HMS Library Quarterly Report
March-May 2013
Life in the library...
Students read...
In every category, circulations for this year were higher than last year. This year, 1386 nonfiction books circulated while 10,009 fiction books circulated. Last year, 892 nonfiction books circulated while 8098 fiction books circulated. 12,660 total books circulated this year--a pretty great number for 275 or so students! Last year, total circulation was at 9835. I'm encouraged by the increase in numbers! While I know just looking at circulation numbers is not a complete picture of the reading that is happening at HMS, it is a testament to the faculty and staff of the building that they place a high priority on reading!
Students participate in special activities!
To tag onto the excitement surrounding the NCAA basketball tournament in March and April, the library held the first annual "March Madness in the Library" tournament. I created a list of the most popular books or series checked out from the library between February 2012 and February 2013 and created a bracket out of the top 16 titles/series. Each week, students could vote for their favorites in order to help move the books/series further along in the bracket. Finally, the championship round came down to the Lemony Snicket series versus Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix, and the winner was Among the Hidden! Each week when students voted, their ballot was entered into a drawing for a Sonic gift card and a gift certificate to Pages bookstore in Newton towards the book of their choice. If students voted each week, they would have entered the drawing four times. Abby Hostetler was the winner of the drawing. Quite a bit of excitement was generated through the tournament, and I thank especially the 7th and 8th grade teachers for keeping the excitement going. :) We will definitely have the 2nd annual tournament next year, and it will be interesting to see if any of the titles in the bracket change!
Teachers collaborate...
What's next?
As that process has begun, it has highlighted for me again the need to weed the collection of old books. Mr. Becker has generously shared some money with me to use for book for the middle school library, and I intend to use it to purchase nonfiction titles. As teachers begin to plan for the KS College and Career Ready (CCR) Standards and the expectation of more nonfiction being used in all classrooms, I would like to have updated resources available for them.
As always, I am looking for more ways to collaborate with teachers at HMS. As Staci Hansen's role shifts to that of a facilitator rather than a teacher with her own classroom, I am hopeful that I can work with her and with teachers to help students learn the research and information literacy skills that are embedded in the KS CCR Standards. These are skills they will use at HMS, as they move on to the high school, and as they are successful throughout life.
"Powerful libraries--and librarians--do, indeed, make powerful learners." ~Keith Curry Lance
Rachel Yoder
Email: rachel.yoder@usd460.org