Challenged Materials Policy

Wayne County Schools

Library Media Policies and Procedures

Library Media Services

Wayne County Schools

August 2013

July 2013 - revised

Walker Early Learning Center Tracy Slagle

Bell Elementary Nell Boils

Monticello Elementary Debra C. Bristow

Wayne County Middle Sharon Hill

Wayne County High Carol Ford

TABLE of CONTENTS

Mission………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3

Library Bill Rights……………………………………………………………………………………… 4

Library Media Center Selection Policies and Procedures

I. Definitions...... 5

II. Responsibility for the Selection of Materials...... 5

III. Procedures for Selection……………………………...... 5

IV. Criteria for the Selection of Materials...... 6

Circulation Policy………………………………………………………………………………………….8

Materials………………………...... …………………………………………………………….10

Challenged Materials Policy…………………………………………………………………….12

APPENDIX

A. Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials...... 15

B. Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines…………………………………………………..18

C. Review Committee Report Form for fiction and other literary genres…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….19

D. Review Committee Report Form for non-fiction………………………..23

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………………………….26

Mission Statement of the School Library Media Program

The mission of the Wayne County School libraries is to teach for learning by all students, in an environment that nurtures that process and assures equity and quality by all.

To ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. This mission is accomplished:

· by providing intellectual and physical access to materials in all formats

· by providing instruction to foster competence and stimulate interest in reading, viewing, and using information and ideas

· by working with other educators to design learning strategies to meet the needs of individual students.

--Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs (1988), p.1

Library Bill of Rights

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted June 18, 1948.

Amended February 2, 1961; June 28, 1967; and January 23, 1980,

inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996,

by the ALA Council.

Library Media Center Policies

I. Definitions

A. Instructional materials items that are consumable or can be worn out in the instructional process to include: library books, periodicals and newspapers, audio visual material, supplementary books, reference material, and instructional software.

B. Media means all materials considered part of the library media center collection, plus all instructional materials housed in resource centers and classrooms (if any), which are not text materials.

II. Responsibility for the Selection of Materials

The School Based Decision Making Council shall delegate the responsibility for the selection of instructional materials for the school library media center to the library media specialist. Reputable selection aids shall be used as guides to selection as well as consultation with staff, students and parents.

“The school council shall determine which textbooks, instructional materials, and student support services shall be provided in the school.”

(KRS 160.345, Section 2-g)

(g) The school council shall determine which textbooks, instructional materials, and student support services shall be provided in the school. Subject to available resources, the local board shall allocate an appropriation to each school that is adequate to meet the school's needs related to instructional materials and school-based student support services, as determined by the school council. The school council shall consult with the school media librarian on the maintenance of the school library media center, including the purchase of instructional materials, information technology, and equipment;

III. Procedures for Selection

1. The media librarian shall evaluate the school’s existing materials collection and curriculum needs, shall solicit recommendations for purchase from faculty, students, and parents, and shall consult reputable, professionally prepared aids and other appropriate sources in recommending materials for the Library Media Center.

2. The purchase of materials shall follow the established procedures and schedules set forth by Wayne County Board Policy and the School Based Decision Making Council.

3. Gift materials shall be judged and accepted or rejected on the basis of the criteria in Section IV.

4. The media librarian shall supervise the removal of media materials no longer appropriate and the replacement of lost and worn material which are still of educational value.

IV. Criteria for Selection of Materials

Materials selected for school library and media centers shall reflect the needs of the individual school and shall support and reflect the curriculum in order to improve student achievement. Materials shall be selected for their strengths rather than rejected for their weaknesses. Selected materials shall conform to the following criteria as they apply:

A. Materials shall support and be consistent with district goals and the school’s curricular objectives.

B. Materials shall meet high standards of quality in factual content and presentation.

C. Materials shall be appropriate for the subject area and for the developmental stage of students for whom the materials are selected.

D. Materials shall have aesthetic, academic, literary, and/or social value.

E. Materials shall exhibit competent authorship for the subject treated.

F. Materials shall be of acceptable technical quality and suitable physical format.

G. Materials shall foster respect for all people, especially minority and ethnic groups, and shall represent realistically our pluralistic society.

H. Materials shall be designed to help students gain an awareness and understanding of the contributions made to our civilization by all persons, including women and minority and ethnic groups.

I. Materials shall clarify objectively the multiple historical and contemporary forces with their economic, political and religious dimensions, which have operated to the disadvantage or advantage of all persons, including minority and ethnic groups. (In special cases, materials containing biased or slanted points of view may be selected to meet certain specific curricular objectives.)

J. Materials concerned with racial, religious, sexual or ethnic differences shall be free from stereotype, caricature, and other characteristics likely to misrepresent, offend or defame particular segments of the population.

K. Materials concerning religion shall be free from intention to indoctrinate beliefs of any one faith, or to belittle any other.

L. Materials shall be designed to motivate students and staff to examine their own attitudes and behaviors and to comprehend their own duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges as participating citizens in a pluralistic, non-sexist society.

M. Materials treating controversial issues shall be selected on the basis of their ability to provide students a balanced perspective concerning current events, education, government, history, politics, or any other phase of life.

Wayne County School Libraries’ Circulation Policy

Checking out books and media from the library is a privilege and privileges come with responsibilities.

I. LOAN PERIODS AND CHECK-OUT LIMITS

Loan periods and check-out times will be determined at each school according to the needs of the students at that building.

II. RENEWALS

Students shall be responsible for the renewal of library media materials upon the due date. Books and materials may be renewed more than once at the discretion of the LMS and/or teacher.

III. OVERDUES

We expect that students will care for the books they borrow, renew them when necessary and return them in a timely manner so that others may borrow them. Formal Overdue Notices are sent home, given to students or sent to the students’ teachers on a routine basis. If a student has books overdue for more than two weeks, we reserve the right to suspend borrowing privileges, limit the number of books checked out, or limit the type of book a child can borrow (i.e. student may be limited to a paperback until the overdue book taken care of). After 9 weeks of overdue, parents will be contacted by phone or letter and a payment plan will be set up.

IV.LOST AND DAMAGED BOOKS

LOST BOOKS

When library books are not returned, they are considered lost and students are charged for their replacement. Students are expected to take care of any lost book obligations by the end of each semester.

Each school upholds the right to suspend different privileges when library books are not paid for toward the end of the school year. Students are expected to take care of any lost book obligations by the end of each semester. The fee charged will be the actual cost of the book plus a $2.00 non-refundable replacement fee. The cost of the book will be refunded if the book is returned within one week of the current school year.

DAMAGED BOOKS

Damaged books are to be cleaned or repaired ONLY by the library staff.

If books are damaged beyond use, students will be responsible for replacement cost. If pages are torn while a book is in a student’s care, we ask that the book be returned, so that wemay repair it. We make every effort to teach students about proper book care, but we understand that accidents do happen.

There will be a $1.00 charge if returned books are missing any labels such as the barcode, spine label or AR labels.

Technology, Media, and Print Materials

The Wayne County School District Library Media Centers and their staff strive to uphold and abide by all copyright laws including procedures for print, electronic, audio, video, and other forms of media and resources.

The Wayne County School Board Policy on Copyrighted Materials 08.2321. is stated below:

The use of copyrighted material for educational purposes, by school personnel, shall be within the generally accepted uses delineated by applicable law. The Superintendent shall develop procedures for informing appropriate personnel of the fair use of copyrighted material for educational purposes.

Electronic Materials

All employees shall use electronic materials only in accordance with the license agreement under which the electronic materials were purchased or otherwise procured. Electronic materials are defined as computer software, databases, video tapes, [DVD’s], compact and laser discs, electronic textbooks or any other copyrighted material distributed in electronic form.

Any duplication of copyright electronic materials, except for backup and archival purposes, is a violation of the law, unless the license agreement explicitly grants duplication rights. The archival copy is not to be used on a second computer [or video equipment] at the same time the original is in use. In addition, illegal copies of copyrighted software [or videos] shall not be used or produced on Board equipment.

Through professional development activities, the technology coordinator shall inform all employees of their compliance responsibilities with electronic materials licensing agreements and of the penalties for violating these agreements.

The Superintendent or designee shall sign all District software license agreements. Each school using the licensed software shall have on file a copy of the executed agreement, the original disk or the original documentation.

References

Kentucky Educational Technology System (KETS)

17 U. S. C., Chapter 1

Related Policy

08.2323

Additional Copyright Information

For the latest in United States Copyright laws, legislations, amendments, and supporting documents please go to the following website: www.copyright.gov .

Copyright and fair use guidelines are provided for Wayne County Schools’ students, faculty, and staff in regard to the most frequently asked copyright issues. This document is included in Appendix D and designed to assist teachers, staff, and administration in making legal decisions in regard to the use of copyrighted materials in the school environment.

For a downloadable PDF version of this document designed to assist teachers on copyright issues, please go to http://www.halldavidson.net/copyrightchart.htmlfor more detailed information about fair use guidelines and copyright resources.

Technology

Wayne County Schools’ Library Media Centers strive to uphold and follow all Wayne County School Board’s District Technology Policies and Procedures. Copies of these policies as well as any individual school technology policies and procedures are available at each individual school in our district.

Videos

Videos, in any format (VHS, DVD, etc.), may be shown as a part of a lesson if they are shown in “face to face” instruction. In short, it must be part of a lesson with genuine instructional objectives. Videos / movies may not be shown for entertainment or rewards unless the school has a license.

For more detailed information about the fair use of videos in the classroom please see the copyright section and electronic links as described above.
Challenged Materials Policy

Occasional objections to a selection will be made by community members, parents, students or school staff, despite the care taken to select valuable materials for student and teacher use and the qualifications of persons who select the materials.

The principles of Intellectual Freedom, freedom to read, the First Amendment and the professional responsibility of the staff must be defended, rather than the materials.

The First Amendment

(1791)

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The following translation of the amendment is from America: Pathways to the Present, Teacher’s edition, published by Prentice Hall 2002:

The First Amendment protects five basic rights: Freedom of religion, the press, assembly, and petition. Regarding censorship it says: Congress may not abridge, or limit, the freedom to speak and write freely. The government may not censor, or review, books and newspapers before they are printed.