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School Libraries

A collection of guidelines and resources to support strong school library programs.

Overview

School libraries help prepare students to live and learn in a world of information. The mission of school libraries is to ensure that students and staff are able to use ideas and information.

School libraries have evolved from simply providing print materials to offering rich selections of print, media, and digital resources; from teaching students how to search a card catalog to teaching students strategies for searching a variety of print, media, and digital resources; from teaching basic reading literacy to teaching information literacy (the ability to access, evaluate, use, and integrate information and ideas effectively).

State Library Standards & Governance

Standards and regulations that provide guidance on school library programming.

Model School Library Standards

In 2010, the State Board of Education set a groundbreaking vision for strong library programs in California, when they adopted the Model School Library Standards for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve.

State Policies and Guidance

California Education Code Addressing School Library Programs

California Education Code (EC) sections 18100–18103 External link opens in new window or tab.
Title 5, Division 1, Chapter 16, Subchapter 3, Article 1, CCR 16040–16043 External link opens in new window or tab.

California Education Code Addressing Library Collections

California law safeguards the right to an accurate and inclusive curriculum. Assembly Bill 1078 (2023), amongst other things, added EC Section 202 and EC Section 243 which specifically reference school libraries.

EC Section 202 External link opens in new window or tab.
EC Section 243 External link opens in new window or tab.

For additional guidance on Accurate and Inclusive Curriculum (AB 1078), please visit Accurate and Inclusive Curriculum (AB 1078).

For details and steps on the Uniform Complaint Procedure related to violations of these sections of EC please refer to Uniform Complaint Procedures and utilize the category of “Instructional Materials and Curriculum: Diversity”.

Recommended Literature: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve
A list of outstanding literature for children and adolescents produced by the California Department of Education. The recommended titles reflect the quality and complexity of the type of materials students should be reading at school and outside class. This collection provides a broad range of books that serve as examples of the kinds of materials that will help students meet California's rigorous content standards in reading and language arts. Local school officials and teachers are encouraged to use this list as a resource in designing standards-based instructional programs.

Student Success Card for All External link opens in new window or tab.
Chapter 598, Statutes of 2023 (Senate Bill 321 External link opens in new window or tab.) directed the California State Library to collaborate with schools and libraries to help make sure every California student has a library card by the third grade. Chapter 471, Statutes of 2023 (Senate Bill 1329 External link opens in new window or tab.) amended the legislation making it easier to implement. The CDE encourages school districts and public libraries to work together to provide California students with everything that public libraries have to offer. The State Library provides resources and technical assistance to help libraries create partnerships and Student Success programs. Please reach out to the State Library team at studentsuccess@library.ca.gov with any questions.

Intellectual Freedom

American Library Association External link opens in new window or tab.
The Office for Intellectual Freedom from the American Library Association provides a wide variety of information and helpful resources on censorship and the importance of intellectual freedom in the library.

Book Challenge Toolkit External link opens in new window or tab.
The California School Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee and the California State Library collaborated to develop this five-step toolkit to guide the creation of clear, equitable, and transparent policies and procedures for selecting materials for school libraries and to address questions or challenges to those materials.

National Council of Teachers of English External link opens in new window or tab.
This censorship guide provides background information, a statement regarding students' right to read, and guidelines for the selection of materials in English-language arts programs.

Questions:   Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division | CFIRD@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0881
Last Reviewed: Wednesday, May 14, 2025