December 2005 — Web/Net
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School Libraries Go Interactive
Borrowing books. Libraries still perform their traditional function of providing leisure/selfselected reading. In fact, with the provisions of No Child Left Behind, even more pressure is being put on libraries to offer enticing materials to encourage students to read. However, this mandate often lacks the corresponding funds. Interlibrary loaning has helped school libraries make up for any shortages. Borrowing books from other libraries expands their inventory and improves their ability to fulfill student requests. One of our online forms allows DGN students to request a book title or magazine article that the library does not own. Once the student presses the submit button, the form automatically is sent to the person in charge of our interlibrary loans, who then carries out the order. If the student has an e-mail account, the library sends a letter when the book or article arrives. If the student does not have e-mail, the library delivers a note to the student’s class. Using this form encourages students to use our resources, even if they are not physically in the library.
Selecting interesting reading. One component of DGN’s English curriculum is a freshman self-selected reading requirement. All freshmen must bring books to class twice a week and do sustained silent reading. In September, as part of their orientation to the library, the freshmen are introduced to the school’s online catalog, and then complete an online reading-interest inventory form. Before students hand the forms in to their teacher, the librarians use the forms to conference with the students about their reading interests. Using the form helps us recommend titles. The site also provides a form the students can fill out after they have chosen a book for self-selected reading. This form documents the date the book was chosen, why it was selected, etc., making record-keeping much easier for the teacher.
Reviewing books. To encourage reading and help students choose good titles to read, we have created an online bookreview form. Once students complete the forms, they are submitted to our aide, who reformats the information and puts it on our Web site, allowing students to see what their peers are reading. We also have provided an active link from our online Follett catalog (www.fsc.follett.com) to these student and staff reviews, so when a student searches the catalog and locates a book to read, a link will connect to the student review.
