Lubbock ISD adopts School Library Advisory Council rules and book-acquisition process under SB 13, delaying purchases until spring
Summary
Trustees approved library operating, acquisition and weeding procedures aligned with SB 13: SLAC will review book lists and public comments before sending items to the board; the earliest district purchases using the cadence would likely be May, meaning campuses may go most of a year without new books.
The Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees on Dec. 11 approved operating procedures and acquisition/weeding procedures for the School Library Advisory Council (SLAC) designed to comply with state law (SB 13).
Misty Reber, chief academic officer, explained SLAC unanimously adopted procedures at its Nov. 18 meeting. Under the approved process librarians will compile acquisition lists with Destiny book-review citations, post the list publicly for 30 days for comment, and then SLAC will review public feedback and submit a final list to the board. "You will have the right as the board to vote for the purchase of the books, but you can also strike out by line item any books that you do not want to approve," Reber said.
The acquisition timeline SLAC recommended—two formal submission cycles per year plus the required 30-day public posting—means a minimum three-month lead time from librarians’ initial lists to purchase. Trustees and administrators noted that under that cadence librarians may not be able to submit requests until May, effectively pausing most new book purchases for nearly a full school year. Board members thanked volunteer SLAC members for the workload required to implement the new procedures.
The board voted to approve the operating procedures and the acquisition and weeding procedures; both motions carried 7–0.
What happens next: With procedures approved, librarians will follow the new submission schedule and SLAC will convene subcommittees to prepare the first spring submission. The board retains final line-item approval authority when lists are forwarded for a vote.
