CIRCULATION POLICY

All Kindergarten - 5 grade students are allowed to check out one book at a
time for a one-week period.
Students are encouraged to visit the media center as often as necessary.
Students are allowed to "RENEW items (check out the same item for more
days, if needed).
Parents of Pre-K through 5 grade students are allowed to check out up to
five books at a time for a two-week period.
If a student/parent has an overdue book, no additional books may be
checked out, until the overdue book(s) is/are checked in, renewed, or
payment (lost/damaged book) is received.
Faculty/staff members may check out books for a period of up to 30 days
and audio-visual materials for a period of up to 5 days.
Teachers can request for materials (books, audiotapes, CDs, computers or
chromebooks, software, and videos) to be placed on RESERVE for student
use in the media center only, when an entire class or grade level is
researching the same unit/topic.
Reference materials are not available for check out and must be used in the
media center. Per the teacher's request, copies can be made of information
needed for research.
Audio-visual equipment must be checked out and returned on a daily basis
by 3:00 p.m.
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(The library at Warren Road Elementary School currently has no official

circulation policy. The above policy was found at
http://www.atlanta.k12.ga.us/Page/7621)
Analysis:
21ST CENTURY LIBRARY AND LEARNERS
The circulation policy allows the library resources to be checked out by students,
teachers, and parents, with different stipulations. Pre-K students are not allowed
to check out their own book, which seemed unfair at first. However, the parents
of all students (including Pre-K) are allowed to check out books on their childs
behalf. There are also consequences for overdue books in place, which will
keep students, parents, and teachers accountable. This circulation policy does a
fair job of addressing the needs of the 21st century library and its learners.
Students, even at the elementary level, are given the opportunity to check out
audio-visual equipment such as cameras and camcorders in order to assist in
their projects. Teachers and students are allowed to use the computers in the
library as well as the chromebooks, and teacher can reserve either the media
center computers or the chromebooks for their entire class.
BYOT OR BYOD
The circulation policy at Warren Rd. Elementary media center does not currently
address bring your own technology or bring your own device. However, the

library has technological devices that students can use and check-out on a daily
basis. While it could be useful for students to bring their own technology from
home, this could also pose problems since the students are young and often
rough on their technology. Also, there is the risk of devices being broken or
stolen. Therefore, the library circulation policy should include a disclaimer saying
that, while students are allowed to bring their technology from home, parents
should be aware that the library and school are not liable if something should
happen to the device while the students is on school property.
E-BOOKS
Warren Rd. Elementarys library does not currently have any e-readers for
check-out, nor do they have a collection of e-books that students can read on
their own devices. This will be added to the library soon, and when it is, the
circulation policy will need to be updated to reflect these Additions.
WEB 2.0 TOOLS
The media centers circulation policy also provides access to different online
programs and Web 2.0 tools for students and teachers, which teachers can also
reserve.

SCHEDULING
State Standards requires school media centers to operate on an open schedule.
Open concept includes:
The media center is open to individual students, small groups of students
and faculty at all times, from 7:45 A.M. until 4:00 P.M.
Large group activities shall be planned and scheduled by the teacher for
varying times, and lengths of time, to fit a particular curricular need.
Teachers are not to schedule the same block of time week in and week
out.
Richmond County schools shall operate using the open concept, with the
media center existing to serve the learning needs of the students and the
staff of the school.
Hours of operation before and after school ARE necessary to fulfill an
open concept mandate.
Yearly closing of the media center for periods of time at the beginning and
the end of the school year IS NOT permitted. While checkouts may be
limited for the purpose of inventory, the center must stay open for student
and faculty use.
Rigid scheduling of classes IS NOT considered consistent with this policy
and is not to be used in Richmond County Schools
Analysis:
21ST CENTURY LIBRARY AND LEARNERS
This library operates on an open schedule, which allows faculty, staff, students
and parents full access to the library throughout the school day. This includes all
library resources, such as books, computers, audio-visual equipment, etc. Having
constant access to the librarys technology is beneficial for 21st learners and
educators. There are also guidelines set up to ensure that all teachers have the
same opportunity to schedule time in the library with their classes. Overall, the
media center schedule allows for students and teachers to use the resources
within to their full potential.
E-BOOKS
While Warren Rd. Elementary does not currently have a collection of e-books,
these will be added soon. Once this is done, students will be able to access part
of the librarys collection anytime from anywhere on their own devices. This will
be extremely beneficial, especially during the summer months when students are
unable to check out books from the physical library.
BYOT/BYOD
Also, if the students bring their own technology to school, they can access part of
the library without ever leaving the classroom. This will be useful for days when
the library is closed due to it being reserved or when it is being used for testing.
However, they will of course still be encouraged to visit the media center to take

advantage of the many other educational tools that the library has to offer as
often as possible.

ETHICS AND LEGAL PRINCIPLES

The media specialist is expected to act as a copyright advisor for reproduction
and use of copyrighted print, non-print and electronic information.
The media specialist should include common copyright issues in the media
handbook and should ask for time to address the faculty on this issue at least
once a year.
The Copyright Law allows Library photocopying under Section 107 Fair Use
when meeting the following criteria:
Purpose and character of use
Nature of the work
Amount and substantiality of the portion used
Effect upon the potential market of the work
Analysis:
21ST CENTURY LIBRARY AND LEARNER and CREATIVE COMMONS
The Ethics and Legal Principles policy at Warren Road Elementary makes it very
clear that the media specialist is in charge of making sure that all teachers and
students abide by copyright laws and regulations and use the information
ethically. It also ensures that the media specialist will annually discuss common
copyright issues with the faculty and staff as well as provides guidelines for when
the library is allowed to photocopy copyrighted information. However, this all
seems to be directed at teachers and ensuring that teachers follow copyright
laws. The policy should also address the ethical information behavior expected of
students. Perhaps, adding an annual discussion with students about copyright
laws and how and when it is appropriate to photocopy information that is
protected by copyright laws. The policy could also benefit from links with
information on copyright, creative commons, and what counts as infringement,
listed as well. This way, students and teacher will have access to the information
at all times, rather than just at an annual meeting.
Creative Commons is an important asset to 21st century libraries and their
learners. The ethics and legal principles for Warren Rd. Elementarys library do
not mention Creative Commons, only discussing the Fair Use Act when it comes
to photocopying information. In this day and age, with all of the information
available to us through technology and the internet, there are so many other
ways that a student or teacher could infringe upon a copyright other than
photocopying. Understanding and addressing the Creative Commons will make
this less of an issue and get the ethics and legal principles of this media center
more up-to-date.

SERVICES
Warren Road Elementary offers a variety of services to its school community.
Multi-media equipment loan (video cameras, digital cameras, document
cameras, etc.), copy services, laminating, book repair, audio-visual check-out,
ebooks (coming in April), and die-cut lettering are all services offered to students
and parents alike. Additionally, for our ESOL students, we offer read aloud
programs and computer based translations. In order to accommodate our
handicapped students, our bookcases are positioned at a height that is easily
accessible for them. Maximum space between bookcases also provides ease of
mobility for these students.
Analysis:
21ST CENTURY LIBRARY AND LEARNERS
Our student population is more diverse than ever, and it is important that our
libraries reflect this through the services they offer. The media center at Warren
Rd. Elementary offers many different services to reflect the physical, mental,
ethnic, and linguistic diversity of its students. Also, as is important during the age
of technology, the media center offers a wide range of equipment for loan so that
students can work hands-on with the technology. Also, many of these services
are offered to parents as well, bridging part of the gap between the students
home-life and their school-life and giving many parents opportunities that they did
not have when they were students themselves.
BYOT/BYOD
Many students, especially in the younger grades, do not have access to their
own technology. However, through the services offered in this library students
who do not have technology and devices to use at home can become acquainted
with it their school library.
WEB 2.0 TOOLS
The library offers many web 2.0 tools and programs that accommodate students
with reading disabilities. From students who are struggling to learn English as a
second language, as well as those struggling with English as their first, these
online services help students become more confident readers and speakers.
Also, for students