HES Library Newsletter
October 2023
October Surprise
I guess in this case, the surprise is mainly how warm it was for all of October, and then just in time for Halloween, a gust of icy Fall air showed up and said "hope you can wear layers under that costume, kid!"
Thank you to all who participated in our first Book Fair of the year. Students had a blast all week picking out some really great books and some okay-I-guess spy pens and "chocolate calculators." Give the people what they want, I suppose, but a little piece of my book-loving heart withers when a child has more than enough money for a book, but they insist on loading up on the shiny plastic stuff instead.
Speaking of students who actually bought books, though! We had 73 students who completed the reading challenge to earn a free book of their choice. Those hard-working readers got to choose any book priced less than $10.99, as long as it was not a diary or something with a toy attached. These books were purchased for the students using Scholastic Dollars earned from our most recent book fair last spring. Money earned from this fair will be put to a similar purpose in the future, and will also be used to purchase books to give away to each and every student during our Read Across America celebrations in the spring.
Up Next
November is Picture Book Month. Every year, MNPS Library Services chooses 3 great picture books that all elementary students are encouraged to read. Students can read these books when they visit the library, or teachers can request a story time with Mrs. W in the library or the classroom. Students can then vote for their favorite, and the winning books from each school are tallied to see which book is the overall favorite throughout the district. This year, our three books are:
The Scariest Kitten in the World by Terrifying Kitten (with help from Kate Messner and Mackenzie Haley)
Mr. S by Monica Arnaldo
Mouse & Giraffe by Kelly DiPucchio and Jen Corace
This is going to be a tough competition. All three books are excellent, but Scariest Kitten has already become a fast favorite after it was featured on Book Talk Tuesday.
Library Circulation Statistics
Last year in the 2022-23 school year, the HES library circulated 7,999 books! That sounds impressive, but it is almost 2,000 fewer books than in the previous school year. Let's see if we can check out more than 10,000 books this year!
Students and teachers also borrowed 303 books from Limitless Libraries in 2022-23.
Here are our stats so far for the 2023-24 school year:
Our Library:
- August - 925 (that's 131 more than last August! Woohoo!)
- September - 1268 (not too shabby!)
- October - 756 (not great, but let's not forget we had Fall Break and Book Fair, which meant no checkouts for 2 whole weeks)
Limitless Libraries:
- August - 62 (for all you math nerds, that's one less than NINE TIMES as many books as last August!!)
- September - 101 (wow! that's more than we had in any month last year!)
- October - 88
A Message to Families About Book Choice
I am excited to support your child on their journey to becoming a lifelong reader and learner. My primary focus is to support the district's efforts to improve the focused outcomes of students in the area of literacy by helping your child discover the love of reading and grow as an independent reader. Our library is a space of voluntary inquiry where students are welcome to explore and select books and materials that support their academic needs and their unique reading interests. It is an honor to be part of your child's educational journey, and it is my hope that our school library will be a place of wonder to them.
I am here to partner with you and will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you have. I am available to discuss your child's reading interests and needs any time.
How Library Materials Are Selected
Our materials have been carefully selected according to our district's selection policy, and they reflect the age and maturity levels of the students in our school. They are also aligned to the educational mission of MNPS, our school, and our district. We periodically review library materials to ensure they are age appropriate for our students
MNPS mission: We deliver a great public education to every student every day.
School mission:
MNPS Libraries mission: Metro Nashville Public Schools Libraries develop students who are critical thinkers and thoughtful users of information through teaching, collaboration and a rich collection of resources. Our school libraries are diverse, student-centered learning hubs that promote teacher and student success through collaboration, inquiry, and literacy across all disciplines. We ensure equitable services and access to high quality, educational, relevant resources for students.
Every book is not for every reader, but every child should have access to books they may want to read. MNPS librarians strive to know our learners and assist them in finding books that fit their needs and interests. If your student checks out any library material your family deems inappropriate, please return the item to the school. Please talk with your child about your expectations for content they consume. Please partner with me so that I can understand your child's needs.
Limitless Libraries
Visit www.limitlesslibraries.org to get started! To place a hold on items, or to access the online content outside of school, a student's library card number is their 190# (school ID number) and their 4-digit birthdate is their PIN (i.e. May 7 = 0507).
To access eBooks through Limitless Libraries from home, follow the steps outlined in the images below, or email katie.wesolek@mnps.org if you have any questions.