GENERIC LIBRARY
,
UNSPECIFIED COLLEGE
COLLECTION
MANAGEMENT POLICY
SCHOOL MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT:
"All graduates will be persons of competence, conscience
and compassion".
LIBRARY MISSION STATEMENT:
"To provide information services that support the learning and teaching
of all members of the school community."
LIBRARY VISION STATEMENT:
"To ensure that information services provided by the library maintain
currency in relation to societal, educational and spiritual developments."
CONTENTS
Purpose of Document
1. The Collection - Definition
-Purpose
2. Collection Users - Definition
- Students
- Staff
- Other members of the community
3. Collection Goals - Guiding Principles
- Methodology
- Outcomes
4. Selection Principles- Definition
- Responsibility
- Formats
- Other limitations
- Multiple copies
- Criteria
5. Donations and Gifts
6. Lost Resources
7. Aquisition Policy
8. Collection Evaluation
- Collection Appraisal
- Deselection of Resources
- Review of Controversial Materials
9. Digital Resources
10. Copyright Policy - Compliance
- Notices
APPENDIX A:
Australian School Library Bill of Rights.
APPENDIX B:
Statement on Freedom to Read.
APPENDIX C:
Disputed Materials Form.
PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT
Research has shown that student's academic achievements are directly
linked to the quality of information services provided by the school. This document
is intended to provide guidance in matters relating to the management of the
school's library collection in order to provide the best possible provision
of information services to the school's community.
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1. 1 Definition
The collection may be defined as those resources that are utilised
in teaching and learning. These assets may be located within or beyond the Library
building, and may be paper based, electronically formatted or be human resources.
1. 2 Purpose of Collection
The purpose of the ANY Library collection is to provide teachers and students with a range
of opportunities to explore the full spectrum of fact and opinion that surrounds
learning situations.
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2. 0 Definition.
A "collection user" is an individual who has access to the resources
in the Generic Library. Generally, these individuals are also able to borrow material
from the collection, within the limits prescribed in the procedures.
At present, library access is restricted to the members of the Unspecified
College community, in addition to members of other schools who are undertaking
"pathways" courses delivered through Generic.
2.1 The Students
The student population on Generic, as at the end of Term 1, 2000, is
comprised of 362 students. Across the entire College, total enrolment is approximately
1,400 students.
The members of both the campus and college community are ethnically diverse.
They are characterised by a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, developmental
ability and information needs.
At Generic, the students are generally in the age range of 16 years to
18 years old. A significant number of students are undertaking non-UAI pathways,
whilst there are also some students who are not pursuing a HSC outcome.
The special needs of students that must be addressed by the ANY Collection
include the provision of ESL (English as a Second Language) material, in addition
to a number of identified literacy deficiencies which may be considered as atypical
in a senior college.
2.2 Staff members.
The profile of both the teaching and support staff is charactorised
by ethnically diverse backgrounds. In addition, the range of experience of staff
forms a broad spectrum, as does the range of teaching styles and pedogological
approaches.
2. 3 Other members of the
School Community
Students and staff from the other two campuses that comprise Unspecified
College have full borrowing rights at the Generic Library Resource Centre.
Students from other schools who are enrolled in courses delivered by ANY
Campus are able to borrow only textbooks from the campus. However, they may
use the library facilities and resources on site.
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3. 1 Outcomes and Guiding Principles.
The overall aim of the collection is to ensure that the resources available
are current, appropriate and accessible. A minimum acceptable standard is one
resource per topic per student.
3. 2 Methodology
Initially, the Todd-McNicolas Report will be used to review each part of the
collection, with faculty/KLA members invited to assist with identification of
both material for removal of unsuitable resources, and acquisition of replacement
materials.
Subsequently, the viability of the collection will be maintained by ongoing
deselection of damaged, unused or unsuitable materials, as per the procedures
noted in the appendix.
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4. 0 Definition
Selection is the process of choosing the most appropriate material for inclusion
in the collection.
4. 1 Responsibility for Selection
The teacher librarian is ultimately responsible for the selection
of resources for addition to the collection. Whilst members of the school community
may request, recommend or refer items for addition, the teacher librarian's
specialist knowledge in this area signifies that that person is most qualified
to evaluate the resource's contribution to the collection as a whole. Further,
the teacher librarian has the unique ability to identify suitable alternatives
already incorporated into the collection.
4. 2 Formats Incorporated
Formats may be varied according to their intended use. They include,
but are not limited to:
* text-based printed and bound books;
* graphics based printed and bound books;
* printed ephemera, such as journals, magazines, newspapers;
* Compact Discs, including CD-ROM, CD-i, CD-Audio, CD-software;
* DVD (digital video discs), including DVD-video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R,
DVD-RW, DVD-Audio;
*4.5" floppy discs;
* audio tapes, including spoken word and music;
* video tapes;
*Internet-based resources, such as websites;
* visual material (posters, charts, maps); and
* tactile material, models, artefacts.
4. 3 Other Selection Limitations
Where resources are purchased that require specialised equipment
for access, particularly in the area of digital information, appropriate provisions
must be made for suitable equipment purchase, maintenance and instruction for
application by users prior to their selection.
4. 4 Duplicate Copies
In some circumstances, it may be appropriate for the collection
to contain multiple copies of the same resource, or more than one copy of a
resource in multiple formats.
(a) Where a particular faculty deems it appropriate to incorporate a class set
(or sets) into the collection, that faculty must make appropriate budgetary
arrangements for the purchase of the resources.
(b) High demand items may be duplicated, providing that the demand is likely
to be over an extended period of time, and not for a specific assessment task.
(c) In catering to the differing learning styles, levels of cognitive development
and user skill levels, multiple formats may be considered as having a contribution
to the overall effectiveness of the collection.
4. 5 Criteria for Selection
4.5.0 Guiding Principle
When considering requests, recommendations and referrals, the guiding principle
as to selection will be the item's contribution to the scope and depth of the
collection. This will be considered together with the collection users' needs
and requirements, within the budgetary limitations.
4.5.1: Curriculum Resources : Collaboration between
the teacher librarian and classroom teachers is to be encouraged when selecting
curriculum material, to ensure currency, relevance and appropriateness.
In general, consideration should be given to:
* potential use,
* subject,
* treatment,
* scope,
* reliability,
* format and presentation,
* technical quality and durability, and
* price.
4.5.2: In the selection of general resources , recognised reviewing
tools are to be utilised, due to the overwhelming volume of materials published
rendering the task of individual scrutiny of every item impossible. The criteria
listed above are equally applicable to this area of collection management.
4.5.3: Fiction items should be selected to reflect current interests
and trends in children's literature. The following characteristics should be
taken into consideration:
* plot,
* content,
* theme,
* setting
* characterisation,
* language use,
* popularity and
* format.
4.5.4: Electronic resources should similarly
be selected on the basis of the general principles of collection development,
as stated in 4.5.0 above. In addition, the following concerns will be considered:
* compatibility with existing hardware and software,
* user friendliness and ease of use,
* user interface,
* content,
* format,
*documentation,
* licensing,
* support,
* security, and
* access.
4.5.6: CEO and College-generated monographs are exempt from the general
criteria shown in 4.5.0 above. Such items will be catalogued and housed in the
Teachers' Reference Section.
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5. Donations and Gifts
The generosity of benefactors is to be acknowledged in the attempt to support
the school goals in general, and the library's aims in particular. However,
items that are provided without consultation must be assessed for their suitability
for addition to the collection against the established criteria, and not added
because they have been acquired without cost. To do so would undermine the integrity
of the collection.
Items donated following consultation will be gratefully accepted, and a customised
bookplate added inside the front cover identifying the donor.
Items donated anonymously or without consultation will be considered according
to the abovementioned criteria. If they are not to be incorporated into the
collection, they will be donated to charity.
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6. Replacement of Lost Items
Whilst a student has an item overdue for return, no further borrowing will be
permitted.
The user may elect to forgo borrowing rights, or pay an appropriate fee. This fee will be the original cost of the item, regardless of the length of time
it has been in the collection, the cost of a suitable replacement, or the borrower's
previous record of fulfilling their responsibilities as a library collection user.
In the event that a user pays for a resource which is later located, the amounts of
money paid will be refunded in full.
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(a) Resources will only be acquired if
they conform to the school's objectives and contribute to the overall library
collection's development. The extent of their contribution will be determined
by the Collection Evaluation procedure.
(b) Where ever possible, resources will be physically examined prior to purchase.
(c) Requests for resources made by individual members, or groups
of members, of the school community will be considered from the perspective
of the whole school, and the whole collection.
(d) Appropriate reviewing tools will be used where ever possible. These will
include journals such as Magpies, Fiction Focus, and professional lists. Fiction
selection may be guided by appropriate information from the popular press.
(e) Booksellers and their representatives must make an appointment
prior to attending the school library. However, until 2001, or such time as
the tied grant from CEO has been expended, Campion Books will be the major provider
of resources wherever possible.
(f) School personnel receiving documentation, such as Board of Studies material,
must inform the teacher librarian so that details of the item can be catalogued
for reference by the rest of the school community.
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Both informal, ongoing examination plus formal, scheduled assessment
of the collection will take place to ensure the collection remains responsive
to meeting the informational, recreational and personal needs of the school's
community.
8. 1 Collection Appraisal
Recognised methods of evaluation such as Collection Mapping and
Curriculum Mapping will be employed.. As this is a major undertaking, the assistance
of numerous school personnel (such as Subject Coordinators) will be sought.
Prioritisation will occur, and appropriate budgetary allocations made to address
the deficiencies indicated.
It is anticipated that much of the Year 2000 will be expended in a general upgrading
operation, with subsequent years spent in maintaining the viability of the collection.
Within each school year, there will occur significant improvement to at least
one section of the collection, so that within a three year period the entire
collection will have been examined, modified, and renewed as appropriate.
8. 2 Deselection of Resources
The mere accumulation of resources is inadequate in achieving
a collection which is of value to the support to curriculum objectives. The
removal of material that is not current, is in a state of disrepair or is not
of interest to the school population is vital to maintain the collection in
such a condition that it appropriately reflects the users' requirements and
the school's goals.
The examination of items for removal from the collection will be ongoing, with
assessment of the material occurring as it passes through the circulation process.
Material in a poor state of repair will be noted as such, as will items experiencing
heavy user demand. Should the material match the selection criteria, it will
be replaced at the earliest opportunity.
In addition, computer-generated reports will be prepared at six monthly intervals
to indicate which resources are not being accessed over a period of time. This
will facilitate identification of material that is surplus to requirements.
8. 3 Review of Controversial Resources
Care must be taken to ensure that the prejudices of individuals
or groups do not interfere with the rights of the school community to have access
to information (see Appendix A - Australian School Library Bill
of Rights and Appendix B - Statement on Freedom to Read).
However, it is possible that some material may require further evaluation after
its inclusion in the collection. Following consultation with [***] of
the [***], the guidelines provided by the Department of Education and
Training in the Handbook for School Libraries will be followed (see Appendix
C - Disputed Material ).
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(a) No electronic media will be available for loan, owing to
the delicate nature of the material, and the high replacement costs.
(b) Internet use will be permissible only after completing an agreement to comply
with the school's Acceptable Use Policy.
(c) Use of any electronic media implies acceptance and compliance with the licence
terms and conditions. In consideration of the legislative requirements, appropriate
notices will be displayed on equipment that can be used for duplicating purposes.
(d) As per the instructions of the College IT Committee, all software will
be catalogued and stored in the library. Hard copies of all licensing agreements
will also be filed in the library.
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10.1 Compliance: All current legislation concerning copyright will
be circulated to members of the school community, in a format appropriate to
the method of circulation. Any changes that are apparent will also be brought
to the attention of the relevant sections of the school community.
10.2 Notices: Current legislation requires notices fixed to any devices
that may be used for reproduction of copyrighted material. This includes
photocopiers, scanners and all computers. These may be located at the Australian
Copyright Council's website at http://www.copyright.org.au
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AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS
From Handbook for School Libraries, 1996 (Appendix 1)
School libraries are concerned with generating understanding of freedom and
with the preservation of this freedom through the development of informed and
responsible citizens. The responsibility of the school library is:
To provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into
consideration the varied interests, abilities and maturity levels of the pupils
served.
To provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary
appreciation, aesthetic values and ethic al standards.
To provide a background of information which will enable pupils to make intelligent
judgements in their daily life.
To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young
citizens may develop under guidance the practice of critical reading and thinking.
To provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural
groups and their contributions to our heritage.
To place principle above personal opinions and reason above prejudice in the
selection of materials of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive
collection appropriate to the users of the library.
From: Cook, John (ed). School Librarianship. Sydney: Pergamon, 1981.
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STATEMENT ON FREEDOM TO READ
From Handbook for School Libraries, 1996 (Appendix 1)
The Australian Library and Information Association, believing that freedom can be
protected in democratic society only if its citizens have access to information and
ideas through books and other sources of information, affirms the following principles
as basic and distinctive of the obligations and responsibilities of the librarian:
- A primary purpose of a library service is to provide information through books and
other media on all matters which are appropriate to the library concerned.
- A librarian must protect the essential confidential relationship which exists between
a library user and the library.
- The functions of the librarian include: to promote the use of materials in the librarian's
care; to ensure that the resources of the library are adequate to its purpose; to
obtain additional information from outside sources to meet the needs of readers; to cater for interests in all relevant facets of knowledge, literature and contemporary
issues, including those of a controversial nature; but neither to promote or suppress
particular ideas and beliefs.
- A librarian, while recognising that powers of censorship exist and are legally vested
in state and federal governments, should resist attempts by individuals or organised
groups within the community to determine what library materials are to be, or are
not to be, available to users of the library.
- A librarian should not exercise censorship in the selection of materials by rejecting
o moral, political , racial or religious grounds alone material which is otherwise
relevant to the purpose of the library and meets the standards, such as historical
importance, intellectual integrity, effectiveness of expression or accuracy of information
which are required by the library concerned. Material should not be rejected on
the grounds that its content is controversial or likely to offend some sections of
the library's community.
- A librarian should uphold the right of all Australians to have access to library
services and materials and should not discriminate against users on the grounds of
age, sex, race, religion, national origin, disability, economic condition, individual
lifestyle or political or social views.
- A librarian must obey the laws relating to books and libraries, but if the laws of
their administration conflict with the principles put forward in this statement,
the librarian should be free to move for the amendment of these laws.
Adopted: 1991
Amended: 1979, 1985
from the Australian Library and Information Association. "Statement on Freedom to
Read" in ALIA Handbook, 1990. West Deakin, ACT: ALIA, 1990, p. 75.
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APPENDIX C
REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF MATERIAL FOR
INCLUSION IN THE LIBRARY COLLECTION
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AUTHOR
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TITLE
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PUBLISHER
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CALL NUMBER
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COMPLAINANT DETAILS:
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NAME
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ORGANISATION
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CONTACT PHONE No
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PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN THE
SPACE PROVIDED. IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, PLEASE ATTACH
A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER TO THE FORM.
1. What do you object to in this material? Please be specific:
cite sections/pages, etc.
2. What do you feel might be the result of using this material?
3. For what age group do you believe this material was intended
for?
4. Can you find anything worthwhile about this material?
5. Did you examine the whole item? If not, which parts?
6. Are you aware of the literary/educational assessment of this
material?
7. What do you believe is the intention /theme of this material?
8. What would you like the school do do about this material?(tick
one)
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Reconsider its suitability for inclusion in the library |
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Do not allow my
child access to this item |
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Withdraw acess to this item for all students |
9. If you wish the item to be withdrawn, what item would you
recommend to replace it in the collection?
Signature of complainant:_____________________________________
Date: ________________________
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Updated April 22, 2001. Reformatted and moved to this site December 28, 2006.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Amanda Credaro © 2006.
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