Building the Collection
Course
Selection Policies and Procedures [7:53]
- Learn reasons why a selection policy is imperative in today's educational landscape.
- Learn the basic components of a school library selection policy.
- Learn how to create a reconsideration procedure for your library that upholds library and patron rights while addressing individual concerns.
A selection policy should be a working document that grows as your collection grows. With resource challenges becoming increasingly common in school libraries, school librarians and administrators can refer back to the selection policy as a means to justify acquisitions and prevent unwanted material donations that may not support the mission of the library and its learning community.
First, the selection policy should restate the library's mission as the foundation on which the collection is built. It should include a statement about the library's efforts to support intellectual freedom and ALA's Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement. Be mindful that private schools, such as those with religious affiliations, may be governed by different objectives than that of public schools requiring specification in the selection policy. Define your role's expertise and authority in selecting materials as the trained library professional. Include the general process that you undergo to select materials and reference students as part of this process. You will want to avoid providing an exhaustive list of your professional review sources. However, you may determine to list several, such as School Library Connection, Horn Book Review, and School Library Journal book lists.
When creating your selection policy, be sure to include the general selection criteria in the selection policy. Criteria include curriculum support, audience suitability, timeliness, professional reviews, audience appeal, patron requests, author motive, and accessibility. Specify the acquisitions procedures. Mention how donation requests are handled. Share weeding and maintenance protocols. Acknowledge that, at times, potentially controversial materials may be selected to reflect varying perspectives and support personal needs. Specify that collection development is a continuous process. If a special collection is part of the school library, it is important to note the selection policy for that particular collection. While the way in which the above content is presented in a school library selection policy may vary the basic components above should be incorporated in some manner.
As part of your selection policy, proactively create reconsideration procedures to alleviate angst when a reconsideration request takes you by surprise. Reconsideration procedures should be reflective of ALA's Guiding Principles for All Types of Libraries. You should include a Statement of Policy acknowledging that material challenges may occur despite following specific criteria for the selection of materials. Specify who can file a formal reconsideration request. In my school, reconsideration requests are limited to parents and legal guardians. However, as referenced in ALA's Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit, stringent limits on who can submit a challenge may encourage challenges to go beyond the school's formal process. Alternatively, reconsideration procedures that are too inclusive may encourage numerous frivolous challenges from a variety of individuals or entities. Most importantly, specify that there is a succinct process for reconsideration so that no one individual or external entity unanimously controls the removal of materials.
When an informal complaint is made, make the complainant aware of the formal reconsideration procedures and offer access to the appropriate forms, which include both the selection policy and the reconsideration procedures. Within the reconsideration procedures, outline the process that will occur if and when a formal reconsideration request is submitted and the roles of those who serve on the reconsideration committee. The formal complaint should include the complainants specific contact information, the format of the item being challenged, the title, the author, how the item came to their attention, whether or not they have reviewed the item in its entirety, the specific concerns about the item, any alternative items that they suggest be used in its place, and the specific action that they are requesting the reconsideration committee take upon receipt of the formal complaint. The reconsideration request should specify to whom to submit the formal complaint, such as the school librarian or school principal. Include the time frame by which the reconsideration committee will review the material and that the complainant will receive a written decision on behalf of the committee. Additionally, if there is a process for appeal, that procedure should be outlined along with the timeframe for that process. Make sure to clarify that a reconsideration request does not allow for the material to be removed from the library while the request is being considered.
A relevant and meaningful library collection is built upon intentional acquisition. Work with your school's administration to annually review both the selection policy and the reconsideration procedures so that they reflect current societal and academic needs and to ensure the necessary school representatives are familiar with the protocols. This is a good time to remind colleagues that these processes must be followed to avoid complicating any issues or concerns.
School librarians need to be proactive and ensure that they have a current selection policy, including up-to-date reconsideration procedures. This will certify that collection development is representative of the school community's needs while being inclusive. After reading April Dawkin's article, "Ten Steps to Creating a Selection Policy that Matters," and reviewing ALA's Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, & Academic Libraries, complete the Reflect & Practice activity below.
After reading Dawkin's article and ALA's Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit, use the chart on pages 13–16 of the Course Packet (found in the Resources above) to develop or review your school library's selection policy, including the reconsideration procedure. If one already exists, suggest edits so that the policies and procedures reflect modern standards of selection, deselection, and reconsideration of the library's materials. Meet with your school administration to ensure the policies and procedures are in accordance with the school's mission and vision and to gain their final approval.
MLA Citation
Brown, Stacy. "Building the Collection: A Selection Policy for Your School Library." School Library Connection, February 2023, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2295730?learningModuleId=2293930&topicCenterId=2293930.
Entry ID: 2295745
Outlined within the selection policy or as a stand-alone document referenced in the selection policy, a reconsideration procedure is a must for every 21st-century school library. Proactively preparing for a resource challenge will reduce the stress of the unexpected and ensure that the complaint is handled in a streamlined manner with the support of the school's leadership. After reading April Dawkin's article, "Creating Reconsideration Policies that Matter," and ALA's Selection & Reconsideration Toolkit for Public, School, & Academic Libraries, complete the Reflect & Practice activity below.
After reading April Dawkin's article and ALA's Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit, use pages 17–19 of the Course Packet (found in the Resources above) to create a Reconsideration Procedure policy. The reconsideration procedures will outline a systematic process that includes guiding principles, a statement of policy, and a formal reconsideration process for addressing any resource challenges. Share this policy with your school administration to ultimately solidify how to respond to a challenge to any materials.
MLA Citation
Brown, Stacy. "Building the Collection: Reconsideration Procedures for Your Library." School Library Connection, February 2023, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2295730?learningModuleId=2293930&topicCenterId=2293930.
Entry ID: 2295746
Additional Resources
About the Author
MLA Citation
Brown, Stacy. "Building the Collection. Selection Policies and Procedures [7:53]." School Library Connection, ABC-CLIO, February 2023, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2295730?learningModuleId=2293930&topicCenterId=2293930.
https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2295730?learningModuleId=2293930&topicCenterId=2293930
Entry ID: 2295730