Policies and Procedures

Handbook

Franklin Co. Middle School

2007-2008

POLICIES and Procedures Handbook

POLICIES

I. Purpose Statement…………………………………………………………….3

a. Name and demographics of system and school…………………………..3

b. Philosophy Statement……………………………………………………..3

c. Mission Statement………………………………………………………...4

II. Public Relations / Marketing………………………………………………….6

III. Copyright……………………………………………………………………...8

a. Video Utilization Form……………………………………………………11

IV. Leadership and Professional Growth………………………………………..12

V. Interlibrary Loan…………………………………………………………….13

PROCEDURES

I. Circulation…………………………………………………………………...14

a. Circulation Procedures…………………………………………………..15

b. Overdue Procedures……………………………………………………..16

c. Scheduling of LMC……………………………………………………..17

d. Inventory………………………………………………………………...18

II. Cataloging Procedures………………………………………………………19

III. Paraprofessional and Volunteers…………………………………………….23

IV. References…………………………………………………………………...24

POLICIES

Purpose Statement

Demographics

Franklin County Middle School has just finished its first year in the new facility located at 485 Turkey Creek Rd., Carnesville, GA. It is one of six schools in Franklin County. In addition to FCMS, there are four elementary schools and one high school. Franklin County School System consists of 82% white, 11 % black, 3% Hispanic, and 3% multiracial students. Forty-seven percent of the students are eligible for the free and reduced lunch. There are 11.8 students in the Special Education Program.

In the 2006-2007 school year, Franklin Co. Middle School housed 994 students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Of these 994 students, 83% are white, 12 % black, 3% Hispanic, and 2% interracial. The ratio of male to females is about 52:48.

FCMS is a Title I school with 50% of students participating in the free or reduced lunch program. Twelve percent of the school population is served through the Special Needs Program. At FCMS, there are three full-time administrators, 65 certified faculty members, two counselors, and over 30 support staff.

Franklin County Media Program Philosophy

The program of information literacy skills instruction provided for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade is based on the following propositions that will ensure that the library media program is fully integrated into the educational program of the school:

Students need basic information literacy skills to facilitate the learning strategies of their academic experiences;

Students need exposure to a variety of literature to encourage reading as a leisure life skill;

The media center instructional program must assist students in becoming independently thinking students;
The media center instructional program must help children develop strategies for finding needed information;
The media center educational program must make provisions for incorporating new developments in the field of library/technology information science;
The media center educational program must provide for individual differences in students.

Franklin County Media Program Mission Statement

The mission of Franklin County School System Media Centers is to provide a program that:

Meets the needs of individual students
Assists the student in developing positive attitudes toward reading as a part of everyday life;
Shows the relationship of reading and information literacy skills to both academic and non-academic areas;
Is sequential in the development of preparing students for future experiences;
Enables the students to learn to follow directions, develop good work habits, and to function independently.

Franklin Co. Middle School Mission Statement

The mission of the Franklin County Middle School Media Center is to support student academic and personal interests and collaborate with instructional personnel in a way that positively impacts student success so that students and staff reach their potential as life-long learners and discriminating consumers of information.

In the FCMS Media Center, our focus is on Achievement...

* Access is provided on a flexible schedule so that learning takes place continuously and when needed.

* Collaboration takes place between classroom teachers and media center staff.

* Hours of access are provided before, during and after school.

* It's the hub of the school.

* Enough professional and technical staff are on hand to meet the needs of the students.

* Varied collection that reflects the curriculum and society in general.

* Energetic, inviting media center atmosphere creating a learning laboratory that includes: a reference area; a computer area; an instructional area.

* Multiple, up-to-date technologies supporting Internet access, automated circulation and catalog, multimedia production, access to an area for group instruction in technology.

* Enthusiastic, kid-loving media center staff that encourages and supports reading and learning.

* New books and other print materials of a wide variety that encourage and support reading and learning.

* Teacher-Librarians who teach the information process, understand the uses of technology, select and use a wide variety of materials, work in partnership with classroom teachers to utilize materials, information and information technology.

"Achievement" courtesy of Belinda Boon, Texas State Library & Archives Commission, 1997.

Public Relations/Marketing

Guidelines

The Franklin County School system is aware of the relationship between a quality media center and achievement among students. Media Specialists promote their school library media center with a variety of activities.

Each school will have at least one book fair per school year.

Other activities may include:

· Literacy Night

· Parent events

· Newspaper articles

· Displays of student work

· Newsletters

The media specialist will meet with the principal at least three times a year to discuss current needs of the media center and school. The principal will be responsible for communicating the budget amount for the media center to the media specialist. The media specialist will attend at least one state or national conference per year to obtain the most recent information.

It is the responsibility of the media specialist to inform the faculty of new materials and updates in the media center. This can be done through newsletters, e-mails, daily news, faculty meetings, etc.

Franklin County Middle School

Media Center Calendar

2007-2008

August 14-17, 20	Preplanning
August 15	Teachers begin check-out
August 20	Open House 2pm-6pm
August 21	Students Begin
September 3	Labor Day Holiday
September 24-28	ITBS
September 27-October 5	Book Fair
October 14-20	Teen Read Week
October 17-19	Council of Media Organization Conf.
October 26	Professional Learning Day
October 29	Fall Break
November 1	National Family Literacy Day
November19-23	Thanksgiving Holidays
December 20-January 2	Christmas Holidays
January 2	Professional Learning Day
January 3	Students Return
January 16	8^th Grade Writing Test
January 18	Holiday
January 21	Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
February 18	President’s Day Holiday
February 29 & March 1	Children’s Literature Conference
March 21	Winter Break
March 24	Professional Learning Day/Snow Day
April 7-11	Spring Break
April 21-May 1	CRCT
May 26	Memorial Day Holiday
June 6	Last Day
June 9-10	Post Planning Day

Copyright

The media specialist is responsible for providing copyright information and managing the established process for dealing with copyright questions and clearance. The 2005 revision of COPYRIGHT FOR SCHOOLS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE by Carol Simpson was added to our professional collection. A copy of the brochure, Copyright for Educators, is included for your easy reference. Other references are available in the media center and online.

COPYRIGHT LAWS

Compliance Information

Franklin County Schools will honor copyright for materials used in the school media center. For more information on Fair Use Guidelines consult the URLs below.

U.S. Copyright Office www.loc.gov/copyright/

Copyright Bay http://www.nmjc.cc.nm.us/external/copywritebay/coprbay.htm

Fair Use of Copyright Work www.cetus.org/fairindex.html

Multimedia Fair Use Guidelines

www.utsystem.edu/OGC/IntellectualProperty/ccmcguid.htm#3

Copyright Law Guidelines

"FAIR USE" provisions of the copyright law grant…(educational) users conditional rights to use or reproduce certain copyrighted materials as long as the reproduction or use of those materials meets defined guidelines. The following are some of the more frequent issues:

A. Print Guidelines:

DO'S:

* Teachers MAY make and retain single copies of materials for purposes of

research, teaching or preparation for teaching.

* Teachers MAY make multiple copies for classroom use meeting the following:

1. ONLY one item per student (no "extra copies" are permitted).

2. Copies must be for a specific activity or discussion (not supplementary).

Linworth Publishing Company).

4. Copies must be at the "inspiration" of the actual classroom teacher.

5. No more than 9 items may be copied in multiples per course during one class

term.

* Request permission in writing from the copyright holder for copying if you know

that a particular item will be used year-to-year or term-to-term.

* Poems may be copied in entirety only if less than 250 words. Prose must be 2,500

words or less to be copied in entirety.

* Prose that is longer may have only up to 1,000 words or 10% of its whole copied.

DON'TS:

* Copying shall not be used to create or to replace or substitute for anthologies,

compilations or collective works. (Parts copied from different books should not be

put together to create a whole work, i.e. different pieces of poetry into an

anthology collection).

* Do not copy more than three items from one periodical volume during one term.

(A volume in some cases constitutes a year.)

* Copying may not be done from works intended to be "consumable."

* Copying shall not substitute for the purchase of books, reprints or periodicals.

Neither can it be repeated with respect to the same item by the same teacher from

term to term.

* Graphics, once copied, may not be altered in any way. (Check guidelines for

additional quantity restrictions.)

Video Utilization Approval

In order to show any video in the classroom other than those borrowed from the school media center, teachers must complete the Video Utilization Form and turn into a school administrator for approval. See next page.

Video Utilization Form

Title: _________________________________________________

Date shown: ___________

Times to Start/Stop: __________________________________________

Source: School library _____ Purchased video _____ Rental ______

Teacher: __________________ Subject: _____________ Grade: _______

Unit: ______________________________ Lesson topic: ______________

GPS Standard: ________________________________________________

Have you previewed this video? _______ Yes ________ No

Unit correlation:

____as an opener (motivation) ____as a closer (motivational)

____as a review of the lesson ____ as preparation for a test

____as a lesson to develop skill ____ as a lesson to develop a

concept

____in a problem solving setting ____other: ____________________

Performance:

Preparatory activities: _________________________________________

Participation activities: ________________________________________

Follow up activities: __________________________________________

Principal’s Signature: _______________________________

Channel used: _________

Leadership and Professional Growth

Professional Organizations

American Association of School Librarians (AASL) – www.ala.org/aasl

American Libraries Association (ALA) – www.ala.org

50 East Huron St.

Chicago, Illinois 60611

800-545-2433

888-814-7692

Georgia Association for Instructional Technology, Inc. (GAIT) – www.gait-inc.org

Georgia Council of Media Organizations (COMO) - http://www.georgiacomo.org/

P.O. Box 142218

Fayetteville, GA 30214

Georgia Department of Education (GA DOE)- www.doe.k12.ga.us

2062 Twin Towers East

205 Jesse Hill Jr. Dr. SE

Atlanta, GA 30334

Georgia Library Association (GLA) - www.lib.gsu.edu/gla/

P.O. Box 793

Rex, Georgia 30273

678-466-4339

678-446-4349 (FAX)

Georgia Library Media Association, Inc. (GLMA) - www.glma-inc.org

487 Winn Way, Suite 100

Decatur, GA 30030

404-299-7700

International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) - www.hi.is/~anne/iasl.html

Dept. 962, Box 34069

Seattle, WA 98124-1069

Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) – www.pageinc.org

P.O. Box 942270

Atlanta, GA 31141-2270

770-216-8555

Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary loan is the procedure by which one library may request and receive materials from another library for the use of an individual. Interlibrary loans are available through the local libraries located in Lavonia, GA, and Royston, GA. If a teacher requests an item that is not available at FCMS media center, the media specialist will contact the librarian at either library to request the item. The item is then checked out to FCMS, and from there to the teacher.

Procedures

Franklin County Circulation Procedures

Franklin County Board of Education states that all school-owned instructional resources are organized and managed through the media program, except textbooks, items purchased with designated funds, or those useful only in one content area.

Worn or out-of-date items will be replaced as needed when funds permit. Withdrawn materials will be sent for disposal and/or recycled.

Charges may be made for replacement or repair cost for lost or damaged instructional materials. This is left up to the individual school.

Non-school-owned materials may be used in the instructional program at the discretion of the school administrator.

Community resources may be used when necessary to provide effective support instruction.

The Administration does recognize the right of an individual parent or guardian to request that his/her child not be required to read, view or listen to a given instructional material provided a written request is filed by the parent or guardian with the appropriate school administrator.

Requests for reconsideration of the use of instructional material must be made in accordance with procedures governing such appeals.

Franklin County Middle School

Circulation Procedures

Each FCMS student is allowed to check out two books at a time, for a two-week period. Any item may be renewed for an additional two-week period on or before the due date.

A barcode with the student’s name and ID number will be placed on the student’s agenda. The agenda serves as a library card and should be brought whenever a student wishes to check out a book. Students will receive their barcode approximately two weeks after school has begun.

Students

l Students may check out both non-fiction and fiction books.

l Students may not check out reference books.

l Students may no check out periodicals.

l Georgia Reference books may be checked out for one day.

Faculty & Staff

l All faculty and staff are requested to check out all items in their own name. Once an item is check our in a staff member’s name, the staff member is responsible for the item.

l Referenced materials can be checked out for short-term classroom use.

l Classroom equipment can be checked out for the school year (overheads, CD players, etc.)

l Televisions and DVD/VCRs may be checked out on a daily basis.

l LCD projectors may be checked out for two days.

l Digital cameras can be checked out for one day.

All equipment needs to be returned to the media center by 3:45 on the day that it is due.

Overdue Procedures

Students at FCMS are encouraged to return their books when they finish reading them. If an item is overdue, there is a fine of ten cents a day per item (excluding weekends and school holidays). A student who owes a fine of $1.00 or less is allowed to check out one book until the fine is paid. These policies are designed to develop responsibility in FCMS students. Occasionally, we will have a “fine-free” week during the year in which students may return overdue books without incurring a fine.

In the event a book is lost or damaged beyond repair, full replacement will be charged. If the book is found and returned in good condition, a refund will be given. Replacement costs are as follows: for all paperback books- $10.00, hardback books- $20.00.

2-Week Notice:

l Students will be notified of overdue books every 2 weeks. They will receive a notice from their reading teacher that will be folded and stapled with their name on the outside.

4-Week Notice:

l Notices will be sent to teachers to request that the student with items overdue more than 4 weeks search his/her locker and report to the media specialist about the book.

9-Week Notice:

l Overdue notices of 9 weeks or more should be reported to parents. This may be through mail, e-mail, progress reports, phone call, etc.

If the book is not returned or paid for, the student’s report card will be held until payment is received.

Scheduling Of Media Center

The media center will be open from 7:30 until 4:00 each day. There will be extended times that will be announced throughout the year. Integration of the library media program with school curriculum requires an open schedule be maintained. Franklin County Schools support Georgia School Law Rule 160-4-4-.01 for Media Programs as listed: Rule 160-4-4-.01 MEDIA PROGRAMS.

The state of Georgia requires all library media centers to use flexible scheduling. State standards also require teachers to attend classes in the Media Center with their students. Flexible scheduling allows the media center’s resources and personnel to be available to all persons throughout the day. The MEDIA CENTER SIGN-UP CALENDAR is available for time and activity sign-up near the media center office.

Individual students or small groups may come to the media center at anytime to browse, check out books, use reference materials, quiet reading time, research, or work on class projects. Teachers may send up to four unaccompanied students to the media center at a time.

Any student or student group that comes to the media center for any purpose other than check-in/check-out should have a note from the teacher indicating the purpose of the visit/nature of assignment and if assistance is needed from the media center staff.

Visits requiring preparation by the media specialist need a notice of 48 hours, if possible, to allow for planning time.

Ten computers are available for students to use. Eight computers are for research purposes, and two computers are for circulation purposes.

Library Orientation

During the first two weeks of school, each Language Arts class is scheduled for an orientation session with the media specialist to learn about the policies and procedures of the Media Center.

Inventory

Inventory will be conducted on a yearly basis, usually at the end of the school year, so to give teachers full use of the media center until the last month of school. Complete instructions in the manual should be followed.

Weeding

A continuous evaluation of all materials, print and non-print, in each media center shall be made to ensure that media collections meet the needs of the curriculum, students and staff. Weeding will enable utilization of available space and assure a school of up-to-date collections.

Weeding will take place continuously as materials are circulated, and during yearly inventory.

Instructional materials shall be removed from inventory as they become worn beyond repair, out-dated, or expended. Equipment shall be removed from inventory when it is no longer functional or needed. Discarding shall be in compliance with state and local policy, state and federal law, and any restrictions related to the source of the funds.

l Media specialists shall keep a record of discarded materials for a minimum of three years.

Procedures for Inventory

l Prepare shelves by placing all sections in shelf list order.

l Scan all items that need to be inventoried, backing up regularly.

l Once inventory is complete, print off a list of missing items.

l Attempt to locate missing items. As items are found, scan them into the inventory file.

l Reprint the list of missing items to be kept with other end-of –year reports.

l Items missing for two years should be recorded and removed from inventory.

Cataloging

Processing New Materials And Equipment

A well-organized collection is the first step toward providing an effective library media program. To insure this, the media center should practice a uniform method of processing materials. All circulating materials and equipment should be bar-coded.

Books And Other Print Materials

1. Check new materials against the purchase order and the company’s invoice or packing slip.

2. Indicate items received and note discrepancies on all copies. Notify the company of any discrepancies or defective items.

3. Once order is complete, sign and date invoice or packing slip and return to bookkeeper, who will forward to the Finance office to be paid. Attach a copy of the invoice or packing slip to your copy of the purchase order and keep on file.

4. Stamp the material with your school’s media center stamp, preferably with a mailing address, and indicate any source of special funds if necessary, such as Title I.

5. If a duplicate barcode was not ordered to be placed inside an item, then record the barcode number inside the material. The location of the barcode number should be consistent throughout the local school collection.

6. Import data disk into Library Pro or create your own MARC record. MARC records can be searched through several sources available on the Internet at Librarians Information Online Network at http://www.libraries.phila.k12.pa.us/lion/cataloging.html

7. If spine labels and barcode labels are not attached, attach them to the books and any other locally used items such as pocket, due date slip, etc.

8. Shelve the materials.

Equipment

1. Check new equipment against the purchase order and the company’s invoice or packing slip.

2. Indicate items received and note discrepancies on all copies. Notify the company of any discrepancies or defective items.

4. Label the equipment with your school’s media center stamp with a permanent marker, engraver or paint pen, and indicate any source of special funds if necessary, such as Title I.

5. Add new equipment to your inventory records and include the following:

· Type of equipment

· Brand name

· Model Number

· Company

· Date received

· Serial number

· Price and funding source

· Barcode number

· Warranty information

6. If you keep inventory records in Library Pro, attach barcode number to equipment and store.

MARC records should always be purchased for books and non-print materials when available to insure accurate and enhanced records. When original cataloguing must be done the latest edition of Dewey Decimal Classification and Relative Index should be used. CIP data is another source of cataloguing information. It is imperative that a standard be set and kept in classifying materials. The following call letter/number prefixes should be used with the first 3 letters of the author’s last name unless otherwise noted:

Category Call Letter Prefixes

Easy E

Fiction F

Story Collection SC

Collective Biography 920

Individual Biography B, 921 – 3 letters of subject’s last name

Non-fiction Dewey classification

Reference REf – Dewey classification

Professional PROF – Dewey classification

Big Book BB, Dewey

(Process paperbacks at your discretion. Adding a Kapco covering may prolong the life of a paperback.)

Adopt a uniform system for classifying non-book materials and equipment. They should be classified according to Dewey Decimal Classification when applicable using a standard prefix. You may precede all equipment with EQ or the equivalent, all audiovisual material with AV, ex. EQ OHP, EQ VCR, or AV KIT, AV CAS. This will keep like materials together in your Call Number Report. You must set up these prefixes in Library Pro Setup before using them or the system will not recognize them. Prefixes, which are not properly setup, will be placed in the Default category until setup is done. The following prefixes are recommended:

Category Call Letter Prefixes

Videocassettes VIDEO

Audiocassettes AUDIO

Transparency TR

Filmstrip FS

Picture PIC

Kit KIT
Slides SL

Laser Disc LD
Games GAME

Realia REA

16mm film FILM

Toys TOY

Maps MAP

Globe GLOBE

Model MOD

Music CD’s CD

CDRom CDR

Software CSW

AV Carts CART

Camera CAMERA

CD Player CDP

Cassette Player Recorder CPR

LCD Projector LCD

Laser Disc Player LDP

Overhead Projector OHP

Opaque Projector OP

Television TV

Television/VCR TV/VCR

Video cassette recorder VCR

Video camera VCAM

Paraprofessional and Volunteers

All volunteers must sign in and out in the front office.

Paraprofessional:

Checking in/out books and non-print materials
Shelving books, magazines, non-print materials
Monitoring students in the media center
Assisting staff and students in finding materials
Assisting staff and students in use of computers and software, including Library Pro
Assisting staff with technical problems in the media center
Maintaining teacher and student data bases in Library Pro
Preparing and sending overdue notices to students
Assisting with distribution and upkeep of media equipment
Assisting with annual inventory process
Assisting in maintaining general upkeep of media center
Assisting with Book Fairs
Other duties as assigned

Volunteers:

Use a volunteer application form.
Conduct training.
Develop a work schedule.
Care must be taken to keep confidential information about students confidential.
Keep records of attendance and activities.
Consider adult volunteers as enthusiastic advocates for your program.
Create task lists and written descriptions of tasks:

Shelve books
Check books in and out
Work with book reserve system
Assist with special projects as directed by the librarian (i.e. book fairs, authors, cleaning of equipment, birthday book club, preparing showcases and bulletin boards)
Process new books
Process periodicals
Assist with computer work as needed
Assist students with materials
Read to students
Change displays

REFERENCES

Carter, J. (n.d.) Lavonia Elementary media center procedures handbook.

Franklin County Board of Education. (2007). 07-08 School Calendar. Retrieved June 25,

2007, from http://www.franklin.k12.ga.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=121

Franklin County Schools Board Policy Manual (1999). Instructional Programs.

Retrieved July 7, 2007, from http://www.gsbaepolicy.org/policy.asp?PC=IFBD&S=4070&RevNo=1.23&C=I&Z=P

Franklin County Media Handbook. (n.d.) Franklin County Schools.

Hillsborough County Public Schools. (1999). Media Handbook. Retrieved July 3, 2007,

from http://www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/mediahandbook/

Paulding County Schools Board Policy Manuel (n.d.). Instructional Materials. Retrieved

June 28, 2007, from

http://www.gsbaepolicy.asp?PC=IFA&S=4125&C=I&RevNo=1.34

Resources for School Librarians (n.d.). Library Media Center Management. Retrieved

July 1, 2007, from http://www.sldirectory.com/libsf/resf/manage.html