1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA | | | 2| 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) | | | 3|SENATE BILL 344 By: Floyd | | | 4| | | | 5| | | | 6| AS INTRODUCED | | | 7| An Act relating to schools; directing each school | | district library to provide certain media program; | 8| directing each school district board of education to | | adopt certain policy regarding the criteria for | 9| evaluating and selecting certain materials; providing | | contents of policy; directing a library, materials, | 10| equipment, and staff to be available during school | | day; directing certain staff to provide certain | 11| assistance and instruction; providing for | | codification; providing an effective date; and | 12| declaring an emergency. | | | 13| | | | 14| | | | 15|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 16| SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified | | | 17|in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 11-203 of Title 70, unless there | | | 18|is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 19| A. Each school district library in this state shall provide an | | | 20|effective library media program through the acquisition of library | | | 21|media materials sufficient to meet the instructional needs of | | | 22|students enrolled in the school district. The library media program | | | 23|shall include a balanced collection of print materials, nonprint | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 1287 Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|materials, multimedia resources, and equipment and supplies to meet | | | 2|the needs of students and staff. | | | 3| B. Each school district board of education shall adopt and post | | | 4|on the school district's website a comprehensive written policy that | | | 5|guides the selection, deselection, and reconsideration of library | | | 6|media materials. The policy shall: | | | 7| 1. Ensure that the selection of library media materials | | | 8|reflects the school district's philosophy, mission, guiding | | | 9|principles, or other foundational documents; | | | 10| 2. Provide a framework for the consistent selection and | | | 11|acquisition of library resources in all formats using a standard set | | | 12|of criteria; | | | 13| 3. Avoid haphazard patterns of acquisition that would result in | | | 14|waste or overlap of content; | | | 15| 4. Designate the staff person or persons responsible for | | | 16|selecting materials and the parameters for selection decisions; | | | 17|provided, however, the policy shall allow for the use of | | | 18|professional judgment; | | | 19| 5. Ensure a diversity of viewpoints on all topics including | | | 20|those that may be considered controversial; | | | 21| 6. Identify cooperative collection development arrangements | | | 22|such as resource sharing including interlibrary loans, agreements to | | | 23|purchase or lease electronic content, and resource retention | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 1287 Page 2 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|commitments for materials such as government documents, archival | | | 2|materials, and local author materials; | | | 3| 7. Provide standards for collection maintenance and the removal | | | 4|of library resources for which the library has excess copies or that | | | 5|are out of date, inaccurate, no longer reflecting the consensus of | | | 6|the relevant field of study, in poor condition, rarely used, in an | | | 7|obsolete format, or not meeting the needs of library patrons; | | | 8| 8. Supply guidelines for consideration of gifts and donations | | | 9|of library media materials; | | | 10| 9. Establish a process by which individuals may share their | | | 11|concerns about library media materials or resources in a discussion | | | 12|with a certified library media specialist if one is available or | | | 13|other staff person designated pursuant to paragraph 4 of this | | | 14|subsection. If an individual's concerns are not resolved, he or she | | | 15|may request a formal reconsideration on a form provided by the | | | 16|school district; and | | | 17| 10. Affirm the importance of intellectual freedom, referencing | | | 18|key documents such as the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, | | | 19|the Library Bill of Rights, and the Freedom to Read Statement. | | | 20| C. The school district library, media center, media materials, | | | 21|equipment, and related school staff shall be available to students | | | 22|and staff throughout the school day. Staff shall assist students | | | 23|and teachers in becoming effective users of ideas and information | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 1287 Page 3 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|and provide instruction in the use of media materials and other | | | 2|resources available in the school district library. | | | 3| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023. | | | 4| SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation | | | 5|of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby | | | 6|declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and | | | 7|be in full force from and after its passage and approval. | | | 8| | | | 9| 59-1-1287 EB 1/13/2023 5:22:39 PM | | | 10| | | | 11| | | | 12| | | | 13| | | | 14| | | | 15| | | | 16| | | | 17| | | | 18| | | | 19| | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 1287 Page 4