Adapted from a set of guidelines prepared by the Alaska Association of School Librarians. It can be used in self-evaluation of your program and may assist in planning sessions with your administration.

Management/Administration

• The school library media center has a written library policy that includes a statement of purpose plus long and short range goals.
• The school library media center has a collection development plan.
• The school library media center has a plan for implementing technology as it relates to collection management and access to information.
• The school library media center has a procedure handbook.
• The school library media center is identified as a budget category in the annual school budget.
• The school library media specialist or school library media center has professional membership in organizations such as the Alaska Library Association and the Alaska Association of School Librarians, the American Library Association, etc.
• The school library media center owns a copy of the booklet Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning and has a plan for implementing these guidelines and has AASL "Standards for 21st-Century Learners." 
• The school library media center staff actively seeks input from students, staff, parents, and community in regularly evaluating the school library media collection, services, and programs.

Personnel

• The school library media staff consists of an adequate number of certified library media specialists and other library workers coordinated by a certified district school library media specialist.
• A school library media staff person is on duty during all hours of school operation. The school library media center has a current job description for each staff position.
• The school library media center staff is evaluated using an assessment tool designed for library media center workers.
• The school library media staff is trained in library procedures and service.
• The school library media staff follows library policies and procedures as outlined in the district library handbook.
• The school library media staff assists administrators and teachers in developing and implementing the school curriculum.

Collections

• The school library media center collection reflects the principles of intellectual freedom by including information from diverse points of view.
• The school library media staff uses professional review publications for selection of new materials.
• The school library media collection is cataloged and systematically arranged according to accepted standards.
• The school library media center provides an up-to-date public access catalog of all library media center materials.
• The school library media center has access to the catalogs of other libraries via such tools as ALNCat, WorldCat or the Internet. 
• The school library media center includes materials to support the curriculum and promote student interests in a variety of formats including but not limited to: fiction, non fiction, newspapers - local, state, national magazines (suited to student interests and professional staff development), state and local history materials, AV materials in a variety of formats, computer software, bilingual materials, multicultural materials.
• The school library reference collection includes, but is not limited to, each of the following: dictionaries - abridged and unabridged, encyclopedias (at least one set not over 3 years old), current almanac, world atlas (at least one atlas not over 3 years old), current local telephone book.
• The school library media collection’s size is adequate to serve school population needs.
• The school library media center has a written selection policy, based on the district level policy or collection development plan, which includes procedures for adding, withdrawing, and reconsidering existing library materials.
• The school library media center’s collection is developed by a certified school library media specialist with student, staff, and community input.
• The school library media center maintains confidential patron records in accordance with Alaska State Statute.
• The school library media collection is supplemented by other library media collections and community resources through cooperative networks and interlibrary loan.
• The school library media collection is inventoried and evaluated on a regular and/or continuing basis.

School Library Media Center Programs

• The school library media staff uses the Alaska State Library/Information Literacy Content Standards to guide instruction.
• The school library media staff offers a variety of programs to motivate reading and library use for all levels of the student population.
• The school library media staff involves teachers, parents, and community members in library programs.
• The school library media staff enlists the assistance of student and community volunteers.
• The school library media staff trains students and teachers on how to independently locate, interpret and use information.
• The school library media staff works with teachers to integrate library and information skills into daily classroom instruction.
• The school library media staff monitors student progress in information skills.

Services and Accessibility

• The school library media center provides free library media service to the entire school population.
• The school library media center is open for at least the number of hours recommended for the number of students if serves.
• The school library media center provides access to a dedicated telephone line that can be used for reference work and with a computer with Internet access to establish online access to information sources.
• The school library media center's services and programs are coordinated with those of other libraries and agencies.
• The school library media center maintains a circulation system for keeping track of all materials that are checked out.
• The school library media center provides community access to the existing school library media collection within the guidelines of the school district.
• The school library media center provides access to an Internet-capable computer and a FAX machine to facilitate resource sharing and interlibrary loan.
• The school library media staff actively promotes the use of new materials, equipment, and services.

Public/Community Relations

• The school library media center uses a variety of public relations techniques to advertise its services to the school and community.

Facilities

• The school library media center has signs designating its location and hours of service.
• The school library media center is conveniently located to promote easy and frequent access.
• The school library media center's areas are clearly designated.
• The school library media center has space and furniture appropriate for use by all its patrons — i.e. books for children on low shelves.
• The school library media center, if intended to also serve as a community library, has a separate outside entrance and nearby access to restrooms and drinking fountains to allow use of the facility outside school hours.
• The school library media center has areas for group and individual study, storytelling, and staff work.
• The school library media center offers an aesthetically pleasing, barrier-free learning environment.
• The school library media center has adequate space to meet the needs of the number of students it serves.

Funding

• The school library media center collection budget is adequate to serve school population needs.
• The school library media center budget is prepared with input from the certified school library media specialist.
• The school library media specialist actively seeks and utilizes additional funding sources whenever possible.

Continuing Education

• The school library media staff attends library and library-related conferences and workshops.
• The school library media staff has planning time for district-wide library media staff development.