Office of the Superintendent of Schools
Office of Academics
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Approval Of New Campus Library Book Orders And Donations
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In accordance with Texas Senate Bill (S.B.) 13 and Board Policy EFB(LOCAL), all new library materials-whether purchased or donated-must be publicly listed for a minimum of 30 days and formally approved by the School Board before being added to any campus library collection. The Houston Independent School District (HISD) School Board is accordingly asked to approve the addition of new book titles, purchased or donated, to any district libraries. These titles have completed the district required review and vetting process in full compliance with S.B. 13, ensuring that all materials meet state standards and align with district policies for age-appropriate and educational relevance.
S.B. 13 requires that:
* All proposed library materials that are new to district circulation must be posted for public review for at least 30 days.
* The School Board must vote to approve or reject each item.
* This applies to both physical and digital materials, including classroom libraries if applicable.
* Challenged materials must go through a committee for investigation. A committee's decision is posted publicly and submitted to the board for a final decision.
The HISD book acquisition process is as follows:
* Campus Vetting - New titles are evaluated for grade-level and content appropriateness.
* Campus Submission - Librarians submit book orders and donation lists through the official HISD Book Order/Donation Form.
* Public Review - New titles are posted for a 30-day public comment period, available through the HISD website.
* Final Approval - After the comment window, vetted titles are presented to the board for final approval before accepting or purchasing.
A copy of the list of proposed library materials is attached.
COST/FUNDING SOURCE(S):
Campus purchases are funded through campus budgets or donations.
STAFFING IMPLICATIONS:
None
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