Services and Policies
Media Center Policy and Procedure Guidelines
2013-2014
The mission statement of the Haddon Township High School & Rohrer Middle School Library Media Center is to:
Provide a collection of materials that support and contribute to the district’s approved curriculum; provide reference services to aid with the completion of class assignments, lesson plans, and/or personal development; and provide a patron-centered environment to help individuals learn to effectively find, evaluate and communicate information.
Media Center Hours
Monday-Thursday from 7:45 AM to 3:15 PM
Friday from 7:45 AM to 2:50 PM
Online 24/7
In the event the media center needs to close due to meetings, signs will be posted on the door. Additionally, upcoming closures are announced via email and posted by the circulation desk.
Visiting the Media Center
We welcome your visit. All students must sign in. Students are allowed to visit the media center before/after school and during study hall periods. Students should not visit the media center during their assigned lunch periods. Students who choose to sign in during lunch may be contacted by the Attendance Office, and assigned a disciplinary consequence if deemed necessary. Any student utilizing the Media Center during an assigned class time must be prepared to show a signed note from his/her teacher. Students without passes will not be permitted to stay in the Media Center.
Students may also visit the Media Center as part of a class visit. Class visits are booked in advance by the teacher, and students are responsible for attending as they would a regular class.
Media Center Expectations
The students, faculty and staff of HTHS/RMS share the responsibility of maintaining a library environment that is conducive to teaching and learning. Patrons and staff are expected to maintain a quiet and courteous atmosphere, and to take care of all materials borrowed. The Media Center staff asks that you please:
- Refrain from eating, drinking or chewing gum in the media center, and to please dispose of any trash that may be created
- Maintain a quiet environment while working
- Return materials borrowed in a timely fashion
Students who choose to shirk their responsibilities in the media center will be:
(1) given a verbal warning
(2) Asked to return to study hall or classroom
(3) Referred to the assistant principal if the behavior continues
Borrowing Materials
All materials are checked out a the circulation desk, found in the middle of the media center.
Books are loaned for a period of two weeks and may be renewed, unless the book is on hold for another patron. Students with outstanding fines of $1.00 or more may lose the privilege to borrow or renew books.
Reference materials are restricted to use in the media center, with the exception of Circulation Reference, and general encyclopedias, which can go out overnight. Students may use the photocopy machine to make copies of reference materials ($0.05 a page).
Magazines and periodicals are for in-library use only. Issues older than 3 months are given away to interested patrons.
All patrons are responsible for any materials loaned out under their accounts. Students may not borrow or return materials for other students. Please alert the media specialist immediately if any extenuating circumstances arise.
Returning Materials
Please use the book drop, located at the circulation desk, or the book drop outside of the media center at the RMS Media Center entrance.
Fines
Students receive a one day grace period to return materials. Students are then charged $0.05 per day, per item.
Overdue and fine notices are printed every Monday morning, and given to teachers for distribution in 2nd period. Notices are typically handed out on Tuesday mornings. At the end of each marking period, notices are distributed again. All obligations should be cleared as quickly as possible.
RMS: Students with fines that total $1.00 or more will have their OnCourse accounts blocked, and their report cards held.
HTHS: Students with fines that total $5.00 or more will have their OnCourse accounts blocked, and their report cards held.
Students must clear their fines before regaining access to Oncourse and/or receiving their report cards.
Any student or family facing financial hardship must be brought to the attention of the media specialist, who will work to seek a solution to the problem.
Internet Use
There are computers and printers available for student and faculty use. Students must follow the Haddon Township School District Acceptable Use Policy #2361. NJSA 2A:38A-3 Federal Communications Commission: Children’s Internet Protection Act. Adopted May 12, 2011.
Rules of Conduct in the Media Center
The rules of the Media Center have been put established by the Media Center staff in order to (1)protect the rights of the individuals using the Media Center, (2)protect the rights of the Media Center staff so they may conduct business without unnecessary interference or disruption, and (3)protect the materials and facilities. These rules give the Media Center staff the right to exclude the use of the media center to any individual who willfully violates the set rules.
The Media Center staff believes that (1)library patrons have the right to use the materials and services without being disturbed or impeded by other patrons, (2)patrons have the right to an environment that is secure and comfortable, and (3)patrons should have access to materials and facilities that are available and in good condition.
The theft, vandalism, or destruction of media center property is a violation of the School Rules and Code of Conduct (refer to Student Handbook).
Patrons who deliberately and willfully violate the media center’s rules of conduct will be asked to refrain from engaging in such behaviors. Patrons who opt to continue to violate the rules of conduct may be asked for identification and will be required to leave the media center for the period. In the case of extreme, or recurring, misconduct, the offender will be asked to leave the media center immediately and report to the Assistant Principal’s office.
The media center staff simply asks that patrons:
(1) Refrain from any misconduct or inappropriate behavior that may hinder the other patrons or the staff as they work in the media center. This includes
- Noisy conversations (above a quiet work level)
- Running around
- Blocking entrances or fooling around near entrances, computers or circulation desk
- Harassing others, either verbally or through actions. This includes paying unwanted attention to others, initiating unwanted conversation with either students or staff, following patrons/staff around the media center, staring at or (inappropriately) touching other patrons, acting in a way that can be perceived as threatening, hostile, or offensive.
- Fighting. Students fighting will leave the media center for the rest of the day.
- Using bad language or discussing subjects inappropriate to the school environment (including drugs, alcohol, partying, etc.)
(2) Refrain from chewing gum, eating or drinking. This can result in materials, equipment, or furniture being damaged.
(3) Refrain from moving equipment or furniture. This can result in a student getting injured. The school employs staff to move furniture if necessary. Additionally, students should not put their feet on furniture.
(4) One person per chair. The media center staff reserves the right to “break up” large groups of students if they continuously work at an inappropriate noise level.
Please Note: Students are encouraged to be responsible with their belongings. Leaving personal items, such as bookbags and purses, unguarded for long periods of time can result in theft. The media center is not responsible for any personal items that “disappear” from the media center. Additionally, students are reminded to check for their flashdrives before leaving the media center. They are not always turned in when left behind. The media center is not responsible for replacing lost flashdrives. Also, the media center is not responsible for the loss of electronic documents or programs that may be deleted if a students fails/forgets to log off after using a computer.
Serious or Repeat Violations of the Media Center Rules
The media center staff is committed to keeping the media center a welcoming environment to all students, faculty and staff. To that end, any students who repeatedly cause a disruption in the media center will be referred to the Assistant Principal. Students should note that the media staff may be documenting behavioral incidents. If referred to the discipline office, students should understand that collaboratively, the Assistant Principal and the Media Specialist will determine a consequence for the disruptive student. This may result in the loss of Media Center visitation privileges, and parent contact.
A downloadable PDF of the Policies and Procedures Manual is available for download here: