LIBRARY POLICIES
Library Policies
I am not a librarian who expects a silent library. Far from it! I encourage students to work together and that involves conversation. However, because of our unique school design, our library doesn't have physical walls on two sides so we do need to be mindful of our noise levels. Productive noise = <3
Students have the opportunity to check out library materials each week when their class visits the library. I am a proponant of freedom of choice when it comes to reading. I do try and offer suggestions if I think a book may be a bit too challenging (to the level of frustration), but for the most part I want students to be able to choose the books that they WANT to check out.
One of the things that is easy to lose sight of in today's educational setting is that for students to become lifelong readers, they have to enjoy reading. Are Lexile Scores and Guided Reading levels important? Absolutely. But in the journey of developing lifelong readers we also want to make sure we are not restricting students so much that they do not have a chance to read the stories they are interested in reading. Personal interest is critically important.
I do have students use the Five-Finger test so they can get a feel for the reading level of the book before they check it out.
If, at the beginning of the year, you could sit down with your student(s) and choose a consistant place to keep library books where they will be accessible to the student, but out of the way of pets or younger siblings who might still be learning about how to take care of books would be fabulous. Maybe you have a basket, or a shelf or desk that would work well. One place that usually seems to consistently work well is in the student's school bag or backpack (in a separate section from any water bottles, juices or wet winter clothing.)
If a book does become damaged, please don't try to repair it at home. I have special tape and glue that help me fix a lot of things that may look pretty bad. I do all that I can to keep books in our library collection. If the book is beyond repair, I will send a note home explaining the situation and listing the replacement cost for the item.
1st
2 books- 1 Everybody and 1 of their choosing
2nd
2 books -
of their choosing
2 books
of their choosing
3rd
BOOK CHECKOUTS
K
1 book -
Checkout begins a few weeks into the school year
2 books
of their choosing
2 books
of their choosing
4th
5th
Technology
In a rapidly changing world, we work hard to keep on top of technology that can be used to enhance our students' education. Students will have the opportunity to use age-appropriate software, apps and research techniques on a variety of electronic devises to find information and create new learning.
Acceptable Use Policy
Each student is expected to follow the Johnston School District's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) whenever electronic devices are being used. The expectations are clearly explained and students are also made aware of the consequences of not following the AUP guidelines. Since our electronic devices are shared among six grade levels, we must keep the settings unchanged so that each student can sit down and use the device without having to "fix" something that was changed previously.
Renewing and Overdue Books
Our library computer system checks books out to students for a two-week period, although most students finish and return their books each week. Students can renew books by putting a renew slip inside the front cover and including it with their classroom books as they are returned.
If a book has been checked out for more than two weeks without being renewed, it is considered overdue. If a student has an overdue book, no other books can be checked out until the overdue book is returned. When books are more than two weeks overdue, an overdue notice will be sent home. The notice includes a picture of the book and the replacement cost. Please encourage your students to talk to me if they think they have returned a book that our computer system still shows checked out. Sometimes books slip through the cracks. You are always welcome to contact me, as well.
Donations
The Wallace library will gladly accept donations of gently used children's books. Hardcover books are ideal, but we also accept paperback books (they don't hold up quite as well under the heavy use our library books see.) If the donated books are duplicates of copies we already have or don't align with our district selection criteria, I will offer them to classroom teachers. They will definitely get good use and be very much appreciated!
Selection Policy
Materials for the Wallace library collection will be chosen using the district's policy for material selection. The policy can be found in the district handbook here. The district reconsideration policy can also be found in the same location.
