The Function of the school library media center:
The school library media center is the one place in the school where a student may satisfy his/her informational/cultural, social, and personal needs regardless of chronological age, ethnic background, economic background, grade level, or achievement level.
The school library media center provides resources which are designed and selected to meet the following student needs:
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Provide materials that enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration students’ varied interests, abilities, learning styles, and maturity levels.
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Provide materials that allow students to practice their reading skills and foster the love of reading.
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Provide materials that present varying points of view so that students have an opportunity to develop, under guidance, skills in critical analysis.
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Provide materials that stimulate growth in factual knowledge and literary appreciation.
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Provide materials that represent many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions.
Freedom of Access – All materials designed for student use should be made available to the student for individual examination and personal choice. This may exclude certain materials temporarily set aside for a special project. Procedures and rules should support free and open access to information without imposing grade or age restrictions.
Freedom of Selection – All students should be allowed to select materials for their personal use. Teachers or the library media specialist may offer guidance upon student request or where it is felt that a student is not aware of other materials better suited to meet specific needs. Advantages and disadvantages may be pointed out, but the student should be free to make the final choice of materials.
Freedom of Use – Use of materials by students in the classroom and at home should be governed by as few restrictions as possible. No students should be denied the privilege of sharing library media materials with other members of the family or in a setting outside of the school. Limitations on student use might include the following:
a) Five is the limit on the number of materials being checked out to a student at one time.
b) Restriction to school use of certain reference materials such as current encyclopedias, unabridged dictionaries, oversize atlases, and expensive or hard-to-replace volumes.
c) Temporary restriction of materials to library media center use when a student has not returned previously checked-out items.
Restriction on the use of audiovisual materials to the classroom or the library media center due to the non-availability of the necessary equipment for home use.
Late or Lost Materials
Students are notified regularly regarding materials on their account that have not been returned. Overdue fines are not charged at the elementary level. Secondary students who fail to return materials in a timely manner may incur late charges. Each secondary school sets its own policy regarding fines for overdue materials. Materials that are overdue for more than 365 days are automatically declared lost, and the student is expected to pay for a replacement. Students with obligations are encouraged to talk to the library media specialist when there are special circumstances regarding late or lost materials. When students have overdue or lost materials, they will still be allowed to access materials but may be restricted in the number of materials they are allowed to check out. Lost material charges are entered into the student information system, and obligations must be cleared before a student is allowed to participate in graduation.