Policy Board of Education of Caroline County

Policy: Selection of Media Materials

Reference: II.21.10


Materials for use in media centers shall be selected according to procedures established by the
Caroline County Board of Education.


Procedure: Selection of Media Materials

The term "media" includes all materials considered part of the media center collection. The
media center is the space, room, or complex of rooms and spaces designated as a library, media
center, or instructional materials center.

Media materials include trade books, reference books, magazines, pamphlets, filmstrips, film
cassettes, reel-to-reel tapes, film loops, pictures, video cassettes, etc., that supplement the
instructional program of the school. These materials are cataloged and circulated from the media
center.


A. Criteria for Selection of Materials

1. Materials shall support and be consistent with the general educational goals of the
county and the objectives of specific courses.

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

3. Materials shall be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional
development, ability level, and social development of the students for whom the
materials are selected.

4. Materials shall have redeeming aesthetic, literacy, or social value.

5. Materials chosen shall have been written by competent and qualified authors and
producers.

6. Materials shall be chosen to foster respect for all people including, but not limited
to, minority racial groups, women, and ethnic groups. Materials shall be designed
to help students gain awareness and understanding of the many important
contributions made to our society by all types of people.

7. Materials should justify the cost in relation to anticipated use.

8. A sufficient variety of materials should be chosen to allow for flexibility of use.

9. The selection of materials should be objective in that such materials meet the
goals of the Caroline County Board of Education regardless of the selector's
personal beliefs and philosophy.

B. Selection Procedures

1. In selecting materials for purchase for the media center, the selector will evaluate
the existing collection and the curriculum needs and will consult reputable,
professionally prepared selection aids and other appropriate sources which are
listed in Building Library Media Collections: A Bibliography, published by the
Maryland State Department of Education.

2. Recommendations for purchase will be solicited from faculty and student body.

3. Selection is an ongoing process which should include the removal of materials
which are educationally out dated and the replacement of lost and worn materials
still of educational value.

4. Gift materials shall be judged by the criteria established for the selection of
materials and shall be accepted or rejected by those criteria. Gifts with
restrictions shall not be accepted.

5. The list of selections will be forwarded to the principal for his/her review and
approval. The principal will forward the selection order to the Assistant
Superintendent for Instruction for his review and approval for purchase. Upon
approval the order for the materials will be forwarded to the Finance Section for
purchase.

C. Reconsideration Requests

The following procedures will be used in dealing with complaints about media materials in
specific schools:

1. A complainant must first make known his/her dissatisfaction to the principal
concerning specific titles.

2. The principal will hold a conference with the complainant to discuss the media
material(s) being questioned.

3. If the matter is not resolved during the discussion, the complainant shall be
advised by the principal of the opportunity to secure and complete the form
"Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Media." When the completed form
is submitted to the principal, it will be considered a formal complaint.

4. A committee consisting of the principal, the school media specialist, two teachers,
and a parent who has participated in the selection process for textbooks, will
consider the formal complaint. The principal will serve as chairman and will call
meetings of the committee; another member will be appointed as recorder and
will keep a record of the proceedings of the committee. The complainant shall
have the right to make a personal recommendation to the committee before it
makes a decision. The committee will complete the form "Instructional Media
Reconsideration Committee Report," and the principal will send one copy to the
complainant, one copy to the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, and will
keep one copy in his/her files.

5. Should the decision of the school-level committee not be acceptable to the
complainant, the decision may be appealed, in writing, to the Assistant
Superintendent for Instruction who will chair a system level committee to hear the
appeal. The complainant shall have the right to make a personal appearance
before the system-level committee prior to the committee making its written
recommendation to the Superintendent of Schools. The Superintendent of Schools
shall inform the complainant, in writing, of his decision. If the Superintendent's
decision is not acceptable to the complainant, the decision may be appealed to the
Board of Education of Caroline County within thirty (30) calendar days.

6. The system-level committee will consider an appeal regarding a complaint about
a specific book or other media material only once during a school year.