LIS+5240+Policy+and+Procedures

by Marjorie L. Pappas with Revisions on Web sites by Kate Nichols
 Marjorie L. Pappas, Ph. D., is an Associate Professor at the School Library and Information Technology Online Learning, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. E-mail: mpappas@mansfield.edu

School library media specialists often post messages on LM_NET and other state listservs I monitor, requesting examples of information that I used to maintain in a management manual when I was a school library media specialist. I started my manual when I was a student in the organization and administration course we all take in library science programs and I kept it current with information gleaned from conferences, workshops, and networking with other school library media specialists. Manuals are easier to maintain today because of networking through listservs and the Internet. In thinking about the requests for information related to policies, job descriptions, cataloging, resource acquisition, etc., I decided a virtual version of this traditional paper manual might be an interesting and useful concept.

SETTING UP MY VIRTUAL MANUAL
My concept of virtual is paperless. Virtual manuals can be maintained without the challenge of adding pages and adjusting page numbers. Virtual manuals can include hyperlinks to information located on the Web. Before starting the development of my manual, I thought about who might access the manual besides the school library media specialist. Library assistants, volunteers, and, occasionally, substitutes should all be able to access this manual. Also, the library media specialist should be able to access the manual when working at home. The best way to achieve that flexibility is to post the manual on the library media center's website or on the school's network, assuming the network is Internet accessible. If a library media center website or network is not available, the concept is still feasible, but a little more challenging, because new versions would need to be loaded on separate computers. Once this decision has been made, the next step is to scan and/or key-in the existing information related to the specific library media center. Following are sections and weblinks to include.

POLICIES
Some policies need to be written to fit the unique needs of a specific library media center, for example, circulation policies that establish the time periods books circulate and the cost for replacing lost books. Other policies, like copyright, are based on federal legislation. Links to Web-based copyright information will be useful to supplement local policies.

POLICY WEBLINKS:

 *  Complete Copyright. ALA. A collection of documents related to copyright issues and libraries on the American Library Association website.
 * Computer Network/Internet Use Agreement. Hannibal School District, MO Computer/Internet Usage Agreement.
 * Copyrighted Materials. Hillsborough County Public Schools, Florida. A extensive list of copyright policies and procedures.
 * Copyright and the Internet in Schools. Kathleeen Conn wrote a book called, __The Internet and the Law: What Educators Need to Know.__ Chapter 5 highlights copyright and the Internet.
 * Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines for Teachers.PDF. A concise chart of copyright guidelines for teachers, schools and districts.
 * Check-Out and Overdue Policy. PDF. Kootenai Elementary Library, Idaho. Scroll down to view lost books policy.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">School Library Policy.California Department of Education. "A sampling of resources for districts and schools for developing and revising policies for selection, intellectual freedom, acceptable use, privacy, and weeding."
 * Lamar County School Library Media Centers Policies and Procedures. PDF. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lamar County School Library Media Centers, Alabama. A comprehensive collection of policies for school library media centers.

<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; color: #650022; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">PERSONNEL
<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The school library media specialist's job description should be posted, but it also would be useful to link to job descriptions for student and parent volunteers. The Web provides examples of job descriptions for this section.

<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; color: #6c8fc9; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">EXAMPLES OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS:

 * <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: initial;">Roles and Responsibilities- School Librarian Media Specialist. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Clayton County Public Schools, Georgia, includes links to Principal and Media Support Personnel roles and responsibilities.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Job Description: Library Clerk. PDF. Capital Area District Library, Michigan, includes job duties, responsibilities and requirements.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Job Description: Lead Media Specialist. PDF. Buncombe County Schools, North Carolina. This job description was chosen because it had included 21st Century Skills.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Librarian and Media Staff Job Descriptions. Chris Smith. Shambles. A collection of job descriptions for school library media center positions. I thought this Web site had the best information for the varies jobs found in the library.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Interview Questions - Media Specialist (s). Georgia Department of Education. Scroll down to pages 48 - 49.

<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; color: #650022; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND ACQUISITIONS
<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The purchase of resources and technology for the library requires access to information about producers and jobbers.

<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; color: #6c8fc9; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">USEFUL WEBSITES:

 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Acquisitions, Collection Maintenance and Electronic Access. Della Curtis. Baltimore County Public Schools, Maryland. Includes sample policies, procedures, and resources.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Resources for School Librarians. Publishers and vendors information.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> The Librarian's Yellow Pages. Publisher, periodical, jobber, and vendor links.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Collection Development Resources. Eduscapes provides an overview of collection development resources.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> School Library Collection Development Policies. PDF. Folliett Library Resources presents books and Web sites to assist in writing a collection development policy.

<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; color: #650022; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">FORMS
<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Examples can help school library media specialists develop the forms for use in the library media center. This is a section that can be developed over time.

<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; color: #6c8fc9; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">EXAMPLES OF FORMS:

 * <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Audio Visual Review Committee Report. Learning Resources Department, Broward County Public Schools, Florida. Updated link.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Collaborative Planning Forms. Iowa City Community School District, Iowa. Scroll to the middle of the page for the Elementary, Junior High and High School Collaborative Planning Forms.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Disaster Plan Workbook. New York University Library, New York. This fill in the blank form will help a librarian be prepared and have a plan to follow after the disaster. I like the definitions for Damp books versus a Wet books in chapter 4.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Disaster Preparedness and Recovery. ALA resources with several links.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Elementary Library Services. Marysville Public Library, Ohio. Even though this is not a school library, I liked the large variety of programs provided as well as the electronic purchase selection (with Library Materials Evaluation and Selection Policy attached) and the electronic meeting room request.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Prior Approval for the Use of Full-Length Feature Films or Excerpts During the School Day. PDF. Dare County Schools, North Carolina, includes policy, movie ratings and a request form.
 * <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: initial;">Faculty Recommendation for Library Materials. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. Baltimore County Public Schools, Maryland. I included the full Selection Criteria page. At the bottom there is a form for the citizen request for reconsideration, Facility Recommendation, and Student and Parent Recommendations,
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Library Monthly Update PDF. Kevin Finkle. Baltimore County Public Schools, Maryland. This is a form to gather information from teachers about future units and lessons. I like how simple his form is. It is easy to fill-out and gather information.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Collaborative Planning Worksheet. Richardson Independent School District, Texas provides a printable PDF of a 2 page collaborative planning sheet.

<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; color: #650022; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">DISTRICT PORTAL AS MANUALS
<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">School library media services in larger school districts have developed excellent portal pages. These portals provide school library media specialists with both instructional and management resources and tools.

<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; color: #6c8fc9; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">EXAMPLES OF PORTALS:
<span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">These virtual manuals and portals enable parents, community members, and other school library professionals to view how school library media specialists manage media centers and teach students to gather and use information. Now all we need is a portal page to the portals.
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> The Library Portal of Sioux Falls School District. This library portal provides instructional resources, on-line databases and catalog, books recommendations and so much more!
 * <span style="background-color: #e3e3e3; background-color: transparent; font-family: Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Guidelines for Library Media Programs In Louisiana Schools PDF. Comprehensive guideline for managing a school library media center. Be sure to look at the Collection Guidelines.