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Library Services
Book Check-Out Procedures
The library supports intellectual freedom and freedom of choice in book selection for readers of all levels. We do not level books.
The library has no general restrictions on the type or number of books a student can check out, unless the library media specialist deems it unreasonable. While the library media specialist encourages students to browse in certain areas of the library, based on age and interest, no area is restricted.
Parents are encouraged to talk with their child about library visits if they prefer specific types of books to take home.
Parents can also access the Destiny catalog at home and place books on hold for their child by logging into their child’s library account.
Return or renew books each time you visit the library. If your child does not bring back library books, they will be limited to checking out only one book until the others are returned. The librarian may deny checkout if a student has not returned books for an extended period.
Library Parent Partnership
Splendora ISD values strong partnerships with parents and recognizes their important role in their children's education. In accordance with Texas House Bill 900 (HB 900) and Senate Bill 13 (SB 13), the district follows state requirements for selecting, reviewing, and managing school library materials.
These requirements promote transparency, parental involvement, and access to information about the materials available in school libraries.
What Families Need to Know
- Parental Access: Parents may review school library catalogs and identify specific materials their child may not check out or access outside the school library.
- Public Review: Proposed library materials, including donated materials, are made available for public review for at least 30 days before board consideration, except for materials exempt under state law.
- Board Approval: The Splendora ISD Board of Trustees reviews and approves or rejects proposed library materials during an open board meeting following the public review period.
- Community Feedback: Parents, staff, and community members may review proposed library materials and provide feedback during the public review period.
- Material Reconsideration: Parents, district employees, and district residents may submit a formal request to reconsider materials currently available in school libraries.
Splendora ISD is committed to maintaining school library collections that support student learning, encourage reading, and provide age-appropriate resources while respecting parental rights and community input.
Library Materials Acquisition Process (Senate Bill 13)
Under Senate Bill 13 (SB 13), Splendora ISD will post proposed library materials for 30 days for public review before purchasing them. During this time, staff, students, parents, and community members may review the proposed materials and submit comments for consideration.
To provide feedback, complete the Library Materials Public Comment Form.
All comments submitted during the 30-day review period will be reviewed and considered before purchases are finalized.
Grade-Level Availability
- Materials listed for elementary schools may also be available at intermediate campuses.
- Materials listed for elementary and intermediate schools may also be available at high school campuses.
- Each proposed title may be purchased in any available format associated with its International Standard Book Number (ISBN), including hardcover, paperback, e-book, and audiobook.
Review the Elementary Book Orders
Review the Middle Grade Book Orders
Review the Secondary Book Orders
- Lists posted by November 9, 2026 will be submitted for approval at the December 14, 2026 board meeting.
- Lists posted by January 11, 2027 will be submitted for approval at the February 15, 2027 board meeting.
- Lists posted by May 24, 2027 will be submitted for approval at the July 2027 board meeting.
Guidelines for the Reconsideration of Library Books
- Start with the Librarian: Share your concern. The librarian will listen, document, and try to resolve it. You may also place restrictions on your own child’s checkouts.
- Formal Request: If still concerned, complete a Reconsideration Form. The book will be temporarily removed while the committee reviews it.
- Committee Review: A group of staff, parents, and sometimes students reads the book, discusses concerns, and votes on whether to keep it or remove it.
- Appeal: If you disagree with the committee’s decision, you may appeal to the Board of Trustees, who will make the final decision.
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The Battle of the Bluebonnets (BOTB) is a competitive book club that fosters a love of reading and teamwork through a fun, unique format.
- Students in grades 3 through 5 are eligible to participate.
- Students will compete in teams of up to six, sharing their knowledge of BOTB books.
- Students are encouraged to read as many books as they can from the reading list before the campus competition.
- Each campus will bring its winning team to the district competition.
This year’s selections feature works by a Texas Bluebonnet Award–winning author, chosen from the list of nominees over the past several years. The collection includes a variety of genres, reading levels, and themes to engage every reader. All titles are available for checkout through the school library, so participation is free.
If you have questions or concerns, or if your child is interested in joining, please contact your campus librarian.
Students participating in the Battle of the Bluebonnets will be expected to read all books.
- The Library of Unruly Treasures, by Jeanne Birdsall
- Pocket Bear, by Katherine Applegate
- The Trouble with Heroes, by Kate Messner
- Fowl Play, by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb
- A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall, by Jasmine Warga
- Another, by Paul Tremblay
- Speak Up, Santiago!, by Julio Anta
- Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers, by Angela Dominguez
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Lone Star Book Battle is a competitive book club to encourage the love of reading and teamwork in a fun, unique format.
- Students in grades 6th through 8th are eligible to participate.
- Students will compete in teams of four to six members to share their knowledge and understanding of the Lone Star Book Battle books.
- Students are encouraged to read as many books as possible to prepare for the competition.
The books have been selected from the Texas Lone Star Book lists and include a variety of genres, reading levels, and themes. All books in this list are available for checkout through the school library, at no cost to participants.
If you have any questions or concerns, or your child wants to participate, please contact your campus librarian.
The following titles were selected for this year’s competition:
- The Legend of the Last Library, by Frank L. Cole
- Where Only Storms Grow, by Alyssa Colman
- Gloam, by Jack Mackay
- The Girl Who Kept the Castle, by Ryan Graudin
- On Again, Awkward Again, by Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia
- No Purchase Necessary, by Maria Marianayagam
- The Trouble with Heroes, by Kate Messner
- The Experiment, by Rebecca Stead
- Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom, by Allan Wolf
Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of a larger human experience. Reading, then, becomes a means of self-affirmation, and readers often seek their mirrors in books. -Rudine Sims Bishop