The purpose of the policy and procedures manual is to provide a guide for the operation of the DFES library media program. The manual will be updated yearly or as changes are made in the library media center. If you have any suggestions or questions, please let Mrs. Byrd Fort, library media specialist, know (vbyrd@lex5.k12.sc.us).

The mission of School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties, an educational community unified by an uncompromising commitment to excellence and strengthened in diversity, is to ensure that each student fulfills his or her potential and excels in a changing world by instilling integrity and virtue, stimulating critical and creative thinking, developing effective communicators and problem solvers, and fostering superior achievement and life long learning.

The mission of the District Five Library Information Program is to support the School District Five Mission Statement:
•    instilling integrity and virtue
•    stimulating critical and creative thinking
•    developing effective communicators and problem solvers
•    fostering life long learning

The mission of Dutch Fork Elementary School, where lifelong foundations are established, is to ensure that all students achieve their fullest potential by providing a safe and challenging academic environment, promoting positive interactions, and developing partnerships with families and communities in our diversified society.

The purpose of the Dutch Fork Elementary School Library Media Center program is to "ensure that students...are effective users of ideas and information" (Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, 1998). The DFES Library Media program accomplishes this by implementing educational programs that enrich and support students and staff at DFES. It is the duty of the library staff to provide the school community with a wide range of materials on appropriate levels of difficulty. The library media center program will provide materials and services that will encourage growth in knowledge, foster information literacy, and that will encourage a love of reading. These materials and services will also help to develop literary, cultural and aesthetic appreciation of the arts and sciences. The library strives to stimulate intellectual curiosity and to establish the habit of lifelong learning and continuing education through the proper use of information sources.

Goals:

• To ensure that students...are effective users of ideas and information
  
• To provide library media materials and services appropriate to the curriculum of the school.
• To provide library media materials and services that meet the information and recreational needs of the learning community.
• To provide library media materials and services that make reading fun for the learning community.
• To provide opportunities for collaboration between the library media specialist and classroom teachers to incorporate information literacy and technology into instruction.
• To promote and provide instruction in information literacy to teachers and students.

• Will use the suggestions of peers, teachers, administration, and other various selection tools (including state standards and district curriculum maps) to select materials that are appropriate to the curriculum of the school. Will also use these suggestions to purchase materials that make reading fun and enjoyable for the learning community.
• Will provide professional materials to help teachers plan lessons that are appropriate to the curriculum of the school.
• Will administer a yearly survey to teachers to ensure that I am providing materials and services (including technology training) that meet the information needs of the learning community.
• Will try to attend unit meetings (at least once a month) to keep up with what is going on in the classroom and to suggest ways to integrate the library media center into the classroom teacher's lessons.
• Will maintain an updated schedule/calendar for teachers to consult when planning lessons.
• Will introduce students and teachers to information literacy by integrating lessons such as copyright, bibliographic formats, Internet evaluation, etc. into library lessons and workshops.
• Will include programming that will make reading fun for both students and teachers.
  

The library media center is open 7:10am-3:15pm everyday. It is open for teacher, student, and parent use anytime within these hours.

The LMC behavior policy is based on DFES’s School Wide Rules:

1. We respect others and their property
2. We keep our hands, feet, and objects to ourselves at all times.
3. We are prepared for class
4. We are responsible for our own actions

Library media center expectations are as follows:

1. Follow directions
2. Be kind to books and other resources
3. Be kind to others

Library Media Specialist:
Valerie Byrd Fort, vbyrd@lex5.k12.sc.us
Mrs. Valerie Byrd Fort has a MLIS (Master's of Library and Information Science) from the University of South Carolina, where she is on the National Advisory Committee for the School of Library & Information Science. She is an active member of the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) where she serves as President Elect. Mrs. Byrd Fort is also a member of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). She was the DFES Teacher of the Year for 2005-2006.

Library Media Assistant:
Ann Newman, anewman@lex5.k12.sc.us
Mrs. Ann Newman has a BA in Audiology and has been at DFES for one year. She has three boys and enjoys reading and cooking.

• 4 year old kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade may check out 1 book; second grade may check out 2 books; third, fourth, and fifth grades may check out 3 books. This number is negotiable by Mrs. Byrd Fort and the grade level teachers.
• Books are due in one week. Students may renew their books. If they have overdue books out, they may not check out another book until the overdue book is turned in or renewed.
• First, second, third, fourth, and fifth grades come to the library with a teacher for 25 minutes once a week for library book check out. 
• Teachers may check out as many books as needed. Creating book baskets is encouraged! Due dates for teachers are flexible.

Library Media Center classes

• Kindergarten comes to the library media center once a week for 25 minutes for both instruction and library book check out with Mrs. Byrd Fort.

• First, second, third, fourth, and fifth graders come to the library for library instruction on an "as needed" basis. The library media specialist and the classroom teacher collaborate to plan lessons that enrich what the student is doing in the classroom and that will foster information literacy.

Emergency Checkout

If the automation system goes down, the LMS and the media assistant will make a decision of one of the following:

1. Use Destiny Remote to check out.
2. Cancel checkouts for the remainder of the day, to be rescheduled when automation system is back up.

Overdues
Overdue slips will be printed out once a month. Bills for lost items will be printed out each 9 weeks. Report cards will be held if student's have library books that have not been returned or paid for by the end of the school year.

Payment for Lost and Damaged Books
If an item is lost or damaged, the LMS will send home a bill for payment of the item. If the book is lost, please keep your receipt. If the item is found, we will reimburse your money if the book is found within that fiscal year (July 1-June 31). If the book is damaged, you must pay the total replacement cost of the item.

Settlement of Library Accounts
Report cards will be held at the end of the year until outstanding balances are paid or lost books are returned.

South Carolina Picture Book Award Program
 The S. C. Picture Book Award Program provides an opportunity for kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students in our state to vote on a favorite book.  Students who read three or more of the 25 titles selected by a committee of parents, teachers, media specialists and students may vote for one of the 25 titles. The library media center distributes information about the program to students and teachers and provides multiple copies of the 25 books for checkout.

South Carolina Children's Book Award Program
The S. C. Children's Book Award Program provides an opportunity for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students in our state to vote on a favorite book.  Students who read three or more of the 20 titles selected by a committee of parents, teachers, media specialists and students may vote for one of the 20 titles. The media center distributes information about the program to students and teachers and provides multiple copies of the 20 books for checkout.

Accelerated Reader and Cosmic/Island Reading Journey
The above programs are computerized reading tools that allow students to read books, take self-directed computerized tests (or complete other activities) to check comprehension, and earn points based on questions answered correctly. Tests and activities are purchased for specific titles. After a child has read an AR or Island Reading Journey book, he or she may take a test on the title, earning points based on the length and complexity of the book and the number of correct answers given. Each classroom teacher determines how they will reward students for reading AR and Reading Journey books.  

Celebration Book Club
When there is a special occasion at DFES (such as a birthday, anniversary, etc.), the DFES family has the opportunity to purchase a "Celebration Book" for the library in honor of the special event. This is a great way to celebrate and helps the library media center build a great supply of new books.

Library helpers
Our library helpers fill out an application at the beginning of each 9 weeks. They are chosen by the library media specialist based on their answer to the question, "why do you want to be a library helper?" Other factors that go into choosing a library helper is teacher recommendations and behavior in the library media center. Library helper responsibilities include--
Straightening up bookshelves
Shelving books
Watering plants
Turning on computers

WCUB
WCUB is our weekly school news program. 5th graders are eligible to apply to be a WCUB reporter. We try rotate reporters every 9 weeks.

Information about other school wide reading programs and events run through the DFES library media center can be found at: http://www.readingwithmsbyrd.com/media_programs.html

Anyone using the photocopy machine must adhere to the copyright law. The following notice has been placed on the photocopy machine:

Notice: The copyright law of the United States (Title 17 of the U.S. Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The person using this equipment is liable for any infringement.

Printing
Students may print information from the library printers. Teachers, feel free to print out information as you need it. Please THINK before you print to conserve paper and ink. Donations of paper are always welcome!

Creation Station
There is a mini-lab of 10 computers for teacher and student use anytime. Teachers may sign up for their whole class to use Creation Station in the Creation Station notebook in the library media center.

Equipment checkout

The Library Media Center has a number of items available for checkout to teachers and staff. Items include:
Alpha Smarts
Classroom Performance System
Digital Cameras
Video Cameras
Laptops

Teachers may check out as many materials as needed. Creating book baskets that you rotate in and out of your classroom library is encouraged! Teachers may check out any materials including equipment and audiovisuals. Teachers may set their own due dates. However, if the materials are needed, the teachers will be notified to return the needed materials. Students who are sent to check out materials in a teacher's name must have a signed request from that teacher before the materials may be checked out in the teacher's name. 

If you notice a malfunction with a piece of equipment you are using, please report the problem to the media center (in writing if possible) so that the equipment can be repaired before further use. If you have a hardware problem with your computer, let Mrs. Byrd Fort know in writing so that it can be added to our district list. Our district technology person comes to DFES once a week. 

ITV telephone: 1-877-885-5272
Web site: http://www.itv.scetv.org/

ITV provides the programming schedule for the entire school year in the book Instructional Television Resources. This resources guide is delivered at the beginning of school and is also available on-line at http://www.itv.scetv.org. It contains the following information:
• telephone numbers,
• Web site addresses,
• channel information,
• listing of new programs,
• listing of revised programs,
• listing of programs no longer being aired and their retention rights,
• guide to program listings’ format, and
• descriptions of rights on programs.

We will be happy to tape any ITV program upon a specific request by a teacher.

If you need to schedule a video broadcast time, please talk to or email the library media assistant, Ann Newman, anewman@lex5.k12.sc.us

Summer Checkout Policy

Items are available for summer checkout by teachers with approval of the school principal.  There is a summer checkout form that must be filled out.

Videotaping of events and classes
The library media center has equipment available that you may check out to videotape your event or class. If time allows, the Library Media Specialist or Library Media Assistant is available to videotape school events and classes. Please give advance notice (at least 24 hours).

Materials Selection Policy

Materials are selected to support the curriculum and instructional program of the school as well as the needs and interests of all patrons (i.e., students, teachers, administrators, and support staff). The library media center provides materials in a wide range of difficulty, in a variety of formats, which represent multiculturalism and differing points of view. The Internet and other on-line resources are not subject to the materials selection policy. However, online databases or subscriptions to websites that the school pays for ARE subject to the materials selection policy. 

Criteria for Selection
The following criteria are recommended as a guide to selecting the best resources for the library media center:

• Literary and artistic excellence;
• Lasting importance or significance to a field of knowledge;
• Support of the curriculum and the educational goals of the school;
• Favorable reviews found in standard selection sources;
• Favorable recommendations by educational professionals based on examination of materials;
• Reputation and significance of the author, illustrator, or publisher;
• Timeliness of the material;
• Contribution to the diversity of the collection;
• Contribution to multicultural awareness;
• Appeal to the library patrons;
• Suitability for intended use

The following resources shall be consulted when materials are being selected for inclusion in the library media center collection (although the library media specialist is not limited to these tools in making the final determination):

• School Library Journal (http://www.slj.com/) and other professional journals;
• Specialized bibliographies prepared by various educational groups for individual curricular areas.

The library media specialist will solicit requests and suggestions from all members of the educational community—students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community leaders. Reviews will be collected for titles under consideration. Weeding of the collection to remove materials that are outdated or no longer appropriate is a part of the selection process to ensure that the collection is as current as possible and continues to meet the information and recreational reading needs of all patrons. All donated materials will be subject to the same selection criteria as purchased materials.

Request for Media Center Purchases

Because our mission is to support the curriculum and information needs of students and teachers, it is important for you to have an active voice in the purchasing of materials.  Please make your request to the media center staff in writing (jotted down on a piece of paper or circled on a photocopied magazine or catalog will be fine). Please provide as specific information as possible to facilitate the location and ordering of your requested materials in a timely fashion. Always include your name and grade level on your requests in case we have questions or need clarification.  As you make your requests, keep in mind that the Media Center's budget is limited and purchases meeting several instructional objectives are preferable to those meeting only one objective.

Donated Materials Policy

The Dutch Fork Elementary School Media Center welcomes gifts. All donations will be acknowledged. All donations will be subject to the same selection criteria as purchased resources. If any donation is not selected for inclusion in the collection, the gift material will be passed on to a more appropriate recipient, more than likely, the Lexington County Public Library.

Challenged Materials
Find district forms and policy about challenged materials here

Budget and budget management
The media center is given a budget at the beginning of each school year. We are given money to purchase books, periodicals, computer equipment, and supplies. The budget is kept as an Excel document as well as hand written.

Mrs. Byrd Fort is a member of the American Association of School Librarians and agrees with the position statements below.

Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Media Program
An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
from American Association of School Librarians
a division of the American Library Association
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611
1-800-545-2433 x4386
http://www.ala.org/aasl/positions/ps_roleschool.html

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

The Role of the School Library Media Program
from American Association of School Librarians,
American Library Association
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611
1-800-545-2433, x4386
http://www.ala.org/aasl/positions/ps_roleschool.html

The school library media program is not only integral to and supportive of the school curriculum, but also provides a mechanism for choice and exploration beyond the prescribed course of study. The school library media program provides a wide range of resources and information that satisfy the educational needs and interests of students. Materials are selected to meet the wide range of students individual learning styles. The school library media center is a place where students may explore more fully classroom subjects that interest them, expand their imagination, delve into areas of personal interest, and develop the ability to think clearly, critically, and creatively about the resources they have chosen to read, hear, or view.
The school library media center provides a setting where students develop skills they will need as adults to locate, analyze, evaluate, interpret, and communicate information and ideas in an information-rich world. Students are encouraged to realize their potential as informed citizens who think critically and solve problems, to observe rights and responsibilities relating to the generation and flow of information and ideas, and to appreciate the value of literature in an educated society.
The school library media program serves all of the students of the community--not only the children of the most powerful, the most vocal or even the majority, but all of the students who attend the school. The collection includes materials to meet the needs of all learners, including the gifted, as well as the reluctant readers, the mentally, physically, and emotionally impaired, and those from a diversity of backgrounds. The school library media program strives to maintain a diverse collection that represents various points of view on current and historical issues, as well as a wide variety of areas of interest to all students served. Though one parent or member of the school community may feel a particular title in the school library media center s collection is inappropriate, others will feel the title is not only appropriate but also desirable.
The school library media center is the symbol to students of our most cherished freedom--the freedom to speak our minds and hear what others have to say. I urge that the decision of this board be one which reaffirms the importance and value of the freedom to read, view, and listen and sends a message to students that in America, they have the right to choose what they will read, view, or hear and are expected to develop the ability to think clearly, critically, and creatively about their choices; rather than allowing others to do this for them.
Adopted October 1990

Booklinks
Discovery Girls
The Mailbox K-1
The Mailbox 2-3
The Mailbox-3-5
National Geographic
National Geographic Kids
Sports Illustrated for Kids
Cobblestone
Ranger Rick
School Library Journal
Kids Discover
Library Media Connection
Sandlapper
South Carolina Wildlife

It is the policy of the Dutch Fork Elementary School Media Center to adhere to existing copyright laws and maintain ethical standards in the use of copyrighted materials for instructional purposes. We support the laws as defined by the courts and the South Carolina State Board of Education as summarized in the publication “The Copyright Law and its Implications" (August 1985). Mrs. Byrd Fort will conduct a copyright workshop at the beginning of each school year for the DFES staff.  If you have questions about copyright, please see Mrs. Byrd Fort.

Procedures for handling complaints about instructional materials are as follows:

I. The complainant secures the appropriate form (KNBA-E) from the school in which the material is used. The complainant completes the form and returns it to the school's principal/director.

2.The principal/director immediately refers the complaint form to a school review committee for consideration and evaluation. The committee shall consist of community representatives and at least two certified staff members knowledgeable about the particular subject matter. This committee will judge the material as to its relative suitability for the students served by the school.

3. Within a reasonable period after formal notification, the review committee shall return a written recommendation on the validity of the complaint to the principal/director.

4.If the principal/director agrees with the review committee's recommendations, he/she informs the complainant of the decision in writing. The complainant is also told about the appeal procedure.

5. If the principal/director does not agree with the review committee's recommendations, he/she immediately forwards a copy of the original written complaint to the superintendent along with the review committee's recommendation and his/her dissenting opinion. The superintendent passes selective judgment and notifies in writing all participating parties of his/her decision (i.e., complainant, review committee and principal/director). The complainant is also told about the appeal procedure.

6. The complainant may appeal the principal is decision in writing to the superintendent.  If not satisfied with the superintendent's decision, the complainant may request permission to appear officially before the board of trustees for a final decision.

The board recognizes the principles of academic freedom based on the professional judgments of administrators and certified staff members about effective instructional materials and techniques. The board also recognizes its responsibility in assuring that such materials meet legal requirements and reflect widely held community values.

Occasionally the public will object to instructional materials used in classrooms and libraries, in spite of the care taken in their selection. In order to have a complaint about instructional material considered, an individual must complete the official form KNBA-E and submit it to the principal of the school in which the material is being used.

Should the principal/director be unable to resolve the matter satisfactorily with the person filing the complaint, he/she will follow the procedures specified in KNBA-R.

Upon receipt of a written complaint, the principal will comply with the request of a parent that his/her own child not be assigned materials considered personally offensive. However, these specific materials will not be confiscated or stored or removed from general use until a final decision has been made.

I. Place a check next to the nature of the material to which you object:

Pamphlet_______ Tape Recording__________ Video
Recording___________
Textbook_______ Library book______________ Other (specify)_____________

Author (or artist)____________________________________________

Title_____________________________________________________

Publisher and year of copyright (if known) _________________________________________________________

II. Request initiated by (your name)_________________________________

Telephone number____________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________

City _____________________ Zip Code _______________________________

III. Complainant represents:

Himself/herself_______

Organization (include name of organization) ________________________________________________________________

Other (specify)____________________________________________________

IV.
1. To what in this material do you specifically object (please be as detailed as possible)?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Did you read the entire book/article or listen to/view all of the material? ________________________________________________________________

3. What do you believe is the theme of this material? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What do you believe might be the result of students coming in contact with this material?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . For what age group would you recommend this material? ________________________________________________________________

6 . Is there anything good about this material? If so, what?
________________________________________________________________

7 . Are you aware of the judgement of this material by literary critics?
________________________________________________________________

8 . What would you like your school to do about this material?.
________________________________________________________________

9 . In its place, what material of equal literary quality would you recommend that would convey the information contained in the material or as valuable a picture and perspective of our civilization? ________________________________________________________________

Signature of complainant ___________________________________________

Date____________________________________________________________

*Please submit completed form to the principal of the school in which the material is used.