Media Center Manual

Accessibility and Scheduling

Hours: The Media Center is open to students from 8:00 am until 2:00 pm. and open to staff from 7:00 am - 3:30 pm.

Student check-out (individual or in pairs):

• Students not accompanied by a teacher are encouraged to come individually or in pairs for checkout. They should bring (1) library books to return (2) library card clipped to their collar (3) their classrooms' book-finder which serves as their pass.

Class and small group sign-up:

Sign-up sheets are available in the binder located by the circulation desk and will be available a week in advance to allow for full flexibility for all classes.

• Teachers are encouraged to bring their class to the library weekly and should stay with their class to assist with lessons, class management, and student book selection and check-out.
• Teachers may sign up for one or more blocks for check-out, storytime, lessons, research, etc. Please refer to the library class schedule when signing up for class.
• The teachers and media specialist will work collaboratively to provide activities and lessons that teach literacy skills and support the grade-level curriculum. Planning will be held during media-technology meetings and shared with grade level and area teachers by the committee members.
• Teachers may also sign up to send small groups of students (4-8 students) to have help taking AR tests, or doing research or computer activities.

Closed Circuit / AV sign-up:

In the sign-up binder, teachers may sign up to play videos on the close-circuit, or to check out equipment including our new media-cart or video camera. For more information please read the resources and services section below.

Catalog and Collection

Collection Catalog:

According to national standards, finding, locating, and using information in any form contributes to student achievement. Students in grades 2-5 will learn to use the look-up station and locate materials in the different sections of the library. Teachers are encouraged to learn how to check materials in and out so they can help themselves or students when the media staff is not available at the circulation desk.

McEver's Collection:

The McEver library has a large collection of books and other resources for students, teachers, and parents to enjoy. Our growing collection has been selected with our students and staff in mind and include literature for early to advanced readers, read-alouds, English language learners, and professional development.

Any computer in the school can access InfoCentre, our catalog that gives you access to our media resources. It allows the user to search by title, author, subject, or key word. When using InfoCentre, the following call number prefixes will help identifying and locating the materials. 

• The fiction books are shelved alphabetically by the author’s last name and are separated into the Everybody (E) section made up of picture books, the Fiction (F) section made up of chapter books, and a Spanish/bilingual (SP) section.
• The Non-fiction (000-999) section and Reference (REF) section are shelved by the Dewey Decimal System (numerically by topic) and provide materials to support the curriculum and student interests.
• The Periodicals (PER) section has a selection of student and professional magazines.
• Other materials including audio books (CAS), kits and manipulatives (KIT), and videos (VT of DVD) and professional materials (PROF) are available for teacher check-out .
• Special book displays will highlight GA book award nominees, new books, featured authors, or seasonal or special interest collections.

New books are continuously being added to our collection. Anyone who has a suggestion for titles of books or other materials they would like to see added to the collection can write the information down in the back section of the sign-up book.

Circulation

Patron Loans: Books may be checked out for two weeks and may renewed once or brought in earlier in exchange for new books. Patrons must return overdue books before checking out new books. Students in grades K-1 may check out one book, students in grades 2-3 may check out two books, and students in grades 4-5 may check out 3 books. Book limits may be increased second semester to meet curriculum needs. Fourth and fifth grade students have the privilege of checking out student magazines and paperback books (one per check-out). Parents and community members may request a library account and may check out materials for up to two weeks. Reference materials are to be used in the Media Center or can be checked out to teachers for classroom use. A collection of curriculum compatible videos may be checked out by teachers for instructional use. Teachers should be sure to include video information in lesson plan. Staff can also benefit from our professional resource books and journals that are available for check out. Teachers have no limit on the amount of materials they may check out; however, teachers should be conscious of others in need of the same materials and are asked to return materials as soon as they are done with them.

Student Check-out             K 1 2 3 4 5

Overdue, Lost, or Damaged Books:

• Overdue notices will be sent out monthly for patrons who have materials checked out for more than two weeks. Patrons will not be fined; however, overdue materials should be returned as soon as possible so they can be checked out by other patrons.

• Patrons must pay the replacement costs for lost library books. If the amount is not listed on the overdue slip, please check at the circulation desk for the price of a new library-bound copy of that book.

• Patrons who return damaged books will be assessed charges depending on the type of damage. If the book is beyond repair, the and patron will need to pay the replacements cost.

Staff Resources and Services

Laminating, Binding, Die Cut, and Paper:

• Laminating services will be available on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Items to be laminated should be labeled with teacher's name and be free of staples, glitter, fasteners, etc. Items can be dropped of in the morning and picked up in the afternoon on the bookshelves behind the laminating machine.
• Paper cutter, die-cuts, construction paper, poster board, and colored butcher paper is available in the media center for teacher and classroom use. Students are responsible for buying their own poster board for individual projects.
• Binding machines are also available for use or check-out, however teachers are responsible for purchasing their own binding rings.

Closed Circuit Procedures (for videos):

Videos and live broadcasts can be played school-wide using the closed-circuit. Please follow the steps below:

1. Check out the video
• If it is not part of our collection, complete a video approval form and have it signed by Dr. Rosa, then bring the form and movie to the library. Be sure if it is rated PG, you have signed parent permission forms.
2. Sign up in binder and include:
   • Who’s watching video (teacher's name or grade level)
   • What time(s) you want it played
   • What channel (first person to sign up will get ch. 2 / second = ch.4 / third = ch.6). It is first come, first serve for our 3 close-circuit channels.
3. The day of the video being played, bring the movie to us – preferably at the time you want it played, or if you give it to us in the morning please call down here to remind us when you’re ready for us to play it.
4. Unless informed otherwise, the movie will be checked back in when it is done playing. If it is not a part of our collection, please label it with your name so it can be returned to you.

Material Requests:

Teachers may fill out a materials request form (located by sign-up binder) and the library staff will pull a collection of materials (books, periodicals, AV materials, kits, etc.) pertaining to your indicated unit or topic and deliver it to you. You may also e-mail or deliver a list of materials you found in our collection using InfoCentre and the library staff will pull available items and deliver them to you. Please allow for up to three days for us to fulfill your request.

Equipment:

• All equipment is inventoried in InfoCentre and can be checked-out to staff.
• Equipment that can remain hooked up in classroom include: computers (and any attached printers, scan converters, speakers) and mounted DVD/VCR players and televisions.
• Equipment that must be checked-in over the summer include: stereos, overhead projectors, walkies, listening centers and headphones.
• Equipment that can be checked out on a daily basis include: digital cameras, camcorders, TV/VCR/DVD carts, USB drives, and our new media-cart which includes a LCD projector, laptop, DVD/VCR player, Interwrite pad, and speakers. First come, first served.
• The Laptop lab cart and Alphasmart Neo cart can be checked out through the computer lab.

Batteries and Bulbs:

• AAA rechargeable batteries are available for walkies and AA rechargeable for the school's digital cameras only. Please put dead batteries in the "to be charged container" and get new batteries for the "charged container". We do not supply any other batteries.
• Bulbs for overhead projectors can be replaced by the media staff.