The Amazing Library Race

This game is part of library orientation, and will help to understand how the library is used and what resources are offered. Each of the following cards is placed at 16 different stations around the library. Pairs of students must read the card at each station, do what it says and then answer a question (s). At the end of each card are instructions to the next card. All students are asked to participate as part of completing a project for their English class.

You are participating in a scavenger hunt similar to the TV show The Amazing Race without the risk of life and limb. At each station there will be an envelope with information about that station. Once you have read the information and followed the directions you will write your answers on the answer sheet, and follow the directions to the next station. The pair or individual that completes the race first will win a prize.

The library is physically located at the top of the stairs above the main entrance to the school.

Please read the hours sign on the library door, and put the answer to the following question on your answer sheet.

A. What are the library hours on Thursday?

Now step inside the library.

There are signs throughout the library to help you.

To your right is the classroom area with the Smartboard.

On both sides of the circulation desk are the computer work stations. The library has 24 desktop computers and 3 laptop carts which can be used before and after school, as well as during lunches and study halls. In order to use any computer in the building you must have your personalized network login (your ID number) and password.

B. Facing the SmartBoard, and to the left, there is a poster titled RADCAB. Name the 6 things you should look for about a website before you decide to use the website for your research.

Now step up to the circulation desk.

The circulation desk is a place to come to ask questions and check out books. There are supplies such as tape, paper, glue sticks, stapler and much more for student use. We ask that you return these things to the desk when you are finished with them.

When coming to the library during the school day, you must have a pass and sign in at the circulation desk. Scheduled classes have first priority on the computers, if there are open computers after the class is seated every effort is made to get study hall students on unclaimed computers. Study hall students are expected to be quiet and respectful as they are sitting in the middle of an academic class.

C. List the 5 types of information that you need to fill in on the sign in sheet.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

D. Name two items for student use at the circulation desk.

1. 2.

Proceed to the fiction section located on both sides of the library entrance doors.

The fiction section has novels, short stories and books written from an author’s imagination. The section is organized alphabetically by the author’s last name and can be identified by the FIC at the call number, followed by the first three letters of the author’s last name. Take a look at the spine label now. The authors whose names begin with A are to the left at the top and the authors whose names begin with Z at the bottom right. The fiction section is also separated into genres or categories.

E. Name the 9 genres of fiction located across the fiction wall.

1. 3. 5. 7. 9.

2. 4. 6. 8.

F. What is the full Call Number (found on the spine label) of the book by Patricia McCormick titled Sold?

Now move to the Story Collection section near the 800s.

Card 6

The short stories are also organized by author’s last name, but the call number begins with SC which stands for “story collection” followed by the first three letters of the author’s last name.

G. What is the call number (on the spine label) of Neil Gaiman’s book of short stories titled M is for Magic?

Now move toward the bookcases parallel to the front windows.

Card 7

These bookcases contain the non-fiction books. Notice there are posters on each end and above that identify the subjects shelved on each bookcase.

Move into any of the eight rows of non-fiction now.

The non-fiction section is organized by the Dewey Decimal Classification. It is a system of numbers and letters, which basically give the address of where the book sits on the shelf.

Here is an example: 306.3 MON. After the numbers in each non-fiction call number there are three letters showing the beginning of the author’s last name. You will need both the letters and the numbers to find a book.

Look at the slip of paper you were given that contains the title and call number of a book. Find the book on the shelf.

H. Write down the call number and title of the book next to it.

The CCHS library catalog is available 24/7. You can access all books and resources from the comfort of your home via the Internet. The computer at the circulation desk is a designated online catalog. However, every computer in the library has an icon link on the desktop.

You can search the library catalog by entering the keyword, subject, title, or author in the search box.

I. Search for Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen. Click on “details” and look at the similar subjects under “Explore!” Click on “Find it” next to “Abandoned children—Fiction”. Name the first title listed .______.

This is how you would find a book similar to one you have already read.

You can also find the catalog online at http://www.chicopeeps.org . Take a look at the other features of the catalog listed under “library Search” on the left side of the page.

J. Name three other options the catalog has to offer besides “library search”.

1. 2. 3.

Move to the Biography Section near the windows on the right side of the library as you are facing east.

The biography section contains books about a person’s life written by someone else.

The biography section is organized alphabetically by subject. Notice the spine labels have “B” to designate that the book is a biography followed by the subject’s last name; so books about George Washington are going to be under “Washington” no matter who wrote the book.

K. What is the call number for the biography Ralph Nader: Man with a Mission?

Go to a computer and login (hopefully you have signed your Internet Use Policy form and retrieved your password from the library).

Go to the library webpage: http://www.chicopeeps.org/cchslibrary.cfm

The Library webpage gives access to all of the subject specific databases for your research needs.

L. Click on the A-Z List of Databases at the bottom right side of the picture. Name a database that begins with the letter “A”.______.

Name a database that begins with the letter “O”.______.

M. Name the four databases listed under “Critical Thinking Learning Center”

1. 3.

2. 4.

N. Why is it important to check and evaluate a website you are using to see if it is credible? How do you start to do that?

1. 2.