Cary Reynolds Elementary 

Handbook

Stephanie Jackson, Teacher-Librarian

Introduction

The purpose of this handbook is to provide the Cary Reynolds Elementary School community students, faculty/staff, parents and community with the policies and procedures of the school library media that support student learning.  Cary Reynolds Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.  Students, their parents and teachers have equal access to all materials, equipment and services provided through the library media center.

Policies and procedures are designed in accordance with the polices, procedures, missions, standards and goals of the DeKalb County School System (DCSS), State Department of Education, SACS accreditation and the American Library Association (ALA).  Should policies and/or procedures receive amendments by DCSS, the state department of education, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and/or the ALA; the amendments will supersede the policies within this handbook. 

The mission of the school library media program is to provide access to information and ideas that are fundamental to functioning successfully in today’s information and knowledge-based society and to provide opportunities for all members of the school community to become skilled users and creators of information in a variety of formats.    

                        Students                                       8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.                                         

                        Parents/Faculty/Staff                     7:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Circulation Procedures

Check-in/out of Materials

Student and parents may check out books from the Media Center for a period of one week.  Students may not check-out books for parents.  

• Reference materials may not be checked-out from the media center except by the teacher.  No overdue fines are charged.
• Print materials must be returned to the book drop for check-in.  Equipment and non-print materials must be returned directly to the media staff.  
• Materials and equipment are not to be removed from the media center without being properly checked out.  
• Should you find media center materials or equipment that is not checked out to you, please return them to the media center immediately.  Students and/or faculty may need those items checked-in to clear their account. 

Parents:                        2 books

Faculty/Staff:                30 total (Books, Professional Reading & Audio Visual Materials)

·        Please return all materials as soon as they are no longer needed.

·        The Media Staff may request the use of a material if an urgent need arises.

·        Equipment is loaned for the school year except the following that must be returned at the end of the day:

o       Digital Cameras

Story Time/Lessons

            Story time/Lessons will be provided based on scheduling and request per grade level.  

Information Literacy Skills 

            Information literacy skills are the skills of finding, evaluating and using information efficiently.  Students who are information literate:

Teacher Collaboration

Advanced planning lays a strong foundation for collaborative teaching.  Teacher and Teacher-Librarian collaboration increases student learning. The teacher-librarian and teacher will plan collaboratively to determine what skills and methods will be used by each professional to present the lesson.

Library Reading Programs 

The library will promote reading through library visits, reading challenges and other schoolwide events such as Read Across America. 

Space Usage

The media center space may be used for functions and meetings. Notify the media staff and sign-up in advance to avoid conflicts and provide time for you to set-up and clean-up after usage.  

Classroom Visits

Classroom visits should be on the library schedule located on the bulletin board in the media center.

Laminating 

Mrs. Jackson or Mrs. Keenan will laminate if something needs to be laminated.  Place all materials needing lamination in the media center on the laminator table with your name attached. Some lamination will need prior approval from the Administrative staff such as multiple folders, student work, and transportation cards to be used only during the school year; please do not submit items that are for temporary use.  

Selection Policy

The library media specialist is responsible for building and maintaining a print and non-print collection of instructional materials necessary to support the local school program. In accordance with Georgia Board of Education RULE 160-4-4-.01 Media Programs, “the local board of education shall adopt a media policy that requires development of procedures for selecting materials locally, handling requests for reconsideration of materials, considering gifts of instructional resources, using non-school owned materials, and complying with the copyright laws. Code: IFA of the DeKalb Board of Education Policies and Procedures addresses each of these requirements. Selection of instructional materials is the responsibility of qualified professional personnel. Thus, selection of library media center materials is the responsibility of the professional library media specialist in each school.  The library media specialist also maintains a quality collection with proper weeding procedures and adherence to state and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools standards for library media centers.

Selection Responsibility

The local school Library Media/Technology Committee shall be involved in the selection process.  This committee can include at least one representative from each of the following: administrative, instructional, technology and media personnel, student, parent, and others in the community.  The Library Media/Technology Committee “makes recommendations and decisions related to planning, operation, evaluation and improvement of the media program.”  (GBOE RULE 160-4-4-.01)  The Library Media/Technology Committee may also establish goals and priorities, preview materials, discuss requests for materials and equipment, and make recommendations for purchase.  The final decision for selection of instructional media and equipment is the responsibility of the library media specialist and the principal.

Print and Non-Print Materials 

The library media center collection shall provide materials that will support the curriculum, stimulate growth in knowledge and that will develop literary, cultural, and aesthetic appreciation. The following criteria will be used in consideration of the purchase of print and non-print materials and acceptance of gifts. 

·        Curriculum and Objectives of instructional program

·        Requests from faculty, students, and parents

·        Relevance, Timeliness and/or Permanence

·        Overall purpose and potential use

·        Quality of the writing/production; readability or popular appeal; Authority

·        Reputation and significance of author/editor/artist

·        Reputation of publisher/producer/distributor

·        Format

·        Cost

·        Favorable review from reviewing aid 

Reconsideration of Materials

It is the responsibility of the Library Media/Technology Committee to review challenges to school owned materials at the local school.  DeKalb County School system policies regarding challenged materials must be followed.  Please see Mrs. Jackson for the forms.

Consideration File

The library media specialist shall compile and maintain a consideration file of recommended print and non print materials. This file shall reflect suggestions from the Library Media/Technology Committee, other faculty members and students, and from other sources of recommendation.

Library Media/Technology Committee 

The Library Media/Technology Committee is responsible for advising the Teacher-Librarian on the selection and provision of quality print, audiovisual and electronic resources and equipment for students and teachers. The focus is to use all technologies as instructional tools. The committee will also develop goals, evaluate the school media program, and evaluate requests for reconsideration of library media materials.

The Library Media/Technology Committee serves as an advocate for the library media program in this school-wide initiative. The Library Media/Technology Committee includes representation from the faculty, administration, student body, and community. The teacher-librarian(s) will schedule the meetings and develop the agenda(s) to address

·        prioritizing expenditures of the state budget allotment to provide a balanced print, audiovisual, and electronic collection of resources that supports the curriculum and students’ enrichment interests as outlined by educational accrediting agencies,

·        discussing local and system-wide technology initiatives and selecting resources and equipment to purchase available funds.

·        developing and evaluating the library media plan in the CSIP.

·        responding to formal requests submitted for the reconsideration of library media materials, and

·        inviting library media supporters and decision makers from the community into the library           media center and school.

Copyright

The DeKalb County Board of Education policy requires that duplication of copyrighted materials by DCSS employees must be done with the permission of the copyright holder or within the bounds of “Fair Use.”  Patrons are responsible for abiding by copyright laws.  The Teacher-Librarian is the building level contact person regarding copyright questions.

Copyright is the protection of original ideas in any format.  A copyright in-service/PowerPoint is provided to faculty and staff at the beginning of each school year.  

Computers and Internet Access

The LMC has 2 computer stations for academic use.  All users are responsible for complying with the DeKalb County School System (DCSS) Internet Acceptable Use Agreement policies and with copyright laws.

Internet Acceptable Use Agreement

·        The DeKalb County School System is in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000. 

·        The DeKalb County School System believes that the information and interaction on the worldwide network, known as the Internet, far outweighs the possibility that users may procure material that is not consistent with the educational goals of the school system. On a global network as the Internet, it is impossible for the school system to control access to controversial material. Therefore, the user may accidentally or purposefully discover controversial material. It is the user’s responsibility to avoid initiating access to such material.

·        Use of the Internet must be in support of educational research and consistent with the school system’s objectives.

·        Use of any other organization’s network or computing resources must comply with the rules appropriate for that network. Users must abide by all rules and procedures specified and deemed necessary at the site from which access to the Internet is made.

·        Transmission of any material in violation of any United States or state regulation is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material, or material protected by trade secret. 

·        Use for commercial activities by for-profit institutions, for product advertisement, or for political lobbying is prohibited. 

·        Illegal activities are strictly prohibited.

·        The use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right. Any student user not complying with the school system’s Internet Acceptable Use Agreement shall lose Internet privileges for at least one week. Student infractions may result in appropriate disciplinary action in addition to suspension or termination of access privileges.

·        Any user identified as being a security risk or as having a history of problems with other computer systems may be denied access to the Internet. The school system makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the service it is providing. The school system will not be responsible for any damages suffered by any user. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by its own negligence or user errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via the Internet is at the risk of the user.  The school system specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its services.

Intranet Acceptable Use Agreement 

·        Students will observe the standard of courtesy and behavior consistent with the practices and policies of the DeKalb County Board of Education when sending or publishing messages or transmitting data or other information on the Intranet.

·        Students will not send or receive offensive messages or pictures from any source.  For example, students will not post, publish, or display any defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive, sexist or illegal material.

·        Posting messages and attributing them to another user is prohibited.

·        Students are violating network security if they enter the system under a user id other than their own, share their user ids, passwords, or user accounts with others, and must make all efforts to safeguard any information from unauthorized users.

·        Students may not use the system for any purpose if in violation of the law.

·        Students will not transmit or download information or software in violation of copyright laws.

·        Students will use the system for instructional purposes only as it relates to classroom and co-curricular assignments and activities.

·        Students disconnecting network components, altering programs or data, or purposely infecting any computer with a virus will be guilty of harming network integrity and/or security.

·        Unauthorized use of the network, intentional deletion or damage to files and data belonging to other users, or copyright violations.  

Inventory

The physical inventory of materials is conducted for one week in the school year.  Inventory of materials is a necessity to ensure identification of missing materials and defects in the collection. 

 Faculty and Staff

1. Faculty and staff may check out materials until the last day of school.

2. Equipment is loaned for the school year except:

a)                  Digital Camera

b)                  Digital Camcorder        

c)                  and other limited quantity items 

3. These items are to be return by the end of each day to the Media Center.

4. Damaged or malfunctioning equipment should be given to the Media Staff. 

Student Organization 

One student organization is associated with the library.  They are student library assistants known as the media squad. 

Student Library Assistants (Media Squad)

Student Library Assistants are 5th grade patrol volunteers who assist in the Library Media Center (LMC) between 7:00 a.m. -7:35 a.m. and 2:10 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

The main task of the media squad is to shelve and straighten the books, magazines/newspapers and videos on the shelves daily. Other tasks include but are not limited to:

·           Greeting and hosting guests

·           Assist with unpacking, processing new books and weeding materials

·           Assisting other media squad members who may need assistance completing tasks

·           Assisting students, parents, faculty and staff with LMC resources and technology

·           Promoting, setting-up and assisting with library programs and events 

·           Exploring and learning technologies available through the LMC resources.