Collection Development Policy of the Herbst Library
The Mission of the Herbst Library program is threefold: to support the learning of students of The Urban School of San Francisco, to provide a learning environment for students, teachers, and staff that includes access to current, adequate, and appropriate information resources, and to ensure that they are effective users of information in the course of acquiring knowledge.
The Herbst Library is a “learning commons,” an information resource center for The Urban School of San Francisco. The library supports the school's philosophy of instilling in students a lifelong love of learning. The Herbst Library endorses the Information Literacy Standards for student learning affirmed by AASL (American Association of School Librarians) in Information Power. The library believes that "the student who is information literate, accesses information efficiently and effectively,... evaluates information critically and competently, [and]...uses information effectively and creatively...." (Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, Chicago: ALA, 1998, pp. 8-9. See also: http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/informationpower/informationliteracy.htm )
The Herbst Library creates a space conducive to reading, research, and studying; provides a comprehensive collection of educational materials, in multiple formats, that supports the school’s curriculum; and provides for the learning needs of the community. The library supports the curriculum of the Urban School by providing primary resource material and other resources not easily found at the local public libraries or through online free Internet resources. The depth and breadth of materials aspire to enable students to develop knowledge and formulate judgments.
The selection of all library/media materials is the responsibility of the librarian in collaboration with the faculty. Selection is based on bibliographies and reviews from professional library organizations and other media. Suggestions made by faculty members of materials related to the curriculum receive serious consideration and weight since one of the main goals of the Herbst Library is to support the curriculum. Consideration of materials for acquisition stresses authorship authority, content accuracy, literary merit, and curriculum relevance. In selecting materials for addition to the collection, the library takes into account the intellectual, social, psychological, and emotional development of the students.
In keeping with the scope of technology available to Urban students and faculty members, the library provides access to information beyond the print collection. Subscription databases form an important component of the library’s collection. When considering electronic resources, the library uses criteria resembling those for print materials. Trial subscriptions represent an important element in their selection. The library supports the Computer Acceptable Use Policy adopted by The Urban School of San Francisco.
To provide maximum accessibility to library materials and to encourage effective use of information, the Herbst Library develops and maintains the school library website: http://inside.urbanschool.org/library/.
Gifts
All gifts are judged by the same criteria as purchased materials, and accepted or rejected accordingly.
Weeding and Withdrawals from Collection
The Herbst Library re-evaluates its collection periodically to maintain a collection that is current, appropriate and useful. Traditional guidelines of appearance, duplication, accuracy or currency of content, and circulation statistics are noted; however, content related to the curriculum and primary source material may cause an item to be retained despite violating the traditional guidelines. The final decision concerning the removal or replacement of resources rests with the librarian in consultation with faculty.
Requests for reconsideration of Library Material Policy
Criticism of library material must be made in writing. The statement must include author, title, publisher, and page number of each item to which objection is being made. The request for reconsideration statement must be signed and identification given which allows a proper reply to be made. A committee of school personnel will be appointed to re-evaluate the materials challenged and make appropriate recommendations. During the request for removal process, the item in question will remain in circulation.
Sections of this policy statement are based on the BAISL (Bay Area Independent School Librarians) guidelines/statements for selection policy, the University Laboratory High School Library (Urbana, IL) collection development policy, and on the AASL's School Library Bill of Rights
Supporting Documents and Policy Statements
American Library Association (ALA) and Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, Chicago: ALA, 1998
American Library Association (ALA) Library Bill of Rights: http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/statementsif/librarybillrights.htm
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning: http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/informationpower/informationpower.htm
The Nine Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/informationpower/informationliteracy.htm
American Library Association (ALA): Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Media Program http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=Interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8521
American Library Association (ALA): Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks: http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=31872 and Q&As about Access to Electronic Information http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=31877
American Library Association (ALA): Challenged Materials policy and guidelines http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/challengesupport/challengesupport.htm
American Library Association (ALA): Diversity in Collection Development http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8530
American Library Association (ALA): Evaluating Library Collections http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=76533
American Library Association (ALA): Intellectual Freedom definitions, policies, and guidelines http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/basics/Default2272.htm
Last revision March 2006.