18A:34A-4 School library, material curation policy.
489 words·~2 min read·
/nj/title-18a/chapter-34a/18a-34a-4A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
4. a. A board of education shall adopt a policy on the curation of library material within a school library. The purpose of the curation policy is to: provide standards for the curation of library material, establish criteria for the removal of existing school library material or library material selected for inclusion in the school library, and provide protection against attempts to censor library material.
b. When developing the policy, the board shall review the model policy established by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to subsection d. of this section. The board shall have control over the content of the policy, except that the policy shall, at a minimum:
(1)recognize that library material should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all students and should present diverse points of view in the collection as a whole;
(2)acknowledge that library material shall not be removed from a school library because of the origin, background, or views of the library material or those contributing to its creation;
(3)recognize the importance of school libraries as centers for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information and ideas;
(4)promote the free expression and free access to ideas by students by prohibiting the censorship of library material;
(5)acknowledge that a school library media specialist is professionally trained to curate and develop the school library collection that provides students with access to the widest array of developmentally appropriate library material available to schools; and
(6)establish a procedure for a school library staff member to review library material within a school library on an ongoing basis, which shall include, but not be limited to: the library material's relevance, the condition of the library material, the availability of duplicates, the availability of more recent developmentally appropriate material, and the continued demand for the library material.
c. In the event a board of education has a policy that complies with the requirements of subsection b. of this section as of the effective date of this act, the board shall not be required to take further action.
d. To assist boards of education in developing a policy on the curation of library material within a school library, the commissioner shall develop a model policy. In developing the model policy, the commissioner shall consult with the State Librarian, the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, and the New Jersey School Boards Association. The model policy shall be updated as the commissioner deems necessary.
e. A board of education, in consultation with school library staff members, shall have discretion in selecting, purchasing, or acquiring library material for inclusion in the school library. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a board of education to purchase, or otherwise acquire, library material for a school library.
f. Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict a board of education's authority to select textbooks and school supplies related to the curriculum.
L.2024, c.96, s.4.