Harmony High School Collection Development Policy 

Mission statement 

The mission of the Harmony High school Media Center is to be a circulator of information and resources to facilitate the greater learning of students, staff and the community. It is our goal to provide open access to a wide variety of materials for all members of the school community. In the final analysis, our vision is to prepare students to be leaders and life-long learners who pass on the knowledge they have gained. 

Purpose of the collection

Our collection serves the following purposes: 
Enriches and supports curriculum and school objectives 
Encourages growth in knowledge and appreciation of a wide range of fields 
Provides personal and recreational reading material 
Supports the instructional and professional needs of staff and administration 
Integrates a variety of format, including electronic, print and non-print to support student learning. 

Scope of the collection 

The collection will contain a balanced, wide variety of both print and non-print materials that reflect all points of view on both current and historical issues. In addition, these resources will be appropriate for a wide range of ability levels and learning styles. The collection will serve the needs of students and staff in both instructional and recreational pursuits. Students and staff are an integral part of collection development by requesting materials desired for addition to the existing collection. 

Selection criteria 

Materials for the collection are selected and evaluated by the media specialist. The following are some of the factors considered: Needs of individual students and staff members 

• Relevancy to curriculum or recreational value 
• Accuracy 
• Format (attractive, appropriate, current) 
• Freedom from stereotyping, presenting many points of view 
• Interest and appeal to reading audience 
• Content sufficient in depth and scope for purpose 
• Reviews in professional journals and by professional organizations 

Funding 

The media center funds come from an annual budget from the school funds, allocated by the principal. Other sources of funding may include district and state funds, donations and fundraising projects. Monetary donations will be processed through the school bookkeeper according to school district policy. Donations of books are subject to the same selection criteria as materials purchased. Unsuitable items may be disposed of at the discretion of the media specialist. 

Acquisition policy 

All materials, equipment and supplies are purchased according to policies and procedures approved by the School Board of Osceola County. Purchased items are catalogues, inventoried and circulated using Follett’s Destiny Library automated circulation system. 

Weeding policy 

Materials in the media center will be evaluated regularly using the MUSTY criteria as developed by Joseph Segal. 
M – misleading (obsolete), including out-of-date materials in both fiction and non-fiction areas 
U – ugly, referring to the book’s physical condition 
S – superseded, meaning that there are newer copies or newer information available  
T – trivial, whether or not it is appropriate for the collection. Factors considered include writing quality, accuracy, interest and reading level of the book. 
Y – your collection has no room or use for the book. Factors considered include usage and quality of format. 

Review policy for challenged materials 

The media specialist carefully selects and purchases materials for inclusion in the collection. However, there may be an occasion when a student, teacher or parent may challenge a book’s relevance to the collection. In the case of such a complaint, complainants will follow the procedure established by the School Board of Osceola County to recommend an item for review. The school’s media advisory committee will follow the criteria for reconsideration of library materials. 

References 

Guidelines for collection management. Alpine School District Media Center Guidelines. Retrieved March 15, 2005
 
Materials selection policy for school library instructional technology centers. Department of Education, State of Hawaii. Retrieved March 15, 2005

Segal, Joseph P. Evaluating and weeding collections in small and medium-sized public libraries: The CREW Method. Chicago: American Library Association, 1980.