Selecting resources
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Selecting resources


Collection development guidelines

Collection development guidelines written in collaboration with the whole school staff, provide a set of principles to ensure that the school library develops and maintains a 'balanced, relevant and dynamic collection' that satisfies the needs of its users. It should reflect the school philosophy and development plan.

Challenge guidelines should also be incorporated to provide guidelines in the rare occasion that a resource may be considered controversial or offensive to some members of the school community.

Information on collection development is available from the Australian School Library Association website:

See also the following publications: 

  • Learning for the future : developing information services in Australian schools. Carlton South, Vic. : Curriculum Corporation, 2001. ISBN 1 86366 710 5 
    Published as a joint venture of ASLA and ALIA, this essential reference explains how to develop information services for schools. The chapter on Resourcing the Curriculum provides a framework for resource selection.
    Order from: Curriculum Press
  • Providing more with less : collection management for school libraries / edited by Ken Dillon, James Henri and Joy McGregor. Wagga Wagga, NSW : Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University, 2001. ISBN 978 09490 60 99 0
    Order from: Librarians Bookstore
  • Managing for learning : issues for primary school libraries / edited by Marianne Punshon. Carlton, Vic. : SLAV, 2006. ISBN 0 9099 7830 1 
    Order from: Syba Signs
  • Children’s books: a practical guide to selection / by Phyllis J. Van Orden and Sunny Strong. New York : Neal-Schuman, 2007. ISBN 978 1 55570 584 8

 Sample Collection development guidelines for a school library

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Selection process

A school library resource centre should provide access to a wide range of quality resources which support curriculum needs and trends, enhance the recreational interests of all students and are matched to appropriate levels. These resources should also support the goals and priorities set by the school.

Selection is a systematic process based on:

  • school priorities
  • the budget
  • recognised selection criteria and
  • the school's Collection Development guidelines.

It is the responsibility of the teacher librarian or resource teacher in collaboration with teachers and other professional staff to select material for the resource centre. These professional staff should have a knowledge of:

  • the curriculum
  • learning and teaching styles
  • child development
  • student achievement levels
  • collection development
  • resource selection criteria.
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Selection tools

It is easy to become overwhelmed by the number of alerts to newly published resources and other selection aids.

Those listed are just a start. With experience library staff will build up a range of tools suited to their school's needs.

Be aware of the source and authority of chosen selection tools, allowing for the particular focus, even bias, of each.

Resources should only be purchased if they:

  • meet school priorities
  • are within budget constraints
  • meet selection criteria
  • meet the school's Collection development guidelines.

A particular school's choice of selection tools will depend on available budget, staff time and on identified needs.

Publishers’ alerts
Reviewing journals
Online selection guides
Teachers', librarians' and readers' blogs, wikis and other sharings
Approval resources from booksellers
Standing orders
Suggestions from teachers, students, administrators and parents
Literary awards
Lists of recommended books
Recommended websites


 

 

See web pages of the various publishers to subscribe to newsletters and other pre-publication alerts.

Many also provide author information, teachers' notes, reviews from various sources and sometimes extracys from books.

A suggestion box or pad can be left near the checking-out point to encourage staff and students to suggest resources to purchase.

Literary awards provide a useful check against your collection. Be aware of the criteria by which the award is judged. Include fiction and non-fiction awards.

Recommendation lists include the following examples:

All time bests

Best of  2012/2013

Theme/genre lists

By age group

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Periodicals

Periodicals are valuable sources of current information as well as useful resources for recreational reading.

A policy on periodical selection and purchase should be developed by teaching staff, and periodicals evaluated at regular intervals for usage, for their ability to complement the curriculum, and for their relevance to client needs.

A periodicals collection should be:

  • catalogued
  • clearly labelled
  • stored in order by date of publication with indexes
  • maintained in good physical condition and
  • weeded regularly.

Purchasing

It is useful to identify:

  • selection criteria for subscription purchase/renewal
  • who is responsible for ordering
  • which periodical subscriptions are current
  • which periodicals are of value and require renewal
  • preferred service provider/s and
  • availability of the periodical in another medium, e.g. Internet or CD ROM subscription.

It is recommended that:

  • sample copies are requested prior to placing subscriptions
  • a reliable supplier is chosen - preferably local
  • subscription renewals are arranged to be due on a common, predetermined date
  • popular periodicals are purchased on an irregular basis if funds are limited.
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Donated resources

Resources donated to the school library should be added to the collection only if they:

  • are compatible with the collection development guidelines
  • adhere to the selection criteria
  • fulfil a need or enhance the collection

Donors should be informed that their donation undergoes the same selection process as any other resource under consideration for inclusion into the collection.

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Challenged resources

Challenged resources are those that may be considered controversial or offensive to members of the school community. It is important that schools have guidelines and procedures in place to deal with any challenges that may arise.

Guidelines and procedures regarding challenged resources should be developed within the school community. The Policy Statement – School Library Bill of Rights from the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) website is a useful starting point, as well as the school’s own collection development guidelines.

Dealing with challenges

Dealing with challenges should be a systematic process involving:

  • referring the challenger to the school's collection development guidelines
  • completion of a Request for consideration of school resources by the challenger
  • decision on whether to remove the item from the shelf immediately or after it has been reviewed
  • review of challenged resource by a committee comprising the principal, resource teacher, a P&C representative and the person making the challenge.
  • The final decision to remove or retain the challenged item is the responsibility of the principal.
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