Library Services

Orientation

All 7th-grade students complete a general library orientation.

Other orientations or lessons available by request:

• Navigating online databases (EBSCOHost and state databases)
• Conducting effect Internet searches including use of WebPath Express
• Determining the authority of a website
• Evaluating websites
• Citing sources and using web citation tools (NoodleTools)
• Identifying Fake News
• Using Noodle Tools
• Using Google Drive and Google Classroom
• Using on-line presentation tools
• Other options by request

Library Visits

• To schedule a visit, contact your Teacher Librarian via e-mail or phone.
• Research, book talks, and information literacy instruction take priority over word-processing. (For word processing, check availability of on-campus computer labs and Chromebook carts.)
• Allow at least two full days to conduct research.
• Prepare your students in advance with a topic, research questions, keywords related to the research topic, project criteria and expectations, and additional research aids such as citation sheets or Cornell note sheets. (Consider using the Guided Inquiry Research method to assist your students with the research process.)
• Instruction will be provided on how to use project-specific resources (i.e., on-line databases, websites, reference books). (Consider having a project-specific online guide developed in collaboration using Google Classroom or Google Sites to provide information and links to students.)
• Library visits will be booked in Outlook. Appointments fill up quickly so book early.
• You may send up to 5 students on a pass for independent research. Please contact the library staff in advance to verify if space available.

Book Talks

• Book Talks are scheduled for 45 minutes.
• Two classes may be booked per period.
• Students need ID cards to check out library books.
• Students must have library accounts in good standing to check out library books.

1. Before your first visit to the library, review library expectations. (Show Visiting the Library slide show.)
2. The Teacher Librarian will meet and greet your class at the library doors. Please do not send your class into the library. We have four areas for classes to use so to minimize disruption of other classes, your class will be greeted outside the library.
3. Expectations will be quickly reviewed by the Teacher Librarian and your students will be directed to a reserved area.
4. Please assist the librarian by reinforcing behavior expectations while your class is in the library. If your class will be accompanied to the library by a guest teacher, make sure that he/she understands these expectations and will provide support to the class during their time in the library.

Teaching Materials

• Teacher editions and resource kits for the current adoption are provided by the library.
• You will keep these materials until you leave our campus or change grade level or subject.
• Please schedule an appointment to pick up or return materials by calling or e-mailing your teacher librarian. Be sure to include the grade level and title of the textbook needed in your request. Scheduling an appointment will ensure that materials are ready for pick-up. Some teaching resources are not readily available on site and must be ordered from other sites or the textbook warehouse.
• Upon receiving your materials, inventory them and report any discrepancies to the librarian.
• At the end of the year, you will receive an e-mail notifying you of your library account status. Follow directions provided for the end-of-the-year procedures regarding the library.

Class Sets

• Some courses receive class sets of student textbooks. Please keep a continuous inventory of these books.
• Your colleagues or the library staff would be happy to share ways to manage classroom sets.
• Report any losses to your curriculum leader and the library staff.

Textbook Distribution and Collection

During the first week of school, please show students the Textbook slideshow. It is important students view this slideshow so they understand textbook policies, care and consequences for textbook damages and losses.

• Textbook distribution and collection times are scheduled in advance and sent through appointments in Outlook.
• The textbook schedule may also be found in the library folder on Public under schedules.
• Students need to have an ID card or schedule to check out a textbook. Students without identification may use their teacher to identify them at the textbook check-out stations.
• On the first day of school, please have EHMS students tape their schedule to the inside front cover of their planner. This will keep the barcode scannable for future library use.
• Teachers may print student schedules for students without schedules from Synergy.
• Please show up on time for your appointment at the textbook check-out stations.
• Please monitor your students' behavior and noise level while at they are checking out textbooks.
• By law (Williams Case), students receive their textbooks regardless of overdue textbooks.
• Students who lose textbooks receive a replacement textbook and a bill.
• Report students without textbooks to the library. Every student should have a textbook.

Textbook Policies

• Please do not allow students to store hardback textbooks in your classroom unless they have a medical release on file.
• Please provide a safe place for students with medical releases to store their books. Do not allow other students to use this book as the student to whom the book is checked out is responsible for the loss and any damage.
• Encourage students to check over their textbooks during the first week of term. Students have 7 days to report any damages not listed under the barcode to the library staff.
• Textbooks are collected before finals at the end of the year. Encourage students to complete study guides before their collection appointment in the library.
• The library appreciates face-to-face time with the students during textbook collection to clear up any issues regarding lost, damaged or late books.
• It is highly recommended that students return their own textbooks to the library. This avoids damages and losses being placed on the classroom teacher.
• Students who do not return books are billed and are placed on the Library No Activities List.
• In order to provide textbooks to the next term students, it is imperative that textbooks are returned on time. English teachers, please bring students to the library to return core novels.

Did you know the following items are available for check out in the library?

• classroom posters
• video cameras
• DVD/VHS movies
• tripods
• boomboxes
• books on tape and CD
• headsets
• green screen

Many of these items have specific circulating policies based on the funding with which the items were purchased. For instances, classroom posters must circulate and change throughout the year.

Please pay attention to due dates as you share these items with your colleagues and the high school.

Requesting DVD/VHS movies:

• Find the title and call number in the library catalog located on the library webpage.
• Send info via e-mail to both library teachers and our library technicians along with your room number. (You can reach all library staff at MTHSLIBRARY@egusd.net with one email.)
• A library TA will deliver the requested item to your class.
• It is advisable to make your request 24 hours in advance. When the library is busy we are unable to process immediate requests, so to avoid the disappointment of not having what you need when you need it, please plan ahead.

Did you know?

The library has a professional collection of resources available to support your on-going professional development and your curriculum.

Were you aware?

Many resources to support teaching and learning are available on our library website. Most of these resources are available 24/7 outside the library walls through the EGUSD portal.

• On-line databases support research and learning. (Contact your Teacher Librarian for user names and passwords.)
• The library catalog lets you know what resources are available in our library collection.
• Ebooks are available through our library catalog.
• The library blog, Book Trail, provides brief summaries of books for readers.
• Links to search engines, Web 2.0 tools, and citation information are posted on our Library website.
• Library policies are posted on our library website for quick reference.
• Watch for tutorials to aid with catalog use and database searches that will be coming from our library YouTube channel on our library web page.
• WebPath Express is available from our Destiny catalog.This feature allows the user to view vetted websites that fill the search request.

Did you know you can find information on the following in the library file on Public?

• textbook schedules
• classroom posters lists
• literature circle lists
• copyright information
• library PowerPoints

The library conducts many special events and activities throughout the year. Here's what's happening so far this year:

• Banned Books Week
• Teens Read Week
• Fall Scholastic Book Fair
• Readapolooza
• Teen Tech Week
• School Library Month
• Poetry Month
• Scholastic Spring Book Fair
• May the 4th Be With You

Book Fair and Student Book Crew

Our Scholastic Book Fairs, which earn money for our magazine subscriptions, library posters, and prizes for our library events, are run entirely by our volunteer student book crew. These students apply to join the crew in September and January and attend regular meetings to learn job skills and help promote the fair. They volunteer during the week of the fair and also during the evening of our Open House so that we can have the book fair open for our guests.

We appreciate teachers who volunteer their time to supervise the book crew during their prep periods during the book fair week so that the library staff can keep the library running as scheduled. We greatly appreciate your support by bringing your classes to visit the book fair, too. Making a purchase either at our fair or from online Book Fair on our website also helps our library.

• Consider incorporating Web 2.0 tools in student projects. These tools can enhance your students' presentations and build their technology skills.
• Help your students learn about Internet safety as well as the respectful and ethical use of the Internet.
• Expect students to cite their sources correctly and give credit to any media, print or digital, which they use in a project that is not their own.

The librarian is here to offer instruction and support in these areas. Let's collaborate! Let's design a project together!