Library Media Center
As we prepare our students for the 21st century, the library media center serves as a place where students can develop information literacy skills – the ability to efficiently identify, locate, evaluate, and use information. The Library Media Center’s print, non-print, and electronic resources are valuable assets for class assignments and independent learning. The library will provide technology so the students can use those items for projects and presentations.
We encourage students and staff to inform us of their educational needs so that we may better serve our school. Informed use by teachers and students of the programs and services available through the library media center will improve both teaching and learning.
It is our philosophy that all students must be provided equal access to ideas, information and library and media facilities. We aim to match the right materials to the right student. Our goal is to work with our teachers to create an environment that positively affects student-centered learning that will encourage life-long learners.
Description
The library/media center is open for students and staff of Crestwood Intermediate School. The room will be open during the school day for all teachers and classes to sign out for collaborative workshops and projects and to students during lunch to have a quiet space to read and work. The library will supply books to the classroom ELA teachers who will create class libraries that will use fictional and nonfiction/reference books for their classroom reading. All Crestwood Intermediate School books will be inventoried to ensure that all books are accounted for and to ensure that we know if they are with a teacher library, CIS library media center or signed out to a student.
What will our classroom libraries look like?
The classroom libraries will be located in our English Language Arts classes. Books will be rotated from our library media center to ensure that there is a robust selection at all times. Having this resource in our classrooms is a powerful way to structure our reading and ELA class. Using this model will involve the teacher guiding our students to choose their own books as well as providing significant amounts of time for them to read independently. By allowing our students to choose their own books, we will foster a love of reading that will last a lifetime. Research shows that when children spend more time reading, they become better readers. With a little guidance and encouragement from a teacher who loves to read, students will learn to select appropriate books and discover joy in reading.
This model and our ELA framework will allow students to engage in authentic reading experiences. It is an effective way to differentiate instruction. This method supports differentiation within our classrooms. The model encourages flexibility, student choice, increases student engagement, and shared responsibility. We will work hard in creating and maintaining an atmosphere where reading is valued and embraced.
Hours of Operation
The library is open Monday- Friday on school calendar days to students from 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM. The library is closed on occasion for staff/faculty meetings, special occasions, and testing days.