Library A Week

Chrisman High School Library

2011 no. 10

Library Profile

Library Name: Chrisman High School Location: 23231 IL Hwy. 1, Chrisman, IL 61924 Type: School Mission: to serve our students and staff so that students can learn to the best of their ability. LTLS Directory Page: http://www.lincolntrail.info/jdn.html An interview with Jeanne Glasgow and Jody Kirby.

What is unique about your library?

We serve about 230 students, grades 5 through 12. We are a junior and senior high school library. It can sometimes be challenging to serve such a large range of interests and reading abilities, but with the help of LTLS we do a pretty good job. We are proud that we are able to supply our students and teachers with almost any subject using all types of materials since they are able to make requests through LINC. We are thus able to do a lot with a little. We are also very thankful that our school board sees the value of the library.

What are the primary goals and objectives of your library?

Our main goal is to make sure we are supporting the curriculum and that student and teacher needs are met. We strive to help raise the ISAT and PSAT scores, especially in the reading area. We are currently weeding our reference section and hop2 to get it more up to date. It would be nice if we could add more online resources in the near future.

What cooperative efforts are you currently doing?

We love sharing resources through LTLS. We will often work with other school libraries near us if we need several copies of books for a class. We stay in contact with the teachers and allow them to make suggestions for materials in their area of study. We also work with the public library if our students need materials from them.

Tell us a story about your library.

We have a special needs student that has a favorite reptile book. He loves reptiles and has always loved this specific book. He will check it out and bring it back and check it out again. If the book is not in when he wants it, we have to check out who has it and when they are planning on returning it so that he knows when to come back for it. We also, being such a small school, will personally deliver a book a student has been waiting for to their classroom.

If money were no object, what services would you add?

We would love to be able to remodel the library and expand. It would be great to update the technology and have computers that students could use to access LINC. We would update the collection and add more audio books and online resources for our students. We would also like to add new furniture to make the library a more comfortable, inviting space.

What is popular in your library?

Graphic novels are very popular throughout all the grades. We get a lot of them through LTLS. Girls love the vampire series right now. The Among the Hidden and Percy Jackson series are very popular also. Some of our reluctant readers enjoy reading the hunting and fishing or car magazines.

How does your library use online tools to connect to your users?

We have a link off the school website, but it doesn’t have much on it. We are hoping to get a nice website up soon. We subscribe to Wilson Select and World Book, but it would be nice to have more online resources for the students.

Request a visit to your library If you would like to set up a special date for us to visit your library contact LTLS Consultant Michelle Ralston Library of the Week is published by Lincoln Trail Libraries System, 1704 W. Interstate Dr., Champaign, IL 61822 217-352-0047  -   ltls@lincolntrail.info Executive Director: Jan Ison, Editorial and Design Team: Michelle Ralston and David Lottes