Curriculum: Library at the School for Children

A full-time professional librarian works with all School for Children students, ages 3 through 13, as well as adults needing access to library materials. The librarian attends weekly staff meetings to keep informed about teachers and childrens interests. She meets with coordinators and teachers to discuss curriculum content and how best to provide information and knowledge through the use of library resources. Responding to requests for specific materials, the librarian assists the teachers in their selection of relevant materials for the classrooms. The School for Children also has access to the services of an accredited reference librarian, an acquisition librarian, and a technical services librarian.

The library's instructional program combines information skills with literature evaluation and book selection. The Lower School is provided with an informal orientation to library use that concentrates on storytelling, story sharing, and book selection throughout the school year. Formal skills instruction begins in the Middle School with the 6/7s and continues through the Upper School. The instructional program includes both locational skills and the use of various specialized materials. The overall objective is for students to become discriminating consumers of information by learning how to access, locate, use, analyze, synthesize, and produce information in many formats. The staff also supplements School for Children library services by requiring all Upper School children to have public library cards.

The librarian helps students of all ages develop critical evaluation skills so that they can be independent learners, critical selectors of print and media materials, and lifelong readers. The librarian creates additional themed lists as needed.