The Most Important Part of the Library
People - All of Us
- People are the most important part of the library -- not the computers, books, equipment, or furniture. People are the reason we have a library.
- We will treat each other as if we are each important and valuable -- because we are. If you treat people well, I will entrust you with things of lesser importance like books, magazines, computers, etc.
- The library is a place for people to read, think, research, and work. We will maintain an environment that supports those activities. If you are just looking for a place to visit with friends, please choose another location.
People - Library Staff
- Mrs. Edwards works in the library from 8:05 until at least 4:00.
- Mrs. Hinckley works in the library from 8:30 - 3:00.
- We are both willing and able to help you. Just ask.
- 8:05 - 4:00*
- Open during all three lunches.
- Students may come in before school and during lunch (eat first) with a Special Library Pass that they can find in the cafeteria.
- Students can come in after school without a pass.
- During the school day individual students and small groups may come to the library with a pass from their teachers.
*The library is always open unless there is a meeting. Some meetings are during the day; some are after school. The library is usually open until at least 4:00 or longer if there are students in the library.
- Students may borrow 3 items (books and/or magazines) for 3 weeks.
- The 6th grade Language Arts teachers and the 7th and 8th grade Science teachers are bringing their classes to the library once every three weeks so that all students will get to come to the library to borrow books regularly.
- These classes usually come on either Tuesdays or Fridays.
- Students may get different books and/or magazines every day if they want.
- We are charging fines again this year. It will cost students 5 cents per day per book for overdue books up to a maximum charge of $1.00 per book. We hope this will encourage students to return books on time and prevent books from being forgotten and lost.
- Students are scheduled to come to the library once every three weeks to borrow books.
- Except for that scheduling, the library will keep a flexible schedule. Research and other classes are scheduled by teachers with Mrs. Edwards during or after collaborative planning. Information literacy and Instructional Technology are incorporated into content areas.
- Teachers may schedule to use the computer lab or the library.
- Teachers will plan and schedule with Mrs. Edwards to use the library if they want to team teach with Mrs. Edwards and incorporate information literacy and instructional technology into their content lessons.
- Sometimes teachers will begin a long term project in the library and then finish it in the lab once students demonstrate independence.
- Teachers may call or e-mail to reserve the lab for lessons they would like to teach independently. The lab schedule is kept in the library.
- The lab key is also kept in the library. Teachers will come get the key the day they have the lab reserved and return it at the end of that day.
- Summer Reading Lists
- READ: Books for Guys (and other fabulous people)
- READ: African American Authors
- The same book is not considered "good" by everyone. Just as people like different desserts, they like different books.
- We have over 12,000 books. There are just so many choices! How can you find a book that you will think is "good"? Here are some ideas:
- Think about what you like. (Fiction? Non-fiction? Mysteries? Adventures? Romance? Humor? Science Fiction? Fantasy? Weather? Sports? Cooking?) Use the OPAC to help you find books about what you like. Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Hinckley can help you get really good at this. We would like our students to become "experts" about subjects of interest to them. We will purchase books appropriate to support your interests if you let us know.
- Think about a friend or someone you know who reads a lot. (They don't spend time reading books they think aren't "good".) Ask them for a "good book" recommendation. You might like what they recommend; you might not. It all depends on whether you like the same kinds of things. Ask lots of people. You'll find someone who shares your interests. You can trade recommendations.
- Go to the A to Z for Students page. Look under Authors and then under Book Activities - Books to Read. There are some great guides there.
- Use the Series and Sequels 3-ring binder reference in the library.
- Use the Genre and Subject guide 3-ring binders in the library.
- Read award winning books like the Newbery, Coretta Scott King, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Pura Belpré Award, and Robert F. Sibert Informational Book award winners and honorees.
- Read the Sequoyah books -- the nominees for this year, and the nominees and winners from past years.
- Look at great booklists such as ATN (All Together Now). Keep in mind that these include books for all ages.
- Ask Mrs. Edwards or Mrs. Hinckley for a recommendation.
- Explore Novelist. It is available as one of the Tulsa City County Libraries' online databases. Click on the letter N. Scroll down to find Novelist. You will need your TCCL library card number to access any of the databases. (NOTE: Anyone who lives, works, or owns property in Tulsa County is eligible to get a TCCL library card. We have applications in the library.
- Explore Teachingbooks.net which is an online database available from Tulsa Public Schools. Your student(s) should have the login and password information. Once you access the site, click on Online Database. Finally, click on Teachingbooks.net. Explore!
- How can you help someone else find a "good" book?)
- When you read a "good" book, tell your friends about it. (Make sure that you bring the book back to the library and let your friends check "good" books out under their names.)
- Create advertisements or a podcast for a book. See Mrs. Edwards for more information.
- You can help Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Hinckley! If you know of a "good" book that we don't have in the library, make sure you write the title (and author if you can) and put it in the "GOOD BOOKS WE NEED BOX."
- Last year we added about 1,800 new items to our library collection.
- We get new books when we have book fairs. (Thank you PTSA!!)
- Mrs. Edwards orders books using book bond money. (Thank goodness for the bond!!)
- We order . . .
- New books for the series books we have
- Books we need to support the curriculum
- Books with good reviews that are recommended for middle school students
- Books students and teachers ask for (If the books have good reviews and are for middle school students)
- Books to replace books that are out-of-date (Remember, information changes.)
- Books by great authors
- Books to replace lost or damaged titles that are still of value
- Fiction and non-fiction books that might be considered "good" by many students (not all students, of course)
- Additional copies of books so several friends can read the same book at the same time
- Popular books
- Professional books for teachers
- Books with excellent reviews
- Audio books for teachers to use in class
- We happily accept donated books and audio books.
- Used books still in good repair are appreciated.
- We may not keep all books donated. (Depending upon the reviews for the books. It the books are more appropriate for high school or elementary school, we send them to other school libraries.)
- You can donate a book in honor of someone's birthday (We will put a bookplate inside the book to recognize them.) Please be sure it is a book that we can accept -- excellent reviews. (You may e-mail Mrs. Edwards with questions at edwarmo@tulsaschools.org .)
- Reading Counts Quiz List
- We have around 1700 Reading Counts quizzes. We don't have a quiz for every book we have. There isn't a quiz available for every book we have. We buy them as new ones we need become available and as we have funds.
- Books that we have a Reading Counts quiz for have a neon green round sticker on each of their spines.
- We ask students to take Reading Counts quizzes just so that we can be assured that our students are reading independently and are comprehending what they read.
- Remember that we added around 1800 new books last year? Reading Counts quizzes cost $2.75 per plus shipping. Sometimes they have a sale. We can't purchase a quiz for every new book we get. We do try to purchase more quizzes each year. Donations toward purchasing Reading Counts quizzes are accepted and appreciated.
Research & Information Literacy
Need for (Reliable) Information
- Start with books in the library. Don't forget the reference books -- encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries, etc.
- Carver Library Catalog
- Click on Carver.
- Log in.
- Dewey Browse - This site will painlessly help you understand the Dewey Decimal System.
- Tulsa Public Schools Library Resources
- Ask Mrs. Edwards or Mrs. Hinckley for Login and Password.
- You can use these references at home too! Make sure that you take the login and password home with you and show your parents.
References available from Tulsa City-County Library
You will need your TCCL Library card to use these.
You can use these from home too!
- The BIG6 - The BIG6 is the information literacy model that Tulsa Public Schools has adopted. "Developed by Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz, the Big6 is the most widely-known and widely-used approach to teaching information and technology skills in the world." http://big6.org/showarticle.php?id=415
- Boolean Searching with Rockwell Schrock
- Boolean Searching
- Boolistic.com - A search engine that helps you use Boolean Searching
- Clusty.com - A search engine that sorts results
- Search Strategies
- Evaluating Information
- Evaluating Web Pages - UC Berkeley Library
- Evaluating Web Pages - from Cornell
- Copyright
- Paraphrasing & Summarizing
- Paraphrasing Steps and Examples - from Oregon State University
- Paraphrasing - from Purdue University
- Paraphrasing - from
- Paraphrasing Shakespeare - from the University of Minnesota
- Summarizing
Citing Sources
- How to create footnotes or endnotes in Word
- Write a Bibliography using Easy Bib
- MLA Style Citation (Modern Language Association) Instructions provided by University of California Berkeley Library
- Use Citation Machine - Choose MLA format.
- Refer to your TM, pages 11-13.
- Tulsa City-County Library Teens' Pages
- Tulsa City-County Library
- Internet Public Library - Teen Space
Current Literary Events
- Encyclo-Media
- Festival of Books
- Sequoyah Book Awards Information
- Tulsa Public Schools Online Book Reviews
Reading and Writing
- Genres
- Poetry - Poetry is a genre also.
- Carver Students' Writing
- Scholastic
- Book Suggestions
Word Fun
