Welcome to 2008!

WELCOME TO 2008! LIBRARY BLOG NOTES & INFORMATION!

JANUARY FOCUSED ON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK, WITH THE LIBRARY SPONSORING THE GREAT SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR. WE ARE ALSO DEVOTED TO UPDATING THE LIBRARY COLLECTION WITH HELP FROM GENEROUS LIBRARY PATRONS WHO PROVIDE THE MONEY FOR US TO PURCHASE NEW TITLES FOR THE AR LIST, AND GENERAL MATERIAL TO CREATE AN IN-DEPTH LIBRARY COLLECTION.

As we have mentioned, we are altering our audio-visual collection to provide support for in-class use. We realize that most children have many DVDs in their homes, so our collection is aimed at “learning sources & material” used here in the classroom. With this in mind, we no longer check out these items to the student to take home.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: LIBRARY AIDES WILL START WORKING THE NEW SCHEDULE THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 25.

1.Completely updated Accelerated Reader list will be ready and on the school/library website EARLY IN MARCH, 2008 with copies sent to Plum Library and Penn Hills Library (Titled: FEBRUARY UPDATED AR LIST)Also, copies are available for students to use in the library. Since the list is approximately 70+ pages long, it is not feasible for the library to provide copies for all - thus the website listing!
Originally, when we began the program, we were offered pre-packaged sets of titles from the company. This meant that sometimes there were quizzes for books we did not have – many of these books were older and had been deleted quite a long time ago from our shelves.
We quickly began to order CUSTOM QUIZZES – that is, quizzes matching books we already had, or new books we were ordering. While we must order carefully to work within our budget AND avoid selection of titles that are objectionable in content, we strive to develop a collection with great depth in both reading ability and a wide spread of genre. We certainly welcome your suggestions, but we rely on the combined opinions of Language Arts Instructors, Library staff, and highly recommended titles from reliable publications such as School Library Journal, etc. to make the final choices.

A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE GENEROUS PATRONS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR LIBRARY, A GROUP THAT INCLUDES PARENTS AND CLASSROOMS WHO GIVE THE LIBRARIAN HOLIDAY GIFTS TO SPEND AT LOCAL BOOKSTORES. THESE GIFT CERTIFICATES ARE ALWAYS USED TO PURCHASE BOOKS THAT WILL ADD TO OUR LIBRARY COLLECTION. A list of these gifts and memorial donations will be prepared and put on our blog soon.( A rousing pat-on-the-back for the library aides- and adult staff -who attended Boxer Day at a local book store, WITH THEIR PARENTS, sharing the joy of purchasing a good book, getting a free book, and having a cup of tea to celebrate this British Dec. 26 holiday!)

IMPORTANT!******************* Please remember that it serves the library better if you contribute money to the library for the purchasing of new books. Many patrons purchase and donate beautiful books, well-meaning of course. However, in many cases we already have duplicate copies of these titles. The money spent for these extra copies could be used to add new titles, particularly in areas where the library needs more depth. Please consider this when you wish to contribute. Many thanks for your generosity! Much of our library new books are financed by generous donors. A list of these patrons is usually printed at the end of the school year. If you contributed books and we missed your name, please let us know! Remember, we do reserve the right to determine the apppropriateness of any donation ( depending on condition, need-we may already have many copies of a favorite storybook-or content. Many of these donations are passed on to extremely poor areas in other states in our country, taken there by a very generous group who transport them!)

Please encourage your child to select a variety of topics, and particularly to choose books that they themselves can handle, with a very little help from the adult. While reading to youngsters is wonderful, encouraging them to “read to you” will help them become readers themselves! We try to match the book to the child’s ability to encourage their sense of accomplishment, slowly presenting material that offers just enough of a challenge that they will move ahead at a comfortable speed, enjoying the craft! Occasionally, we’ll select the books for the student in an effort to introduce them to other kinds of reading, to broaden their skill and knowledge. (We must learn about more than football and dinosaurs!!!!!)

TITLES THAT LIST A LOW READING LEVEL BUT LOTS OF POINTS ARE REALLY STORIES WITH MORE COMPLEX PLOTS FOR THE OLDER STUDENT
These are usually starred and given a “JH-SH” audience preference. (Even though the reading LEVEL may be listed as low as Grade 3 they provide stories of interest to the older student who is working on raising his reading level to match his GRADE level)

PARENTS: PLEASE DO NOT MISTAKE A CHILD’S ADVANCED READING ABILITY AS A REASON TO SELECT A TITLE VERY SPECIFICALLY MARKED FOR JUNIOR-SENIOR LEVEL. THE STORYLINES MAY HAVE MATERIAL THAT IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE YOUNGER STUDENT AS IT MAY DISCUSS PERSONAL OR FAMILY PROBLEMS BEYOND THEIR YEARS!.

We are always looking for good library help, particularly in areas that involve book preparation and repair, shelf organization, developing lists to support classroom projects, etc. These jobs can be done as they fit into your weekly activities. Signing up to work during library classes, however, involves a very specific commitment to a definite day and time!

AS WE SO OFTEN TELL THE CHILDREN: “THERE IS ALMOST NO ADULT LIFESTYLE THAT DOES NOT DEPEND ON GOOD READING ABILITY!” And this includes information on the computer screen, in a book, newspaper, magazine, on instructions for paying bills, banking, understanding the world at large!
We love working with the children, watching them change and grow- they amaze us every day. (Ask K about the yellow and green snakes, and about the “cycle of life”) Keep up the good work you’re doing! Mrs. Gray and the library staff.





LIBRARY PROJECTS THIS YEAR ( in addition to many that highlighted specific books or general knowledge of the world around your children)

KINDERGARTEN: LEARNED TO USE THE LIBRARY, LOVED LEARNING TO SING MANY TRADITIONAL FOLKSONGS, AND HUMOROUS PARODIES Also learned to express themselves artistically in a freeform, very personal style! (note the marvelous free-form Bethlehem Stars). and
studied maps of Pa., locating important places in our state’s history.

GR.1 & 2:
introduced to many, many new series-titles and chapter books promoting the reading of good fiction, learning about authors
and illustrators, such as Eric Carle, authors such as Jon Scieszka ( who is to be the first person to receive a newly created award for children’s authors)
The Libraryof Congress has established a “CHILDREN’S LITERATURE LAUREATE” with Mr. Scieszka as the first recipient!. Students – Remember the story in which Mr. S. tells the “true story of the three little pigs as told by the WOLF ?) He also is the author of the TIME WARP TRIO SERIES!!!!!


GR. 3: continued their study of “Cinderella” learning to recognize the social situation of the “middle class”. (and reminded that THEY are living in the castle now, with heat, light, food, shelter, toys, cars, vacations, etc., etc., etc.

GR.4 & 5 learned to select good authors and recognize their styles. Also prepare reviews of books they’ve read. Some of the good series they are learning to recognize include “Children of the Lamp”, series; books by the Caldecott Medal Winner, Brian Selznick; the Charlie Bone series; The Olympians by Riordan, and many more, almost all on the Accelerated Reader Lists. ( Updating will be done on the school library website the first week in March.)

GR.6 will begin their preparation of a report on another country , assigned by their teacher, using library material to gather data, work on report design, etc.

GR.7 WROTE POWERFUL, IMAGINATIVE STORIES ABOUT STRANGE PICTURES THEY WERE GIVEN, PART OF A PROJECT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEIR LANGUAGE ARTS CLASS. They also did reports that highlighted virtues taught at St. John’s as supported by articles found in magazines, newspapers, etc.

GR.8 PREPARED PUBLICITY FOR A SPECIFIC STORY (CHOSEN FROM FINE LITERATURE) THAT WOULD ATTRACT READERS – POSTERS, BOOK REVIEWS, ETC. They also prepared excellent interviews with a person at least two generations older than themselves as assigned by their instructor, Mrs. Z.

GR. 7&8: WILL BEGIN STUDYING FOLKTALES, FAIRYTALES, MYTHS, TALL TALES AND FABLES—AND DIFFERENCES OF THESE FORMS.


The library tries to support and supplement assignments given to the students by their instructors, while also constantly introducing the student to the marvelous “escape” offered by a good story, – allowing the child to imagine anything! Everyone seeks a way to escape the busy everyday world and its frustrations. Encourage your child to form a POSITIVE, SAFE, VALUABLE habit to allow these moments of escape – certainly far superior to other troubling ways that some seek out!

REMEMBER – SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!