Welcome to the Library!
Art | Computer |  Library | Music | Resource |  Spanish | Educational Consultant

 

 MEDIA CENTER POLICIES  

Checkout Policies    Overdue Book Policies    

     The media center at St. Joseph School is dedicated to providing reading and research materials to students. The following policies are designed to make it possible for all students to be served fairly and as a tool in teaching responsibility. We appreciate your support and assistance.

Library/Media Center - The library strives to be positive, active and appealing by providing fiction, non-fiction, reference materials, magazines, and other materials for student and faculty use.  Students and teachers can access information about all holdings through computer lookup stations in the library or classroom.  Use of computers for checkout and compilation of statistics about circulation make it possible to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the collection for future acquisitions.

            Each class is assigned a weekly library period.  During this time, kindergarten through sixth grade students are presented with oral readings from contemporary and classical literature and have an opportunity to choose books to take home.  To encourage responsibility and prepare students for the policies of public libraries, students are assessed a fine for overdue or lost books.  Students need to follow library rules regarding checking out and caring for books.

            Students have access to the library for research.  This may be done through traditional research techniques or through use of computerized research stations.  Students must have a signed “Computer and Internet Use Policy” form to be able to do Internet research.  Students or their teacher must check with the media coordinator for available times that do not conflict with scheduled library periods. Class research activities and library skills sessions under teacher supervision may be held in the library during open library times.

            The library coordinates the “Books and Beyond” national reading incentive program.  Students, teachers and parents are encouraged to engage in recreational reading by keeping track of the amount of reading done over a six-month period.  Prizes are awarded periodically throughout the program.  All students who participate are eligible to attend a closing celebration in May.

The library serves as a resource center for teachers by providing materials that supplement curriculum areas. Classroom teachers give library skills instruction as part of the reading curriculum. All library media resources are cataloged, marked and shelved according to the Dewey Decimal System.

            In order to meet state requirements the school has at least one set of encyclopedias with a copyright date within six years of the current school year.  St. Joseph School purchases a minimum of 150 new books per year.  A minimum of five magazines, intended for use by the students, are also purchased each year.

Checkout Policies:

·         Kindergarten through fifth grade books are due one week from the date checked out.  Sixth through eighth grade students have two weeks.  Books may be returned ANYTIME before their due date.  Each class has designated baskets for returning or renewing library books.  Students may return books that are not overdue to these baskets or directly to the library.  A student may renew books as needed unless the book is “reserved” for another student or teacher.

·         Books may only be checked out on the day the student’s class comes to the library.  If a book is not returned on its due date, the student must wait until the next class library day to check out books.  Late books cannot be held in reserve for checkout on a later date.

·         If a student is absent on their library day, his/her books are AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED.

·         A book may be renewed any number of times as long as it has not been reserved by another student or teacher.

·         Books can be reserved.  They are kept at the check out desk and given to the student on their library day.  Books with multiple reserves will be distributed in the order reserved.

·         Magazines are available for check out.

·         All reference materials (marked “For Library Use Only”) must be used in the media center.  Students may not check out teacher resource materials or videos.

·         It is our goal to help parents and teachers reinforce language skills as well as a love of reading.  We also work with students on listening skills.  We begin by introducing the children to selecting books slowly.  We increasingly give them the freedom to select their own books and increase the number they check out each week.

·         Students are encouraged to select books at or slightly above their reading level.  Students can take one book each week on a much higher reading level or one book their parents are reading to them.  They must have at least one book they can read independently.

·         The library has a variety of books for fun and amusement.  These include joke books, drawing books, world record books and magazines.  These are intended to supplement student reading.

·         Parent and teacher recommendations may be made regarding materials appropriate on a class level or for a particular student.  Requests for an exception must go through the librarian

·         Checkout policies by grade

Kindergarten: September/October – one book checked out from pre-selected material.

First/Second Grade: Select from the Early Reader section.  May check out book and tape sets.  May take one magazine per week.  Some teachers require leveled readers.  Students may check out three books.

Third Grade: Select from the Early Reader section, early chapter books, and series books.  May begin to check out more difficult chapter books.  September – three books, October through May – five books.

Fourth Grade: May check out Early Readers.  Should begin to check out from fiction and series sections.  September – three books, October through May – five books.

Fifth Grade: May check out some Early books but should focus on fiction and series sections.  Students may check out five books.

Sixth, Seventh, Eighth Grade: Select from any area.  Unlimited checkout.

Overdue Book Policies

·         OVERDUE BOOKS MUST BE RETURNED DIRECTLY TO THE LIBRARY.  THEY SHOULD NEVER BE PUT IN THE BASKETS.

·         The fine for overdue books is five cents PER DAY, PER BOOK.

·         Once a book is returned, the fine is frozen at the amount owed on the date returned.  No books may be checked out until the book is returned AND THE FINE IS PAID.

·         Saturday, Sunday, and school holidays are not counted when calculating the fines.  Date due records will be adjusted for snow days or unexpected days off.

·         Overdue notices for books will not indicate the fine due since the fine amount continues to increase until the book is returned.  Students must come to the media center with their late books to find out the amount of their fine.  Remember: Overdue books are not to be returned in the classroom library baskets.

·         All book fines must be paid and overdue books returned before report cards are given each quarter. 

·         If books are damaged or lost, students must pay to replace them.  The charge is $5.00 for magazines, $7.00 for paperbacks and $20.00 for hardbacks.  This is non-refundable even if the book is found.