Kindergarten and Lower School Library Experience

Students in the Lower School are encouraged to read both for pleasure and for information. As they progress through Lower School, students gain an awareness and appreciation for a wide variety of literature. They also begin to learn the skills necessary to use the library independently. The Lower School library program provides support to classroom and special area teachers and attempts to integrate library goals and objectives with their curricula when possible.

Storytelling

A unique part of Blaine Library's program is storytelling. Students in kindergarten, first, and second grades hear a story every week, usually traditional tales from around the world, learned by the librarians and told without any books or props to distract attention from the story itself. In addition to being a great deal of fun, storytelling enhances language acquisition and attention span, as well as reading, writing, memory, and visualization skills.

Literature appreciation and library skills

Every year, authors and/or illustrators visit first through fourth grade students to talk to them about the creative process. During weekly library class times, second through fourth graders are introduced to a cross-section of appropriate literature, including fiction, nonfiction, and folklore. Third and fourth graders begin to evaluate literature critically by participating in the Sutherland Award program. As students progress through the grades, they begin to use the library more independently by learning the call number system and learning to use the online library catalog. In fourth grade, students are introduced to basic research skills and materials.

Middle School Library

Throughout Middle School, students are encouraged to read for pleasure through reading programs, booktalks, author visits, readers' advisory, and specialized reading lists. In addition, the Zena Sutherland Award for Children's Literature program and the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award foster critical analysis and understanding of literature. Students develop an appreciation of writing and illustration styles, identify genres, and develop an understanding of their own reading preferences.

Fifth Grade Program

In 5th grade students become oriented to and effective users of the Middle School Library. Students learn to access the on-line patron catalog and locate books on shelves, utilize both print and on-line reference materials, access Internet resources, and become familiar with search techniques and applications. Students also develop facility with gathering information from online and print encyclopedias.

Sixth-Eighth Grade Program

Students in sixth-eighth grades become skilled and effective library users as they develop lifelong habits of reading and inquiry based upon the foundation built in the lower school and fifth grade. Students learn to locate, navigate, and evaluate sources as they engage in research projects coordinated by classroom subject area teachers. In additional to research skills learned in lower school and fifth grade, students learn to use indexes and data bases such as EBSCO, critically evaluate print and internet resources, distinguish between primary and secondary sources, evaluate and develop strategies for effective internet searches, and identify and record bibliographic information.

High School Library

Rowley Library is central to the High School Program. Librarians help students flourish in a learning community not limited by time, place, age, occupation or disciplinary borders. A rich supply of both print and electronic resources are available that support the curriculum and personal growth. Librarians collaborate with faculty to identify appropriate research instruction and resources for curriculum assignments. Librarians are available for individual reference consultation with students, staff, and faculty. Librarians encourage recreational reading and creative writing through readers’ advisory, book clubs and writing groups. Librarians assist and instruct faculty as well as students with digital content creation projects. By graduation, students will be able to locate and evaluate print and electronic resources that appropriately support a defined inquiry, and create accurate citation references. In addition, students will understand how to use the University of Chicago Library resources to support their research.