Library Policies

The library policies are developed to meet the needs of each school.

Schools have their own prescription for meeting the needs of the students by taking into consideration the following:

• Enrollment – Special Education Classes, ELL classes, Mentally Gifted and Regular Education Classes
• Reading levels of all students
• Demographics and Economically Disadvantages classification
• Professional Development required by the Principal
• Parent Enrichment

Each school is required to design their Policies to meet the needs of their patrons.

Collection Development

The library media program collections are evaluated and developed collaboratively to support the School District Curriculum and to meet the diverse learning needs of our students.  Evaluation of print and non-print materials will be ongoing. In collaboration with the entire school community, librarians and paraprofessionals will generate collections that promote high academic achievement and a love for reading.

Selecting Library Materials

Books and other media selection should be based on the School District of Philadelphia’s Core Curriculum, student reading and interest levels, student input, the current library inventory and the collection development plan.  

Selection Tools:

• Baker and Taylor
• Titlewave
• Library Video Company 
• School Library Media Journal
• Booklist
• Hornbook
• American Library Association
• Pennsylvania Association of School Librarians

Library Collection Development

Schools create a Collection Development Plan to meet the needs of the student population and the library patrons.  The Plan is developed by the School Advisory Council (SAC) that consists of librarian, principal, teachers, parents, students and other school community leaders.  The Collection Development Plan corresponds to the present collection, the age and condition of it, the Core Curriculum, the Common Core Standards and the reading and interest levels of the patrons. Titlewave https://www.titlewave.com/ is used to study a large choice of materials to meet the needs of the school and then purchased through the efforts of the Business Operations Officer.

Suggested Vendors

• Follett Library Resources
• Baker & Taylor
• Alibris - has more than 100 million new, used and out-of-print books
• Enslow Publishing
• Gale
• Knowbuddy Resources
• Smart Apple
• Gaylord
• Greenhaven Press
• Lucent Books
• Macmillan References
• H.W. Wilson & Company
• Charles Scribner’s Sons
• Thorndike Press
• Blackbirch Press
• Kid Haven Press
• Neal - Schuman
• Trappe

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De-Selecting/Weeding Library Materials

De-selection, or weeding is one of the most essential aspects of collection development. It is necessary to weed unsuitable and unnecessary materials.

 A plan for continuous, methodical weeding should be implemented to keep shelves up-to-date.

"Weeding Your Collection" School Library Journal

Disposal of De-Selected Items

Disposal of these items depends upon the content, condition and appeal.

Books and materials in good condition with correct and non-bias content can be:

• Offered to teachers
• Offered to students
• Offered to the community
• Offered to other school libraries (duplicates)
• Given to groups which collect books for projects such as those who give books to children of inmates, or who send books to an area where children do not have access to books of their own.
• Hold a book sale, using proceeds to purchase new materials (bags of books).
• Biased or incorrect content material should be discarded.

Resources to Better Understand De-Selection

• Alternative Basic Education. "Course 4: Weeding the Collection." Idaho Commission for Libraries. 
• Buckingham, Betty Jo, and Barbara Safford. Weeding The Library Media Center. Second ed. Des Moines: State of Iowa Department of Education, 1994. 
• East Carolina University. De-Selection Guidance Document for Liaison Librarians. East Carolina University. 
• Lamb, Annette, and Larry Johnson. "Information Access & Delivery: Collection Maintenance & Weeding." School Library Media Specialist. EduScapes: A Site for Life-long Learners, 2004.