Mrs. Lindsay Lester

General Information about the Library:

Welcome to another fabulous year at the University School Library. K-8th grade students will visit the library twice a week for technology and library class. Students in 5-8th grade enrolled in chorus or band won't be in the library rotation, but are encouraged to visit the library and check out books during the school year. 

The borrowing policy is as follows:

Borrowing Limits:
Kindergarten: 1 book 
First Grade: 1 book
Second Grade: 1 book
Third Grade: 2 books
Fourth Grade: 2 books 
Fifth Grade: 3 books
Sixth Grade: 3 books
Seventh Grade: 3 books
Eighth Grade:3 books

Books are checked out for a 2-week period. They can always return books sooner and they may renew books if there is not a waiting list for that title. 

With their teacher’s permission, children may exchange their books any morning during open book exchange from 7:50-8:00. 

There are no fines for late books, but if books are overdue for an extended period of time, borrowing privileges may be suspended. 

Books that are lost or damaged beyond repair must be paid for so that they can be replaced in the library for others to enjoy. 

There are several ways that you can help your children get the most from their library experience:

• 
  Set aside time for your children to read to themselves, a family member, and/or a pet to encourage more reading.
• Encourage your children to take responsibility for their library books, but help them remember to return books to the library on time.
• Set aside a specific place in your home for their library book, so they will not be misplaced.
• If a book is damaged, please don’t try to repair it yourself. Have your child show me the damage so I can attempt to fix it using special library mending supplies.
• Please encourage your children to speak with me if there are any questions regarding their books. We can solve any problem if it’s brought to my attention.

We hold a book fair twice a year in the library! This helps support the library and purchase books and materials used in the library and for your children to use in the library! Since this might be their first bookfair, we will spend time at school discussing the fair prior to the first one of the school year to help them understand this fun event! 

My goal is to help your children learn to love reading, books, and look forward to visiting the library each week!

Additional Information for High School Students:

High school students have a limit of FOUR books at a time for check out. Students at this level may keep books for a month at a time, unless the book is in high demand; then there is a two week limit. 

High School Students: Please remember that if you use Sherrod Library their policies and fines take precedent over our policies. They do have fines and they do have a replacement fee. 

We do provide a black & white printer for student use in the library. Please use the school printer for items related to school items to reserve the ink and paper. 

Notes to Parents from the Librarian:

For students in the primary grades, I work to help them understand how to choose books they might want to read or have read to them. Often young children will find books on topics they are interested in but the reading level is above their independent reading. This is a good opportunity to sit and read with your child and talk about their interest in the subject. Children choose books to read for a variety of different reasons. It often has as much to do with their developmental level as it does with their interest level. 

Sometimes children will pick a book because they have been exposed to the characters in a lesson or a read aloud book, others hear a friend say it is a really good book, while others might be attracted to the artwork in the book or even the picture on the cover. Many books which are labeled Easy Books have a sophisticated vocabulary and theme. They are wonderful books, but perhaps too difficult for a beginning reader.  Again this is an opportunity for your child to listen to good literature to begin to understand the fluency and flow of words- and to hear stories with deeper meaning because of the vocabulary. Hearing a story being read is an important skill in learning to read. The connections between listening and reading are strengthened. 

Choosing a book to read is a skill that develops over time. It includes the ability not only to pick books that are on ones reading level but also on ones interest level. As an, how many times have you chosen a book you thought you might enjoy only to put it down after the first couple of chapters? Children are no different. The library staff encourages students to explore a wide variety of books and magazines throughout the year to enhance their reading development.