OWS & Vista Academy Library Program, 2009-2010

This post and the ones below offer some information for Specialists' Night (tonight, Wednesday, October 14th)! Please feel free to email me if you wish to receive a copy of the library benchmarks.

A brief overview of our library program:

Libraries are exciting places because they are both archives of past treasures as well as gateways to the riches of our current information age. This dual purpose underlies the major goals of the OWS & Vista Academy library program; we hope that students will cultivate a love of reading and literature and that they will become effective users and seekers of information. We want students to leave our school with the understanding that libraries are important community institutions that will serve them in many capacities throughout their lives.

Library classes build on each other over time, from reinforcing basic literacy skills in the lower grades to developing more advanced research techniques in the upper grades. During storytimes we sample some of the best children’s literature, both old and new. Many storytimes are based on a theme or are part of a larger ongoing unit.

OWS/Vista Library resources

In addition to the blog and my Goodreads page (which has recommended books sorted by subject and genre) we subscribe to a number of databases that are useful for homework and just for fun. We cannot publish the passwords here, of course, so email us at library @ ows dot org (without the spaces!) if you need that information. It was also included in the curriculum night handouts you received from your child's teacher.

OWS/Vista Library policies

Borrowing & returning books: Please help your student remember to return his or her books on or before the date they are due (see back of book for date due stamp). Books should be returned to the library bin in your child’s classroom.

Lost or damaged books: If your student loses or damages a book, please notify me via email at library @ ows dot org (without the spaces). Please do not purchase a replacement! If you later locate a missing item, you will receive a refund, which cannot happen if you bought a replacement copy. We may also choose to use fines to purchase titles that are more urgently needed or more up-to-date than the lost or damaged item.

Gift book donations to our school library

Our school library has a long-standing tradition of families donating books in honor of students’ birthdays and other occasions. A special book plate with the donor’s name is placed in each book, and the honored individual is allowed to take the item home first.

If you are interested in donating, please go to Amazon*, click on “Your Lists” at the top of the page, select “Wish List,” and search for “Open Window School” or “Vista Academy.”

If you would like to donate a title that is not on either wish list, please consult with the librarian before making a purchase, to avoid disappointment if the title is not needed in our collection. Thank you!

*Of course you may also purchase items at your local independent bookstore - in fact, I highly recommend that! If you choose that route, please let me know so that I can remove the book in question from the Amazon wish list.