Library Materials Information For Parents
Per EFB (Local) The District shall provide a wide range of library materials for students and faculty that support student achievement and present varying levels of difficulty, diversity of appeal, and a variety of points of view.
Library materials may be used to enhance the instructional program, for formal or informal teaching and learning purposes, and for voluntary inquiry or self-selected reading. In accordance with state and local standards, school libraries are essential interactive collaborative learning environments, ever evolving to provide equitable physical and virtual access to ideas, information, and learning tools for the entire school community. School libraries are essential, safe, and inviting centers for teaching and learning that provide equitable access to emerging technologies and physical and virtual collections of high quality, reflecting input from stakeholders.
For Parents: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
May students check out materials that are currently under review?
No. After a request for reconsideration form is submitted, all forms of the challenged material (physical and online copies) will be removed from all District libraries during the reconsideration process within five days of receipt of the challenge. See Board Policy (EFB Local).
How can I access the library books that are available to my child?
Lamar CISD is committed to maximizing transparency with parents and community members. To support transparency and access, parents may review library books through Destiny Library Manager, which is linked on the Library Services homepage for all campuses.
Approximately how many books are available in Lamar CISD?
Lamar CISD estimates approximately 565,000 library books district-wide.
How are library materials chosen in Lamar CISD?
Per District Policy EFB (Local), Library materials shall be chosen in accordance with guidelines adopted by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, as required by law. In the selection of library materials, librarians and other professional staff shall ensure that the materials adhere to HB 900 law and follow the educationally suitable guidelines in this policy. Review sites can be used to assist the selection of materials, but such review site's conclusions as to the appropriateness of the material shall not be deemed conclusive. LCISD will not purchase grouped/batched books in which titles are unknown and not filtered through our selection criteria.
Educationally suitable library materials must be 1) age appropriate, considering the relevant student populations ability/reading level, social and emotional development and interest; and 2) satisfy the following educational standard and goals:
- Enrich and support the TEKS mandated curriculum;
- Promote literacy, literacy appreciation and reading for enjoyment;
- Are educationally significant, factually accurate and from authoritative source;
- Meet high standards for artistic quality and/or literary style;
- Are designed to provide various sides of controversial issues that motivate students to examine their own attitudes and behavior; [See EMB regarding instruction about controversial issues]
- Promote understanding of civic duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges as free citizens participating in a constitutional republic;
- Promote critical thinking skills and the ability to make informed judgements and choice judgments in their daily lives;
- Represent a variety of contributions by ethnic, religious and cultural groups;
- Are not obscene, pervasively vulgar, harmful material as defined by Texas Penal Code section 43.24 or pornographic and are free of graphic images or descriptions of sexual acts that stimulate sexual desire or advocate or promote unlawful sexual activity or sexual activity among minors;
- No library materials used in elementary schools shall contain depictions or descriptions of sexual acts or stimulations of such acts implied or otherwise. This includes explicit or non-explicit written descriptions, depictions or illustrations of sexual acts, except for the purposes of teaching students (as may be approved by parents) to avoid and report molestation. No material in elementary school libraries shall include visual depictions or illustrations of frontal nudity;
- Do not advocate or promote racial, ethnic, sex-based, or religious stereotypes; and
- Do not advocate or promote unlawful or criminal activity, including illegal use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs by a minor.
Library materials will not be considered educationally unsuitable merely because they include references to sexual matters or criminal activity. But library materials that advocate or promote sexual or criminal activity will be deemed educationally unsuitable. Access to library resources containing sexual matters and references to criminal activity may be restricted in a manner determined by the Superintendent or his designee to ensure only age appropriate access is allowed. No library resource shall be considered educationally unsuitable or removed based solely on the ideas contained in the material or the personal background of the author or material or characters in the material.
How may I participate in my child's library book selection?
The District recognizes that parents hold an essential role in the education of their children and have their right to guide what their children read as set forth in Education Code Chapter 26. While librarians are trained in selecting materials in accordance with Board policy, the outline selection criteria, and may provide guidance to students in selecting text, the ultimate determination of appropriateness lies with the parent/legal guardian of the student.
The District shall focus on maximizing transparency with parents and community members while meeting student needs and providing enrichment opportunities with library materials. Parental involvement in library acquisition, maintenance, and campus activities is encouraged.
Parents are encouraged to communicate with the campus librarian and their child's teacher about special considerations regarding library materials self-selected by their student. In accordance with state law and administrative regulations, parents may select alternative library materials for their student.
[For information on parental rights regarding instructional materials and other instructional resources, see EFA(LEGAL).]
Parents are able to view the books their child checked out by accessing their child's Destiny account.
Is there an informal reconsideration process?
Per EFB (Local), When the District or a campus receives an objection to the appropriateness of library material, the appropriate librarian or administrator shall try to resolve the matter informally. The librarian or administrator shall explain the selection process, discuss the intended purpose of the specified library material and provide reasoning for the educational suitability of the material. The librarian or administrator shall make available (electronically) to the individual a copy of this policy and a form to request a formal reconsideration of the library material.
The librarian or administrator shall offer a concerned parent or guardian an alternative library material to be used by the child in place of the material and, if requested, shall restrict the child's access to the material objected to by the parent or guardian.
Is there a formal reconsideration process?
Per District Policy EFB (Local), The District shall make a form to request reconsideration of library material available at the District's administrative office or on the District's website. Information will also be provided regarding the reconsideration process.
If an employee or a parent or guardian of a District student wishes to request reconsideration of library material, they shall follow the procedures to complete and submit the request for reconsideration form.
After a request for reconsideration form is submitted, all forms of the challenged material (physical and online copies) will be removed from all District libraries during the reconsideration process within five days of receipt of the challenge. The form shall be provided to the Superintendent or designee. Digital copies of the form shall be provided to the school librarian, the Board, and any other staff designated by the Superintendent. Within 10 business days of receipt, the Superintendent or designee will review the form to determine if the library material is in violation of state law. If the challenged material is in violation of the law, it will be removed from the collection. All other library materials being challenged will go through a committee process to determine whether the material conforms to this policy and whether the material will continue to be available in the library.
Library Materials Formally Reconsidered and Retained
The following list of books were formally challenged and went through the reconsideration process and the reconsideration committee deemed these books to be in alignment with Board Policy EFB (Local).
Library Materials Retained List