Starting the Year 2020

Starting the Year

Our library/media team has been working to determine the best ways to support you and your students as we embark on this new year. The most frequently asked question is, "Are kids able to get library books?" The answer is, "Yes, kids will be able to checkout library books." Some more in depth answers follow, but know that as with everything else this year, things will likely change. We won't be able to allow classes into the media center for library lessons or checkout at this time, but we are hopeful to allow a greater presence in our library/media spaces as soon as we are told we can do so safely. Until then, here is our plan for books.

How are we getting library books into kids' hands?

For students in grades Y5-1, Jo-Anne, Jen, or Mary will bring a cart of books to your classroom sometime during the afternoon of your library day (Thursday for K, Friday for Y5 & 1st grade). They will check out the books on location in or outside of your classroom. Watch for information coming from them to arrange a convenient time for this happen.

Students in grades 2-5 will be using an ordering system, called BOOKHUB (which is a fun play on the food ordering app, GrubHub). I'd love to take credit for this, but much of this system was designed by a librarian in Iowa. We just adapted it to fit our situation. Our second through fifth graders will be shown how to order books using one of the following three options currently available:

1. Order online through BOOKHUB form on Library/Media website.

2. Order on paper through a BOOKHUB form.

3. Place a book(s) on hold through Destiny Discover. 

Once orders are placed (for specific books or type of books), our fantastic library assistants (Jen, Jo-Anne, and Mary), will pull the books, check them out, and deliver them to students. Our plan is to get them delivered by the end of the day or the next morning after library/media special. Below is a short screencast showing you BOOKHUB and how we plan to use it. I will share this information and teach students the process starting during our first special rotation (Week of September 21). 

Since we are a little short on computers, this process will likely be slow to start, but we'll get there. Of course, it is encouraged for students to spend time on Destiny Discover to look for books when they have a computer available to use in the classroom or at home. 

How long will students be able to checkout out materials? 

We are now on a 5 day cycle so checkouts will last for 5 days. However, because we also must quarantine books for 5 days, our system will show that checkouts last for two weeks. So students' records will likely show that they have more books checked out than they do. As soon as the quarantine time is over, we'll check in those books and they will be removed from the student's record. 

When will students return books to the library?

Because students will not actually be visiting the library to start this year, we would ask that you have a special bin/tub/crate where students can place their library books when they are finished with them. We plan to walk through the halls daily to collect returned books from classrooms.  If bins could be placed in the halls, Mary, Jen, and Jo-Anne can grab them without disrupting your class. They'll let you know the approximate time they'll be rolling through the halls. If you need a bin/tub/crate, let us know and we'll be sure to get one for you. We appreciate your help with this.

How many books can students check out?

To start the year, let's plan on 1 book for students in grades Y5-1st grade and 2 books for students in grades 2-5. Once we get a feel for how this will run, we will definitely allow more books to be checked out.

Can students only order books on their library/media special day?

 

No, books can be ordered or placed on hold through Destiny Discover or BOOKHUB at other times. However, our plan to start, will be to focus on filling orders for the specific grade that has library/media as a special that day. Below is each grade level's library/media day:

Monday - Grade 2

Tuesday - Grade 3

Wednesday - Grade 4

Thursday - Grades K & 5

Friday - Grades Y5 & 1

In the past, students have been able to come to the library on their own to checkout books. Will they still be able to do this?

At this point, the answer is unfortunately, no. We hope that this won't be the case for the whole year, but due to our current safety protocols, this is the plan. 

As a teacher, can I checkout books to use in my classroom?

Of course! This is highly encouraged! 😊You can use the order form yourself, place the books you want on hold through Destiny Discover, email us with a list, or just stop in for a personal visit to pick out the books you'd like.

We appreciate your help in this process. Please reach out if you have further questions.