The document provides guidelines for managing equipment, supplies, and media materials in school districts. It outlines procedures for acquiring, selecting, and reconsidering instructional resources to ensure materials are appropriate, representative, and support educational goals. A media and technology advisory committee is responsible for assisting in the selection process and addressing any challenges to materials.

1. SECTION 500 512.07
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT POLICY
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES MANAGEMENT
MEDIA
In order to help fulfill the educational goals and objectives of the school district,
the Craven County Board of Education strives to provide supplementary materials,
equipment and supplies, which will enrich and support the curriculum while improving
literacy and technological skills. Materials also should be representative of the rich
diversity of our nation and appropriate for the maturity levels and abilities of the students.
Legal References: G.S. 115C-47, -98b
Adopted by NB-CC March 20, 1986. Revised by CC March 21, 1996 and October 15,
2007.

2. SECTION 500 512.07
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT REGULATION
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES MANAGEMENT: MEDIA
Procedures for acquisition of materials and equipment:
1. Proper acquisition of instructional materials and equipment should:
--provide media that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into
consideration individual needs and the varied interests, abilities, socioeconomic
backgrounds, and maturity levels of the students served;
--provide media that stimulates growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation,
aesthetic values, and ethical standards;
--provide a background of information enabling students to make intelligent
judgments in their daily lives;
--provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that students
may develop, under guidance, the practice of critical thinking and of critical
analysis of all media;
--provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural
groups in our nation and the contributions of these groups to our American
heritage;
--place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in selecting
media of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection
appropriate for the uses.
2. Individual teaching and learning styles, the curriculum, and the existing collection
are given consideration in determining the needs for resources in individual
schools. After a careful needs assessment, resources considered for purchase
are judged on the basis of the following criteria:
--Purpose: Overall purpose and its direct relationship to instructional
objectives/curriculum
--Reliability: Accurate, authentic, up-to-date, authoritative treatment: Clear,
skillful, well-organized, unbiased, comprehensive, well-balanced
--Technical Quality: Relevant to content, sound and visuals consistent with state-
of-the-art capabilities
--Format: Well-organized, attractive, appropriate
--Construction: Durable, manageable

3. --Possible Uses: Individual, small group, large group, introduction, in-depth
study, remediation, enrichment
3. Each school should have a building-level Media and Technology Advisory
committee (MTAC) whose members are responsible for assisting media and
technology professionals in the selection process and the building-level
challenge of materials. This committee, appointed by the principal and co-chaired
by the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator, should also
consist of:
--Principal
--Representative from each grade level or department
--Representative from special areas
--Parent representative
--Student representative (at the middle and high school levels)
It is suggested that the MTAC meet a minimum of three times each school year.
4. In coordinating the selection and maintenance of media, the media specialist,
assisted by the MTAC, should:
--provide media that will enrich and support the educational program of the
school;
--use reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared selection tools when firsthand
examination is not possible;
--judge gift items by standard selection criteria and reserve the right to
incorporate into the school collection only those meeting criteria standards;
--Conduct an annual needs assessment;
--Continuously weed worn and obsolete materials from the collection while
meeting standards set by the SACSCASI, Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, and Craven
County School’s own weeding policy;
--Conduct an annual hands-on inventory of the entire media collection and
update records accordingly;
--Abide by all copyright laws regarding print and non-print materials.

4. Procedures for reconsideration of materials:
Occasionally objections to some materials may be voiced by the public despite the care
taken in the selection process or the qualifications of persons selecting the materials. If
a complaint is made, the following procedures should be observed:
1. Be courteous, but make no commitments. Remember that all parents who
question are not censors, but rather have a right to know about materials their
child is using.
2. Explain to the complainant the school selection procedure, criteria, and the
composition and function of the MTAC.
3. Invite the complainant to file his/her objections in writing and give him/her a copy
of the form, Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of Educational Media (see
attached), for submitting a formal complaint to the MTAC.
4. Suspend the use of that material for that particular student pending a decision of
the committee.
5. Within 10 days, appoint an Ad Hoc Reconsideration Committee to be composed
of the media specialist, teacher representatives, the principal, representatives
from the community, and the Associate/Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
as a minimum number to review the material. The Associate/Assistant
Superintendent for Instruction, and/or his/her designee, shall work with the
principal in selecting committee members, gathering and explaining data relating
to the material in question and have no vote on the matter except in case of a tie.
The Ad Hoc Reconsideration Committee should:
--examine the challenged material;
--survey appraisals of the materials in professional reviewing sources;
--weigh merits against alleged faults to form opinions based on the material as a
whole and not on passages isolated from context;
--meet to discuss the material and prepare a report on it;

5. --file a copy of the report with the principal, Superintendent, Associate/Assistant
Superintendent for Instruction, and media specialist;
--inform the complainant of the decision of the committee;
--upon completion of the reconsideration process, recommend that the challenged
material be retained, restricted or withdrawn.
6. If the complainant is dissatisfied with the decision of the Reconsideration
Committee, he/she may appeal to the Craven County Board of Education as per
the current grievance policy.
7. The final decision of the Craven County Board of Education shall be delivered to
the complainant and the Reconsideration Committee.
Receive as information by NB-CC March 20, 1986. Revised February 16, 1989, March
21, 1996, and October 15, 2007.

6. CITIZEN'S REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF EDUCATIONAL MEDIA
Title
Specify type of media by item: book, film, filmstrip, recording, etc.
Author/artist/composer/producer, etc.
Publisher/producer (if known)
Request initiated by
Address
Complainant represents:
(Name of organization)
(Identify other group)
1. To what in the item do you object? (Please be specific; cite pages, frame, etc.)
2. What do you feel might be the result of reading/viewing/listening to this item?
3. For what age group would you recommend this item?
4. Is there anything good about this item?
5. Did you read/view/listen to the entire item?
6. Are you aware of the evaluation of this item by authoritative sources?
7. What do you believe is the theme of this item?
8. What would you like your school to do about this item?
Do not assign it to any child
Withdraw it from all students as well as from my child
Refer it to the media review committee for reevaluation
9. Would you care to recommend other library material of the same subject and format?
Signature of Complainant Date
Please return completed form to school principal or media coordinator.