15: Library Policy

It is the goal of Victory Life Academy to provide inspiring, wholesome and academically appropriate books and materials for the library.

VLA’s school board and administration subscribe in principle to the following statement of policy expressed by the American Association of School Libraries as it supports the philosophy of Victory Life Academy.

Bill of Rights for Library Media Center Programs

The professional staff of school media centers is concerned with the development of informed and responsible citizens. To this end, the American Association of School Librarians reaffirms the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association and asserts that the responsibility of the school media center is:

  • To provide materials that will enrich the student as an individual and support the curriculum, taking into consideration individual needs, and the variey interests, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and maturity levels of the students served.
  • To provide materials that will stimulate growth in knowledge and develop literary, cultural, and aesthetic appreciation and ethical standards.
  • To provide materials on all sides of issues, beliefs, and ideas so that young citizens may develop the habit of critical thinking, reading, listening, and viewing, thereby enabling them to develop an intellectual integrity in forming judgments.
  • To provide a comprehensive collection of instructional materials which, when selected in compliance with basic selection principles, can be defended on the basis of their appropriateness or the users of the media center.

Library Material Selection Responsibility: VLA’s school board, the governing body of the school, is responsible for the selection and approval of instructional materials. This authority is delegated to the professional personnel of the school for the selection of these materials.

Materials for the library resource center are selected primarily by the librarian with input from the administration and teachers.

Library Material Purchase Policy: Materials purchased for the library must support and not contradict VLA’s Philosophy of Christian Education & Statement of Faith.

Library Material Selection Criteria:

  1. Instructional materials need to be of interest to and have learning value for the student.
  2. Insofar as it is in accordance with the philosophy of VLA, materials will be selected which present all points of view concerning the problems and issues of our time: international, national, and local.
  3. Periodicals and newspapers which supplement the curriculum needs shall be chosen for accuracy, objectivity, accessibility, demand and price.
  4. Multiple items of outstanding quality and much in demand media will be purchased as needed.
  5. Nonfiction subjects will be carefully considered before selection and must support VLA’s philosophy.
  6. Selections will be made for, and in accordance with, the different maturity levels of the students.
  7. Materials will be selected which fill a need related to the curriculum and/or contribute to the development and enrichment of the student.
  8. Interests, needs, student abilities and correlation of materials with the curriculum shall be contributing factors in the selection of library materials.

Library Material Evaluation Criteria: The following criteria shall be considered in the selection of library materials.

  1. The author or producer should be qualified as a subject specialist.
  2. Concepts, content and vocabulary should be appropriate for the potential user.
  3. Facts presented should be accurate and up-to-date.
  4. Information should be logically arranged.
  5. Subject matter needs to hold the attention of the student.
  6. Illustrations need to be pertinent and well executed.
  7. Format of the material needs to be attractive and durable.
  8. Each medium should meet a real or potential need.
  9. Evaluation from standard selection aids should be given consideration.

Inclusion of Donated Books and Materials: Donated materials are accepted with the understanding that they must meet the same selection criteria listed above as required for VLA purchased library materials.

Donated books and other materials once accepted by VLA become the property of the VLA library.

Recommendation Policy: The school board and administration of Victory Life Academy recognize that not all books approved by the VLA library selection process may be considered suitable by all parents. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the student’s parent/guardian to monitor their child’s reading selections and determine the appropriateness of the books their child is reading.

If a parent/guardian has an objection to a particular book being in VLA’s library, they may submit their concerns in written form to the school librarian. The school librarian will review the request and a determination as to inclusion of the book will be made. Notification of action taken will be made to the parent who submitted the objection.

Deletion of Library Materials: Worn items will be replaced periodically. Out-of-date or no longer useful library materials will be withdrawn from the collection.

Book Check-Out & Fines: Books may be checked-out for a two week period. A replacement fee will be charged for lost library items. A book will be declared lost when it is 30 days overdue.