Selection Policy of the Kewaskum School District Libraries

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The following is a statement of responsibility of a school library, as expressed in the School Library Bill of Rights.

·        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 ethical standards.

·        To provide a background of information which will enable pupils to make intelligent judgments 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 material representative of many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to our American heritage.

·        To place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials in the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the library.

The policy of the Kewaskum School District should be to select materials for our libraries in accordance with the following:

1.     Books and non-print materials shall be chosen for values that will implement and enrich the curriculum in all areas; that develop an appreciation of good literature; and that provide for personal interests and recreational reading of students.  A book shall not be excluded because of race, nationality, or the political or religious views of the writer.

2.     There shall be the fullest practical provision of materials presenting all points of view concerning the problems and issues of our time, international, national and local; and books or other reading matter of sound factual authority shall not be prescribed or removed from library shelves because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

3.     Censorship of books shall be challenged in order to maintain the school's responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Interpreting these principles in selection of reading materials more specifically, the following should apply:

1.     Whenever possible, personal examination and evaluation of materials under consideration should be made by the media specialists/librarians and recommendations of the teaching staff and suggestions from the students should be also used in selecting instructional materials.  Basic book selection tools are to be used.

2.     All selections are to be made by the medial specialists / or librarian within the limitations of this policy as approved by the School Board

3.     At all levels the following specific criteria are also guides in book selection:

·        Aid to curriculum – does it offer information suited to the curriculum?

·        Individual inquiry – does it further the interest of the pupil?

·        Daily living – does it characterize daily life truthfully, or are false values and situations presented?

·        Information – is the presentation honest, not forced just to convey a particular bit of information?

·        Illustrations – are they in good taste/or appropriate?

·        Literary quality – will it, if a new publication, contribute to our literary heritage, in its own way, as does a proven classic?

4.     The areas in which criticism most frequently arise are religion, political ideologies and sex.  Therefore, the following points should be used as guides:

Religion

·        Material on religious subjects should be available, and should be factual, unbiased, and broadly representative.

Political ideologies

·        Factual material on an appropriate reading level should be available concerning those ideologies that exert strong influence on government, education, or any other phase of our common life.

Sex and Profanity

·        Inclusion of profanity or frank treated of sex should not automatically rule out books or other materials.  It does, however, necessitate a searching evaluation of the merits – literary quality, truth to life, and relevance to the curriculum – which works in question may possess.

The following procedure should be followed in case a book in a school library is questioned.  A Book Reconsideration Form taken from “The Student’s Right to Read” by the National Council of Teachers of English, will be forwarded to the complainant (or downloaded from the virtual library), with the request that he fill it out and return it to the Principal of the school involved.

·        The complainant shall submit the approved, completed form to the Principal of the school involved for consideration by the principal, librarian and school staff.

·        Following consideration by the Principal and his/her staff, if it is the desire of the complainant, the request shall be submitted to the Superintendent for consideration.

·        Following consideration by the Superintendent, if it is the desire of the complainant, the request shall be submitted to the School Board for consideration.

School District of Kewaskum (Wisconsin)

Adopted August 23, 1976.