Where’s the new cool place to be on campus? The library of course! On the elementary, middle, and high school campuses, our libraries are filled to capacity, not only during class sessions, but during our students’ free time as well.

At the elementary school, Librarian Mrs. Van Dyk reports that students are packing the library before school and at lunch. As of March 1st, she has checked out 9,365 books! Students are browsing the shelves, using the computers to take AR quizzes and search Destiny Quest, and lounging in beanbag chairs (or on the floor!) reading. New online resources such as World Almanac for Kids and Destiny’s WebPath Express are guiding our youngest students to safe online educational material.

The middle school library is also a popular place to be, whether students are playing chess, reading a magazine, or creating their own cartoons on the library’s iPads. During class, students and teachers collaborate with Mrs. Vande Vegte to use both the iPads and the library’s large collection of curriculum aligned books to keep learning fresh and relevant. iPad apps for the Destiny Library Catalog and the new middle school EBSCOHost databases bring library resources to life.

At the high school, the library is “Standing Room Only” before school, during break, and at lunch. Students are busy at the student computers, cramming for the next exam, or just hanging out with friends. Preparation for college demands a rigorous information literacy program. Acquiring and communicating knowledge through multiple mediums is preparing our students with essential life and career skills.

New for Spring 2012, access for all students (PK-12) to excellent online resources are expanding the breadth and depth of our print collections and bringing quality information sources to our students in their homes and on their wireless devices. For links to our online resources, go to www.vcschools.org/library.

Coming this Fall! - Exciting plans are underway to launch a new eBook collection. For more information on our library collections or instructional program, please contact Deanna Haendiges, Head Librarian, at library@vcschools.org.