The Teacher's Library Handbook

  General Library Information

We hope you will find the information helpful as you and your students use our library media center resources.  We look forward to working with you to correlate library activities with your classroom instruction.  Please let us know how we can help you.  We are here to serve you and your students.
 
The library is open from 7:30 A.M. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday on days school is in session. Teachers should inform the librarians if the library is needed beyond these times.  The librarians appreciate 24 hours notice if possible. Any library usage beyond the school day must be scheduled through the principal's secretary. If the library is closed, (class usage, testing, etc.) notices will be posted on the front library doors.

All students unaccompanied by a teacher must have a pass, sign in at the circulation desk, and can stay no longer than 20 minutes. 

Gum, food, and drinks (including water) are not permitted in the library.

Students should bring to the library only the materials needed to complete the assignment.  Backpacks and other personal materials should be left in the classroom.  Backpacks brought into the library before school should be placed at the back of the library. Students are responsible for bringing their own supplies (i.e. pens, sharpened pencils, paper, etc.) to the library.

In order to use a library computer, students must sign in on the computer log clipboard and be assigned a computer. Students may use school computers only for school-related research, as stated in board policy. Any disks or flash drives used by students must be scanned for viruses each time the item is used. Students are not allowed to access personal e-mail or play games at school. They are not allowed to download programs.

Books circulate for two weeks.  Current magazines and reference materials do not circulate to students.  Teachers may checkout any material in the library for up to 6 weeks.  Longer circulation times require the approval of a librarian.

It is the student’s responsibility to return materials on time.  Fines will be charged for late, damaged, destroyed, or lost items.  Fines are ten cents per book per day that school is in session up to the replacement cost of the book.  Fines for damaged materials will be assessed by the librarians.  Students will be charged replacement cost of lost or destroyed items. 
 
A clipboard for scheduling audiovisual equipment is kept on the circulation desk by the book drop.   It is suggested that teachers schedule the use of A. V. equipment so it is available when needed. Most A. V. equipment , including LCD (multimedia) projectors and DVD players will circulate on a daily basis.  Teachers are asked to return the equipment by 4:30.  If a teacher plans to use the material for more than one day, he/she may keep it overnight provided it is kept secure in an office or workroom.  Teachers should return the equipment to the library as soon as possible after use.  OSHA Safety Regulations DO NOT permit students to move equipment. Librarians will gladly provide training on any unfamiliar equipment.  For a complete list of audio-visual equipment, click here.
 
Teachers who wish to have materials laminated may leave them on the cart beside the laminator.  Each item should be labeled with the teacher's name or room number.

All audiovisual materials are housed in the library.  Teachers may check out audiovisual materials on a daily basis. Teachers may reserve materials in advance on the clipboard just as they do equipment. All AV materials are available for checkout to all teachers but not to students.  Materials used in the classroom must support the curriculum and comply with copyright laws (see Copyright Policy). Please sign up for the Multimedia Retrieval System on the clipboard on the circulation desk.
 

Using the Media Retrieval System

To show a video on the classroom TV, the teacher should reserve a VCR or DVD by signing up in the library and making a note of the device number selected. The teacher must then:

1. Tune the TV to the last two numbers of the device number (for example, if the assigned number is 1818, the channel will be channel 18).
2. Use the white telephone to dial the device number (ex: 1818).
3. The beeps are the signal to enter the appropriate command on the telephone keypad.  The commands are listed above the keypad on the classroom telephone. For example, "2" is play.
4. Once the video begins, the phone must be hung up.
5. Dialing "7" reconnects to the VCR for more commands.
6. At the end of the day the teacher must dial the VCR one last time and dial "0" to release the VCR. If this is not done, the next person dialing that VCR will receive a busy signal.  

DVD players being used through the Medial Retrieval System are controlled by the library. Teachers should telephone the library (3008) when they wish to start or stop a DVD.

Scheduling Classes for Library Research

The librarians suggest that all freshmen be brought to the library sometime during the first semester for an orientation program.  The librarians will happily modify the orientation to meet the needs of the teacher and the curriculum.  Teachers are encouraged to schedule classes in advance.  Please be aware that while there are three classrooms in the library, there are only two librarians.  Teachers are encouraged to meet with a librarian to see that appropriate and sufficient materials are available for the assigned lesson. Students should bring only the materials necessary for research.  Backpacks and other personal items should be left in the classroom.  Classes may be dismissed from the library a few minutes before the bell in order to retrieve these materials from the classroom.

Teachers should send no more than four students from a classroom on individual passes. Individual students needing to use the computers for assigned research will be accommodated on a first come-first served basis. If a teacher has reserved library computers, they will be given priority over "drop in" students.

Copyright

It is mandatory that teachers comply with United States copyright law.  Violation of the code can result in serious fines (up to $250,000 per infringement plus court costs), loss of teaching credentials, and even incarceration.  Ignorance of the law is no excuse!  Copyright extends not only to printed materials, but to videos, computer software, dance, sculpture, and even recipes.  The material does not need to display a copyright to be protected; copyright is granted to a creator's work the moment that it exists in tangible form.

Copyright does not extend to works that are in the public domain.  These items may be freely displayed, copied, or distributed.  Works enter the public domain when the creator chooses not to claim the right of copyright  (e.g. "shareware" computer software) or when a copyright expires. (Copyright expiration is determined by the copyright law that was in effect when the work was created.)

Copyright gives the creator the right of reproduction, adaptation, distribution, public performance, and public display.  However, "fair use" does permit teachers and students some access to works. According to Section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law, the concept of "fair use" is determined by;
    1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether it is for nonprofit educational purposes;
    2. The nature of the copyrighted work;
    3. The amount of the work used in relation to the whole work; and
    4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.  This is the most important factor.  For example, if a teacher photocopied pages from a consumable workbook in order to avoid having to purchase copies of the workbook, then the copyright law has been violated.

Copyright PowerPoint
Electronic Fair Use Web Site

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