503 Collection Management Policy assignment

Finally last week I submitted my last assignment for ETL503, after a week's extension after a string of family illnesses over the previous 4-6 weeks. Overall I was quite happy with my Collection Management Policy but I felt quite restricted with only having 2000 words in which to write the policy. There were things that I felt should have been included but had to edit out reduce words. This was a great practical subect which seemed to make completing the subject more enjoyable. This subject taught me about the library functions of being a TL - the collection management issues of selection, acquisitions, weeding, censorship and collection management policy writing.

During this subject I learnt that a TLs role was not just about teaching and supporting teachers and students through the curriculum. A TLs role is so multifaceted that we need to manage the library and its resources. A well-managed library is one that makes it easy to find resources not only for the TL, but also for teachers and students.

Without a clearly written Collection Management Policy that focuses on the individual school's needs and circumstances, the TL is doing themselves and the library users a great disservice. A CMP helps to ensure that the library runs smoothly and that there are distinct 'rules' for ensuring that all areas of collection managment such as selection, weeding, collection evaluation and challenges to materials have guidelines in which to follow. The CMP is a means of demonstrating to the school community that the library has purpose and meaning and that the libary works to serve the students and staff to the best it possibly can.
Resource selection is about having a set of selection criteria with which to work from in order to choose the most appropriate books/materials and that they are chosen for a reason and deserve to be in the library's collection.
Weeding also is about having a clear idea on keeping the collection accurate, updated and in good condition in which to serve the users learning and teaching needs. Having a set of weeding criteria provides a guideline as to what should be retained or weeded from the collection to ensure the collection remains relevant.
Censorship was probably one area of collection management that I really hadn't considered before studying this subject. This involves having clearly defined selection criteria that helps to ensure that TLs are not "choosing books" becuase of their own personal reasons or becuase of concerns that other people (including parents or staff) might object. This quote from ASLA's School Library Bill of Rights (2000) provides a good summary in terms of censorship and challenges to materials.
"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 to the users of the library."
So in the CMP that I re-wrote for my secondary school I felt it was so important to include a Challenges to Materials Form that is included as an appendix to the policy. This may help to ensure that the complainant really thinks about and considers their objection to the material in the resource and then requiring them to document it to the school.