Christian Schools of Florida
Accreditation Standards  

6000.13: LIBRARY / MEDIA CENTER


13.1 The school must have a centralized library/media center which serves as a center for the promotion of learning and an integral factor in the instructional program.
13.2 The library/media center must have a long-range development plan that includes technology.
13.3 The library/media center program must offer both library science instruction and research training. The library/media center hours must meet the needs of the educational program. The library/media center’s policies and procedures must reflect the school’s Christian philosophy in the selection of books and materials. Schools are to develop a selection and review policy to evaluate the appropriateness of materials for the library/media center.
13.4 The library/media center must contain a minimum of 1,500 usable and acceptable library volumes or 10 volumes per student, whichever is greater. Periodicals and newspapers must be adequate in quantity for the size of the student body and appropriate for the age and intellectual abilities of the students. The collection must be balanced in number and scope, as well as in breadth and depth, and contain both Christian and secular fiction and non-fiction books, reference materials, periodicals, and software for all grade levels and upper school departments. A reasonable schedule for updating materials must be in place.
13.5 Audio-visual/technology equipment and materials must be balanced in variety and adequate in quantity to meet the needs of the school’s curriculum and instructional presentations.
13.6 Library/media center holding must be properly catalogued and accessible.
13.7 The library/media center’s annual budget must include a minimal expenditure of $10.00 per student in grades preK-8, and $15.00 per student in grades 9-12 for the purchase of library books, periodicals, materials, media and technological equipment for library use. Additional funds must be allocated for the purchase of furniture and fixtures.
13.8

Depending on the number of students enrolled, schools must:

  1. Employ a full time librarian if the enrollment is 400 or more full-time equivalent students (FTE).
  2. Employ a half-time librarian if the enrollment is 100 to 399 (FTE).
  3. Contract a library consultant who must be consulted monthly to assist non-qualified staff in planning, instruction, and management for the library program if the enrollment is less than 100 (FTE).
13.9 The full-time librarian/media specialist or consultant must satisfy one of the following criteria:
  1. Have state certification in library/media science.
  2. Be certifiable in library/media science.
  3. Have a master’s degree in library/media science or documentation of active pursuit of such.

The part-time librarian/media specialist must have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours in library/media science.

Policy number: 6000.13
Approved: April 2003
Amended: