Policy Writing for Teacher-Librarians

Developing a Learning Resources Selection Policy

The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts) 2006, Learning resource selection guidelines for schools, Queensland Government, viewed 4 May 2008, http://education.qld.gov.au/library/resource/eval/evalg-guide.html

An effective school Learning Resources Selection Policy:

  • supports the stated philosophy and values of Education Queensland;
  • takes cognisance of departmental policy statements, guidelines and programs;
  • accords with the socially-just, inclusive educational philosophy of the school as stated in the School Planning Overview;
  • states the learning objectives of the school resource centre;
  • supports the subjects/programs/activities offered as part of a total and inclusive school curriculum, including both the curricular and extra-curricular learning needs and interests of all students;
  • supports the emphases and strategies for effective learning and teaching within the total curriculum;
  • caters for a wide range of literacy and learning needs, abilities, interests and experiences of individuals from the full range of social and cultural and gender groupings represented in the school community;
  • caters for age/maturity levels of learners;
  • lists appropriate criteria for the selection of material;
  • makes provision for the handling of objections to specific items;
  • makes provision for dealing with donations and unsolicited items;
  • makes provision for dealing with free materials that have been sponsored by a commercial group.

An effective policy incorporates selection procedures that:

  • are based on and closely integrated with the resource management system in the school;
  • ensure all available items are assessed prior to purchase - materials should only be considered for purchase if they fulfil standards of quality and identified priority areas of curriculum or the extra-curricular interests and needs of learners;
  • take into account system priorities, with special reference to social justice;
  • ensure that materials are included to represent a balance of differing viewpoints on controversial subjects.

The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts) 2006, Developing a learning resources selection plan , Queensland Government, viewed 4 May 2008,http://education.qld.gov.au/library/resource/eval/evalg-develop.html

A sample Learning Resources Selection Plan is available at http://education.qld.gov.au/library/resource/eval/evalg-develop.html

School Library Support (Western Australia)

The selection of quality educational resources that support, extend and enrich the education of students, while providing good value for money, is an important aspect of the collection development process of any library.

The following selection policy is currently used by Evaluation Officers when evaluating and reviewing a wide range of resources for CMIS publications. Schools are welcome to adapt or modify this policy to meet the needs of their particular school settings.

Department of Education & Training 2007, 'Resource Selection', School library support, Government of Western Australia, viewed 4 May 2008, http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/library/selection/index.htm

Submitted by Denise Tarlinton.

 

Last updated 4 May 2008