Goals
The mission of the library program is to ensure that students of The Bush School are effective users of ideas and information. This mission is accomplished by:
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Providing intellectual and physical access to materials in all appropriate formats
- Providing instruction to foster competent and responsible use of information
- Enhancing proficiency in reading, viewing and using information and ideas
- Working collaboratively with faculty and staff to design teaching strategies that meet the learning needs of students.
Library materials are selected for several purposes, including:
- To enhance and support the curriculum
- To serve the needs and interests of students and staff
- To stimulate intellectual curiosity
- To represent diverse cultures, experiences and points of view
The Bush School Library supports intellectual freedom and adheres to The Library Bill of Rights and The Freedom to Read Statement adopted by the American Library Association.
Responsibility for Selection
The responsibility for selection and removal of library materials rests with the professional library staff, who solicit and consider recommendations from all members of The Bush School community, including students, parents, faculty and staff.
Criteria for Selection/Removal of Materials
Primary consideration for selection of materials is given to the curriculum needs of the school. Materials are acquired in print, electronic and other formats, depending on appropriateness and availability.
Specific criteria include, but are not limited to:
- Relevance to curriculum
- Interests of students, faculty and staff
- Quality of factual content or literary merit
- Validity, currency, authority of material
- Favorable review in library selection source
- Diversity of cultural or other points of view
- Appropriateness to diverse developmental stages of children
- Appropriateness to diverse learning styles
- Appeal of subject, author, style
- Timeliness or importance of subject
- Availability in desired format
- Cost
Procedures for selection include ongoing professional evaluation of the existing collection, needs assessment, consultation of reputable selection tools for specific and continuing needs, consultation with faculty, staff and students. Subscriptions are reviewed and evaluated annually.
Criteria for removal or replacement of materials are as follows:
- Misleading or factually inaccurate
- Worn out
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Superseded by a newer edition or better source
- Age of material. A school library needs a current collection that is accessible to patrons. Old materials often do not serve this purpose. The Bush School Library does not, except in the case of certain materials that have to do with the history of the school, serve an archival function.
- Circulation and/or use of item. Items that have not been used in 5 or more years are subject to review for removal.
- Multiple copies. Because of space considerations, the library rarely keeps more than one copy of an item.
- Shift in curricular emphasis.
Challenged Materials
Any Bush student, parent, board member or employee may challenge the appropriateness of library materials. There are two means by which to express concern. The concerned person may ask the professional library staff about an item. The library staff member will explain the school’s collection development policies and attempt to resolve the issue informally. If the concern is not resolved by this means, the complainant will be given a copy of the Request for Reconsideration of Library Material form (available from Head Librarian), which may be filed with the Head Librarian. Upon receipt of the Request, the Head Librarian will inform the Head of School, who will form a review committee consisting of representatives from administration, faculty, library, parent organization and student body. The material in question will not be removed from the library pending the outcome of the Request. The committee will meet to review the request and invite the complainant to participate in the discussion, and will prepare a written recommendation for disposition. The Head of School and Head Librarian will issue a final decision based on the committee’s recommendation, which will be implemented by the library.
Gifts to the Library
The Bush School Library welcomes gifts of books and other materials to its collection. The Library accepts all gifts and donations with the understanding that the standard criteria for selection will be applied, and materials not meeting those criteria will be disposed of at the discretion of the Library. Materials may be sold in a Library sale or donated to other libraries or suitable organizations.
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