Intellectual Freedom

RILINK's Union Catalog includes a wide variety of materials for all age groups and abilities.  These materials have been evaluated and selected by school library media specialists for students in schools encompassing a range of grade levels  - our membership includes elementary and secondary libraries.

Selection policies on file in most school departments will stipulate that library materials shall be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social development of students for whom materials are selected.  By the very nature of the interlibrary loan process, students have the option to request books that may not be appropriate for their age or ability level.  As daunting as it may seem, we need to uphold the basic tenants of intellectual freedom as described in Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Media Program.  Links to this document and other related pages are available on the RIEMA website at www.ri.net/RIEMA/intellfree.html   

All member School Library Media Specialists (LMSs) should regularly instruct students in the process of critically selecting and evaluating information specific to the RILINK Union Catalog.  Many RILINK LMSs have chosen to teach the RILINK interlibrary loan process in collaboration with a classroom teacher who requires a RILINK book as part of particular assignment or project.  This instruction could include, but not be limited to, evaluating materials, by making students aware of reading levels and summaries within the bibliographic records in the Union Catalog.  LMSs should also teach students to pay particular attention to copyright dates  in evaluating the currency and accuracy of the information contained in a particular title that they are planning to request.

 

Updated March 16, 2005.

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