Board Policy

BP 6163.1

Instruction

Library Media Centers

The Board of Education recognizes that school library media centers play a vital role in education by providing access to a variety of informational resources. The Board desires to provide comprehensive library media centers with up-to-date books, reference materials and electronic information resources necessary to support a high-quality instructional program and enhance the inservice training of staff. The Board encourages classroom teachers and library media teachers to collaborate in developing resource-based learning activities that promote advanced thinking skills and enable students to become independent learners.

The Board expects school library media centers to nurture intellectual growth by providing:

1. Materials that take into consideration students' varied interests, abilities, maturity levels and learning styles

2. Materials that foster knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values and ethical standards

3. Information that enables students to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives and learn, with guidance, how to analyze and think critically about what they read

4. Materials that realistically depict our pluralistic society and reflect the contributions of its various religious, ethnic and cultural groups

The Board encourages students and staff to request materials which they would like added to library media center collections.

To establish eligibility for funds to update and maintain school library media center services and materials, the Board encourages staff members at each school to develop for Board approval a school library improvement plan that meets the requirements of the California Public School Library Protection Act. Such plans shall provide for the selection and procurement of library materials and technology-based materials that support the curriculum, improve teaching strategies and implement curriculum objectives in each subject area.

(cf. 0440 - District Technology Plan)

(cf. 1312.2 - Complaints Concerning Instructional Materials)

(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)

(cf. 6144 - Controversial Issues)

(cf. 6161.1 - Selection and Evaluation of Instructional Materials)

(cf. 6161.11 - Supplementary Instructional Materials)

(cf. 6163.4 - Student Use of Technology)

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

18100-18172 School libraries

18175-18179 California public school library protection act

Policy PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

adopted: March 8, 2001 Palos Verdes Estates, California