Library Media Specialists are responsible for selecting and purchasing resources for the school library media program. However, their decisions are made with input from their school Library Media Committees and must be approved by their school principal.
The selection and purchasing decisions of library media specialists are also governed by certain state and district regulations. Materials and equipment must satisfy the district selection policy, defined in Administrative Rule IJK. The Purchasing Guidelines for the library media materials allotment define which items may be purchased with that source of funding. All purchases, regardless of funding source, are governed by the district purchasing regulations. The Procurement Services Department exists to make it easier for employees to follow these regulations.
In order to ensure the best quality, service, and overall price, Procurement Services helps negotiate purchasing contracts ("bids") for items that are purchased frequently or in large quantities. These pre-negotiated purchasing contracts prevent employees from having to solicit quotes for each purchase by providing standardized pricing. (Other vendors may provide better pricing on certain specific items, because "bid" vendors are chosen based on a number of additional factors, including level of service and item quality.) When an item is available from a "bid" vendor, employees are required to purchase that item from the vendor, except in certain circumstances. Library Media Specialists are encouraged to complete a Vendor Performance Rating Form for each bid vendor.