School Library Media Collection Development

In St. Mary's County Public Schools (SMCPS), developing the library media center collection is primarily the responsibility of the school library media specialist, who, along with other staff members, will review, evaluate and select a variety of materials based upon the curriculum and the objectives of the school. Adhering to SMCPS Board of Education Policy IJ: Instructional Resources and Materials and Regulation I J-R, the school library media specialists utilize national documents like the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill) and Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs to make informed decisions about collection development.

The review of the library collection identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the school library collection. The collection shall represent educational, informational, and recreational materials in a variety of formats. Quality resources should reflect a collection that balances all aspects of the SMCPS educational programs as aligned with the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards, supporting the diverse interests and needs of the school community. School library media specialists welcome recommendations from staff, students and parents. Purchases of both print and electronic resources should have favorable professional journal reviews.

The overarching criteria for school library media collection are that the resources must:
• Align to and enrich the curriculum, learning outcomes/objectives of the instructional programs
• Contain accurate and current information
• Meet a variety of informational needs and interests of all students (readability levels)
• Provide a global perspective being free of stereotypes and bias
• Offer a variety of viewpoints for controversial issues
• Meet be meet the learning styles of the school population
• Be cost effective in terms of accessibility and durability