Adopted: September 2025
Revised:
Download 603.6AR - Library Materials
1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide direction and to delegate responsibility for selection and reconsideration of library materials.
2. General Statement of Policy
Library materials serve as a vital component of a student’s education by enriching the breadth of the curriculum as a whole and meeting the needs and interests of individual students. The purpose of library materials is to meet the needs of all students. Therefore, questions regarding selection and reconsideration of library materials should be handled differently than those concerning textbooks and instructional materials.
To ensure that library materials fulfill this role, the school district has a process for selection of library materials. Responsibility for selection shall rest with professionally trained school district staff, with recognition that the school board has the final authority on selection of library materials. Parents and guardians have the right and the responsibility to determine their children’s access to library materials.
A public library must not ban, remove, or otherwise restrict access to a book or other material based solely on its viewpoint or the messages, ideas, or opinions it conveys.
3. Definitions
3.1 “Library” is the school district resource within each school that holds the library collection that serves the information and independent reading needs of students and supports the curriculum needs of teachers and staff. The term “library” includes a school library media center. The term also includes access to electronic materials. Some schools in District 196 may refer to their “library” as “Learning Commons.”
Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.991, states that a school district or charter school library or school library media center provides equitable and free access to students, teachers, and administrators and that a school library or school library media center must have the following characteristics:
3.1.1 ensures every student has equitable access to resources and is able to locate, access, and use resources that are organized and cataloged;
3.1.2 has a collection development plan that includes but is not limited to materials selection and deselection, a challenged materials procedure, and an intellectual and academic freedom statement;
3.1.3 is housed in a central location that provides an environment for expanded learning and supports a variety of student interests;
3.1.4 has technology and Internet access; and
3.1.5 is served by a licensed school library media specialist or licensed school librarian.
3.2 “Library collection” consists of the library materials made available to students and staff.
3.3 “Library materials” are the books, periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, films, prints, documents, subscription content, electronic and digital materials (including e-books, audiobooks, and databases), and related items made available to students and staff in a school building or through access to electronic materials. This term does not include materials made available to students as part of the curriculum.
3.4 “Library media specialist” is a teacher holding a Library Media Specialist teaching license issued by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Boards and who is trained to deliver library services to students and staff in a library. A library media specialist is authorized under Minnesota Rules to provide to students in kindergarten through grade 12 instruction that is designed to provide information and technology literacy skills, to lead, collaborate, and consult with other classroom teachers for the purpose of integrating information and technology literacy skills with content teaching, and to administer media center operations, programming, and resources.
4. Responsibility for Selection of Library Materials
4.1 The school district recognizes the expertise of the school district’s professional staff and the vital need of such staff to be responsible for selection of library materials.
4.2 While recommendations by administrators, faculty members, students, parents, and other community members may be considered, the final responsibility for selection of library materials shall rest with the library media specialist in cooperation with the school district administration.
4.3 The procedures for selection and reconsideration set forth in this policy will be administered by:
4.3.1 a licensed library media specialist under Minnesota Rules, part 8710.4550;
4.3.2 an individual with a master’s degree in library science or library and information science; or
4.3.3 a professional librarian or a person trained in library collection management.
In cooperation with the school district administration.
4.4 Pursuant to Minnesota Statute § 134.51, the school district may decline to purchase, lend, or shelve or remove access to library materials legitimately based on:
4.4.1 practical reasons, including but not limited to shelf space limitations, rare or antiquarian status, damage, or obsolescence;
4.4.2 legitimate pedagogical concerns, including but not limited to the appropriateness of potentially sensitive topics for the library's intended audience, the selection of library materials for a curated collection, or the likelihood of causing a material and substantial disruption of the work and discipline of the school; or
4.4.3 compliance with state or federal law.
5. Selection Of Library Materials
5.1 Selection Criteria: The library materials selection process should result in a library collection that, when considered as a whole, is consistent with the following criteria:
5.1.1 Library materials shall support and be consistent with the general educational goals of the state and the district and the aims and objectives of individual schools and specific courses;
5.1.2 Library materials shall be chosen to enrich and support the curriculum as well as to promote reading for pleasure by responding to the personal needs and interests of student users;
5.1.3 Library materials shall not be excluded because of the author’s political views or protected class status under Minnesota Statutes chapter 363A;
5.1.4 Library materials shall be appropriate to and reflect the needs, ages, maturity level, emotional development, ability levels, learning styles, social development, background, diversity, and needs and interests of the students for whom the materials were selected;
5.1.5 Library materials shall meet high standards of quality in one or more of these categories (presented alphabetically):
5.1.5.1 Artistic quality and/or literary style;
5.1.5.2 Authenticity;
5.1.5.3 Critical thinking;
5.1.5.4 Educational significance;
5.1.5.5 Factual content;
5.1.5.6 High interest for intended audience; and
5.1.5.7 Readability.
5.1.6 The selection of library materials shall conform to the constraints of the school district budget.
5.2 The library media specialist shall consult sources and specialists experienced in library materials collections appropriate for the building’s students and that are reputable, experienced, unbiased, and professionally trained in school library materials.
5.3 Library materials that are in poor physical condition, outdated, inaccurate, no longer useful for curricular support or reading enrichment, or have not been utilized for an extended period of time may be removed.
5.4 Gifts and Donations of Library Materials
Materials offered for donation or gifted to a school library may be accepted if they comply with the library collection selection criteria. Donations are subject to Administrative Regulation 703.5.1AR, Gifts.
6. Individual Student Access to Specific Library Material
A parent or guardian may request that access to specific material in the library materials collection be restricted from their student. The school shall take reasonable steps to fulfill this request. This type of request will not result in removal of specific library collection material from the library or restrictions upon any other student accessing specific library materials.
7. Reconsideration of Specific Library Material
7.1 The school district seeks to uphold students’ access to library materials that meet the educational goals and selection criteria set forth in this regulation.
7.2 A district resident, parent or guardian of a school district student, adult student or district employee may request reconsideration of specific library material on the basis of appropriateness. Access to the material in question shall not be restricted until the procedures listed below have been fully completed and a decision to remove or restrict the materials has been made.
7.3 Informal Request for Reconsideration of Specific Library Material
7.3.1 Requests for reconsideration of specific library material shall be directed to the library media specialist and the building principal. The building principal and the library media specialist shall assume responsibility for processing the request on an informal basis.
7.3.2 The building principal and/or the library media specialist shall provide an explanation to the individual who submitted the request. The explanation shall include the particular selection criteria that the material in question met in order to be included in the library as curriculum support or as an independent reading choice for students and staff in the building.
7.3.3 The building principal and/or the library media specialist has the authority to agree to exclude or restrict specific library material only for the minor children of the individual who submitted the request, not for any other students. If a resolution is reached that concerns only the children of the individual who made the request or that does not affect other students, the issue is closed.
7.3.4 If the request is not resolved informally, the principal shall notify the director of elementary education or the director of secondary education (as appropriate) and the district technology specialist. The requestor will have an option to initiate a formal Request for Reconsideration, and will be given this regulation, Procedure 603.4P, Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources or Library Materials, 603.4AR, Reconsideration of Instructional Resources and Administrative Regulation 603.3AR, Selection of Instructional Resources.
7.4 Formal Request for Reconsideration of Specific Library Collection Material
7.4.1 A Formal Request for Reconsideration of specific library material is initiated upon submission of a completed Procedure 603.4P, Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources or Library Materials. The form must be completed in its entirety for each work that is subject to a request for reconsideration. The principal shall notify the director of elementary education or the director of secondary education (as appropriate) and the district technology specialist. The district technology specialist will notify media specialists throughout the district of receipt of the completed form.
7.4.2 The principal will acknowledge, in writing, receipt of a written request for the reconsideration, and send a copy of the request, any related correspondence and his or her acknowledgment to the director of elementary education or director of secondary education (as appropriate) and the district technology specialist within five work days.
7.4.3 The director of elementary education or director of secondary education will assemble the appropriate Reconsideration Review Committee and send the members copies of the challenged resources and the reconsideration request within 20 work days. The committee will meet within 10 work days after members are selected or as soon thereafter as possible.
7.4.4 The Request for Reconsideration will be processed in accordance with this regulation and sections 3-7 of Administrative Regulation 603.4AR, Reconsideration of Instructional Resources.
8. Challenge Report
Upon the completion of a formal content challenge or reconsideration process in accordance with this regulation, the director of elementary education or the director of secondary education (as appropriate) must submit a report of the challenge on behalf of the school board to the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education that includes:
8.1 the title, author, and other relevant identifying information about the material being challenged;
8.2 the date, time, and location of any public hearing held on the challenge in question, including minutes or transcripts;
8.3 the result of the challenge or reconsideration request; and
8.4 accurate and timely information on who from the school district the Department of Education may contact with questions or follow-up.
9. Prohibition on Retaliation
The school district may not discriminate against or discipline an employee for complying with Minnesota Statute § 134.51.
References:
- Minn. Stat. § 120A.22, Compulsory Instruction
- Minn. Stat. § 123B.02, General Powers of Independent School Districts
- Minn. Stat. § 123B.09, School Board Responsibilities
- Minn. Stat. § 124D.991, Public School Libraries and Media Centers
- Minn. Stat. § 134.51, Access to Library Materials and Rights Protected
- Minn. Rules Part 8710.4550, Library Media Specialists
- Bd. of Educ., Island Trees Union Free Sch. Dist. No. 26 v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853 (1982)
- Virginia State Bd. of Educ. v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624, 642 (1943)
- MSBA/MASA Model Policy 606, Textbooks and Instructional Materials
- MSBA/MASA Model Policy 606.5, Library Materials