read but understands there may be cases when materials may be questioned. In this case the library will follow Champaign Unit 4 district policy 645.07 as follows:
Challenged Materials
Despite the care taken to choose valuable materials for student and teacher use, occasional objections to a selection may be made by the public. When objections are raised, the following procedures are to be followed:
1. Citizens of the school community who register a complaint about material with the building librarian or principal are to be given the “Request for Reconsideration of Library Media Center Materials” form.
2. The complaint shall be referred to a standing committee composed of:
a. One high school teacher
b. One middle school teacher
c. One elementary school teacher
d. One librarian/media specialist
e. One building administrator
f. Two high school students (nominated by respective student government body)
g. Two parent representatives (selected by the PTA council)
h. Assistant Superintendent for Support Services
3. The committee may call in representative persons who might bring particular knowledge and competencies to bear on the specific complaint.
4. The Standing Committee will be responsible for:
a. Examining the material referred to it as a whole, not passages pulled out of context.
b. Checking recognized selection aids for evaluation of materials.
c. Weighing strengths and weaknesses and forming opinions based on selection criteria and relevance to curriculum.
d. Meeting to discuss the materials and prepare a report
e. Notifying complainant of the decision and sending a formal report and recommendation to the school principal and the Superintendent.
5. The Superintendent shall forward the committee’s report and the complaint to the Board of Education for final disposition.
6. The material may remain in use pending the committee’s recommendation and Board action.
7. An appeal may be made to the Board of Education in the event that complainant is not satisfied with the decision of the committee.
8. No decision in regard to the removal of any challenged library materials may be made without the approval of the Board of Education.