EDIT 6340
Selection Policy
Preferred mode: Teams of 2-3
Value: 25 points

Updated 1-3-08; ready for Spring 2008


Purpose
School Library Media Specialists must locate, evaluate, and acquire new materials guided by a thoughtful Selection Policy. There are many good reasons for having one, including providing a process for handling challenges, and facilitating the selection of resources according to a logical plan.

Generating a Selection Policy requires (at minimum) these skills:


In this exercise, you will work as a group to construct the necessary components of a selection policy, ponder the difficult philosophical issues involved (including multicultural sensitivity and intellectual freedom), and produce a prototype that can be applied on the job.
 

Task
Create a group of approximately three people.  (If you form a group of less than three people, please consult with MAF first.) Collaboratively, construct a Selection Policy that contains the following components:

This list of components follows Bishop's (2007) process very closely, although not exactly. Feel free to scrutinize her suggestions and apply them as you see fit.

I highly recommend that you study several examples. It is acceptable to adopt and/or adapt existing policies, but you must cite all sources and modify them to reflect the groups' beliefs and plans.

You are encouraged to tailor your policy to an existing media center. In reality, your selection policy will be constructed and approved by the Media Committee. Although you may not have the opportunity to consult a Media Committee for this assignment, don’t forget that this is a crucial step. Write the policy with your audience in mind, which will be school staff, community members, and especially parents.

The ideal versus the real: make your selection policy as real as possible, but you should strive toward the ideals of Information Power as much as you can. Committees often disagree - find a compromise. Every school and community is different, and tolerance varies.  If you find that your philosophical positions are at variance with the ALA Library Bill of Rights or other ALA policies (see http://www.ala.org/), state your rationale.

Format

Guidelines and Hints


Evaluation Rubric
Tags

Criterion and Value
Unacceptable
Acceptable
(Possible to earn all 25 points in this column)
Contains all necessary components, and they are acceptable:
[]Cover letter for parents
[]Mission of school (or school goals)
[]Philosophy/mission (of SLMP)
[]Selection Principles
[]Annual Selection Targets
[]Responsibility
[]Selection Criteria
[]Copyright policy
[]Acceptable Use Policy
[]Gift policy
[]Weeding policy
[]Intellectual freedom Policy
[]Reconsideration procedure and Form
[]References

Deduct proportionately for each missing or incomplete component.
 

8 points

[]Something missing:



[]Something incomplete:



[]Something does not match its definition




Deduct proportional points for missing items - some "weigh" more than others.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

.

[]Contains all necessary components

[]Components are complete, meaning that every statement listed in the Assignment Description is honored.

[]Components reflect what they are defined to reflect (e.g., targets are truly annual selection targets)

 
[]Cover letter should be 1 page and appropriate for community audience

[]Copyright policy includes annual dissemination procedure

[]Weeding policy explains why and how

[]Internet filtering position included (can be part of AUP)

[]Reconsideration form included
 
 
 
 
 
 

.

1.3 Access to Information (2 parts)

Supports intellectual freedom and privacy of users

4 points





[]Reconsideration procedures are not firm or clear

[]one or more significant problems with privacy or intellectual freedom

[]Little or no evidence of knowledge of issues related to access to information

[]No knowledge of the legal and ethical practices of the profession

[]Facilitates access to information in multiple formats:
  • []print,
  • []nonprint, and
  • []electronic formats

[]Complies* with and communicates the legal and ethical codes of the profession (in addition to annual copyright dissemination)

[]Intellectual Freedom Position clearly stated and reasoned

[]Proactive steps are taken to prevent censorship and self-censorship

2.1 Knowledge of Learners and Learning:
Supports diversity

1 point
No attention paid
[]Proactively assesses and addresses the needs of diverse learners (broadly defined). Formats vary for different styles.
4.1
Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using

(3 parts)

Value: 5
[]Little knowledge of accepted library policies, procedures and practices for selecting, organizing, and using information []Selects, analyzes, and evaluates print,
nonprint, and electronic resources
using professional selection tools

[]Selects, analyzes, and evaluates print,
nonprint, and electronic resources
using evaluation criteria: Selection Policy articulates how to apply criteria

[]Selects to develop a quality collection designed to meet
diverse
  • []curricular  needs
  • []personal needs

[]Supports intellectual freedom of users

[]Plans for efficient use of resources and technology to meet diverse user needs*
4.2
Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical



3 points
[]Little knowledge of effective management policies, procedures and principles

[]Misuse of human resources: no democratic involvement or assignment of professional selection tasks to unqualifed personnel
Develops policies and procedures that:
  • []support the mission of the school 
  • []address specific needs of the LMP

[]Applies accepted management principles and practices that relate to personnel, financial, and operational issues*

[]Demonstrates MC personnel and Media Committee performing properly assigned tasks
4.3 Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment:
Supports mission of the school

1 point

[]Mission of school not referenced

[]Connections not well articulated for a community audience

[]Connections between selection targets, school mission, and student learning clearly shown  (aligns resources ... with the school's goals and objectives)
Mechanics: presentation, grammar, spelling, quality of writing; formatting; organization; referencing

Value: 2


[]Errors frequently interrupt evaluator's ability to absorb content

[]Elements to be viewed by the community have embarrassing or unprofessional errors

[]Disorganized; hard to find required elements

[]Referencing problems or omissions
[]A few minor errors

[]Items meant for viewing by learners, co-workers, and parents are nearly perfect

[]Organized; headings included and/or labels applied to required elements

[]Clear

[]Consulted sources are referenced in APA 5th edition style
Self-assessment and reflection

Value: 1
[]Rubric is missing
[]No self-assessment
[]Missing individual reflections (counts against the individual, not the group)
[]Rubric has self-assessment

[]Individual reflections address group process, quality of learning experience, personal contributions
*"Exceptions marked only": This means that we will not look specifically for this element, and there is no matching tag.  Instead, as we review the entire policy, if we feel this principle is violated in some way, we will deduct in this box.  For example, under "Applies accepted management principles....," if we find serious inefficiencies, or a flawed management practice, or misuse of resources, then this is the place to deduct.







Agenda | Syllabus | Assignments
Fitzgerald Home

Expires 5-31-08
All rights reserved

Update log:
1/3/08: major revision: removed Target column; collapsed some elements and divided others; tried to eliminate redundancies; changed language from Goals/Objectives to Principles/Targets; changed Tags to coincide

2-22: added rationales to rubric; 2-14-07: clarification added. 2-13-07: tag list attached; confusing highlights removed.
1-30-07: highlights of keywords in rubric. 11-3-06: table width fix for printing. 8/06: major revision. 9/14/06: typos.

http://it.coe.uga.edu/~mfitzger/6340/selection-policy.html


The content and opinions expressed on this Web page do not necessarily reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by the University of Georgia or the University System of Georgia.