Library A Week JXN

Oakwood Junior High School Library

2010 no. 15

Library Profile

Library Name: Oakwood Junior High School Library Location: 21600 N. 900 East Road, Danville, IL 61834 Type: School Mission: The mission of Oakwood CUSD #76 libraries supports the district’s mission statement. The library’s focus is to provide a safe learning environment in which the learning of both library skills and information literacy skills prepares students for academic and professional experiences in a diverse and changing world. LTLS Directory Page: http://www.lincolntrail.info/jhn.html LTLS Member Since: 1988   An interview with District Librarian, Donna Miner and LuAnn Grimm.

What is unique about your library?

Since we have such a small population of students, we really get to know them. LuAnn, the school library assistant, lives in the community and has known most of the students all of their lives and is able to give them the personalized service that might not be possible in a larger school. There is also a student designed mural in the library. LuAnn had students draw various book themes and then she painted them onto the wall.

What are the primary goals and objectives of your library?

Our primary goal is to build a community of lifelong readers and learners, who are armed with the skills needed to be able to access information, ideas, and experiences available in both print and electronic format. Another goal is to support the curriculum needs of students and teachers as well as purchase books that meet students’ recreational needs.

What cooperative efforts are you currently doing?

We sponsor a One Book, One School program. This year the book we are reading is IQ by Roland Smith. We send books out to students, teachers, administration and board members. This is our third year sponsoring One Book One School and it has been a great success. The Oakwood Public Library is our ILL drop off location and we also encourage our students to read books from the Rebecca Caudill list, which the Oakwood Public Library sponsors.

Tell us a story about your library.

We commissioned a mural for the library that was designed by students. Not very long after the mural was finished, they were doing some work in the classroom on the other side of the mural wall. Much to our surprise, a drill came through our mural. It was an accident and Jerry, our janitor and maintenance man, was very apologetic. Instead of patching and fixing the mural, we fixed it with a golf ball that looks like a cannonball hitting the side of the castle. We put Jerry’s name on the cannonball in his honor.

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

It would be nice to have more comfortable reading spaces. We have a couple of beanbag chairs and the students love them. It would be great to be able to purchase multiple copies of our more popular books. We would purchase either the EBSCO or Gale database for the library.

What is popular in your library?

For the girls, anything having to do with vampires is big. The Twilight and Vampire Diaries series are probably the most popular. Boys are really into the Lightning Thief series. Both the Angel Experiment series and books by Mike Lupica are popular as well.

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

Our students have access to FirstSearch and WorldBook databases. We use Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) to help with MLA and APA writing styles.

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