MILL HALL — The Keystone Central School District Board of Directors will consider the removal and replacement of a variety of books from two different schools at its voting session this week.

The board reviewed the reports for Central Mountain Middle School and Mill Hall Elementary School during its work session last week.

A question, prompted by Board Member Chris Scaff, about whether or not the books — which were either placed in the weeding report due to having out-of-date content or damage — were already disposed prior to final approval lead to an in depth discussion about the weeding process. Scaff noted the removal dates for the books were from mid-March.

Dr. Megan Hull, Director Of Curriculum & Innovation, said those dates represented when librarians removed the books from the system to store them elsewhere.

“They will take it out of the library, scan it out and keep it separately and wait board approval,” Hull said. “Once board approval is given then they’d dispose of them. But that’s the date that they take it out of the system.”

Hull emphasized, “we don’t dispose of anything until the board has approved of that.”

Board Member Elisabeth Lynch asked if the books that were removed would be made available to local organizations such as the Annie Halenbake Ross Library.

“You’ve done a great program with them in the past,” Lynch said. “Are any of (the books) going to be able to go to the Ross Library after we approve this?”

Hull said after board approval, the books are offered to the library along with other partner organizations such as the Clinton County Correctional Facility, Roads to Peace and local non-profits.

“We usually do get rid of a good chunk of them. We try to offer it up as much as possible,” she said.

Board Member Dr. Bill Baldino asked how the library staff classify a book as damaged or out-of-date and if they are replaced. He noted he saw a few classic pieces of literature within the lists.

“I remember being told that they were replaced with either something very similar to it or they actually get the same book and put it back in,” Board President Roger Elling said.

Hull reiterated Elling’s statement saying, “a lot of times it’s a match for a match. Our librarians run a lot of reports just to see what students are checking out. If there’s something damaged, but it’s been checked out a lot, it’ll be replaced with the same title.”

She added many of the damaged books are being removed because they’ve been in the library for some time.

“A lot of our libraries haven’t been weeded in 20 to 25 years. Our librarians are doing a lot of back work to try and get that inventory up to date and get rid of books that are so damaged it doesn’t make sense to keep them in our libraries,” she said.

It was noted by Board Member Jeff Johnston the books are often paperback.

“Yes, it saves money up front but in the long run it doesn’t last very long,” Hull agreed.

Lynch asked if the district also offers digital book options for students.

“Our elementary and middle school students have access to an online resource called Epic. It’s a free resource where they can get thousands of digital text. Our students use that a lot,” Hull said. “Then also with our ELA (English Language Arts) curriculum through Amplify and CKLA they have digital libraries.”

Hull said those digital libraries are also used a lot.

“Just like anything else there’s variability among people — whether you like a physical book or a digital book — so we’re trying to do as much as we can to get whatever preferred method of reading students want in their hands,” she said. “But we’re definitely trying to up the access to digital content just because that’s what a lot of our kids like.”

Hull further noted the staff are able to monitor data to determine how often kids are checking out books, if they’re finishing the books and other variables.

Baldino said he felt kids should utilize physical print as often as possible.

“I’ve read several reports over the last several years that even among young people, experienced computer users and electronic users, the retention and comprehension is better with a printed word,” he said. “I’m not telling anybody to do that… I’m just expressing an opinion.”

Scaff asked if it would be possible for some of the weeded books to be sold.

Superintendent Dr. Francis Redmon said the district would need to go through its usual process — offering books to partner agencies — before it could consider that possibility.

“If there are books after that then we can make them available to the public more broadly,” he said.

In total, the board will consider approval of weeding 577 books from CMMS and 230 books from Mill Hall Elementary during its voting session on Thursday, April 10.