SELECTION AND EVALUATION

OF SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA RESOURCES

WCPS is legally responsible for the review, selection, and purchase of all
instructional resources according to Article 77, Section 67 of the Public School
Laws of Maryland and the Maryland State Board of Education Resolution No.
1976-18. The Superintendent of the WCPS delegates this responsibility to the
professionally trained and certified staff.

Guided by the selection and evaluation policy of the Washington County School
Library Media Program, WCPS policies, Maryland laws, and MSDE resolutions,
the school library media specialist is responsible for the review, evaluation, and
selection of school library media resources. The school library media specialist
works cooperatively with administrators and instructional staff to select resources
that represent diverse points of view, stimulate thinking skills, enhance the
overall educational program, and support the informational and interest needs of
students. The school library media specialist reviews the school library media
center collection to ensure that resources continue to meet selection criteria.

The selection and evaluation policy serves as the basis for developing and
maintaining collections of excellence in the school library media centers of
WCPS. The selection and evaluation policy applies to all resources considered
for inclusion in the school library media center collection, regardless of source.

The selection and evaluation policy of the WCPS school library media program
reflects the philosophy and goals of the school system. It also supports the
principles of intellectual freedom described in the ALA Bill of Rights, ALA
Freedom to Read and other statements on intellectual freedom from the
American Library Association (ALA) and the American Association of School
Librarians (AASL).