Library A Week

Fisher Grade School Library

2011 no. 15

Library Profile

Library Name: Fisher Grade School Library Location: 801 S Fifth St, Fisher, IL Type: School Mission: Materials are selected by the school district to implement, enrich, and support the educational program for students and staff. Materials must serve both the breadth of the curriculum and the needs and interests of individual students. The district is obligated to provide for a wide range of abilities and to respect the diversity of many differing points of view. Website: http://www.fisher.k12.il.us/ LTLS Directory Page: http://www.lincolntrail.info/jin Member Since: 1989 An interview with Kelly Friedlein.

What is unique about your library?

We opened this school in 2003, so this space still feels very new to us, and we really enjoy it! We have 312 students in grades K-6. We share library staff between this building and the Jr/Sr High School. My aide works here in the morning and then we switch buildings and I am here in the afternoon. We have scheduled classes, two for each classroom a week. One period is always for book exchange and on is for library instruction, story time, and/pr more books exchange. Students also drop in during times when no class is scheduled to get books, for Accelerated Reader or just because they finished their last book and need something new. Every fall we hold a book fair and use the proceeds to fund out RIF program. We also participate in the Monarch and Rebecca Caudill programs, and we have a lot of fun reading the books and promoting student voting.

What are the primary goals and objectives of your library?

We want to support the curriculum, and meet the needs of our students and staff, both for class work and for their own pleasure reading.

What cooperative efforts are you currently doing?

We work with our teachers to obtain materials they need in the classroom, and pull room collections for AR and for special units of study. We also share materials back and forth with the junior/senior high school collection and we borrow materials through LTLS when our students and teachers request titles that we don’t own. We don’t have a public library in our town and we really miss having that resource for our students, so our cooperation in LTLS is really appreciated.

Tell us a story about your library.

Just recently, the 4th grade brought in the projects for their pioneer units. Every year the students put a lot of work and thought into what they do, and check out books from the library and use the Internet to research their ideas. This year, most students chose to make log cabins, with a few Native American longhouses and wigwams mixed in. It looked like an entire village had sprung up in the library (there are a lot of 4th graders this year). All the other classes we amazed. We had to make sure we left time for project looking during each class visit, and they oohed and aahed over everything. They were pretty amazing projects.

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

If money were no object, I’d increase the shelving area for the fiction books and easy fiction books - we have already run short of room in those areas. Also, I would subscribe to several databases for grade school students. It would be nice to be able to buy more non-fiction books too. For example, we would love to replace all of our books on countries at once, instead of spreading it out over several years.

What is popular in your library?

Junie B. Jones is wildly popular right now. Our copied of The Wimpy Kid books are always out. Scaredy Squirrel is also in high demand, as is Fancy Nancy, Fly Guy and books by Karma Wilson. Bailey School Kids series has had a big revival in interest, and Magic Tree House books are always popular. Novels in verse have been in demand since the students read Diamond Willow for the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award.

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

The library does not have a lot online at this building. We do not have the catalog online or have subscription databases.

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