Our Library Media Center is guided by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association (ALA). The code of ethics protects individual freedom in the following ways:
Patrons will receive nonjudgmental and unbiased responses to requests for information.
Patrons will receive accurate information.
Patrons will have equal access to all resources, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity or other characteristics of personal identity.
Patrons will have access to materials that have not been censored by any individual or administration.
Patron's privacy will be maintained with regard to information needs and resources used.
Employees and volunteers of the institution will treated fairly and with respect.
Advancement of private interests at the expense of patrons will not be tolerated.
Employees and volunteers of the institution will not allow personal beliefs and opinions to interfere with their professional duties.
Employees of the Media Center will continue to learn and grow and support the same in co-workers and others in the profession.
According to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, you have the right to read any book, printed or digital, that you want to read. In your Media Center, you will be able to:
Copyrights are provided to protect original works including music, art, images and videos. Copyrights provide the owners with rights on how the may use, display, distribute and modify works. However, these copyright owners are limited by the "Fair Use" law that identifies what, when and how much of a work that has a copyright may be used. For more information, click on the following link to the American Library Association Copyright & Fair Use page: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/iftoolkits/litoolkit/copyright_fairuse
Plagiarism
Plagiarism occurs when an individual takes someone else's work or ideas and states or implies them as their own. This means the individual did not give credit to the creator of the work. Plagiarism is illegal with consequences ranging from a failing grade to being kicked out of college. For more information about plagiarism, take a look at http://www.plagiarism.org/
To avoid plagiarism, it is important to put all information in your own words and/or to cite the source or creator of the work. Many citation formats exist. The style you use will be determined by your teacher or your school district. There are several free citation generators available online, one of my favorites is EasyBib http://www.easybib.com/
Acceptable Use of Technology Policies
These policies include the expectations and requirements for technology use in Caroline County Public Schools. Click on the titles to access information.