CollectionDevDSA

=Durham School of the Arts, Collection Development Policy 2.4,2.6,3.4= Written by Dorothy Black for Collection Development Course with Dr. Valentine


 * Community Analysis: **

The Durham School of the Arts (DSA) sits on a campus nestled a few blocks from Duke University’s east campus and downtown Durham, NC. The school is directly across the street from what once held the Liggett and Myers Tobacco Factory, which closed its doors in 1999. The school and the factory are part of the living history of Durham and it’s economy. The school originally opened in 1995 as the Durham Magnet Center Middle School. A grade was added each year until it was a 6 through 12th grade secondary school, which means that the middle and high school are not separated from each other. DSA graduated its first class in 2000. DSA is not a performing arts school per se. There is no audition or portfolio process. Instead, the arts are offered and integrated into the regular curriculum. DSA is a magnet school that is lottery driven. It has a diverse population from all over the district but what the students and their families have in common is they made a choice to apply, which in itself shows thought and motivation. The school offers arts, academics and a sort of funky relaxed social attitude. [|The NC School Report Data for DSA] shows that DSA students consistently score higher than the district average: 91.8 to 64 percent, respectively. This year Newsweek [|ranked DSA] number 256 of the best high schools in the country, up from 422 in 2009. Test scores are high for the White, Asian, and Multiracial students at DSA but the African-American and Hispanic students score significantly lower on average. ** DSA Mission Statement ** The mission of Durham School of the Arts is to help students from diverse backgrounds to fully realize their individual academic and creative capacities through a rigorous educational program emphasizing visual and performing arts. Our goal is to support students throughout their seven years at Durham School of the Arts to reach their graduation day prepared to take on the challenges of college, career, or specialized training. In addition to academics, arts, and technological skills, we know that it is our job to prepare students to be creative problem-solvers, team players, effective communicators, and good citizens. ** DSA Media Center Mission Statement ** The Mission of the Durham School of the Arts Media Center is to create a safe, comfortable, inviting space for all members of the DSA community to use and to provide materials that:
 * Support the curriculum
 * Promote learning and reading
 * Foster both knowledge and personal growth
 * Show both sides of controversial issues to help students develop ethical and critical thinking.
 * Represent the diverse culture of Durham, North Carolina, our nation, and the world.


 * Library Patrons: **

The student body of DSA is very diverse. Students come from all areas of Durham to attend the school. Although the graduation rate is higher than the district and the student body as a whole performs well on the end of grade tests, there are still struggling students that need special attention. The library is working hard to meet the needs of the lower performing students as well as the above-average student scholars.


 * Primary users: Students **
 * Numbers: 1415
 * Ages: 11-18
 * Education levels: grades 6-12
 * Graduation Rate 91.8
 * Free and Reduced Lunch 35.62 percent
 * Hispanic 15%
 * African-American 42%
 * White-35%
 * Reasons for use: Class units, class research, recreation, computer labs.


 * Secondary users: Faculty **
 * Ages: 23-67 (approximately)
 * Education levels: B.A. to Ed. D. 48% hold advanced degrees
 * Number: 98 Faculty
 * Reasons for use: 2 computer labs inside the media center. Flexible scheduling and collaboration with librarian.


 * Occasional users: ** Administration, support staff, library volunteers.


 * ** Regular Meetings: **
 * Guidance department
 * Enlaces-Cultural support group for 6th and 7th grade students.
 * Staff Meetings

Collection Guidelines
The analysis of the DSA media collection shows that the collection is barely meeting the North Carolina Impact Standards. The number of books per student is low and the age of the collection is just above the minimum. Collection guidelines to improve this collection would include: = = = DPS Media Center Selection Policy =
 * An overall increase of materials per student.
 * Higher percentage and newer materials in the 700 and 900 divisions.
 * Weed and replace the VHS video collection with DVD’s.
 * Create a music library with relevant CD’s for music performance students.
 * Weed and Replace Reference division to bring to an acceptable age.
 * Increase number of easy reader books for middle school.
 * Increase number of books appropriate for ESL students
 * Increase number of fiction titles relevant to African-American Male students.
 * Increase number of Graphic Novels

There are many people and processes involved in materials selection at DSA: Some formal and some informal. The formal processes include recommendations from the academic department heads, the media and technology advisory Committee (MTAC), and the student advisory committee. Throughout the year, the department chairs speak with faculty to find out what materials and technology they would like to see added to the library collection. Once a quarter, the MTAC meets to review and refine what the media and technology needs are and make decisions about how available monies will be spent. Several times a year the student advisory committee meets with the librarian to make recommendations on the types of materials they would like to have access to. In addition to the formal committees and processes, Faculty and students make requests for materials throughout the year. The librarian determines if these requests fit well with the collection and decides accordingly.

Selection Criteria for the DSA Media Center takes into consideration the ages, reading levels, and preferences of the students as well as the curriculum requirements of the faculty. The Follett Titlewave service includes several good review sources such as School Library Journal, Booklist, and Publishers weekly as part of the record. In addition to the reviews within Destiny, the library may also reference other sources such as Books in Print, Kirkus Reviews, Hornbook, etc. Materials are also selected based on recommendations of the DPS Media and Technology chairperson and other district librarians.
 * Selection Criteria **


 * Research and academic Materials: **


 * Must meet the needs of the curriculum and the NCSOS.
 * Must be up to date, relevant and reliable information.
 * Format is designed well and information is easy to find.
 * Materials must be durable, attractive, and user-friendly.


 * Recreational reading materials: **

The DSA student body is diverse in age, culture, reading levels, and interest. Currently recreational books account for 60% of circulation so it is incumbent on the Media Coordinator to select books that reflect the needs and tastes of the entire student body. Periodicals are reviewed every spring. The periodical collection is a combination of informational and recreational magazines. Periodicals are selected by student and faculty interest level and relevance to curriculum needs. Recreational magazines are discarded at the end of the school year. Informational magazines are weeded according to condition and relevance.


 * AV materials: **

Audio-visual materials such as DVD’s, Music CD’s, and computer software are selected by curriculum relevance. The library is currently moving from VHS to DVD’s for video. Internet Databases must be on the approved list from Durham Public Schools to ensure they will be compatible with the network and school computers. Technology and audio-visual hardware vendors must be on the DPS IT approved list before purchase. The library is currently studying the possibility of an ebook pilot program and how it would fit into the overall collection needs.

= Acquisition Policy = = All Durham Public School Media coordinators may use any vendor they choose. The district uses the Follett Destiny OPAC and Follett classic barcodes so by default, most books are ordered through Follett. DSA library also purchases from Perma-Bound for books that they want to have a hard binding. When time is a factor, the library also acquires books from the Regulator Bookshop in Durham. The books can be ordered by phone and the Regulator creates an invoice to be paid later. The downside of using the Regulator is the time it takes to individually catalog the books. Periodicals are ordered through W T Cox in the spring for the next school year. = = Evaluation =

The Media Coordinator uses the Follett Titlewave program to analyze the collection several times a year. This serves several purposes. One is to identify records that may not be properly reconciled. Another, and more important reason, is to see how the collection is meeting the needs of the Patrons and how it compares to the IMPACT standards set forth by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction(NCDPI). Currently the DSA collection meets the minimum standard for the number of books per student at 15.36. The average age of the collection is 1996, which is just above the minimum standard of sixteen years. The analysis also breaks down each Dewey section so it can be determined which sections need the most weeding and acquisition of materials. The collection is weeded on an ongoing basis. The DSA Media Center weeding criteria is as follows: = Other Issues = = Copyright: = = Media Center personnel do not aspire to be the copyright police but rather a source of information about copyright for both teachers and students.The media center has several books, handouts and appropriate links to information about copyright on the Media Center Website. Each year, all eighth grade students complete a research project designed by teachers and the media coordinator. Media literacy skills, including copyright are incorporated into the assignment and part of the grade. = = Computer Capacity: = = The Media Center has sixty computers available for student and class use. There are two large clusters available for classes to use and another small cluster for general use. Classroom teachers can reserve computer clusters. If there is no class signed up for them, it is first-come first-served for students and classes. There is also a large laser printer and a copy machine in the media center to be used by faculty and students with permission. The Media Center website has links to several online databases and the card catalog. The most used of these databases is NC Wiseowl. The SIRS Knowledge Source. and Worldbook Online. Due to budget constraints DPS no longer offers any type of streaming video databases. = = = = Request for Reconsideration = Durham Public Schools has a long, formal process for [|reconsideration of instructional materials.] If a challenge cannot be settled informally, then the formal process begins with a letter to the DSA principal, Mr. Hawkes. The principal responds to the complaint by sending form 3015 to the complainant and informs the Superintendent there has been a formal complaint. If the parent/guardian is only concerned about the material as it pertains to their child, then the superintendent makes a determination. If the complainant wants to challenge the material for all school use, then the superintendent forms an ad hoc Media Challenge committee to review the complaint. The principal informs the parent in writing what the determination is. If the parent is not satisfied, they may appeal to the school board. The DPS reconsideration policy and philosophy is in line with the [|North Carolina Impact Standards], the [|Library Bill of Rights] of the American Library Association and the Students' Right to Read of the National Council of Teachers of English.
 * Physical condition of the item. (old, torn, yellowed pages, etc.)
 * Material supports the curriculum and the NC Standard Course of Study.
 * Outmoded-May be purchased in a newer format (Internet based, ebook, CD)
 * Outdated- (No longer current or relevant information)

Form ** 3015 ** DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Author/Artist/Composer: Title: Publisher/Producer: Request initiated by: - Telephone: Address: City: Zip Code: 1. What do you believe are the theme and purpose of this item?

2. For what age group would you consider this item appropriate?

3. What do you feel might be the result of a students reading, viewing, or listening to this item?

4. To what in the item do you object? (Please be specific: cite pages, frames, etc.)

5. Is there anything good about this item?

6. Did you read, view or listen to the entire item? - If not, what parts?

7. Are you aware of the evaluation of this item by authoritative sources? -- If this material was an assigned item, are you aware of the purpose of this assignment? –

Do not assign it to my child. Withdraw it from all students as well as from your school, Refer it to the media coordinator's office for reevaluation. Make it available only to those who wish to use it Other (specify)
 * // 8. //** What would you like your school to do about this item?

9. In its place, what item of equal educational quality would you recommend that conveys as valuable a concept and perspective of the subject covered by this item?

Name of Parent/Guardian complaining: _

Name of Parent's/Guardian's Student: Signature of Complainant: Date:

Gifts of new or gently used materials are gratefully accepted. If the materials are not appropriate for the DSA Media Center collection they may be donated to classrooms or charitable organizations.
 * Gift Policy **
 * The DSA library staff reserves the right to determine what is an appropriate addition to the library collection. **