BULLOCK COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

Library Media Center

Policy & Procedure Manual

Committee Members

Mrs. Kathy Capps, Media Specialist, South Highlands Middle School Ms. Rebecca Ivey, Media Specialist, Union Springs Elementary School

Mrs. Addie Streeter, Media Specialist, Merritt Elementary School Mrs. Thelma Jones, Media Specialist, Bullock County High School

April 22, 2008

Table of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION AND PHILOSOPHY

II. SERVICES

III. AV MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

IV. MANAGEMENT

V. PERSONNEL

VI. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PROMOTIONS

VII. USE OF MATERIALS

VIII. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

IX. APPENDICES

I. INTRODUCTION AND PHILOSOPHY

Introduction

This library media policy manual has been assembled by the Bullock County Board of Education school library media center personnel. It is intended as a guide in implementing policies and procedures. This policy manual is followed by appendices that apply background, law, forms, and other pertinent information about the library media program. It is designed to aid the librarians in the school system in the daily operation of the facility as well as reinforce the curriculum by providing a variety of resources in multiple formats which enhance classroom activities.

A. Vision

The library media specialists are an integral part of the education process and support the school and district vision and mission.

B. Belief Statement

The Bullock County Board of Education believes that the school library media center is a fundamental part of the educational program. This requires the full integration of the library media program into the curriculum; a working partnership among administrators, teachers, and parents; and the serious commitment of each of those partners to the value of universal and unrestricted access to information and ideas.

B. Mission Each library should develop its own mission statement which reflects the values and aims of its program.

II. SERVICES

The Library Media Center (LMC) is the head of the instructional program providing a broad spectrum of services throughout the school and community. The media center provides a full range of print and non- print materials, necessary equipment, and related services to students, teachers, parents and other community members. The school library media center is a service center, a learning center, a resource center and a reading center. The media center’s most basic concept is service to the individual. The LMC supplements and implements classroom activity and is an integral part of the school curriculum. The media center materials and services offered should inspire students to develop a balanced cultural life and learn to be free and reasoning individuals. Materials selected are from all forms of media according to interests, vocabulary, maturity and ability levels of all students served. The LMC attempts to actively involve each student in the program, which reflects current trends in education and communication as well as interaction with staff and community.

Hours of Operation The library media center at the high school operates on a flexible schedule. However, the elementary schools have fixed and flexible schedules. The library media center is open continuously throughout the day for meetings and classes as needed. Students must have a pass to come to the library during class time. No tardy passes will be issued from the media specialist or staff to admit a student to class. When the library media specialist is engaged in a group session to ensure that each student acquires a high degree of proficiency in the use of the media center for research, no more than 7 students may come from one class at a time without being accompanied by a teacher.

Scheduling Since the media center is an integral part of the instructional program, the media specialist should plan with all teachers to make available media center materials which can contribute to instruction in the classroom. The library media specialist (LMS) should promote regular group sessions as well as individual help to insure that each student acquires a high degree of proficiency in the use of the media center for research as well as for leisure reading. Provision should be made for all students to have periodic access to the media center. In compliance with PEPE indicators, the library media specialist requires each class scheduled to plan with teachers to integrate information skills into the curriculum.

Code of Conduct Student conduct in the library media center is expected to coordinate with the school’s rules and discipline policy outlined the Bullock County Board of Education’s Code of Conduct.

Media Center Staff

Each school in the District shall maintain a school media center under the direction of a certified media specialist. The LMS is ready to assist students, parents, faculty, and staff in locating appropriate materials and assisting them with efficient operation of any needed equipment or electronic resources.

Orientation

At the beginning of each academic year, the LMS will schedule an orientation session for new students and teachers. This program introduction allows the LMS the opportunity to promote the many services and activities that the library media center (LMC) offers. The goal of these orientation sessions is to promote collaboration and to increase program effectiveness. Student Orientation: The LMS tailors orientation to the age and grade level of the school’s population. Student orientation may include information on the following topics:

• Circulation procedures • Appropriate conduct in the LMC • An overview of the use and care of books, and other print material, audiovisual

and computer software, computers and peripherals • Lost and damaged book fees • Adherence to copyright law • Internet access and Board’s Acceptable Use Policy • Special programs offered by the LMC

Faculty Orientation: The LMS will arrange an early opportunity each year to provide orientation for the new teachers and staff. The LMS may wish to offer a more intensive session for new faculty and staff members. Faculty and staff orientation may include:

• Opportunities for collaboration • Circulation procedures • Student behavioral expectations in the LMC • An overview of the use and care of books, and other print materials, audiovisual

and computer software, computers and peripherals • Troubleshooting technical problems with software, audiovisual equipment,

computers and peripherals, • Printing and copying policies • Adherence to copyright law (video, software and print)

Volunteer Orientation: The Board believes that volunteers can make many valuable contributions to the schools and can be used as effective learning resources. Therefore, the Board endorses a Volunteer Program in the district, subject to suitable regulations and safeguards. These regulations and safeguards shall include volunteers operating within the written authorization of the Board and/or members of its administrative staff and under the direction of Board employees. These regulations shall be developed and promulgated by the Superintendent or staff in cooperation with the faculty of each school.

CIRCULATION POLICIES

The policy of the Bullock County Board of Education school library media center program is to maintain an instructional climate which fosters an improved and increased use of educational media by students, faculty, and the administration. Faculty and staff may check-out both print and non-print materials for classroom instruction as needed.

BOOKS Teachers may check-out an unlimited amount of books unless several classes have concurrent needs. Exceptions might be those materials in heavy demand, or too important for lengthy circulation. An overdue notice to each teacher with “outstanding” obligations will be sent periodically. Notice of overdue materials for students will be issued through the homeroom teachers. If there are no homerooms, notices will be sent to the first period teacher. If student is at the Career Technical Center the first period(s), then notices will be given the next subsequent teacher. The length of student checkouts and the number of books allowed will be determined by each school. Exceptions may be made for additional titles to be circulated for special circumstances such as research projects. The LMS may choose to not check-out books, audiovisuals, and equipment in its collection to persona not affiliated with the Bullock County Board of Education. Loan Periods: The library media specialist will determine the duration of the loan periods and other regulations concerned with circulation, according to the student and program needs of each school. Classroom equipment such as overhead projectors and cassette recorders will be checked out for long-term use and will be stored in the classrooms. When equipment of limited quantity is requested, the media staff will provide them on a first-come first-serve basis. The staff is encouraged to consult with the LMS when preparing lesson plans to determine the availability of any necessary equipment. Damaged , Fines, and Lost Books: The student’s checking-out privileges will be suspended until such time as the materials are returned and the lost book or fine is paid. Fines are not charged to elementary students except for damage to materials and lost books. All patrons are responsible for returning books and materials to the media center. Patrons are charged an amount determined by the media specialist for media center materials. If a book has been damaged or lost the patron is held accountable. Cash or check in the correct amount should be made payable to your school and sent to the media center. Questions regarding damaged or lost books should be addressed to the media center staff. Obligations NOT cleared remain part of the student’s record. Obligations must be cleared before records are release to the student’s next school. The media specialist will seek the cooperation of the principal and guidance counselor(s) by requiring the media specialist’s signature on the withdrawal form along with the signatures of the student’s teachers.

The LMS will use the appropriate library circulation statistics to monitor the number of books in the collection. If the number of books in the collection should decrease (due student loss or damage or theft) below the amount necessary to maintain accreditation, the LMS will recommend to the administration the need to purchase additional books. These books must be purchased in time, because SACS only books that are processed and on the shelves count toward SACS accreditation. The media specialist will give the list of all seniors who have fines or books to the administrator and senior advisor. Seniors will not be allowed to graduate until all materials have been returned and fines or overdue bills for lost books have been paid.

Collection of funds

The LMS will follow the “Board’s Accounting Procedures” (from the State Board of Education adopted Uniform Accounting System for Local Schools in Alabama). All money is receipted and recorded into the local library fund account. Misc. If the automation system goes down, the LMS will cancel check-outs for the day and reschedule when the automation system is back up. All books must be returned before the last two weeks of school ends for inventory.

III. EQUIPMENT

The LMC maintains a collection of audiovisual equipment to meet the needs of the school. This equipment may include overhead projectors, videocassette recorders, and players, cassette recorders, CD players, televisions, LD projectors, digital cameras, laptop computers, DVD players, broadcasting equipment, video cameras, and other equipment to meet the teaching needs and learning styles of the school’s patrons. The LMS plans and coordinates the acquisition, circulation, repair, and discarding of equipment. The LMS may maintain a local inventory of equipment. Equipment that is discarded must be removed from the fixed asset equipment inventory at the central office. The LMS will adhere to the Board’s policies and procedures when making purchases. Equipment may only be checked-out by faculty, and students only with written permission from his/her teacher. Teachers must sign to check-out audiovisual materials and equipment. A record will be kept of audiovisual hardware and software leaving the media center. Video/DVD Usage Policy: See copyright policy regarding video distribution in the section on “Use of Materials.” In some schools, teachers have individual classroom televisions, in others schools teachers do not. The media specialist needs advance notice from the teacher to reserve the television or video/dvd recorder/player in order to be given preference. Video/digital recording programs, even if owned personally, may not be used for entertainment or reward. Procedures for showing a television/recording at:

• The LMS may require teacher to submit a copy of lesson plan or complete a form request for permission to show television recording/viewing.”

• Teachers are to report a malfunction with a piece of equipment to the media specialist. If any equipment should become stolen or accidentally damaged beyond repair, a “Fixed Asset or Disposition” form must be completed.

IV. MANAGEMENT

Collection Development Policy There are 2 main processes involved in library collection development:

• Acquiring materials; and • Getting rid of materials (weeding/deselecting)

The library media specialist needs the management time if the collection is to be maintained in usable order. According to state guidelines, forty per cent of the library media specialist’s time is needed for collection development and library media management.

The LMS will follow the Bullock County Board of Education’s “Selection and Utilization of Media Center Resources” policy (see File: IFAAA).

Philosophy of the Collection

The availability of many materials in a variety of formats presents to students and teachers the opportunity of selecting materials best suited for individual needs and modes of learning. The school library media center and its staff subscribe to the statement of policy expressed by the American Association of School Librarians which is known as The School Library Bill of Rights for the School Library Media Programs. Instructional resources are selected according to the principles of intellectual freedom and provide students with access to information that represents diverse points of view in a pluralistic society.

Selection Criteria

The standard criteria for selecting materials are:

• Educational significance • Need and value to the collection • Reputation and significance of the author or producer • Clarity, adequacy, scope of text and/or audiovisual presentation • Organization and format; and • Availability of materials

Gift Acceptance Policy

The Board may receive gifts that may serve to enhance and extend the work of schools. Individuals or organizations desiring to contribute supplies or equipment will consult with school officials regarding the acceptability of such contributions in advance of the contribution. The library media specialist will evaluate gift materials by the same criteria as purchased materials, and are accepted or rejected by the same criteria:

1. Donated materials will support the school’s curriculum. 2. Processing time and expenses will be considered before accepting donated

materials. 3. Estimating the value of donated materials for tax purposes is the sole

responsibility of the donor, unless the value of the gift is under $200. The librarian can only describe the gift in terms of quality.

4. The library will stipulate the housing of the materials. 5. The librarian has the responsibility to write and keep on file a letter that reiterates

the final agreement concerning the deposition of the gifts.

Objective of the Collection

The Bullock County Board of Education recognizes that it is the primary objective of the library media centers in our schools to implement, enrich, and support the educational programs of the schools. To this end, the Bullock County Board of Education reaffirms the Bill of Rights for School Library Media Programs and asserts that the responsibility of the School Library Media Center is to:

• To provide and maintain a collection of books and non-print materials designed to complement and enrich the school curriculum as well as comply with state and national standards.

• To provide resources for the students and faculty. • To make available new and varied materials for use and interest to both students

and faculty. • To provide a wide selection of books for leisure reading and to promote a varied

selection by students • To provide a well-balanced collection of materials on opposing sides of

current/and or relevant issues so that students may develop the practice of reading and thinking critically.

• To provide material representative of many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to our American heritage.

• To consider the needs, interests, and abilities of individual learners. Procedures for Selection The selection and review of media center materials should be made through the cooperative effort of the staff, parents, and students. Recommendations by administration, faculty members, students, and parents will be considered. Responsibility The Board has the legal responsibility for the purchase of all instructional materials. Coordination of materials selection is the responsibility of each school media specialist who must maintain an updated and balanced collection and must use reputable, unbiased, professional books and bibliographies to aid in the selection process. Media Center Materials Review Procedure

The Board supports the principles of intellectual freedom inherent in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. The Board recognizes the right of persons to express objections to media center materials which they deem inappropriate. When a request for review of media center materials is made, procedures should be made according to the Board’s “Media Center Materials Review Procedure Policy.” (See Media Center Materials Review Form, Appendix G).

Budget Preparations

School library media specialists are responsible for developing a sound budget, and are held accountable for the allocations and expenditures of library enhancement funds.

Acquisitions Policy

The library media specialist will follow the Bullock County Board of Education’s policy on budget/purchasing. At the end of the year, a proposed library enhancement budget is prepared by the library enhancement budget committee. Teacher and student suggestions are encouraged. Teachers are given “Suggestion for Purchase Forms” to list any titles of books, audiovisuals, or periodicals that they would recommend to be added to the collection. A consideration file is kept and reviewed periodically. Priority is given to teacher requests. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Alabama state standards are to be considered. Textbook adoption cycles and changes in the curriculum will also be taken into consideration when selecting purchases. Coordination of materials selection is the responsibility of each school media specialist who must maintain an updated and balanced collection and must provide books and bibliographies to aid in the selection process (see Board’s Selection Policy). Another part of the acquisitions process is the preparation of purchase orders.

Sources of Funding (Account Descriptions) The LMS will purchase resources for the library media center using the following 3 funding sources:

• Library Enhancement: The library media specialist is a proficient manager of the library media center budget. The library media specialist, with the assistance of the school library media committee, students, faculty, parents, and administrators, prepares a proposed itemized budget which is presented to the school budget committee (www.alex.state.al.us). The LMS will follow the state and district guidelines.

• Local School Funds (local school library): This fund accounts for late charges on returned library books, funds collected for damaged books, lost books, expenditures incurred for purchasing books, printing, copying, and donations.

• Classroom Instructional Supply: This fund is allocated for each teacher from the state of Alabama for to purchase classroom instructional supplies.

The LMS will keep financial records of all money allocated to the LMC. The LMS will maintain a file of orders for all accounts for which he/she is responsible. The LMS will follow the Bullock County Board of Education purchasing procedures.

Budget Calendar: The budget for the new fiscal year begins October 1. All purchases will be made from reputable vendors with an eye to quality and value. The LMS can make the best use of budget money by being aware of the curriculum, students and faculty interests, and reading levels.

Maintenance and Repair of Equipment

Repair (Books & Equipment)

Preventive maintenance and trouble-shooting is done in the school. This involves instruction of faculty in the proper use of equipment and the proper use of performance of minor cleaning, lamp changing and other adjustments by the media specialist. Minor repairs such as replacing lamps or screws are done by the media specialist. Books that require considerable work to be put in good condition will be discarded. Teachers are instructed to report any problems with equipment to the media specialist. Any equipment that cannot be corrected in the school is then referred to an outside technician. When equipment that has been determined irreparable, a “Fixed Asset and Disposition” form must be completed so it can be removed from the inventory and discarded properly.

Weeding/Withdrawals

The purpose of weeding is to maintain the quality of the collection. The process should be continuous. Materials that are no longer useful or suitable should be removed. Reasons for Discarding (Books): Poor Appearance: bad physical condition, print too fine, thin paper, shoddy binding; Poor Content: inaccurate information, out-of-date information, poor writing; Worn-Out Materials: yellowed, age-brittle or dirty pages, torn pages, missing pages, frayed binding, scratched recordings; No Use: no circulation for several years, unneeded duplicate titles no longer popular, antiquated sets, superfluous material, beyond comprehension or reading level of patrons. Reasons for Discarding (Audiovisual Hardware):

• Broken or irreparable • Parts no longer available • Cost of repair equals or exceeds replacement value • Barely repairable, breaks down again so quickly that downtime exceeds usable

time. • Has not been used for two years or more • Dangerous to the user • Technologically out of date

Discarding Books Before discarding books, the media specialist should check to see if your collection meets the standards of 10 books/15 items per student. Steps to follow after the decision has been made to discard a book:

A. Remove book/material from shelf B. Remove all identification from the book; mark book

discarded, destroy pocket; remove barcode; and C. Delete MARC record from library automated cataloging

database unless it is needed for a replacement copy. The disposal of discarded materials will be left to the discretion of the LMS.

Inventory of Equipment & Materials

Part of the job description of a media specialist includes conducting an end-of-the-year inventory. In adherence to district and state guidelines for maintenance of fixed assets inventory, as well as PEPE requirements, an inventory of the collection will be conducted during the last two weeks of the school year under the supervision of the LMS. Teachers may not bring classes to library during these this two-week period. No students may checkout books during inventory or use any book that has been inventoried. Media specialist will remind teachers to consider this time period when planning end-of-the-year research projects. The purpose of an inventory is to reveal an exact account of the resources at hand. It is useful for many reasons:

• to indicate missing or lost materials; • to reveal numerical strengths and weaknesses in the collection; • to identify materials in need of repair; and • To serve as a vital part of the process of weeding.

Taking inventory of media center holdings require using a portable hand-held device (PHD) to scan each book, material, or equipment and inputting the scans in the automated software system. The LMS may delete the record from the library automated database a book or audiovisual material that is listed on the missing/lost inventory record for 2 years. All books will be due back two weeks prior to inventory. All audiovisuals materials and equipment will be returned to the library media center before the last week of school.

Missing Equipment Upon knowledge that equipment is missing and finding no reason to believe that teachers or students have borrowed the equipment, the following is to be done: report the missing equipment to the police. If the equipment is not found, attach the police report to the “Fixed Asset and Disposition” form so it can be taken off the inventory.

Equipment Maintenance and Repair

Care of Facilities and Equipment: Each teacher must ensure care and protection of the school property. Abuse and misuse of school furniture and property will not be tolerated and shall be reported to the administration. Equipment Updating and Replacing: The media specialist should follow district procedures for obtaining an “Inventory Control Number” when new equipment is purchased.

Evaluation Teachers, administrators, and students are expected to provide input into the evaluation of media center program.

• Suggested for Library Purchase Form • PEPE Surveys: student and teacher • Research Unit Teacher’s Assessment Form: To gather written or verbal feedback

from teachers on how to improve the assignment(s) in the future

Confidentiality

The Bullock County Board of Education believes that all media center patrons have a right to privacy as guaranteed by the United States Constitution. The library media specialist will strive to protect the rights of students, teachers, and parents who use the library media center. To assure this, no person who works in the media center, as either a volunteer or paid employee, may divulge any information concerning materials used by a patron.

Special Programs/Events

The media center may be used for special programs or events. The request should be submitted to the school principal (see Board policy). The sponsor of the activity is responsible for setting up and restoring the media center to its original physical state. The loaning materials and equipment for the community, out-of-school use, requires administrative approval since it involves the restrictions of insurance coverage.

Program Review and Revision

Policy development is a continuous process based on the changing needs of the school and community. Library media policies, rules, guidelines, and procedures shall be reviewed and evaluated on an ongoing basis. This will be done according to the procedure established by the administration and the media specialists.

V. PERSONNEL

ROLE DESCRIPTION

POSITION TITLE: Library Media Specialist

JOB GOAL: To help students learn subject matter and skills that will contribute to their development as mature, able, responsible members of society and to provide for student and teacher utilization of a comprehensive program of library media skills and services. As a rule of thumb, 40% of the library media specialist’s time is needed to manage the collection and the facility, and 60% for instruction (Literacy Partners, 1999; see Federal Programs “Comprehensive Monitoring Review Checklist, www.alsde.edu.

REPORTS TO: Principal

SUPERVISES: Students and assigned personnel (determined by LEAs)

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Determines individual, class, and school needs.

2. Establishes program objectives and plans learning experiences.

3. Develops and implements policies and procedures for library media management.

4. Implements activities using a variety of techniques that utilize instructional time to

meet objectives.

5. Organizes media and equipment to provide accessibility for users.

6. Establishes and maintains standards of student behavior to achieve a functional

learning atmosphere.

7. Exhibits positive human relations skills.

8. Evaluates the program and/or student progress.

9. Communicates with parents/guardians, colleagues, and community groups.

10. Demonstrates proficiency in written and oral communication.

11. Maintains and submits records and reports.

12. Adheres to school system rules, administrative procedures, local board policy, and

state and federal rules and regulations.

13. Engages in personal professional growth and demonstrates professional ethics and

leadership.

VI. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PROMOTIONS According to Information Power , “there must be a clear understanding of the LMSs role in learning and teaching. The responsibility of the LMC staff in providing the information resources and services that support the total educational program must be clearly articulated. Library media personnel must effectively publicize available services and resources, visibly serve on school and district wide committees, actively participate in community projects, and clearly demonstrate the importance of the LMS in education. Consistent attention must be given to assessing the changing needs of the curriculum and the individual users. The total planning evaluation process offers the opportunity for the involvement of internal and external publics. The attitudes and interpersonal skills that library media staff demonstrates during interaction with these groups can bring positive visibility for LMSs. The partnership approach to program planning, in addition to making the program more responsive to user needs creates shared commitment to the LMS goals and an enhanced image for the overall program.” “Ensuring consistent positive visibility for school and district LMSs is of critical importance. Two-way communication between library media personnel and the school community promotes understanding and builds good will, cooperation and support. The ultimate success of school LMSs depends, to a large extent, upon the level of understanding and support within the general school community for the mission, goals and objectives of the program.” The school LMS will assume the role of “information specialist who establishes a communication system to inform the learning community about materials, equipment, technologies and services.”

A. Advertising and Marketing The success of the LMS is dependent upon a commitment to an effective advertising and marketing plan that reaches the school and the community. (Internal/External)

• Internal public relations include: providing programs and services for students and teachers; maintaining bulletin boards and displays; using flyers, announcements, book talks, activities/competitions, and motivation of teachers and students to use the library.

• External public relations include: insuring that the school board, potential donors, grant award decision makers, etc. are aware of the programs available in the school. Statistics along with program information developed to enhance curriculum and/or use of the library should be made readily available to these groups. Communication of information related to the contribution these activities make to the success of the school and the students should be a priority to foster support of these groups as well as the learning community. Any future wants and needs for the LMC should be communicated to them also.

B. Advocacy

Information Power states, “School LMSs are their own most powerful advocates. Individual LMSs play leadership roles at every level to make partners and families, members of the community at large aware of the impact of library media programs on student learning. Strong library media programs are marked by the leadership of LMSs who build relationships that enhance the program. By promoting information literacy as the key to authentic, lifelong learning and showing how the information literacy standards for student learning can turn that key, the LMS exerts leadership on behalf of all the programs constituencies.” While the role of the LMS is essential as an advocate to the LMP, other groups provide support and recognition within the learning community:

• Parent volunteers serving in a variety of capacities • Community volunteers

C. LMC Advisory Committee The purpose of a LMC Advisory Committee is to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the School Library Media Program, to communicate to the learning community its value, and to support its role. Other responsibilities can include but are not limited to:

• Studies and reviews of the programs and activities of the LMC • Assist in projects/programs sponsored by the LMC • Assist in selection of materials • Provide feedback from other faculty members regarding the overall LMC

program • Make recommendations on goals and objectives • Review and approve the annual budget

The committee will consist of one teacher from each grade level, one resource teacher, one parent, the LMS and one administrator.

D. Calendar of Events A calendar of events may be developed by the LMS and supplied to faculty and administrators. Included may be any dates of importance concerning LMC programs and services, dates that pertain to the LMS (conference, related meetings), and dates that are important to students.

USE OF MATERIALS COPRIGHTED MATERIAL

The Board encourages its employees to enrich the learning programs by making proper use of supplementary materials. In doing so, staff members are held accountable for copyright infringements. Individual staff members are responsible for ensuring compliance with the law before reproducing materials. Anyone who is uncertain as to whether producing copyrighted materials is permissible should consult the media specialist. One of the responsibilities of library media specialist is knowing if teachers and students have the right to copy material. There is a lot of know pertaining to copyright laws. So, here are all the rights (and wrongs!) of whether you should (or should not!) copy:

• When in doubt, write for permission! • The main rule applying to education is that, in most cases, teachers may not use

more than 10% of a work without permission. • Nonprofit, educational uses are considered fair use in many cases. • When coping money, the copying must be done in black and white (NO

Color!), about half the original size, and plates (originals) must be destroyed after use.

• You may make multiple copies of a poem if it is shorter than 250 words. • You may take an excerpt from a poem, but no more than 250 words. • No copying of consumables (e.g. workbooks) may be done! • Fair use means one time only. • Teachers may make a single copy of a chapter, article, or story—but not

multiple copies. • Taping may be done from the air (not cable) for instructional use. • Programs must be used within 10 days and erased within 45 days! • Workbook pages may not be made into transparencies without permission. • A student may tape a recording for a class presentation, but a teacher may not! • Video Distribution: Videos and audio recordings may be played in the

classroom only when they pertain to the lesson being taught. [Mary Brandt Jenson, a law professor, solved the problem of questionable videotapes in the video distribution system by requesting certain documents from teachers before the tapes were played., see Copyright for Schools by Carol Mann Simpson].

• Video/digital recording programs, even if owned personally, may not be used for entertainment or rewards.

• Permissions

After checking all the angles, you have discovered that your anticipated use of some material will not be considered fair use. You know you will need permission from the copyright holder to reproduce or use the desired material. How do you obtain this permission? What information will be copyright holder want from you? How do you even find out who owns the copyright so you can ask them? Here are some pointers:

• Make your request far enough in advance so that the copyright owner has a reasonable chance to respond. A month in advance should be sufficient but 6 weeks is better for print materials. For information from the Internet, a week’s notice is usually sufficient for a first-time classroom use. For non-classroom use of repeat use, consider that the owner might be on vacation and cannot respond to your electronic request right away. Allow at least a month.

• Be specific in your request. Don’ say “Please grant all rights to…..” You will be rejected. Be exact: “I would like to request archival rights to XYZ videotape” or “I would like to be teaching” You are more likely receive a favorable response. • You may be surprised that there is a fee for the rights you have requested. Authors and producers make a living selling their products. By making copies you are using their material without paying for a new copy. They may decide to charge a fee for the permission you request and they are perfectly within their right to do so. You are free to decline to pay for permission, but do not use the material. • It may be difficult to track down the copyright owner for works copyrighted works created or published before 1978. However, after January 1, 1978, all works are to be considered copyright unless proved otherwise. • Send your request to the correct party. If in doubt, research through the Library of Congress Copyright Office. You can access copyright records via the Library of Congress LOCIS online information system at http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright. Remember that just because a work is not registered does not mean it is not copyrighted.

• When writing a letter requesting permission to reproduce or use copyrighted information, please bear in mind that you may be addressing this letter to the permissions department of a publishing house. The staff may have to deal with hundreds of titles. Being as specific as possible and help the staff to speed up your permission for approval. Please make sure the following is included:

o Author, or editor, title and edition of the material o Exact description of material to be used or copied, including amount, page

numbers, scenes or footage, chapters, or any other locator information. If work is printed, include a photocopy of the material under consideration.

o Number of the copies to be made o Purpose of the copies o How the material will be distributed or used (e.g. in class, closed circuit,

modified for a mural, placed in a newsletter). o Cost of material, if any o How material will be reproduced, if copied (photocopy, ditto, photographic

enlargement, archival, or other) • Sometimes, a work which includes copyright information, you may find multiple

copyright dates, and you may also find a long list of acknowledgements. The material covered in the acknowledgements section of the copyright information is covered by separate copyrights. Since a copyright holder of the primary work cannot grant permission to reproduce material under another person’s copyright. You will need to apply directly to the individual rights holder.

• There is a tendency to request for permission to the person or firm from which you purchased the material, especially in the case of video permission. Please take advantage of rights brokers who can simplify and streamline permissions. There are several agencies which do nothing but broker permissions.

The Motion Picture Licensing Corporation handles many of the film and video permissions.

ASCAP and BMI broker an assortment of music licenses. The Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) offers a range of permission services.

Other Permissions Publishers are not the only ones who hold copyrights. Your students own the copyrights of their own works. Before you publish original student work, or reproduce it for a workshop or competition, or display it in a gallery, mail, website or other public place, you will need permission from the student or his parents. Displaying work in the school or classroom would not likely require such permission since that use involves students and teachers in the class. Public use beyond the local classroom would require specific permission.

Keep in mind that if a student is a minor, he cannot grant permission himself. Parental approval is required. Make the request for permission specific, in the manner of a request to the publisher. A parent would want to know how the child will be identified with the work,

to whom the work will be displayed, and for how long. Don’t request or expect blanket permission to be granted for classroom work.

Request for Permission Date: _______________

Permissions Department

Dear Reader:

This letter is a request for permission to duplicate/use for

_____________________________________ , the following:

Title:

Copyright:

Author(s):

Material to be duplicated:

Number of copies:

Manner of distribution:

Type of reproduction:

Purpose of use/reproduction:

A self-addressed, stamped envelope is enclosed for your convenience.

Please respond and notify me of fees, if any, for this permission.

Sincerely,

Name: _______________________________________________ School Name: _________________________________________ School Address: ________________________________________ City, ST ZIP __________________________________________ Permission Granted ___________________________ Date: ______________________________________ Conditions, if any ____________________________

Phototocopying --Single copies usually okay. --Multiple copies IF: --Brief, spontaneous, not repeated. Audiovisual Materials Must be: --Legal copy with copyright notice included. --Used as part of instructional program --In classroom or school --Only to students and educators Off-Air Videotaping --At request of teacher --Shown to students twice in 10-day period --Viewed for evaluation for 45 days --Must include copyright notice Recommendations --Read fuller explanation of guidelines --Request legal permission from publishers --Suggest purchase of materials FAIR USE Educators’ Copyright Guidelines “Fair Use” is intended: (1) To protect authors’ and artists’ work (2) To allow for informational needs of educators Our goal is to provide quality materials that have been acquired legally and can be used confidently. Respect the law and model that respect for students.

INTERNET ACCESS Internet access is available in the library media center. Internet access will be provided to the students in accordance with the terms of the Board’s policy. All users of the Bullock County Schools computers are required to sign a “Computer Equipment Use Agreement.” The misuse of electronic resources is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct with offenders subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the “Code of Conduct” (3.17, 3.18).

VIII. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

In case of emergency in the school, refer to the school safety manual and/or school handbook.

X. APPENDICES

A. Standards

Information Power The Nine Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning Information Literacy Standard 1: The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively. Standard 2: The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently. Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively. Independent Learning Standard 4: The student who is an independent learner is information literate and pursues information related to personal interests. Standard 5: The student who is an independent learner is information literate and appreciates literature and other creative expressions of information. Standard 6: The student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation. Social Responsibility Standard 7: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and recognizes the importance of information to a democratic society. Standard 8: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and practices ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology. Standard 9: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information. Excerpted from Chapter 2, "Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning," of Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Copyright © 1998 American Library Association and Association for Educational Communications and Technology.

B. SACS AdvancED Standards ©2007 AdvancED 10

Comprehensive Information and Media Services Indicator 3.10 - Provides comprehensive information and media services that support the curricular and instructional programs. AdvancED offers the following practices as a reference to schools seeking to meet this standard and indicator. The school: • Maintains a comprehensive and balanced information and media collection consisting of current

media, books, reference sources, and periodicals in print and electronic formats that support student learning, the curriculum, and the instructional program;

• Provides resources to support information and media services that are commensurate with

and/or comparable to maintaining a collection of a minimum of 10 books per student;

Middle and Secondary Schools with enrollment in excess of 1,500 students provide at least 15,000 usable volumes. Elementary Schools with enrollment in excess of 1,000 students provide at least 10,000 usable volumes. New schools have at least four volumes per student upon opening and meet the collection practices within three years.

Educational Practices Reference Guide ©2007 AdvancED 10

Schools maintaining a balance of electronic and print books use a reference point of 25% electronic books to total books offered, thereby ensuring that students have adequate access to print books.

• Ensures that all students and staff members have regular, ready access to information and media

services, materials, and equipment; • Employs a currently accepted circulation system for materials; • Provides training on effective use of information and media resources for students and members

of the professional staff; • Ensures that the information and media staff collaborates with other professional staff members

to attain maximum benefit from the resources; • Possesses a policy and procedure for responding to challenged materials; • Budgets sufficient funds for information and media services, including equipment, to support the

curricular and instructional programs; and

• Possesses and communicates a policy on use of the Internet.

C. Library Bill of Rights

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services. I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation. II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment. IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas. V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views. VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use. Adopted June 18, 1948. Amended February 2, 1961, and January 23, 1980, inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996, by the ALA Council.

D. Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Media Program: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights

The school library media program plays a unique role in promoting intellectual freedom.

It serves as a point of voluntary access to information and ideas and as a learning laboratory for students as they acquire critical thinking and problem solving skills needed in a pluralistic society. Although the educational level and program of the school necessarily shapes the resources and services of a school library media program, the principles of the Library Bill of Rights apply equally to all libraries, including school library media programs. School library media professionals assume a leadership role in promoting the principles of intellectual freedom within the school by providing resources and services that create and sustain an atmosphere of free inquiry.

School library media professionals work closely with teachers to integrate instructional activities in classroom units designed to equip students to locate, evaluate, and use a broad range of ideas effectively. Through resources, programming, and educational processes, students and teachers experience the free and robust debate characteristic of a democratic society.

School library media professionals cooperate with other individuals in building collections of resources appropriate to the developmental and maturity levels of students. These collections provide resources which support the curriculum and are consistent with the philosophy, goals, and objectives of the school district. Resources in school library media collections represent diverse points of view on current as well as historical issues.

While English is, by history and tradition, the customary language of the United States, the languages in use in any given community may vary. Schools serving communities in which other languages are used make efforts to accommodate the needs of students for whom English is a second language. To support these efforts, and to ensure equal access to resources and services, the school library media program provides resources which reflect the linguistic pluralism of the community.

Members of the school community involved in the collection development process employ educational criteria to select resources unfettered by their personal, political, social, or religious views. Students and educators served by the school library media program have access to resources and services free of constraints resulting from personal, partisan, or doctrinal disapproval. School library media professionals resist efforts by individuals or groups to define what is appropriate for all students or teachers to read, view, hear, or access via electronic means.

Major barriers between students and resources include but are not limited to: imposing age or grade level restrictions on the use of resources, limiting the use of interlibrary loan and access to electronic information, charging fees for information in specific formats, requiring permission from parents or teachers, establishing restricted shelves or closed collections, and labeling. Policies, procedures, and rules related to the use of resources and services support free and open access to information.

The school board adopts policies that guarantee students access to a broad range of ideas. These include policies on collection development and procedures for the review of resources about which concerns have been raised. Such policies, developed by persons in the school community, provide for a timely and fair hearing and assure that procedures are applied equitably to all expressions of concern. School library media professionals implement district policies and procedures in the school.

Adopted July 2, 1986; amended January 10, 1990; July 12, 2000, by the ALA Council.

E. The Freedom to Read Statement

The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack. Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label “controversial” views, to distribute lists of “objectionable” books or authors, and to purge libraries. These actions apparently rise from a view that our national tradition of free expression is no longer valid; that censorship and suppression are needed to avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We, as citizens devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible for disseminating ideas, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.

Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy: that the ordinary citizen, by exercising critical judgment, will accept the good and reject the bad. The censors, public and private, assume that they should determine what is good and what is bad for their fellow citizens.

We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. We do not believe they need the help of censors to assist them in this task. We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be “protected” against what others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression.

These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against education, the press, art and images, films, broadcast media, and the Internet. The problem is not only one of actual censorship. The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads, we suspect, to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy.

Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change. And yet suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension. Freedom has given the United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path of novel and creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy diminishes the toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with controversy and difference.

Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms. The freedom to read and write is almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially command only a small audience. The written word is the natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that serious thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized collections.

We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture. We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend. We believe that every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read. We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings. The freedom to read is

guaranteed by the Constitution. Those with faith in free people will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights. We therefore affirm these propositions: I. It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox or unpopular with the majority. Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different. The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested. Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the established orthodoxy. The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them. To stifle every nonconformist idea at birth would mark the end of the democratic process. Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic mind attain the strength demanded by times like these. We need to know not only what we believe but why we believe it. II. Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public interest for them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated. Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning. They do not foster education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought. The people should have the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read should be confined to what another thinks proper. III. It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author. No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its creators. No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say. IV. There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine adults to the reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve artistic expression. To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves. These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ, and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.

V. It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept with any expression the prejudgment of a label characterizing it or its author as subversive or dangerous. The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad for the citizen. It presupposes that individuals must be directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them. VI. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people’s freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their own standards or tastes upon the community at large. It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political, the moral, or the aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another individual or group. In a free society individuals are free to determine for themselves what they wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely associated members. But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society. Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive. VII. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the freedom to read by providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise of this affirmative responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a “bad” book is a good one, the answer to a “bad” idea is a good one. VIII. The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader’s purpose. What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the major channel by which the intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of its testing and growth. The defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all citizens the fullest of their support. We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations. We here stake out a lofty claim for the value of the written word. We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous variety and usefulness, worthy of cherishing and keeping free. We realize that the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons. We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours. This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council, which in 1970 consolidated with the American Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American Publishers. Adopted June 25, 1953; revised January 28, 1972, January 16, 1991, July 12, 2000, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee.

A Joint Statement by:

American Library Association and Association of American Publishers

Subsequently Endorsed by: American Society of Journalists and Authors

Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith The Electronic Frontier Foundation

The Media Institute National Coalition Against Censorship

National PTA Student Press Law Center

The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression

F. Professional Code of Ethics Code of Ethics of the American Library Association As members of the American Library Association, we recognize the importance of codifying and making known to the profession and to the general public the ethical principles that guide the work of librarians, other professionals providing information services, library trustees and library staffs. Ethical dilemmas occur when values are in conflict. The American Library Association Code of Ethics states the values to which we are committed, and embodies the ethical responsibilities of the profession in this changing information environment. We significantly influence or control the selection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information. In a political system grounded in an informed citizenry, we are members of a profession explicitly committed to intellectual freedom and the freedom of access to information. We have a special obligation to ensure the free flow of information and ideas to present and future generations. The principles of this Code are expressed in broad statements to guide ethical decision making. These statements provide a framework; they cannot and do not dictate conduct to cover particular situations.

I. We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests. II. We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources.

III. We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.

IV. We recognize and respect intellectual property rights.

V. We treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness and good faith, and advocate conditions of employment that safeguard the rights and welfare of all employees of our institutions.

VI. We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions.

VII. We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do

not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources.

VIII. We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of coworkers,

and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession. Adopted by the ALA Council June 28, 1995

G. Request for Review of Library Material Form BULLOCK COUNTY SCHOOLS

Union Springs, AL

Initiated by: __________________________________________________________

Telephone Number: _________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Complainant Representing:

Self: _____________ Group (give name of group): ________________________

Location of Challenged Material: __________________________________________ Description of Challenged Material: Book: Author: _____________________________________________________

Title: _______________________________________________________

Publisher: ___________________________________________________

Copyright Date: _______________ Hardcover or Paperback: ______________

Non-book: Type of Resource: __________________________________________________ (Magazine, video, filmstrip, record, person, community resource, etc.)

Title/Name: _______________________________________________________

Publisher/Producer: ____________________________________________

Please respond to the following questions. Feel free to use additional sheets of paper. 1. Did you review the entire item? If not, what section did you review? 2. To what did you object? Please be cite specific passages, pages, etc. 3. What do you believe is the main idea of this material? 4. What do you feel might be the result of a student misusing this material? 5. Is there anything good about this material? 6. Are you aware of the judgment of this material by professional ethics? 7. In your opinion, for what age group would this material be more appropriate? 8. In place of this material, would you care to recommend other material that you

would consider more appropriate? _________________________________________ _______________ Signature of Complainant Date

Note: This completed form should be submitted to the local school principal for disposition.

H. Tips for Weeding