Welcome to the
Ola Middle School
Media Center
PURPOSE
Our school media center supports the educational program of the school, thus meeting the informational and reading needs our students. Materials are selected to meet these needs and are accessible through the use of the online catalog – OPAC (Online Patron Access Catalog). We support the integration of technology through facilitation of student and staff research projects.
This helpbook has been designed for all staff members of Ola Middle School. Policies and procedures have been developed by the Media Center staff to provide the best possible service to students, staff, teachers, and administrators.
Henry County Media Program Goals
Collaborate with teachers to connect media activities with the school curriculum and Georgia Performance Standards.
Develop and maintain a quality collection that provides resources for independent learning and supports the curriculum.
Facilitate the acquisition of information literacy skills and encourage reading.
Staff:
Christi Harp, Media Specialist
Cheryl Whitaker, Media Paraprofessional
Table of Contents
I. Hours of Operation
II. Circulation Procedures
a. for students
b. for faculty/staff
c. holds and reserve
d. overdue materials and fines
e. reference materials
f. periodicals
g. professional collection
h. audio-visual materials
i. audio-visual equipment
III. Search on the Online Catalog
IV. Internet Use
V. Media Center Use and Scheduling
VI. Collaborative Planning
VII. Reserve Materials
VIII. Expectations for Students
IX. Special Services and Equipment
a. interlibrary loan
b. bibliographies
c. laminating
d. video production
e. letter cutter
g. copy machine
h. binding machine
X. Challenged Materials
XI. Media Committee
XII. Deadlines
XIII. Special Events
Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday
8:15 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.
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Circulation Procedures
Students
1. Two books may be checked out at one time and each book may be kept out for two weeks (each). Students may renew a book for one two-week period only.
2. Students will be charged $.10 per day for overdue materials; a two-day grace period is allowed on all overdues. Students are charged for school days only (not holidays, teacher work days, weekends).
3. The maximum fine that may be charged for any one book is $2.00.
3. Students are responsible for materials checked out in his/her name.
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Faculty/Staff
1. Staff members may check out up to 30 items at a time and may keep the materials for a maximum of 4 weeks. Please notify the media specialist if you need any materials for a period longer than 4 weeks. NOTE: If you are teaching a unit, chances are other staff members are teaching that unit as well. Please be considerate of your colleagues by not checking ALL materials on any curriculum unit and by returning items as soon as you have finished using them.
2. Staff members are responsible for materials checked out in their name. Please do not check out materials for students or pass materials on to other staff members without clearing the item through the circulation system first. Materials lost by faculty members must be replaced by the individual or the department.
3. Be sure that you check out items from the media center. If another staff member/student searches for the item in our catalog, they will think the item is available. Help us avoid this confusion and frustration by checking out ALL media center materials.
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Holds and Reserve
1. If you or a student wishes to check out an item that is unavailable, a hold may be placed on the item. Staff members will be notified via email and students will be notified via homeroom teacher when the item is ready for checkout. We will hold the item at the desk for one week following notification of the homeroom teacher.
2. If your students are doing media center research, we can create a reserve shelf for your research project.
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Overdue Materials and Fines
1. Overdue notices are sent out monthly and will be placed in Language Arts teachers’ boxes.
2. Students returning materials do not need to speak with the media center staff if they are returning an overdue book; they simply place the book in the Book Return slot. If there is a discrepancy in the overdue report, please mark the report and return it to the media center or place in a media specialist’s box.
3. A fine of $.10 per day per item will be charged for overdue materials. Students with overdue books or fines in excess of $1.00 will not be allowed to check out additional materials.
4. When paying fines, students will also sign the Fine Log which serves as a written record that a fine has been paid.
5. At the end of the school year, report cards will be held until all Media Center obligations are cleared. This means the payment of any fines and/or the return of all materials.
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Reference Materials
Reference materials may not be checked out by students. Teachers may check out reference items for a two-day period.
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Professional Collection
Check it out!!
1. These materials are shelved in the Professional Section.
2. These items may be accessed using the online catalog (available anywhere you can access the internet).
3. School-wide initiatives, such as RICA and differentiated instruction, are supported by our Professional Collection.
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Audio-Visual Materials
1. Audio-visual materials may be checked out by staff members only.
2. It is just as important to check these materials out through the circulation system as it is when books are checked out.
3. If you are showing a film (broadcast through the closed-circuit system), make sure the film is in the media center by the end of day prior to the day your class will view the tape.
4. All audio-visual materials purchased with funds from Ola Middle School or the Henry County Board of Education must be processed through the media center for use by all staff. To ensure an accurate inventory, these materials should be sent to the media center as soon as they are received by the school.
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Search on “OMS Catalog Search”
Patron Access Catalog
The Media Center’s online catalog (Destiny Quest) provides access to many sources of information. All books, films, professional materials, and equipment are listed in the catalog.
Materials may be located by searching the keyword. The most typical research approach is to search under the subject entry since this approach will lead the researcher to all the information on that particular topic.
The media specialist may provide instruction for you and your students in using the online catalog. Like any instructional needs, share with us your need for online catalog instruction.
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Internet Use
The county internet server’s firewall prohibits the access of public, free email accounts such as yahoo and hotmail. Patrons will not be able to access these email accounts from anywhere in the school.
Any student using the media center computers should have specific purpose for this use.
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Media Center Use and Scheduling
The Ola Middle School Media Center operates on an open/flexible scheduling concept, which allows students to use the media center on their own (with teacher permission) throughout the day – at the time of need. The open scheduling also allows the teachers and Media Specialists to plan cooperative lessons designed to encourage students to use the center more effectively for study and for activities related to all areas of the curriculum. A teacher may send no more than five students in a small group. Students who unaccompanied by their teacher must have their grid with them.
How to reserve the media center for your class:
§ Use the scheduling notebook located at the end of the circulation desk. Daily pages are divided into seven class periods; there can be a maximum of one research and one check-out class scheduled during a single class period.
§ You may reserve the media center up to six weeks in advance in order facilitate timely media center visits for all teachers.
§ We recommend that you sign up at least one week in advance.
§ Notify the media center staff of any changes in your schedule such as arrival or departure times, or if you do not need the media center as scheduled.
§ Should you need the media specialist during your visit, complete the instructional planning form at the back of the scheduling notebook. Cooperative planning is a great way to insure that your students have the information skills they need.
§ When bringing a class to the media center, the teacher ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY for their students. Please remain with your class and participate in the assignment. The Media Specialist will assist the students in locating and utilizing materials, but the teacher must keep the students on task. The Media Staff reserves the right to send students and/or classes out of the media center due to misbehavior.
§ In order to insure equitable access to the media center and its resources, research visits shall be limited to two consecutive days and no more than 3 days per week.
§ Small groups of up to five students may use the media center provided that these students have a Media Group Pass signed by their classroom teacher. These students should be well aware of their purpose and the time that they should return to their classroom.
§ Teachers are responsible for the discipline of their students while their class is in the Media Center.
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Collaborative Planning
Our collection is updated each year as funds are made available, but many research projects require more resources than we are able to provide for all students. Careful planning can prevent frustration which occurs when there are not enough materials to complete projects successfully.
Please use the Instructional Planning Form in the scheduling notebook to include the Media Specialist in your class visits. The Media Specialist is eager to work with your students on acquiring needed information skills and basic library skills. You may also wish to include Book Talks in your book check-out visits. When doing research projects, notify the media center staff of your topics in advance. This will allow us to evaluate the projected use of various subject resources.
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Reserve materials
When several classes/students are working on the same topic or when resources are otherwise limited, books and other materials must be available to all classes and must be reserved. RESERVE COLLECTIONS can be prepared with at least two days’ notice. You may select up to 35 items to be placed on RESERVE and these materials will be placed on a labeled shelf showing teacher name and subject. Items may remain on reserve for up to 7 school days.
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Expectations for Students
1. When entering the media center individually, students must have their signed grid with them.
2. Student must have a specific purpose when entering the media center individually or in small groups. Those who are not aware of or are not following their purpose will be dismissed from the media center.
3. Students who socialize instead of studying or who create problems will be sent back to their teacher.
4. Food, candy, and/or drinks are not permitted in the Media Center.
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Special Services
1. Interlibrary Loan: If you need an item or items that is unavailable in our media center, we may request the item from any other Henry County School. When planning, you should allow 4-5 days to receive the item.
2. Bibliographies: Lists of unit resources may be prepared for you. Allow 2 days for the media specialist to prepare the bibliography. You may also receive instruction in creating your own resource lists by requesting such from the media specialist.
3. Laminating: Items turned into the media paraprofessional by Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. will be laminated each Wednesday. Teachers may not operate the laminator.
4. Letter Cutter – The AccuCut Die-Cut machine is located in the Professional Area Make sure you clean up the area after cutting and notify the media specialist if the machine is not working or cutting properly.
7. Copy Machine: Students may have media staff members run single copies of research-related items for a charge of $.10 per page. When bringing a class for research, you may wish to have copying guidelines to avoid over-copying.
8. Binding Machine: A binding machine is available in the Professional Area. This machine allows you to bind together several pages (various sizes) together with a plastic binding comb. The Media Center has a small supply of combs, but for larger jobs, you will need to purchase your own. Students may have books bound for a charge of $.50 and must provide at least 24 hours notice.
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Challenged Materials
Whenever objections arise regarding Media Center materials, the Media staff will follow the guidelines developed by the Henry County Board of Education. The complainant must complete an official form which will be presented to the Media Committee along with the challenged item. The media committee will then decide the merit of the objection and the value of the material to the collection. Following the committee’s decision, the complainant shall be notified in writing of the final decision.
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Media Committee
The Henry County Board of Education and the Georgia Department of Education require that each school appoint a school media committee, consisting of the principal or his/her designee, the media specialist, one or more teachers, one or more parents, and at least one student. A copy of the members of the Ola School Media Committee is below:
Christi Harp – Media Specialist
George Eckerle – Assistant Principal
Beverly Kodak – 6th Grade L.A.
Jennifer Smith- 8th Grade L.A.
Janice Douglas- 7th Grade Social Studies
Mark French- Connections
Tabitha Anderson- 6th Grade Math
Emily Mangual- Parent
Responsibilities of the media committee include: material selection policies covering all instructional materials, selection of materials, formulation of the annual media plan, challenge of instructional material, and promotion of the Media Center.
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Deadlines
Video Scheduling:
forms turned in a minimum 2 days in advance
Media Center Scheduling:
must sign up by Friday for the following week; can sign up for visits up to 6 weeks in advance
Reserve Collections:
minimum 2 days notice for pulling reserve materials
Laminating:
All laminating is done on Wednesday; items to be laminated must be turned in by Tuesday afternoon, 4:00 pm.
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