Review, deepen, and refine, as needed, the practices, tools and programs essential for each student to meet or exceed the ASD standards.
"I think that the librarians and the library staff are very very helpful. Any time you need them they're there for you. I want to say to the librarian and the library staff thank you for helping us."
"I think the staff in the library are very helpful and will try to get to anyone as fast as possible when needed."
"The library is awesome and amazing. All the staff members are awesome and helpful. They know what you need and what books you would like."
"Love the library, I just wish I had more time to spend in there!"
"I strongly agree that the library is very welcoming and the librarians are helpful. Its a really great place to do your homework because it relaxing and quiet."
"I love the library. It is my favorite place in the whole school."
Elementary eBooks
Our Lower Elementary students have enjoyed using MyOn, BookFlix, and Tumblebooks extensively, reading during recess as well as select class periods. The Upper elementary has added FolletShelf this year with both research and recreational titles. To encourage familiarity with the resource, one of the Battle of the Books titles has been made available on Follett Shelf. Further development of this resource will continue as titles become available to the overseas market.
MS/HS eBooks
The MS/HS library has 24 Kindles to check out to MS/HS students where we can immediately add books that are recently released and books that are in high demand. In addition, there are 88 eBooks available through the library catalog that students can use for research and class reading. The demand for these books increased dramatically this year, as they were used for some 6th grade language arts classes. EBook usage in the MS/HS increased 220% from the previous school year.
Elementary students are readers! By the time summer ends, our students are just waiting for school to start so they can return their summer books and check out some fresh titles. It's not unusual to have parents dropping off books ahead of time so that their child can get some more books on the first day of school. With a circulation of over 110,000 books checked out in a year, you know the library is the place to be.
Elementary students are readers! It’s not unusual at all to find students sitting in library, reading books, during classes as well as at recess time. Any number of students will be seen walking and reading their book as they head out for classes. Fiction titles are especially popular with all of our elementary students. Non-fiction books are frequently selected to support particular units, though many of our younger students are thoroughly enjoying our new small but growing Early Non-Fiction section.
The librarians worked together this year revising the library curriculum to more closely align with our goals. We work with our teachers to provide opportunities for students to become independent learners and ethical users of the wealth of information available. Librarians integrate learning into the curriculum to support research, helping students learn how to find, evaluate, and use information effectively. The new standards have been updated in Rubicon and linked in appropriate units.
With the financial support of the PTA, the MS One Book One Community was a huge success this year. Language arts teacher Joseph Teague started this annual event at ASD, and with the help of Kat Massengill, the MS library, and the MS faculty, it just gets bigger every year. This year the PTA bought copies of Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember for every middle school student, and many students kept the community going by donating their books to the Sri Lankan school when they finished reading them.
What will next year's OBOC book be?
% in agreement | |
The library staff is helpful to students. | 97.5% |
I can find what I need in the library easily. | 90.3% |
I have been taught how to use the library. | 87.9% |
The elementary library is the place to be at ASD! Our students are passionate about reading, exploring new titles and sharing favorites with friends. Classes, small groups, parents, tutors, as well as teachers use the library weekly. Technology is integrated throughout lessons for research and presentations, as well as during recess where students can be found reading digital titles from MyOn or Follet Shelf.
Elementary Programs
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The bottom line - the joy of reading is alive and well at ASD! | |
For pleasure reading, fiction is the most popular and largest collection area in both libraries. We work to maintain a balanced collection for non-fiction, with emphasis placed on curricular needs.
Yes, print books are still relevant! Despite the number of electronic reading options available, ASD MS and HS students still choose to read print books as well. On the MS student year-end survey, students were asked which library resources they used most regularly, and 88% of students selected "fiction books" as one of their answers. When asked how often they borrowed books from the library, 35% answered "weekly" and 48% answered "monthly." On that same survey, 92% of MS students agreed that the library has an excellent selection of fiction books, and 91% said the same about non-fiction books.