Polk County Public Schools’ Library Media Services offers a number of services and programs to aid students, school library staff, teachers, faculty, district office staff and members of the community.

Services include:

  • Providing support for school libraries, including training, on-site coaching, and phone/email assistance
  • Provide local support and training for Insignia Library and Textbook Management System.
  • Providing local support for Renaissance Learning programs (Accelerated Reader, STAR Reading, STAR Early Literacy)
  • Providing management and support for Title I’s Books Bridge program
  • Managing procurement, training and promotion of online resource database services for all students and staff
  • Collaborating with district and community partners, including Polk County Reading Council, in literacy initiatives
  • Providing special programming, including Reading Comes Alive Sunshine State Young Readers’ Festival
  • Maintaining a Little Free Library drop-off and stock-up location
Search the Library Catalog

Discover which library books and other resources are available at your school and contact your media specialist for more information.

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Programs

Our programs are designed to support and build literacy within the community.

Award Winning Books

Click below to access information about award winning children’s and young adult literature.

Library Resources

Polk County Public Schools’ Library Media Services provides Online Resources to help our students:

  • Have access to current resources
  • Build research skills
  • Develop digital literacy skills.

On this page, you will find links to a variety of eBooks, videos, articles and much more. Some subscription services may ask for a password when accessing these resources from a device outside of a school campus. For more details about logging into these Online Resources, see your school’s Library Media Manager and ask for a bookmark or flyer that includes login information.

Procedure for Examination of School Library Material

According to s. 1006.28 any parent or resident of Polk County may formally challenge library materials used in the district’s educational program. Books are reviewed in the order the State’s Specific Objection Form for School or Classroom Library Materials challenge is received.

Checklist for School Library Media Evaluation Form

Specific Material Objection Rule 6A-7.0714 F.A.C Updated September 2024

 

Resources For Everyone

Children Reading

Polk County Public Schools’ Library Media Services acknowledges the importance of maintaining access to current resources, building research skills, and developing digital literacy. PCPS provides a variety of resources for students, teachers, and families

 

Family Reading

Your school library provides you with:

  • Print Books
  • eBooks
  • Online Research Resources
  • Polk PLUS access to all Polk County Public library services and materials.

Go see everything we have to offer and explore your library catalog on Insignia. Just click on the Online Resources link below:

INSIGNIA ONLINE RESOURCES

 

Florida Book Awards - Recommended Reading

Information for Authors

Certified educational media specialists are responsible for curating school library collections according to district and state guidelines. All titles in the collection must meet the needs of the school community. They must also meet district policies for academic and age-appropriateness and be available through district-approved vendors. These vendors provide library processing and computer records necessary to include books in the collections.

Procedures For Collection Development Of Library Materials

Criteria For Discarding/Retaining Materials

s. 1006.28 states each district school board shall adopt procedures for developing library media center collections and post the procedures on the PCPS website. The procedures must:
“Provide for the regular removal or discontinuance of books based on, at a minimum, physical condition, rate of recent circulation, alignment to state academic standards and relevancy to curriculum, out-of-date content, and required removal pursuant to subparagraph.”

Weeding and discarding of a school library’s collection occurs to keep materials relevant, effective, and appropriate to the school’s needs. District Library Media services will provide ongoing guidance for targeted weeding of the collection. Books that have not circulated within the last 5 years will be removed automatically from the collection, as part of the annual inventory process.