Library Policies

The primary objective of each division's library is to implement, enrich, and support the educational program of the school. This means that the responsibility of the library is:

• To provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the students served.
• To provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards.
• To provide a background of information which will enable students to make intelligent judgments in their daily life.
• To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that students may develop under guidance the practice of critical analysis of all media.
• To provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to our American heritage.
• To place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the library.
• Selection of materials involves many people: administrators, teachers, and librarians. The responsibility for coordinating the selection of materials and making the decision for purchase rests with the professionally trained library personnel.

Selection of materials involves many people: administrators, teachers, and librarians. The responsibility for coordinating the selection of materials and making the decision for purchase rests with the professionally trained library personnel.

The needs of the individual division based on knowledge of the curriculum and of the existing collection are given first consideration. Requests from faculty and students are given consideration.

Materials for purchase are considered on the basis of:

• Overall purpose
• Timeliness or permanence
• Importance of the subject matter
• Quality of the writing/production
• Readability and popular appeal
• Authoritativeness
• The reputation of the publisher/producer
• Reputation and significance of the author/artist/composer/producer, etc.
• Format and price
• Duplication of titles or subject matter
• Physical condition and characteristics

In selecting materials for purchase, the librarian evaluates the existing collection and consults:

• Reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared selection aids (including, but not limited to, Booklist magazine, School Library Journal, Hornbook)
• Specialists from all departments and/or all grade levels

Gift materials are judged by basic selection standards and are added to the collection or rejected based on these standards.

Despite the care taken to select valuable materials for student and teacher use and the qualifications of the persons who may select the materials, occasionally objections to material may be made by the public.

If a complaint is made, the procedures are as follows:

• Invite the complainant to file their objections in writing and offer to send them the following prepared questionnaire:
  • Request Form for the Reevaluation of Gilman School Libraries Materials
• Inform the Head of the school division receiving the complaint, the Headmaster of Gilman School, and the Director of Strategic Information and Innovation.
• The media committee (which includes Gilman School librarians, the English Department Head, a Language Arts teacher at the division level from which the complaint originated, and a subject specialist from that division) will:
  • Read and examine materials referred to it.
  • Check general acceptance of the materials by reading reviews.
  • Weigh values and faults against each other and form opinions based on the materials as a whole and not passages pulled out of context.
  • Meet to discuss the material and to prepare a report on it.
  • Submit a copy of the report to the Headmaster and the Head of the school division receiving the complaint.

The principles of the freedom to read, view, and listen and of the professional responsibility of the Gilman School faculty must be defended – rather than the materials.

Overdue items are those that are not returned to the library by the due date. Students receive four overdue notices. If an item is not returned after the fourth notice it is marked lost and the student's account is charged.

LS student accounts will be charged the cost to replace the item, as determined by the LS Librarian. They will also be charged a $5 processing fee per item.

Overdue items are those that are not returned to the library by the due date. Students receive four overdue notices. If an item is not returned after the fourth notice it is marked lost and the student's account is charged.

MS student accounts will be charged the cost to replace the item, as determined by the MS Librarian. They will also be charged a $5 processing fee per item.

Overdue items are those that are not returned to the library by the due date. Students receive four overdue notices. If an item is not returned after the fourth notice it is marked lost and the student's account is charged.

US student accounts will be charged the cost to replace the item, as determined by the US Librarian. They will also be charged a $5 processing fee per item.

Damaged items are those that are returned to the library in poorer condition than when they were checked out. Damage may include (but is not limited to) ripped pages, water damage, writing in the book, spilled food or drink, etc. Student accounts will be charged for damaged items the same as lost items.

A credit may be issued for a lost item if it is returned during the same school year. The student's account will be credited for the item. Processing fees will not be credited.