Due to space limitation, students may visit the library media center when
they have one of the following passes:
A Research Pass: these are distributed by teachers and are issued to students
for research in the library media center on a specific subject.
A Study Hall Pass: The number of students' issued these passes are based on
the number of study halls and number of students in each study hall during a
period.
A Book Selection Pass: These are issued to students to visit the library
media center for 10 minutes during study hall to select a book and then
return to study hall.
A Lunch Pass: These will be issued to students during the second half of a
lunch period.
It would be nice to say students can visit the library media center anytime
they choose, however, due to the amount of students in the building and space
constraints, these pass requirements must be adhered to.
Library Policy
The Board of Education recognizes that a school library is an essential and
integral part of the school system, and shall strive to provide adequate
facilities, resources, and personnel for all elementary and secondary
students in the public schools of the district.
The legal responsibility for the school library rests with the Board, but
the administration and the Board entrust the responsibility of selection,
organization and maintenance of library materials to the school librarians.
In the organization of such services, the teaching program and the resources
of the school library, as well as in the selection of library personnel, the
Board will use the standards suggested for school libraries by the New York
State Libraries Association.
The school libraries are to be restricted to the use of district students
and school personnel.
The Board of Education, as the governing body of the school district, is
legally responsible for the selection of library materials, including the
selection and approval of printed and non-printed materials for its use.
Since the Board is primarily a policy-making body, it delegates to the
following professional personnel of the district the authority for the
selection of materials: teachers, Principals, librarians, etc., under the
leadership of the Superintendent of Schools.
In order to provide the Superintendent and his/her staff with guidance in
the acquisition of instructional resource material, such as library books,
references, audiovisuals, maps, etc., the Board endorses the guidelines
approved by the American Library Association that such resources:
1. provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking
into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and maturity levels of
the students served;
2. provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge,
literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards;
3. provide information that will enable students to make intelligent
judgments in their daily lives;
4. provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young
citizens may develop under guidance the practice of critical reading and
thinking;
5. provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and
cultural groups and their contributions to our American heritage; and
6. place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the
selection of materials of the highest quality in order to assure a
comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the library.
The Superintendent shall be responsible for the selection of resource
materials within the aforesaid guidelines and for the determination of
factual accuracy, readability, authoritativeness, integrity and quality of
format. To assist in the selection process, reputable, unbiased
professionally prepared aids (such as the Horn Book, School Library Journal,
etc.) shall be consulted as guides.
In order to respond to any complaints about, or challenges to, the selection
of library materials, the district has adopted regulations (1420-R,
Complaints About Curricula or Instructional Materials Regulation)
establishing a complaint procedure and providing for a committee to review
such complaints or challenges.
If any person wishes to permanently remove materials from a school district
library, he/she must seek the formal approval of the Board. The Board may
determine that such materials should be removed. Such determination must not
be based upon official suppression of ideas, but rather upon the educational
suitability of the materials in question. Only the Board and/or the
Superintendent may authorize said permanent removal of instructional
materials, pursuant to the decision of the Board.
This district supports the following recommendations of the American Library
Association:
1. As a responsibility of library service, books and other library materials
should be chosen for values of interest, information, and enlightenment of
all people of the community. In no case should library materials be excluded
because of the race, gender, nationality or the social, political or
religious views of the authors.
2. Libraries should provide books and other materials presenting all points
of view concerning the problems and issues of our times; no library
materials should be proscribed or removed from libraries because of partisan
or doctrinal disapproval.
3. Censorship should be challenged by libraries in the maintenance of their
responsibility to provide public information and enlightenment.
4. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with
resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
Hours
Each library in the district will be open for students and staff use on
school days during normal school hours. Use after school hours and during
vacations will be determined by the librarian and administrator directly
involved.
Admission
An open admissions policy shall be followed at all levels, curtailed only by
seating capacity.
Fines and Lost Materials
Any user of materials will be expected to pay for lost items and excessive
damage with the provision that a refund will be made if the items are later
found. A system of fair and equitable fines will be used.
Circulation
All materials will circulate for various lengths of time depending on their
nature and demand.
-- Wappingers Central School District Board of Education