Summit Middle School

In the SMS Library, our school librarian, Ben Moore, does his best to collect a wide range of grade-relevant books and materials that will pique students' interest and support their academic needs.

All SACS library staff follow the SACS Board policies for collection development when making decisions about materials to add to or remove from SACS libraries. Here are the school district's policies regarding collection development, weeding, and reviewing or reconsidering library materials: 

5060 Selection of Media Materials 

SACS shall strive to provide a wide range of instructional materials on all levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal, and the presentation of different points of view. In order to assure that the school media program is an integral part of the educational program of the school, the corporation has identified the following objectives: 

1. To provide materials that enrich and support the curriculum and personal needs of the users, taking into consideration their varied interests, abilities, learning styles, and community standards. 
2. To provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards. 
3. To provide a background of information which will enable pupils to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives. 
4. To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that users may develop under guidance the practice of critical analysis.
5. To provide materials that realistically represents our pluralistic society and reflects the contributions made by those groups and individuals to our American heritage. 
6. 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 media collection appropriate for the users. 

While selection of materials involves many people, including media personnel, teachers, students, administrators, and community persons, the responsibility for coordinating and recommending the selection and purchase of instructional materials rests with the certified media personnel. In selecting materials for school media programs, the media personnel shall evaluate the existing collection, assess curricula needs as they relate to state academic standards, examine materials, and consult reputable, professionally prepared selection aids, such as the School Library Journal, Booklist, and Video Librarian. 

Acceptance of gifts, whether books or other materials, shall be decided by the media personnel on the basis of their suitability to the purposes and needs of the library in accordance with this policy. The media personnel shall determine use or disposal of gift material. (Revised: 10/19/04) 

5070 Weeding and Evaluation of Media Materials 

Materials which no longer meet the stated objectives of the SACS’ libraries shall be discarded according to accepted professional practices. The method of disposing of the weeded library materials shall be at the discretion of the media personnel, subject to any policy or resolution adopted by the Board. (Revised: 10/19/04) 

5090 Review/Reconsideration of Media and/or Instructional Materials

Catalogue of Materials

Each Principal will designate an employee at his or her school responsible for creating a catalogue of materials available in the school’s library. The Principal will ensure that the catalogue is posted on the individual school’s website and will make hard copies of the catalogue available upon request. Likewise, this policy will be posted on the individual school’s website with the catalogue and will make hard copies of the policy available upon request.

Procedure for Requesting Review/Reconsideration

School libraries shall not contain any materials which are obscene or harmful to minors as defined by applicable law.

Parents or guardians of any student enrolled in SACS, or any community member within SACS may request that the use of media materials, basic textbooks, and other instructional materials be reviewed and/or reconsidered according to the following procedures:

1. Basic textbooks, other instructional materials supportive to the basic textbooks, and additonal instructional materials selected by individual teachers may be reviewed by appointment.
2. A person having a concern about the use of media materials, basic textbooks, and other instructional materials should first discuss the concern with the classroom teacher or building media personnel.
3. If the individual is not satisfied after the discussion with the classroom teacher or building media personnel, the individual should contact the building principal to discuss the matter.
4. If the individual is not satisfied after talking with the building principal, the individual may further the inquiry for a review or reconsidration of the use of the material in question by completing a Request for Review/Reconsideration of Library and/or Instructional Materials form available in any school office, by submitting it to the building principal.
5. Upon receipt of the completed form, the building principal shall request review of the challenged material by an ad hoc materials review committee within fifteen working days. The challenged material shall remain in use during the review/reconsideration process.
6. The review committee shall be appointed by the building principal, and shall include a media professional, and two classroom teachers, one of which must reside in the district.

The review committee shall take the following steps after receiving the challenged materials:

1. Read, view, or listen to the material in its entirety.
2. Check general acceptance of the material by reading reviews and consulting recommended lists.
3. Determine the extent to which the material supports the curriculum.
4. Review the definition of obscene and harmful to minors as defined by Indiana Code.
5. Judge the material as a whole and not in part in determining whether the materials meets the definition of obscene (I.C. 35-49-2-1) or harmful to minors.
6. Complete the appropriate “Checklist for School Media Advisory Committee’s Reconsideration of Instructional Material,” judging the material for its strength and value as a whole and not in part.
7. The review committee shall provide a written recommendation to the Superintendent for final determination.

The Superintendent’s determination may be appealed to the Board in conjunction with policy #2040. The Board will review any such appeal at the next public meeting after filing of the appeal.

(Revised 12/19/2023)