SOP 501.01: Library Services Administration and Operation

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:1 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

I. Introduction and Summary:

This policy supports departmental goals by establishing requirements to ensure the
provision of a full spectrum of needs-based library services to Georgia Department of
Corrections (GDC) offenders.

II. Authority:

A. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 125-4-2-.08;

B. GDC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): 227.06 Offender Receipt of Mail

and 227.03 Access to Courts; and

C. ACA Standards: 2CO-5F-01, 5-ACI-4A-23 (ref. 4-4269), 5-ACI-7E-01 (ref. 4
4505), 5-ACI-7E-02 (ref. 4-4506), 5-ACI-7E-03 (ref. 4-4507), 5-ACI-7E-04 (ref.
4-4508), 5-ACI-7E-05 (ref. 4-4509), 5-ACI-7E-06 (ref. 4-4510), 5-ACI-7E-07
(ref. 4-4511), 4-ALDF-2A-62, and 4-ALDF-5C-05.

III. Definitions: None.

IV. Statement of Policy and Applicable Procedures:

A. Purpose:

1. Library Services shall provide for a comprehensive library program to support,

broaden, and strengthen the Department's activities and programs that prepare
offenders for release.

2. Library Services shall provide materials and services to assist in meeting the

recreational needs of the offender population.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:2 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

3. Library Services shall systematically determine the library-related needs of the

offender population at least biennially and plan services and acquisitions to
address those identified needs.

B. Supervision:

1. Statewide Library Services shall be directed by the Statewide Librarian under

the supervision of the Statewide Director of Education, or by his or her
designee.

2. The Statewide Librarian shall train staff for Library Services. The Statewide

Librarian shall develop Library Services standards, policies, and procedures,
and provide problem solving and technical support.

3. The Statewide Librarian shall conduct regular evaluations of library services

at each facility and to ensure compliance with Library Services standards.

4. The Statewide Librarian shall be responsible for the coordination, monitoring,

management, and projection of funding for the Library Services cost center.

5. Library Services shall be a separate cost center for developing and maintaining

a library program that meets Library Services standards.

6. The Statewide Librarian shall be responsible for the review and approval of all

Library Services budget requests, including the reallocation of resources.

7. The Statewide Librarian shall coordinate a system for collecting and reporting

library use data.

8. The Statewide Librarian shall serve as GDC’s liaison with the Georgia Public

Library Service.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:3 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

C. Staffing:

1. Appropriate staffing should be provided to ensure that offenders have

meaningful access to Library Services.

2. The Warden or designee at each state prison, with the assistance of the

Statewide Librarian shall designate a qualified staff member to serve as the
prison’s librarian.

a. Library staff members shall report directly to the Warden or the Warden’s

designee and shall be invited to meetings relevant to library programing at
the institution.

b. The job description for the prison librarian shall include the specific duties

involved in managing the prison’s library program.

c. The Statewide Librarian shall participate in all selection processes for the

filling of full-time and part-time library positions.

d. Library staff members shall meet the current qualifications for the position

as set forth in the official GDC job description.

3. Prison security measures should be adequate to ensure the protection of library

staff, users, materials, and equipment.

4. Offenders should be carefully selected and trained to assist in providing library

services at each state prison.

a. The Statewide Librarian shall establish minimum qualifications for

offender library clerks. The prison librarian or Warden’s designee shall
assist and advise the Classification Committee in selecting qualified
offenders as library clerks.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:4 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

b. The prison librarian or Warden’s designee shall directly supervise offender

library clerks.

c. The prison librarian shall adhere to the following guidelines in the selection

and training of offender library clerks:

i. The offender must be familiar with the rules and regulations of the

prison and GDC;

ii. The offender should be able to comprehend information, aid other

offenders in research, and assist in operating the library;

iii. The offender must be a highly motivated, productive, and reliable

person;

iv. The offender should work well with other offenders and supervisors;

v. The offender should have a high school diploma or a GED certificate;

and

vi. Offenders fluent in more than one language shall be preferred.

D. Staff Development:

1. All prison librarians shall participate in appropriate training activities to

maintain and enhance their relevant skills and abilities.

2. All library staff should attend the first available Library Training Program

(LTP) following employment. This training will be conducted by the Statewide
Librarian and/or the Georgia Public Library System. The Library staff enrolled
in the LTP will:

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:5 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

a. Know what documents are available to assist him/her;

b. Know basic guidelines for giving criminal history information to others;

c. Be familiar with the role of the Classification Committee;

d. Be familiar with the purpose, goals, policies, and procedures of the prison

and GDC;

e. Be familiar with the rules and regulations of the prison and GDC;

f. Know the major causes of stress for offenders;

g. Be aware of how program areas interact as a team;

h. Be familiar with an overview of the criminal justice system;

i. Know and discuss how program staff, security staff, administrators, and
others function as a team;

j. Be familiar with the objectives of Library Services;

l. Be familiar with the forms used in Library Services;

m. Be able to provide training to offender library clerks annually and

otherwise as needed.

3. Each library staff member shall complete an on-the-job training plan during

the first six months of employment.

4. Each library staff member shall develop with his/her supervisor an individual

training plan based on the staff member's skill and knowledge needs.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:6 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

E. Physical Area: The physical area designated for library services at each state prison

should be designed and maintained to provide for ease of use and protection of
materials and equipment in accordance with Library Services standards.

1. The facility library should be a secure, separate, lockable area.

a. The library should not be designed so that it is necessary to pass through it

or into it to reach other program or operational areas during non-library
hours.

b. Appropriate personnel may unlock the library only for legitimate security

reasons. Access to the library during non-library hours shall not be allowed
for staff or offenders unless approved by the Warden or their designee.

2. Facility libraries should meet space requirements of GDC Library Services

standards.

a. In addition to shelving space, libraries should provide adequate space for

reading, studying, or A-V material use by the offender population that has
access to the library.

b. Adequate space as defined by GDC Library Services standards should be

provided for the librarian's office.

3. The library should be near the school and recreational areas and accessible

directly from residential areas, if possible.

F. Accountability:

1. The prison librarian shall establish procedures and forms to document library

use and activities and provide this information to appropriate personnel as
required.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:7 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

a. The prison librarian shall provide for the maintenance of a daily circulation

log indicating number of users, number of items circulated by material
categories, and monthly totals.

b. The prison librarian shall provide for the maintenance of a daily reference

request log to include the number of requests and monthly totals.

c. The prison librarian shall provide to his/her Warden, or the Warden’s

designee, a monthly summary of the use of the library and activities. This
report shall include, at a minimum: total users, total items circulated, total
reference requests, a narrative summary of problems and issues, and any
other information requested by prison management. These reports shall be
made available to the Statewide Librarian upon request.

d. Data on library use should be included in all institutional reports that

combine other program data.

e. Each prison librarian shall complete the form provided for submittal of the

prison's annual report on programs.

f. All prison librarians shall maintain records to document the current

collection and acquisitions.

2. Each item in the library collection shall have a shelf list card with at least the

following information: author, title, publisher, date of publication, number of
pages, date of purchase, funding source, and, if possible, the purchase price.
This card should be in standardized format.

3. Prison librarians and facility business managers shall maintain purchase

records on all library acquisitions in accordance with GDC procedures.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:8 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

4. Each prison librarian shall conduct an inventory of library resources at the end

of each fiscal year. This inventory shall enumerate total collection,
acquisitions, losses, and net gain or loss of materials. All losses shall be
explained.

5. The prison librarian shall assess user needs and assist in evaluating the current

program compared to program goals and objectives.

a. The prison librarian shall conduct an annual assessment of offender library

needs at the end of each calendar year. All requests for materials,
equipment, etc., shall directly reference identified needs.

b. Each prison librarian, in conjunction with the Statewide Librarian, shall

assess library staff needs at the end of each calendar year. All requests for
materials, equipment, etc., submitted to the Statewide Librarian shall be
directly related to identified needs.

c. The Statewide Librarian shall coordinate an annual evaluation of each

prison's library program against stated goals and objectives as delineated
in the plan for library services.

G. Material Protection:

1. All library material, equipment, and supplies are state property, and prison

librarians shall institute procedures to control circulation, recover circulated
materials, and replace or repair lost, stolen, or damaged materials.

2. All materials added to a GDC prison library shall be clearly marked as the

property of the respective prison.

a. All GDC staff members share responsibility for protecting GDC library

materials from loss, damage, and abuse.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:9 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

b. If any library materials marked as the property of a prison library are found

in another facility, they may be returned to the original prison or they may
be transferred to the current facility’s library inventory via the Surpass
system.

c. The prison librarian shall be responsible for working with security

personnel to establish procedures for recovering library materials from
other areas of the facility and from offenders who are transferred from the
facility.

3. Facility librarians shall utilize Surpass Statewide systematic circulation system

that allows for maximum user access to materials and provides a record of use
and return.

a. No more than two (2) items may be signed out by an offender at any given

time.

b. All books in the library shall be checked out through the Surpass circulation

system utilizing the ISBN number or an affixed bar code.

c. The check-out periods for categories of materials shall be established and

clearly posted for users.

d. No offender or staff member may remove material from the library without

following established check-out procedures. Possession of any library
materials that have not been properly signed out could result in disciplinary
action, criminal prosecution, or both.

e. All GDC libraries shall provide secure, clearly marked return areas to be

used for the return of checked-out materials.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:10 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

4. The offender who checks out library material shall be responsible for that

material until it is properly returned to the library.

a. All offenders who check out library materials shall sign their names as they

appear on their state issued I.D. card on the appropriate sign in/sign out
log. No offender may sign out library material for another offender.

5. The Librarian shall establish procedures for recovering overdue or missing

materials and document the steps taken in their recovery.

a. Overdue notices shall be sent on all overdue materials as soon as possible.

b. If an offender fails to return overdue material or to adequately explain or

arrange for restitution within one week of receiving an overdue notice, then
the material shall be considered lost and appropriate disciplinary sanctions
applied, including the seizure of funds from the offender's account for the
repair or replacement of lost, damaged, or destroyed materials. There will
be no penalty or disciplinary action for materials that are lost, damaged, or
destroyed through no fault of the offender.

H. Offender Services:

1. The prison librarian shall utilize Surpass for a circulation system which will

allow offenders, to the extent possible, to check materials out of the library.

a. The prison librarian or a trained offender library clerk shall provide at least

a minimum level of reference service to include the following:

i. Assistance in locating specific materials by author or title.

ii. Assistance in locating materials by subject.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:11 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

iii. Referral to appropriate reference tools for finding information.

b. The prison librarian or trained offender library clerk shall aid in using

library tools such as the card catalog, encyclopedias, and indexes.

c. The prison librarian shall advise users of the availability of materials

related to their specific interests and at the appropriate reading level.

2. The prison librarian shall pursue opportunities for expanding library services.

a. The prison librarian shall, with management approval, provide services and

programs that stimulate interest in use of the library. Some examples of
such services and programs are poetry clubs, trivia contests, book
discussion groups, film groups, etc.

b. The prison librarian, in coordination with other program managers, seek

opportunities to address offender needs that are not addressed by other
program areas. For example, if no other program area provides games for
quiet use of leisure time, then the library may provide a selection of board
games for quiet in-library use.

3. In Level II and Level III mental health institutions, the prison librarian should

provide bibliotherapy services in coordination with mental health team leaders.

4. The prison librarian shall provide for services that help prepare offenders for

use of libraries in the community. Arrangement of materials, access tools,
finding aids, etc., should follow standard library procedures.

I. Offender Access to Services:

1. All facilities should maintain a library program that meets GDC Library

Services standards and the objectives of the GDC Library Services plan.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:12 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

2. GDC offenders in Transitional Centers should be encouraged to secure library

user cards from the local public library. Information on the policies and
procedures, hours of operation, etc. of the local library should be made
available to all center residents.

3. The Statewide Librarian shall request funding adequate to meet GDC Library

Services standards for the purchase of needed materials and provision of
services to ensure meaningful library access to offenders.

4. General and institutional offender orientation shall include information on

available library services.

a. The Statewide Librarian shall prepare general information on the

Department's library program for the GDC Offender Handbook, including
information on access, user responsibility and services.

b. Each prison librarian shall prepare library orientation material detailing the

specific policies and procedures of the respective institution's library.

i. These policies and procedures shall be stated in positive terms such as

"an offender may," or "library user has the responsibility" rather than
categorizing what a user may not do.

ii. This library orientation material shall be included in an offender's

orientation to the institution.

c. Prison librarians shall be encouraged to develop or purchase informational

programs for the offenders at their institutions to supplement the
information provided during the offender’s general facility orientation.
These programs may consist of booklets, multimedia kits, or scheduled
presentations by library managers. In addition, prison librarians shall be
available to answer offenders’ questions regarding the library program.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:13 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

5. Specific procedures shall be established and maintained to provide for offender

access to library services.

6. Accurate library hours shall be posted in the library and offender activity areas

so that all offenders can know when the library is open for their use.

a. Libraries shall be open and available for offender use for a minimum of 20

hours per week via book cart or facility library, exclusive of meals, counts,
etc.

b. Facility management shall be kept apprised of library hours.

c. Weekend access to library services and books should be through book cart

or request services.

d. The prison librarian shall establish library hours that allow at least weekly

access to all offenders who are not confined to living areas.

e. Offenders on work details or facility assignments during daytime weekday

hours shall have library access during evening or weekend hours.

f. The prison librarian shall provide at least weekly access to library services,
through book cart or request services, for offenders who are confined to
living areas.

i. The prison librarian or an approved library clerk shall visit the

administrative segregation area at least once per week.

ii. Offenders will fill out a request form during the visit on a designated

day. Requests will be filled and returned to the segregation area on the
next visit.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:14 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

iii. Offenders in segregation may keep the materials up to seven (7) days.

iv. All overdue materials must be returned before an offender may check

out additional library materials.

g. Offenders may be denied access to library services for disciplinary or

security reasons. Such denial should be documented in the offender's file.

h. Offenders who abuse library privileges by destroying or failing to return

library materials may be denied access to library services.

J. Offender Collection:

1. Prison librarians shall annually assess the informational and library-related

recreational needs of their respective facility’s offenders.

a. Prison librarians shall solicit information from at least 10% of the average

daily offender population.

b. Prison librarians shall interview all program supervisors, the Deputy

Warden of Care and Treatment, and any other staff who have insight into
the needs and interests of the population.

2. Funding adequate to meet collection standards as outlined in the GDC Library

Services standards should be requested for each prison’s library program.

3. Each prison librarian shall provide a procedure for offenders to request specific

titles for purchase for the library collection or to obtain such titles via
interlibrary loan.

a. When interlibrary loan services are necessary, prison librarians will

communicate with local public libraries to obtain and collect books.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:15 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

b. Prison librarians will pick up and return borrowed materials to public

libraries. The staff at the Georgia Public Library Service will work with
each prison librarian to obtain the appropriate library cards to facilitate this
service.

c. Appropriate library cards should be issued in the name of the prison.

d. The request form must be approved by the Warden or the Warden’s

designee.

4. The policy for the selection of materials of each prison library shall be in

writing and shall define the principles of selection for library materials
including any specific exclusions, the person responsible for the final purchase
decision, and selection priorities and criteria.

a. Donated materials shall be added to the library collection only if they meet

the needs of offenders at the prison receiving the materials and satisfy the
requirements of that prison’s selection policy. Prison librarians shall not
assign monetary value to any donated materials.

b. All donated materials shall be subject to normal institutional screening.

c. The prison librarian shall decide how donated materials are processed,

displayed, and used in the library.

d. Although materials shall be selected regardless of the race, creed, religion,

sex, and national origin of the authors and/or characters, prison librarians
shall be sensitive to the specific needs and interests of subgroups of the
prison population and select materials that address the needs and interests
of those sub-populations when reasonably possible.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:16 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

e. The GDC Library Services plan shall define the emphases and general

composition of each institution's collection in conformity with the goals
and objectives of GDC Library Services standards.

f. All institutional libraries shall maintain current magazine subscriptions in
ratios of titles per offender as set forth in GDC acquisitions standards.

g. Institutional collections shall not contain any materials which could clearly

and reasonably be expected to present a threat to institutional security and
discipline.

h. Institutional library collections shall not contain any materials which

pictorially or in writing describe or portray any sexual conduct or nudity as
prohibited by the laws of this State and by the laws of the United States.
(Reference SOP 227.06 Offender Receipt of Mail).

i. The prison librarian shall develop procedures to maintain the prison’s
library collection at a level that meets the needs and interests of the
institution's offenders.

j. Duplicate materials shall be maintained in the collection only so long as
there is a clear demonstrated need by the circulation or use of multiple
copies of such materials.

k. Unused or obsolete materials should be removed from the collection per

the following guidelines and disposed of according to GDC disposal
procedures, unless these guidelines conflict with current court orders;

i. Nonfiction books should be removed if they have not been checked out,

as documented by their due date slips, for at least three (3) years.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:17 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

ii. Fiction materials should be removed if they have not been checked out,

as documented by their due date slips, for at least two (2) years.

iii. Reference materials should be removed when the prison librarian

determines that they are not used frequently enough or are not timely
or accurate enough to justify their continued maintenance, or when
subsequent editions of the same reference work render them redundant
or obsolete.

l. Unneeded library materials, of no value, may be disposed of or destroyed
at the local facility. If the materials have value they will need to be
disposed of through the normal surplus program.

m. Because offenders have limited access to many print resources, prison

librarians should try to set aside unneeded materials for offenders to tear
and clip to use in arts and crafts projects in conjunction with the recreation
program and on their own if doing so would not present a safety or security
issue for the prison.

n. When library materials are discarded, property markings shall be uniformly

obliterated, or the materials stamped "DISCARD".

5. Prison librarians, with the assistance of the Statewide Librarian and the

Georgia Public Library Service shall seek to establish and maintain cooperative
agreements with state and regional public libraries to supplement the collection
and services offered at prison libraries.

6. Prison librarians shall employ standard library tools and procedures to make

their collections accessible to users.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:18 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

a. Each prison library shall maintain a current and accessible
author/title/subject catalog of the hardback and paperback library
collection per GDC Library Services standards.

b. All nonfiction items in the collection shall be classified by the Dewey

Classification scheme to at least the Third Summary.

c. All fiction items, at minimum, shall be arranged on the shelves by author.

d. All items in the library collection shall be labeled with the complete shelf

number.

7. The minimum number of materials shall be designated as for in-library use

only. In general, this non-circulating designation shall be applied only to the
following:

a. Encyclopedias or other reference materials that function as a set;

b. Dictionaries, atlases, directories, current almanacs, etc., which are

traditionally consulted for specific items of information or data;

c. Legal volumes;

d. Indexes and other locating tools;

e. Rare or irreplaceable material;

f. Current issues of magazines and newspapers; and

g. Audio-visual materials.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|Policy Name:Library Services Administration and Operation|
|Policy Number:501.01|Effective Date:01/05/2022|Page Number:19 of 19|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Education)|Access Listing:
Level II: Required Offender
Access|

8. The newness or attractiveness of an item is not sufficient reason for designating

it for in-library use only.

V. Attachments: None.

VI. Record Retention of Forms Relevant to this Policy: None.