Collection Development
Materials selected for the school library include subscriptions, books, electronic resources, and other instructional supplies and materials such as kits, book repair supplies, CDs, DVDs, overhead projectors, TVs, computer software, and digital cameras. See links to the Selection Tools page.
Frederick County
Howard County
Carroll County
Frederick County
Frederick County Library Collection Development Plan
"A systemic pan which has been developed to assess and build quality library collections that offer a balance of print, multimedia, and digital resources. Selection of these resources is based on board-approved selection policies outlined in Guidelines for the Review and Evaluation of Instructional Materials: Materials Already In Use, 1993, revised 2007" (1).
Criteria for the Selection of Instructional Materials
BOE Policy 501; Policy 501 identifies the parties responsible for selecting instructional materials. School librarians are cited as responsible for the collection development of and the selection of instructional materials for their libraries.
Open this document and read the appendices for "The Criteria for Selection of Instructional Materials."
Donations
School librarians may accept donations but the donations must meet the criteria established in the aforementioned "Criteria for Selection of Instructional Materials." The donor may ask for a donation letter for tax purposes. In the letter, the school librarians may list the items donated, but should not put a value on the donation.
Weeding Policy
Materials that are no longer relevant to the collection should be weeded and disposed of as described in FCPS Regulation 400-3. Frederick County school librarians are encouraged to upload their entire collection to the Titlewise feature in Titlewave. Librarians may analyze their collection based on criteria such as age and content. Two other recommended websites for weeding assistance are Collection Maintenance & Weeding and SUNLINK Weed of the Month Archive.
The school librarian should use the following criteria when weeding a collection:
- Item has not circulated in the past three to five years
- Item contains obsolete or inaccurate information
- Item no longer supports the curriculum
- Item is in poor physical shape
- Collection contains unneeded duplicates of titles
The school librarian should use the following procedure to discard weeded materials:
- Pull item from collection.
- Label "discard" on the front and back inside cover.
- Cross off school name where it appears in the book.
- Cross off school name on the barcode.
- Remove from cataloging.
- Box books and label as "Discarded from [School Name]."
- Fill out Equipment Transfer Form and give to school secretary with number of boxes indicated on form. The Equipment Transfer Form must then go to school library supervisor for approval.
Teacher and Student Requests
The teacher and student request procedure is up to the discretion of the school librarian. School librarians encourage requests early in the year to avoid overspending during the last few months of the fiscal year.
Replacement of Lost Items
School librarians are encouraged to distribute overdue notices in a timely manner. The process for replacing lost or damaged items is up to the school librarian. Reimbursement for the loss or damage of items should be collected and given to the school's financial secretary to be added to the Library's Lost Book account.
Refer to FCPS Regulation 500.32 for information about student replacement of lost or damaged items or FCPS Regulation 400.32 for information about withholding student records as a consequence for lost or damaged items.
Reconsideration of Materials Already in Use
FCPS Regulation 500-39
Library Media Handbook
Howard County
Collection Selection
To be compliant with the HCPSS selection policy for school library media centers, acceptable positive reviews must be from approved sources and for appropriate grade levels.
- Elementary may select appropriate materials for PreS – grade 5 and for grade ranges that include the elementary grades, e.g., grades 4 – 6.
- Middle schools may select appropriate materials for grades 6 - 8 and for grade ranges that include the middle grades, e.g., grades 5 – 9.
- High schools may select appropriate materials for grades 9 - 12 and for grade ranges that include the elementary grades, e.g., grades 7 – 10. High schools may also select general adult audience titles that are indicated in reviews as appropriate for young adults or high school students
Donations
Gift books or other materials, which are offered to library media centers, must meet the selection standards of The Howard County Public School System.
Weeding Policy
5% of the collection needs to be weeded each year. Below are some suggested guidelines.
Dewey Classifications
000 |
2-10 years |
500 |
5-10 years |
100 |
10 years |
600 |
5-10 years |
200 |
2-10 years |
700 |
5-15 years |
300 |
5-10 years |
800 |
flexible |
400 |
10 years |
900 |
15 years |
Biographies - Flexible
Fiction - 10 years
Encyclopedias - 5-7 years
Reference - evaluation on individual basis
Periodicals - 5 years
Almanacs/Yearbooks - 3 years in reference, 3 additional years in circulation
Content – should be relevant to the needs and curriculum of the school
Physical condition – if in poor condition, repair, if cost effective, or replace
Number of circulations – If an item hasn’t circulated for several years, consider weeding.
Superseded – Is there newer information available?
Consider keeping:
- Classics, award winners; replace when condition deteriorates
- Local history
- Yearbooks and school publications
- Titles on current reading lists
- Out-of-print titles that are still useful
Replacement of Lost Items
Lost materials or materials damaged beyond repair should be paid for by the user responsible for the damage or loss at an amount not to exceed the replacement cost of the item. It is suggested that the user’s name and the amount paid for the item is indicated and that this information is retained by the library media specialist until the item is withdrawn from the collection. If the item is eventually found, money should be returned to the person who paid for it.
Reconsideration of Materials Already in Use
Reconsideration Policy of Materials In Use.pdf
Library Media Handbook
Carroll County
Purchasing Procedures
Media funds will be encumbered by December 15th unless otherwise directed. All materials should be pre-processed with spine labels, date due slips, bar codes and projectors. School librarians may order from the vendor(s) of their choosing, reference Jobbers and Suppliers for a list of recommended vendors. All orders must by typed and include the date, pagination, order form, ship-to address, school cost center number, principal’s signature, Dewey number, copyright, reading/interest level and the account code. Remember to make a photocopy of your orders for your records. Separate the list by Dewey numbers with fiction at the top.
Weeding
Materials should be removed if they are in poor physical condition and cannot be repaired by minimal upkeep. Remove items that are no longer appropriate to the reading and comprehension level of the school and materials whose content/illustrations is dated. Remove duplicate copies if they are no longer in demand. Materials have not been circulated in the last five years and no longer meet the needs of the curriculum or student interest should be weeded form the collection. Encyclopedias should not be kept longer then five years, and magazines no longer then three years.
After an item has been weeded from the collection, it should be deleted from the electronic catalog. Cross out CCPS and school identifying marks. Pack the books in a box labeled ‘Media Center Discards’ and the Purchasing Office will pickup the obsolete books. Discard magazines and audiovisuals directly into the trash.
Donations
Books and materials that are donated to the media center must meet the same selection criteria as materials that are purchased.
Reconsideration of Materials
When the appropriateness of a media material is brought up, the school librarian should listen to the complaint and remain professional. The school librarian should inform the person of the selection criteria of the media center. If the appellant remains unsatisfied, they may file a Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials form. A committee will then meet and review the material in questioned.
Selection, Evaluation, and Adoption of Instructional Materials
Library Media Handbook, Section V.
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