Check Out Policy

Elementary School students check out at least one reading book approved by their teachers. In addition, students may check out a free choice book, a magazine, a Playaway, or a Kindle device.

Middle School students are not required to check out a reading book as long as they have a book assigned by their teacher, or a personal silent reading book.

Because faculty members utilize many materials from the library to support the school’s curriculum, they may check out a greater number of materials from the library.

Placing Items “On Hold”

Students should not place items on hold unless they are certain that they will check them out.

A student cannot place on hold more than 2 books at a time.

Faculty and staff members may place up to 5 books on hold at a time.

Lost / Damaged Items

Students who forget to return an item to the library receive a note to take home. Students have up to a month to return a missing item. If a student fails to return this item, the student's FACTS account is charged. Before that, the student's family is informed by email or a phone call. If preferred, a family could also pay for the lost item by cash or check.

In addition, if an item is lost or damaged, a patron will need to pay the library the replacement cost of the item. If patrons find a book previously thought lost, they can return the item to the library in order to be refunded.

Students and faculty will be billed for materials that are not returned.

The role of our library is to promote a lifelong habit in, and love of, reading and to help our patrons address their information needs. In fulfilling that role, we invite students to visit the library both to check out reading books and to find appropriate resources for their assignments. The library personnel read reviews from well-known and well respected publications in order to bring to the library and share with our students and teachers the newest, the best, and the most exciting books in fiction and non-fiction.

• Printed Materials: ~19,000
• Current Periodicals: 26
• Newspapers: 2 electronic accesses
• Videos: 173
• Playaway Devices: 20
• Computers: 2 desktops & 18 laptops
• iPod Touch Devices: 40
• iPad Air 2 devices: 6
• Kindle Paperwhite: 5

Student Involvement

Teams K-4

• Weekly library period with borrowing privileges
• Story time and activities
• Introductory library skills sessions

Teams 5-8

• Every other week library period with borrowing privileges
• Extended library skills sessions to support class projects and research

Online Catalog

The online catalog (by Follett Corporation) provides information about print, video, and audio holdings.

Electronic Resources

Additional resources, available through the local public library, are accessible through the library’s web page, including electronic databases and guides for citing sources.

Facility

• Located on ground floor of main building
• Main reading room used by middle and upper students includes computers, stacks, study carrels and wireless laptops
• Garden and courtyard area accessible for fair weather reading and activities

Events

• Fall Book Fair with Scholastic
• Spring Book Fair with a local bookstore

In order to maintain an up-to-date collection that supports student learning and interest, we regularly assess items based on these general areas: dated content, appearance and condition, the number of duplicate copies, and the frequency of check out.

Specifically, we consider the following in determining whether to take an item out of circulation:

• Printed material with worn, brittle, missing pages or cover
• Audiovisual materials missing parts or that no longer operate
• Duplicate copies of a specific title beyond check out demand
• Older or outdated editions (classics or award winners excepted)
• Materials
• irrelevant to current curriculum
• containing inaccurate information
• presenting stereotypes
• Nonfiction materials that have not checked out within the last decade.
• Fiction materials that have not checked out within the last 5 years with the exception of books designated as classics.
• Magazine issues exceeding a five year limit, except those that assist students and faculty with research.

The school librarians determine whether materials that are eliminated from the library catalog will be given away, donated, or discarded.

Gift Policy

The library welcomes and accepts gifts of materials from donors. We evaluate these materials by the same criteria we use when considering a new purchase for our collection. Materials donated to the school library may be donated to other organizations if they do not support the school’s curriculum.

Restrictions

Some books shelved in the library have age restriction policies. If a parent wishes for his or her child to check out a specific title that has an age restriction, he or she may submit a note to the librarians with the request, and the child will be allowed to check out the item.

Concerns about the Collection

We endorse:

The Library Bill of Rights

The Freedom to Read Statement

The Freedom to View Statement