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Literature Selection

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Overview #

Rehoboth Christian College libraries exist to support the College’s mission to provide excellent Christ-centred education by selecting materials which expand and inform students’ Christian worldview. While Rehoboth Christian College operates three libraries across two campuses which operate separately, all operate with this single mission. Rehoboth Christian College has three libraries across two campuses. The Libraries operate separately, but with one single mission. We strive to work with the school community, to enable all student to become confident, competent readers and effective discerners of information. To achieve this, Rehoboth Libraries are dedicated to providing a wide range of materials and resources.

Rationale and Scope #

At Rehoboth Christian College we recognize the value of all forms of literature available to us. We appreciate God’s gift of language and human creativity evident in literature of all kinds. However, discernment must guide our choice of literature, whether in materials used for class study, take-home readers, or the myriad of books of every genre available from the Libraries. It is our responsibility as Christian teachers, parents and educators to choose the books provided for our children wisely. Rehoboth students have access to a wide range of literature including re-telling of Bible stories, fantasy, adventure, poetry, graphic novels, fiction, non-fiction, historical novels and many more. Through exposure to these many forms of literature we seek to develop in our students an awareness of the world as seen through the eyes of the author but especially from a Christian perspective. Our aim is to help students become discerning readers, who read literature through the lens of God’s Word from a Christian world view.

Definitions #

  1. Selection refers to the process of apportioning library funds to obtain a wide variety of materials and resources to meet the needs of the students, staff and classrooms.
  2. Christian worldview refers to the foundational Biblical understanding of what God’s revelation is to us about Himself, humanity and the world, with such knowledge acting as a lens through which we see all things from a Biblical perspective.
  3. Recreational refers to activities that engage in the ‘re-creation’ of our hearts, minds, souls and bodies in keeping with the redemptive work of the Word of God and the Spirit of Christ, fitting us our for the Kingdom of Heaven.
  4. Weeding (also known as deselection) is an essential element of collection development designed to ensure the library materials are useful, relevant, up-to-date and appropriate. As accessible library space is limited, weeding involves an evaluation of resources with the intent to remove items that are no longer required.

Selection and Collection Management #

Key considerations for selection:

  1. The library aims to support the educational, informational and recreational needs of our students and teachers.
  2. The librarian oversees the management of the collection of resources through:
    1. Providing materials that enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests and needs of the students and our Christian worldview.
    2. Providing materials that stimulate growth in factual knowledge and literary appreciation, enabling students to make intelligent judgements consistent with a Christian worldview.
    3. Providing materials that introduce controversial issues, presenting both sides, that students under guidance, may develop Godly discernment and critical thinking skills from a Christian perspective.
    4. Placing principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials to ensure a high-quality, comprehensive collection, appropriate to the users of the library.
    5. Providing materials representative of the many religions, ethnic and cultural groups in our community.
    6. Encouraging students to read age- and maturity-appropriate books; redirecting younger students to books written to an age or maturity appropriate to them; permitting older or more mature students to read material not permitted to younger students if appropriate.

Materials #

The librarian overseas the collection management, ensuring that the collection remains current and relevant and adhering to the school’s ethos and policies. 

Additions to the Library #

  1. Suggestions for additions to the library collection may also be submitted by
    1. Relevant classroom teachers, department heads, chaplains and specialist teachers, department heads, chaplains and specialist teachers
    2. Students and other support staff members
    3. Principal, CEO, board members and parents
  2. All suggestions for additions to the library are reviewed in accordance with the selection criteria as stated in this policy.
  3. Teacher reference material purchased from library or class funds, will be catalogued by library staff and will either be in the library, appropriate teacher classrooms or office areas.

Controversial Material #

  1. Books using magic or special powers in clearly imaginary storylines (with the understanding that these stories exist only in the realms of imagination and not the real world) may be included in the Library collections at the discretion of the librarian.
  2. Books which glorify or trivialise the occult, or in which evil triumphs over or is preferable to good, are to be avoided. Materials which instruct in or encourage occult practice are similarly to be avoided.

Sensitive Material #

  1. Materials classed as ‘sensitive’ will be catalogued and stored in a restricted section of the library. These may only be selected by a teacher and studied under a teacher’s direct guidance and instruction.
    1. Works which glorify and promote violence, inappropriate language and sexual immorality, or works which trivialise or seriously misrepresent the nature of human relationships are to be avoided.

Texts and Learning Formats #

  1. Rehoboth Libraries will incorporate a variety of texts and learning formats designed to suit varied learning purposes and styles. These may include:
    1. Print resources such as books (fiction, non-fiction, reference) and periodicals
    2. Graphic resources such as charts, posters, pictures and maps
    3. Models, realia, kits and puppets
    4. Audio-visual resources such as DVDs, CDs, and audiobooks
    5. Digital resources

Selection Expectations #

  1. Where possible, resources will be examined and/or previewed/read prior to purchase. It is recommended that library staff use several reliable tools, e.g., Good reads, Children’s Books Daily, Common sense Media, and confer with other campus library staff if needed, before acquiring items and selecting new materials.
  2. While it is desirable that library staff peruse all resources prior to inclusion in the library, it is not reasonable to expect that they will be able to read, listen to or view all material in their entirety. However, they shall in all circumstances have a good understanding of the nature of the content of the materials they select for the library.
  3. In the instance where the Librarian is unsure of an item’s suitability for inclusion in the library, they will consult with other campus library staff, the principal of the relevant campus or the chaplain if necessary.

Donations #

  1. Donations will be accepted on the condition they meet the selection criteria of new resources. Once received, donations or gifts become the property of the library and will be used as library staff deem appropriate. 
  2. Donated items will be subject to the same criteria for weeding as any other item. 
    1. Lost or damaged items. It is recognized that items may occasionally be lost or damaged. Lost or damaged items will be assessed individually at a campus level. Procedures in relation to lost or damaged items are developed by library staff. In some cases, procedures will include payment, at the discretion of the library staff. An extended period of grace will always be given, and parents notified of lost or damaged items borrowed by students. Where intentional loss or damage recurs by the same borrower, replacement cost will be required and a restriction on loans may apply.

Budget #

The Finance Manager sets the Library budget, which is monitored by the Principal of each campus. Library staff members at the individual campuses are responsible for wise stewardship and following the procedures set out by the Finance department. 

Collection Appraisal #

Ongoing evaluation of the collection will be undertaken in order to ensure relevance and currency in relation to curriculum requirements, as well as the needs, abilities and interests of the school community.

Systematic Appraisal #

Systematic appraisal will include:

  1. identifying areas of strength and weakness within the collection
  2. Identifying additional resources required for new programs
  3. Identifying items no longer required or needing replacement
  4. Determining priorities for budget considerations

Methods of Appraisal #

Methods of appraisal may include:

  1. Curriculum mapping
  2. Analysis of usage
  3. Comparisons of published lists and
  4. Other methods as may seem appropriate

Weeding #

  1. Considered library collection evaluation will ensure the collection remains in good condition, relevant and attractive to its users. Items will be systematically and deliberately removed from the collection if they meet the following criteria:
    1. Physical condition worn, unattractive or damaged beyond repair
    2. Content inaccurate, inappropriately biased, out of date, obsolete
    3. Usage declining due to changing interests and curriculum needs, or format
  2. Teaching staff members may be consulted in the weeding process by reviewing sections of the library that are relevant to their subject needs.

Challenges to Library Materials #

  1. Despite the care taken to select material appropriate for student and staff use, Rehoboth Libraries recognise that members of the school community may raise occasional objections. If a complaint is made in relation to library materials, the following procedures will apply:
    1. The complaint shall be heard by the relevant campus library staff who shall use discretion to decide whether to weed the item or discuss the item with other campus library staff and /or principal of relevant campus. The item shall be re-examined according to the selection criteria.
    2. The outcome of the review shall be communicated to the complainant. If the decision is made to weed the item, such a decision shall apply across all Rehoboth Campus libraries, depending on High school or Primary school relevance.
  2. The decision of any parent/guardian wishing to restrict their own children from using or borrowing material that they find objectionable, will be respected. In such instances, the library staff will add a memo to the record of the relevant student to the library system, alerting other or future library staff members of the restriction.
  3. While all care is taken to choose literature and materials appropriate for our Christian families, Rehoboth Libraries recognise that there is a wide range of opinions amongst our Rehoboth parents of materials considered acceptable for their children Rehoboth Libraries will, in accordance with Rehoboth’s ethos of Parent Partnership, work together with parents when a student is exposed to literature parents deem inappropriate for their child. Parents are encouraged to bring the matter to the librarian on the first for discussion on the first instance.
Updated on 17 April 2023