Information about Manheim Township School District Libraries
What is the purpose of school libraries?
The purpose of our school libraries is to provide an inclusive environment for all students to access a wide-variety of books and learning resources. This includes providing a challenging learning environment that encourages critical thinking and problem solving, as well as embraces the richness of diversity in both resources and perspectives represented. Books serve as windows into the world, allowing students to explore unfamiliar cultures, historical events, and social issues.
How do our school librarians support our schools’ library book collections?
MTSD librarians strive to ensure that diverse voices and perspectives are represented in our school collections. They are professionally trained in curating a wide range of materials that reflect the varied interests, backgrounds, and experiences of the student body. Additionally, they possess the expertise to help students navigate sensitive topics, providing context, and fostering open-mindedness.
How are book selections made for our school libraries?
Library books are selected to support the general educational goals of the state, district, schools, and specific programs and courses. These learning resources are also selected to support students’ personal interests and learning. The following criteria is utilized as part of the book selection process:
- Demonstrates high standards in literary, artistic, and aesthetic quality; technical aspects; and physical format.
- Is appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social, emotional, and intellectual development of the students for whom the materials are selected.
- Incorporates accurate and authentic factual content from authoritative sources.
- Earns favorable reviews in standard reviewing sources and/or favorable recommendations based on preview and examination of materials by professional personnel.
- Exhibits a high degree of potential user appeal and interest.
- Provides a global perspective and promotes diversity by including materials by authors and illustrators of all cultures.
- Includes a variety of resources in physical and virtual formats including print and non-print such as electronic and multimedia (including subscription databases and other online products, e-books, educational games, and other forms of emerging technologies).
- Demonstrates physical format, appearance, and durability suitable to their intended use.
- Provides a background of information that will motivate students and staff to examine their own attitudes and behavior; to comprehend their duties, responsibilities, rights, and privileges as participating citizens in our society; and to make informed judgments in their daily lives.
- Provides information on opposing sides of controversial issues so that users may develop under guidance the practice of critical analysis.
- Provides diversity by representing various views.
- Clarifies historical and contemporary forces by presenting and analyzing inter-group tension and conflict objectively, placing emphasis on recognizing and understanding social and economic problems.
What do I do if I have a question or concern about titles in our school library?
We understand that parents/guardians and/or students may have questions or concerns about titles in our school libraries. At any time, a parent/guardian and/or student may reach out to the building librarian or principal with questions about any book(s) or library resource. If a parent/guardian would like to limit their student’s access to any title(s) or library resources, that request will be honored. Library staff will note the identified book of concern in the student’s account as part of our library management system (Destiny). This will limit the student’s ability to “check out” the title(s).
What databases does the district utilize to purchase and review books in the library collection?
The district utilizes various databases to review book suggestions for schools and has recently purchased the Core Collections database. The Core Collections database is an impartial, authoritative guide to help librarians build and maintain well-rounded collections of the most highly recommended fiction, nonfiction, and professional materials. This database serves as an additional resource to support our existing procedures that govern our library collections. This database also provides our librarians with recommendation levels that will assist in making informed decisions on book selection and weeding. The database will help guide our librarians in making sure that our books are appropriately placed in our libraries. For example, we recognize that some books are considered “essential” for middle school but only “recommended” for a high school collection.
