School Library Media Programs → Evaluation and Selection

Evaluation and Selection

About Evaluation and Selection of Instructional Materials and Library Books

Evaluation and Selection serves as a coordinating unit for the evaluation of instructional materials and library books by professional staff. These materials support the curriculum and instructional strategies in the schools to meet the diverse learning needs of students.

What Evaluation and Selection Does

  • Coordinates the evaluation of instructional materials and library books for school purchase.
  • Coordinates the evaluation of content area textbooks for school purchase.
  • Maintains a reading room where library media professional staff may review materials prior to selection for use in schools.
  • Maintains the 30-day shelf for examination of newly approved textbooks.
  • Maintains a collection of collection development and evaluation tools to support library media professional staff.
  • Provides guidance for weeding library collections.
  • Facilitates collection development meetings for library media professional staff for the review and evaluation of library books and instructional materials.
  • Selects initial collections for new schools.
  • Secures the appointment of an ad hoc evaluation committee to reevaluate materials whose appropriateness has been questioned by parents or staff of the school community.

Textbook review: 30-day Shelf

Newly approved textbooks will remain in the Evaluation and Selection Unit for 30 calendar days to permit examination by professional staff and parents before school orders will be honored.

  • The Evaluation and Selection Unit is available for review of newly approved textbooks on the first Thursday of each month from 9:00am - 11:30am.
  • Additional times available by appointment. Contact us for more information.
  • The Evaluation and Selection Unit is located at 570 N. Stonestreet Ave, Rockville, MD 20850.
Under Review: 
  The following textbooks are under review for evaluation:
  • Cajas de caton: relatos de la vida peregrina de un nino campesino; Francisco Jimenez (until January 10, 2020) 
  •  Handmaid's Tale; Atwood, Margaret  (until January 24, 2020)