library
Selection Policy

Mission and Selection Policy

Mission Statement

The Holy Family Library supports the mission of Bishop T K Gorman Catholic School in the ongoing formation of the Christian person by providing access to a collection of wide-ranging, balanced, current, and validated resources-both print and non-print-to facilitate and encourage growth in faith and reason. The Holy Family Library also aims to empower all students to be effective, faithful and critical users of information resources, and to advocate enjoyment and understanding of literature.

Goals of the Library

The Holy Family Library strives to provide a well organized and efficiently managed resource center which contains a broad range of easily accessible informational resources that will meet the diversified needs and interests of individuals in their academic pursuits as well as personal enrichment. Our goals are specified as follows:

  • To implement, enrich, and support the instructional program of the school.
  • To build a collection that supports the Catholic school curriculum, is balanced with representation of various points of view on different subjects.
  • To select reading materials that are rich in literary merits, that will excite students to discover the joy and beauty of the literary world, that will inspire readers to seek truth and wisdom, and that will encourage moral and ethical rectitude.
  • To sponsor well planned programs that will promote reading as a means of life long learning and personal fulfillment.

Philosophy on Intellectual Freedom

The Holy Family Library believes "the freedom to read is essential to our democracy" (The Freedom to Read Statement, ALA), and "libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues" (Library Bill of Rights, ALA). With that in mind, opinions expressed in some library resources are not necessarily endorsed by the Tyler Catholic School System, the school or the library, though a major effort in acquisition of library resources is to provide students with a rich diversity of human experiences that helps lead them to a faithful life. While it is the goal of the library personnel to place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in selection of materials of the highest quality, the school recognizes that the final decision as to what materials an individual student will be exposed to rests with that student's parents or guardians. The wishes of one child's parents or guardians to restrict his/her reading or viewing of a particular item, however, will not infringe on other parents' right to permit their child to read or view the same material.

Definition of Resources

Library resources refer to any materials that are housed locally or accessible via online subscriptions. They include print, non-print and electronic materials.

Selection of Resources

Responsibility for Selection

Selection of library resources is an ongoing process shared by the many people who use them. Departmental recommendations and individual suggestions from teachers, staff and students are crucial to the usefulness of the collection. Responsibility for coordinating the selection of materials and making the purchases rests with the library personnel. The final decision in library resources rests with the school principal.

Criteria of Selection

Sources and Tools for Selection

  • Suggested titles from departments and individual teachers
  • Student suggestions and/or librarian's observations
  • Recommendations from award lists, professional journals, conferences, and other library professionals
  • Physical examination of material (via free trial and preview services, bookfairs, bookstore visits, etc.)
  • Consultation of established reading lists such as one approved by the HAISIN
  • Consultation of trade catalogs

Points of Consideration for Selection

  • Overall purpose of material
  • Curriculum support
  • Overall support of Catholic values
  • Validity, timeliness, and appropriateness of material
  • Favorable reviews found in standard selection sources
  • Significance and reputation of the author, producer, or publisher
  • Potential use and student interests
  • Value commensurate with cost and/or need
  • High artistic quality and/or literary style
  • Effectiveness and appropriateness of language
  • Quality and format
  • Timeliness or permanency
  • Contribution the material makes to breadth of representative viewpoints on controversial issues / multiple perspectives
  • Subject matter and treatment of the subject matter
  • Other considerations such as availability of AR quizzes, sequels and other books by same authors
Gifts

Gift materials are subject to basic selection standards. The library may choose to accept, reject or distribute the gift materials for other use if not otherwise specified by donors

Weeding of Resources

Selection is an ongoing process that includes the removal of materials no longer appropriate and the replacement of lost and worn materials still of educational value. Weeding is essential to maintain a relevant, attractive collection. Materials considered for weeding include:

  • Items in poor physical condition
  • Items containing obsolete subject matter and/ or outdated information
  • Items no longer needed to support the curriculum or student/faculty interests

Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources

PDF DocumentProcedure For Reconsideration of Challenged Material

PDF DocumentRequest For Reconsideration of Resources