DECS Order on School Library Development

Every elementary and secondary school must establish a functional library.
Schools without libraries are required to set them up; schools with libraries must improve their facilities.
Libraries should acquire basic print supplementary materials alongside adequate copies of textbooks and teacher's manuals, adhering to specific guidelines.
Regular monitoring by DECS central and regional offices and school heads is mandated.

A school library must be housed in a separate, well-constructed room or building.
The library should be well-lit, ventilated, quiet, centrally located, and accessible.
It must have an open-shelf system and accommodate at least fifty pupils for weekly lessons.
Room area for an enrollment of 500 should be 72 square meters with additional space for extra enrollees.
Library setup includes specific furniture and equipment: reading tables, chairs, charging desks, card catalogues, shelving units, filing cabinets, librarian's desk and chair, bulletin board, and various audio-visual equipment.

Schools must employ teacher-librarians and librarians based on enrollment ratios:
- Up to 500 students: One teacher-librarian.
- 501-1,000: One full-time and one part-time teacher-librarian.
- 1,001-2,000: One full-time librarian and one part-time teacher-librarian.
- Over 2,000: Additional full-time librarian per 1,000 additional students.
Qualifications include relevant degrees and experience, with licensed status.
Teacher-librarians receive a salary grade higher than other faculty as an incentive.
Teacher-librarians maintain a single teaching load including library orientation and literature appreciation lessons.
Librarian duties encompass classification, cataloging, inventory management, budgeting, coordination of library activities, orientation, lesson preparation, materials acquisition, organization of library clubs, and assisting users.

Must include general references such as encyclopedias, dictionaries (English-Filipino and Filipino-English), atlases, almanacs, globes, and maps.
Elementary libraries should have supplementary readers for remediation, reinforcement, and enrichment.
Secondary libraries include books of knowledge, thesauruses, yearbooks, literary classics, and other educational materials.
Collections must include references for all subject areas, professional books, and recreational materials.
Minimum of four reference books for every 40 pupils.
Magazines and newspapers should cater to local and national interest per enrollment.
Important pupil and teacher projects may be stored as reference materials.
Librarians require specific classification tools and cataloging supplies.
Selection and acquisition involve librarians, faculty, and school heads, following approved lists.

Library funds should constitute 5-10% of total school funds, proportionate to allocations from the Division Office.
Additional funding may come from donations and solicitations from civic groups, alumni, parents, and library supporters.

Supplementary materials encompass printed and non-printed materials excluding textbooks and teacher’s manuals.
Print materials include general and subject-specific references, such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, yearbooks, workbooks, reviewers, and illustrations.
Non-print materials comprise video tapes, audio cassettes, films, transparencies, and multimedia learning packages.

The DECS Instructional Materials Council (IMC) governs the approval of all instructional materials.
The Instructional Materials Council Secretariat handles content evaluation.
Price evaluation is conducted by a Price Committee under the Undersecretary for Administration and Finance.
The Center for Education and Technology evaluates content and price for non-profit supplementary materials.
Final decisions rest with the Instructional Materials Council.
Pricing procedures must be approved by the IMC.

DECS approved textbooks and teacher’s manuals take procurement priority.
Basic supplementary materials should be procured after textbooks and manuals are adequately provided.
Other supplementary materials should be procured only after essential materials are sufficiently supplied.
Procurement must be based on specific requests from school principals and administrators, ensuring a school-by-school analysis of needs.
Exercising care and diligence in procurement is emphasized to maximize educational benefits.

Previous DECS orders or memoranda inconsistent with these guidelines are repealed or modified accordingly.