Q. How can I find out the recommended number of books per pupil in my middle school library? And are there recommended percentages for the different subject areas?
A. Over the years, ALA has moved away from prescriptive standards to output measures. For school libraries, AASL maintains the current standards. How your library supports the curriculum will affect how you build your collection and select materials for it. You’ll want to look at some of the resources on budgeting, collection development, and standards. When it comes to the distribution of the subject content of the collection, the current standards will also not be prescriptive, except to emphasize the importance of supporting the curriculum of the school and the learning objectives therein. Be sure to see Add It Up, our advocacy tool kit with research and statistics to help you make the case for libraries at every stage of youth development and education—there’s a section just for kindergarten through middle school. See more at the ALA Professional Tips wiki.
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