Library

Library Policy
2016-17

This document is a guide for principles, policies, and procedures related to the school Library. It is a work in progress. Please study the document carefully and apply the policies thoughtfully. These policies and procedures will be reviewed each year by the leadership team with input and feedback from all staff. (This version was updated on 11 November 2016)

Aims

The FHS Library aims to make students internationally-minded and literate in various modes of communication. To support this aim, the library plays a central role in providing the whole school with resources and skills. These resources are curated to instill a love for reading and to develop research skills in our students. The library furthermore aims to provide varied and differentiated resources. The library functions as a resource for other stakeholders, such as teachers and parents, who seek guidance about pedagogy and parenting.

Strategies

Collaborative planning
- The librarian will attend weekly PYP collaborative planning meetings to understand PYP methodology and to provide support needed by PYP teachers for ongoing units of inquiry
- POI and UOI documentation will be available to the librarian and teachers to review
Library periods (PYP)
- Library and research skills will be taught by the librarian with the active support of the PYP class teacher and/or intern; topics include:
  1. Rules and procedures for visiting the library and borrowing
  2. The arrangement of the library and where to find particular types of resources
  3. Academic honesty
  4. Reading strategies
  5. Developing research skills
- Reading and comprehension/extension activities will be conducted by the librarian with the active support of the PYP intern
Research related to curricular topics
- PYP units of inquiry require research resources; the librarian and assistant librarian will assemble relevant materials for use during UOI lessons
- HS subjects require research resources; the librarian and assistant librarian will assemble relevant materials for use during lessons
Independent, leisure reading
- Subscriptions to periodicals support reading and research with varied and updated materials; these are paid for by students for the entire year and managed by the librarian
  1. PP1-C2 Magic Pot
  2. C3-C5 Tell me Why
  3. C6-C10 The Hindu in Schools
- Book Club, Book Fairs, and author visits are organized by Scholastic Books several times each year; parents are also invited to attend.
Virtual Library & Blog
- The librarian will curate a list of online resources to support research and inquiry.
- Initially, it will be organized to cater to PYP units of inquiry
- The virtual library will be available on the school blog and shared folder.

Acquisition Policy

The acquisition of resources is primarily the responsibility of the librarian but teachers and students’ recommendations are also valued.
The books will be purchased primarily during the summer break, with additions being made during the academic year, if and when required.
The school collection must have significant variety and depth in terms of:
- Language (especially for Urdu, Hindi, Telugu)
- Reading level (appropriate for ages PP1-C10)
- Perspectives (to encourage critical thinking, intercultural awareness, awareness of global issues, and empathy)
- Format (books, periodicals, CD-DVD, internet sites)
- Genre (fiction and its subgenres, non-fiction)
Donations
- Students are to gift a book to the library on their birthdays
- Other donated books are welcomed with gratitude, but they will be reviewed for appropriateness
De-selection Process
- A committee comprised of the librarian, 4 teachers (from PP1-C2, C3-C5, C6-C7, and C8-C10), and 1 coordinator or principal will determine which books are to be discarded
- Books will be removed if:
  1. Books are damaged or beyond repair
  2. Inappropriate in content (i.e. for the target age groups)
  3. Outdated
- Books removed from the library will be given away as resource material to teachers or donated to others.
Lost books
- The librarian will determine which lost/damaged books are to be repurchased

Cataloguing & Display

Circulation Procedure

Open hours
- The library is open for students from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM and from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM.
- The library is open for teachers from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM and from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
- During lunch period, HS students may use the library if they have a library pass (available with the class teacher)
- During summer break, the library will be open from Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Circulation Policies
- PP1 and PP2 may not borrow books
- C1-10 may borrow books during published timings
General Collection
- Books may be borrowed for 1 week
- Students may check out only 1 book at a time
- Teachers may borrow textbooks and other resources for the duration of 2 weeks.
- Books can be renewed, unless the book has been placed on hold by another student/teacher.
  
  Book Borrowing Timetable
  
  1 Short Break 2 3 Lunch 4 5
  
  Monday C4 C6
  
  Tuesday C7 C3
  
  Wednesday C5 C1 C2 C8
  
  Thursday C9
  
  Friday C10
- Parents may borrow 2 books at a time for 1 week
Reference Collection must be used in the library for research.
Fines
- Rs 10/day overdue fine (up to Rs 50 maximum)
- If the student fails to return a book in a week’s time, his/her library privileges will be suspended for the time the book is not returned.
- If a student loses or damages library materials, the student will be responsible for the cost of the materials plus overdue fines, if applicable. (After four weeks of being overdue, the book would be considered lost, and the full value of the book will be deducted from the student’s imprest account. The child may then choose to retain the book.)
- Library fines will be deducted from the imprest deposit
- If teachers or parents lose or damage library materials, they will be responsible for the cost of replacement.

Rules for the library

Rules
- Speak quietly and walk slowly
- Leave book bags outside
- After use, place books in the ‘Book Return Bin’ placed beside the Librarian’s desk
- Straighten up desks and chairs before you leave
Taking care of books
- Make sure your hands are clean when reading a book
- Keep markers, scissors, pens and glue away from books
- Draw pictures on your own paper, not in a book
- Use a bookmark to mark your spot instead of folding down the corner of the page.
- NEVER cut or tear any book

Research and citation conventions

The school follows and the library teaches students and staff to follow the Chicago Manual of Style for referencing sources:
- Quick guide: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
- Handbook: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html
The librarian will develop simplified citation systems, based on the above, to help all age groups understand the concept of referencing sources and avoiding plagiarism.

Administrative issues

Periodic tasks
- Daily: update accession register (both manual and online), update circulation register, reshelf all materials, monitor fulfillment of subscriptions.
- Weekly: to send a list of students’ names who did not return library books, to the class teacher
- Monthly: post fines due from imprest along with lost books fines
- Yearly: stock checking, culling/book repair, textbook and publishers’ catalog review, library policy review, repurchasing of lost/damaged books
  1. Last date for students to return books for HS students at the year end: 17 February 2016
  2. Last date for students to return books for PYP students at the year end: 14 April 2016
Related policies
- Language Policy
- ICT Policy
Review process
- This policy will be reviewed each year by the pedagogical leadership team and by a committee of language (Urdu, Hindi, Telugu, English) and subject (Pre-primary, Upper primary, and Secondary) teachers.
- The review will take place in December to be implemented in the coming academic year.
Communication of the policy
- This policy will be published for teachers in the Teacher’s Handbook and/or the shared drive
- The policy will be published for parents and students in the school blog and/or website
- Excerpts of this policy will be posted in the Library

References

The Chicago Manual of Style Online. “Chicago Style Citation Quick Guide” Accessed 12 November 2016. http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html.
DPS International School. “Library policy.” Accessed 1 November 2016. https://dpsiedgelib.wordpress.com/about/library-policy/.
International School. “Hyderabad’s Library Blog.” Accessed 1 October 2016. http://ishlib.blogspot.in/.
Westlake Academy. “Library Blog.” Accessed 1 October 2016. Westlake Academy.

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Book Borrowing Timetable
	1	Short Break	2	3	Lunch	4	5
Monday			C4		C6
Tuesday					C7	C3
Wednesday	C5		C1	C2	C8
Thursday					C9
Friday					C10

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Library Policy 2016-17

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Library Policy
2016-17