Supporting Reading through the School Library Media Program
The school library media program plays a critical role in supporting reading initiatives that improve reading and literacy development. School library media specialists work with teachers, parents, public librarians and the community to provide the resources and services necessary to assist students in becoming life-long readers and life-long learners. Library Media Specialists work toward this goal by:
- Developing collections which include print-rich materials, support the curriculum and reflect the culture and interests of the students in the school
- Engaging students in a variety of reading experiences through reading aloud, booktalking, reader’s theater, storytelling and other literature-related programs
- Instructing students in strategies for selecting books appropriate for their level
- Recommending fiction and nonfiction books as well as alternative resources (e.g. audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, online resources) to teachers which support the curriculum
- Sharing the responsibility for reading and information literacy instruction with teachers
- Ensuring that students have opportunities to use a range of materials in a variety of formats which support differentiated learning
- Working with the public librarians to support summer reading
- Collaborating with teachers to identify areas of the curriculum which require the resources and services of the library media program
- Supporting book fairs and other events that promote reading
- Encouraging author visits
- Promoting free voluntary reading time as one means to build life-long readers
- Providing equity of access to resources
The West Hartford Public Schools Library Media Curriculum includes a literature standard. Library Media Specialists support the classroom curriculum by embedding CMT Reading Comprehension strands with literature-based experiences using fiction and nonfiction books, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, online databases and web sites.
Online Resources that Support Teaching and Learning of Reading
The West Hartford Public Schools subscribe to the following databases:
One More Story
This online library includes children’s classic and contemporary literature. Hear a book; See a book, Read a book!
Ask your elementary media specialist for login information.
Reading A- Z
This reading program includes affordable books, lesson plans, worksheets and assessments to teach guided reading, phonics, phonemic awareness, alphabet awareness.
Ask your elementary media specialist for login information.
Teaching Books
This interactive site contains Author programs, Book guides, online book readings and Author websites for K-12.
TumbleBooks
http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp
The TumbleBook Library is a collection of licensed titles from children’s book publishers such as Scholastic, Chronicle Books, Candlewick Press, Harcourt, Walker and Company and others.
The Connecticut Department of Education and the Connecticut State Library provide free access to iCONN.org, Connecticut’s Research Engine to all citizens in Connecticut. Resources include magazines, newspapers, reference materials and images. Students and staff using iCONN in schools may access the databases directly through the web site at www.iconn.org. Our students and staff may also access the same web site from home by entering the barcode number from their public library card. The following database which was recently added to the collection specifically addresses reading.
What Do I Read Next?
http://rqst-agent.auto-graphics.com/LoginModule/Goto.aspx?cuid=rqst&dataid=52
This iCONN database connects readers of all ages with books that match their interests. Search options include:
- Author Search
- Title Search
- Custom Search (Enter one or more search terms: author, title, genre, subject, location, time period, character descriptor, character name)
- Help Me Find A Book (Enter a title that you like and the database suggests similar titles)
- Genre Search
- Award Winners and Top Picks
- Who? What? Where? When? (Search by character, topic, setting and time period)
Online Resources that Support Teaching and Learning of Reading
Visit the library media center web page for each school which includes links to the resources and services that support teaching and learning. The following sampling reflects web sites from the middle school summer reading booklet and the library media center web sites.
Caldecott Medal Books
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors/caldecottmedal.cfm
Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature Site
http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/allreviewed.html
Select books by author, title or grade level.
Children’s and Young Adult Fiction Set in Connecticut
http://ct.webjunction.org/510/articles/content/1090809
International Reading Association Choices Booklists
http://www.reading.org/Resources/Booklists.aspx
Scroll down to select either Children’s Choices or Young Adult’s Choices.
Newbery Medal Books
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberymedal.cfm
View the current year or scroll down to the link to Newbery Medal and Honor Books 1922-Present.
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
http://www.socialstudies.org/resources/notable/?print-friendly=true
Scroll down and select lists by year.
Nutmeg Children’s Book Award
www.nutmegaward.org/
Sponsored by the Connecticut Library Association (CLA) and the Connecticut Association of School Librarians (CASL) this award is selected by Connecticut students in grades 4-6 (intermediate) and grades 7-8 (teen). Visit this web site for a list of the current year nominees and lists of past winners and nominees.
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12
http://www.nsta.org/publications/ostb/
Scroll down and select lists by year.
Teachers and Families: Reading Lists
http://www.teachersandfamilies.com/open/summerread.html
Developed by teachers for students and their parents this site was created by the Network for Instructional TV, Inc. (NITV). This section on reading lists provides access to reading lists by grade level, reading themes, lifetime reading list and author’s last name. A link at the bottom of the page links to a section entitled Reading Tips for Parents.
West Hartford Public Schools Summer Reading
http://www.whps.org/library/summerreading.htm
