NYC School Librarian Guidebook: Selection of Materials
Resources to examine our inherent bias, promote personal awareness, and help us build collections for our students that reflect themselves and the world around them.
Introduction: Selection of Materials
This section contains resources for building and maintaining your collection as well as guidance on addressing challenges materials.
Digital Review Sources
Addressing Challenged Materials in the Library
- New York City Department of Education Collection Development Policy for Classroom Collections and School LibrariesThe school library provides physical and intellectual access to information, enriches, and supports the educational program of the school through a well-planned and maintained collection. It is the duty of the schools to provide a wide range of materials on all levels of difficulty, in all appropriate languages, with diversity of appeal, and presentation of different points of view.
Diversity is a source of knowledge and must be taught and celebrated. Our differences make us unique and bring distinct and independent perspectives to teaching and learning. Although texts should be representative of the differences in the world, not all materials present the same. Schools selecting materials for school libraries and classroom collections should understand the need to vet and evaluate text in a collection individually and as a part of a larger collection using the selection criteria outlined in the NYCDOE Collection Development Policy.
Library Bill of Rights
- Library Bill of Rights
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services. - Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Media ProgramAn interpretation to the Library Bill of Rights for the school library.
- Access to Resources and Services Regardless of Sex, Gender Identity, or Sexual OrientationAn interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights maintaining that libraries and librarians have an obligation to resist efforts that systematically exclude materials dealing with any subject matter, including sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
NYCPS is committed to creating and supporting learning environments that reflect the diversity of New York City. To ensure that our website serves the needs of everyone, it follows the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, Level AA. That means the sites work for people with disabilities, including those who are blind and partially sighted.
We are committed to creating accessible digital experiences for all website visitors. If you require assistance with any documents on our site, please email libraries@schools.nyc.gov