Meramec Elementary School

The Meramec school library is a place for investigation, study and enjoyment. As a learning environment with professional guidance, Meramec students are able to:

• Gain confidence as explorers of literature.
• Find joy and enrichment in reading.
• Build information skills as well-versed finders, users and creators of information.
• Seek challenge in media-rich settings that blend literature, research and technology.

The Meramec school library serves all students in grades kindergarten through five as well as the Meramec faculty and families. Scheduling for library use is flexible based upon the needs of students and classroom teachers. To facilitate learning and information needs, open access to all library resources is maintained.

The Meramec school library program is designed to assist teachers and students in the learning process. The library reflects and supports the learning philosophy and goals of Meramec School and the School District of Clayton.

All aspects of the library curriculum are enriched with a comprehensive collection of timely materials that support varied student abilities and interests. The librarian and teachers work cooperatively to provide a fused curriculum in which students learn at their own pace, are actively engaged in self-directed and independent learning and develop lifelong study and research skills.

All students complete instruction in essential library and information skills including:

• The significance of library citizenship, story time manners and basic book care.
• How genres help readers classify literature and locate just right books.
• How online catalogs, web-based resources and library skills allow students to successfully navigate library collections.

In cooperation with social studies and science classroom units and research, students will build library and information literacy skills in the following areas.

• Book terminology and the twelve sections of library classifications.
• Defining an essential question for research.
• Locating the most relevant print and web-based resources.
• Evaluating and selecting the most suitable print and web-based resources.
• Beginning research skills that are coordinated with classroom curriculum.

Library skills and research topics are taught during weeks that compliment social studies and science units for each grade level. Schedules for these lessons are coordinated between library and classroom teachers.

Students may participate in library checkout by either coming to the library with their class or with a library pass issued by classroom teachers. Kindergarten will have checkout during weekly story times. Grades 1st - 5th will have a weekly checkout times or classroom teachers may schedule flexible checkout times as needed.

Grade level checkout limits not including books needed for research or school projects:

• Kindergarten - one item
  
• 1st grade - two items
  
• 2nd grade - two items
• 3rd grade - three items
• 4th grade - four items
• 5th grade - five items

Other helpful checkout information:

• Our electronic catalog and on-line data bases are accessible in the classroom, library and from home.
• Items may be checked out by students for one week.
• We do not charge fines, but encourage students to have all materials back on time for others to use.
  
• A list of students with overdue materials is given to each teacher periodically throughout the year. Individual notices go home periodically though the school year.