SCHOOL LIBRARY POLICY
All libraries, including school libraries, should have a comprehensive written Library Materials policy that directs the selection, deselection, and reconsideration of library resources. The policy should guide and support the collection development process and inform the general public about the policies and procedures of the school library as it pertains to school library materials.
Attempts to ban books are on the rise nationally, and Pennsylvania is no exception. This worrisome trend is already negatively impacting Pennsylvania students, who have less access to the diverse viewpoints and ideas expressed in the books being banned. While school districts have the power to select and, in some cases, remove books from public schools, there are important limitations on a school board’s ability to ban books.
This page flags concerning language in book policies and provides recommended language from the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association.
You can find additional information about the legal standards for book restrictions at this fact sheet from Education Law Center PA, Challenging Book Bans: What You Can Do, and this Policy Statement from ELC that you can share with your board members, ELC Urges School Boards and Districts to Uphold the First Amendment Rights of Students and Reject Policies that Unlawfully Ban School Library Books
Questions about School Library Policy contact:
Education Law Center Pennsylvania
Helpline 215-238-6970 or intake@elc-pa.org
PA School Librarians Association
Definitions
Each policy usually contains a section that covers the definition of terms that apply to that policy or follow the norm within the district. What should an advocate look for in their school district’s definition of materials?
Recommended |
Concerning |
| Excerpts of books do not automatically discount a book from inclusion in the collection. Rather, the decision is made based on whether the book is of literary value, and suitability for the intended audience is determined by consulting reviews by professional literary critics for children’s and young adult literature. | Any specific definitions about content that is beyond the legal definition of profanity that should not be included when selecting material for the school library is a red flag, ie, definitions of excessive profanity, violence, sexually explicit, potential controversy. |
| Resource materials shall include reference books, supplementary titles, multimedia materials, maps, library books, software and instructional material and should include print and nonprint media | A definition that is vague or can be interpreted in multiple ways. |
School Library Collection Management
Schools employ professional staff to manage the books and resources that will be available to the students in our schools. Trained professionals have the skills to choose the relevant materials to meet the educational needs of our students, to provide a varied array of nonfiction and fiction choices reflective of all students, and to ensure that the materials are appropriate for the library under their supervision.
What should I look for as my district considers changing the process of book selections? As school directors review their policies, all community members must ensure the libraries follow these recommendations.
Selection
Material selection is the process that staff use to choose the libraries’ materials within the school community. It is defined by a rigorous review of curriculum and design to meet the needs of a diverse school population
Recommended |
Concerning |
| Delegates responsibility of selecting school library resources to the professional, certified school librarian | No mention of the school librarian as part of the selection process |
| Use favorable reviews in standard reviewing sources by professional personnel in professional journals and other authoritative and vetted sources and/or favorable recommendations based on preview and examination of materials | Inclusion of a rating system that is not determined by a professional library or publisher organization. |
| Statement of endorsement of the principles of ALA’s Library Bill of Rights | Includes a committee of those other than the trained and certified school librarian to approve selections, title by title. |
|
Supports and enriches the curriculum as well as students’ personal interests and learning OR Includes a variety of sources beyond the confines of the curriculum so as to provide for the needs of independent interest and research of students |
|
| Includes a variety of print and digital formats to meet the needs of all students | |
| Provides a global perspective incorporating materials by author and illustrators of all cultures | |
| It is the responsibility of the school district to provide a wide range of materials on different levels of difficulty and representing different points of view. | |
| School library professional staff will provide materials on opposing viewpoints on issues to enable students to develop necessary critical thinking skills to be discriminate users of information and productive members of society. |
Back to Top
Deselection/Weeding
All library materials are reviewed periodically and decisions are made to remove the resource from the collection for a variety of reasons such as condition or lack of use. This process can be fraught with the opportunity to remove books without an objective criterion for the review. Professional staff is trained in this process and should be responsible for this task.
Recommended |
Concerning |
| School library professional staff will provide materials on opposing viewpoints on issues to enable students to develop necessary critical thinking skills to be discriminate users of information and productive members of society. | Criteria includes wording such as inappropriate content, sexually explicit, etc.or subjective criteria |
|
Objective Criteria for deselection/weeding: Outdated, damaged, irrelevant, infrequent circulation |
The wording does not give the responsibility of weeding and deselection to the certified school librarian. Allows for an administrator, community member or school board member to make decisions about deselection. |
| Should allow for certain exceptions based on professional judgment and expertise of the librarian (i.e. books with certain cultural significance and/or award winners) | Includes a committee of those other than the trained and certified school librarian to approve selections, title by title. |
| The responsibility of maintaining the collection including deselection, lies with the certified school librarian with the same careful attention as selection. |
Back to Top
Gift/Donations
Materials can be donated to the school districts and the professional staff will utilize the same process for the selection of all resources.
Recommended |
Concerning |
| All materials offered as gifts to the school libraries shall be subjected to the same criteria for inclusion in the collection as any other material.
|
No mention of Gifts/Donations in the policy. |
| Gifts shall be accepted with the understanding that those unsuitable or not needed for the school library collection may be disposed of as deemed appropriate by the library staff. Such gifts shall be considered the property of the school district. | Any wording that allows for all gifts and donations to be accepted without a vetting/selection process.
|
Back to Top
Challenged Materials
School districts around the state are facing individuals who are challenging the library policies and materials. Challenging materials must follow a process that directs the decisions toward the ability for all students to have access to books, even if there are concerns expressed by a few.
Recommended |
Concerning |
| Must have a student enrolled in that school to challenge material | Any district resident may formally challenge library materials. |
| The challenged resource shall remain in the library and/or online catalog until the reconsideration process has been completed and a decision has been made. | The material is removed from student access during the Challenge Process |
| Individual filing the report must read the work in its entirety and complete all paperwork. | The material is not considered as a whole |
| A committee will be formed to include the school librarian
A committee will be formed to include a school librarian with other members that could include teachers in that school or grade level, administrator from the school, parents or in the case of high school, students. |
No certified school librarian is on the Challenge Review Committee. |
| The district shall not be required to consider more than one (1) challenge at a time, and each challenge will be processed in the order in which they are received. | Allows for multiple titles to be challenged using one form or challenge process. |
Back to Top
Administrative Regulations (AR)
Administrative Regulations (ARs) are developed to implement district policies and should accurately reflect the intent and purpose of the policies. In the absence of thorough policies, some districts choose to have the management of the library collection to be defined through the use of ARs. Community members should have the ability to review these ARs to ensure that the recommendations of the professional staff are reflected in these documents.
Recommended |
Concerning |
| Include options that allow for individual rights of parents or guardians to request their student not have access to specific materials (Opt-out is preferred language) | Opt-in language that requires parents or guardians to opt-in their students’ access to school library material – either the entire collection or material containing certain topics. |
| Delegates responsibility of selecting school library resources with the professional, certified school librarian | Puts the certified school librarian in a position of retribution or personnel evaluation penalty if someone disagrees with selections made for the school library. |
| If the policy is vague, the administrative regulations (AR) should include best practices of collection management, gifts, and the challenge process. These same elements should be applied in the AR instead of the policy. | Arduous process requiring multiple people who are not trained, certified school librarians to approve selections for the school library. |
| Allowing administrators or school board members to remove material without following the Challenge Procedure. | |
| Any barriers to access for titles based on the topic of the book, ie, books with LGBTQ+ books are placed in a different space requiring parent permission or not on the regular shelf. | |
| Allows administrators or school board members procedural rights that are in conflict with the current School Library Selection Policy. |
Back to Top
Disclaimer : This website and materials herein provide a general statement of the law; however each situation is different. This website does not offer legal advice or establish an attorney-client relationship. All PA WInS partners recommend that school boards review policies and practices with a solicitor prior to adoption. The inclusion of any policy on this website does not imply endorsement of this policy by all PA WInS partners.