Library Media Center Hours
OPEN:
Monday through Friday 7:30am-2:30pm
Open during all recess and lunch breaks
CLOSED:
All school holidays
Early closings on minimum days
Policies
Checkout Guidelines
At Hillview Crest Elementary Library Media Center, we try to maintain a sensible balance between accessibility and responsibility in order to make best use of the school library materials. Each checkout period is 1 week long and overdue notices are mailed home when books are overdue 3 or more weeks.
Kindergarten: checkout 1 book for classroom use only
1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade: checkout 1 book each
4th and 5th grade: checkout 2 books each
Note: Students showing consistent patterns for book return, may be eligible to checkout additional books.
Media Center Rules
Posting LMC rules is essential to maintaining a fair and effective learning environment for students and teachers. At Hillview Crest Elementary, Beth posts the following rules for entering, classtime, and exiting the LMC:
Entering:
* Return books on time
* Come in quietly and sit on rug
Classtime:
* Be well-behaved
* Be attentive
* Sit at assigned table and do table work quietly
Exiting:
* Check out books properly
* Clean up table area
* Exit in an orderly manner
Staff
Beth Morris-Wong, Teacher Librarian
Beth has been a school librarian and classroom teacher for eleven years, teaching at Hillview Crest for the past nine years. Previously, she taught middle and high school math and science. Beth earned her MLIS degree and Teacher Librarian Credential from San Jose State University's School of Library and Information Science. Beth also teaches Health & Safety for people and pets and works part-time at the San Lorenzo Public Library. She enjoys water aerobics, reading, and playing with her dog.
School Libraries Matter
Access to books is important. When children have access to more books at home, at school, or at the public library, they read more. Larger school library collections, longer hours, and organized library visits increase circulation. Children read more when they see other people reading and when they have time to read. Even one positive reading experience can create a reader. AND The most effective factor in increasing students’ motivation to read is a mentor who tailors to the student's unique needs, finding materials that exactly fit each student's interests and takes time to inspire each student to read--this is called reader's advisory--Teacher Librarians do this on a daily basis.
In his book, Literary Crisis, Jeff McQuillan, says that California is one of the lowest ranking states for access to books—he calls it a “print wasteland” with some of the worst school and public libraries in the United States.
According to the American Library Association, “The success of any school library media program, no matter how well designed, depends ultimately on the quality and number of the personnel responsible for the program. A well-educated and highly motivated professional staff, adequately supported by technical and clerical staff, is critical to the endeavor” (2006).
Depending on the number of students at a school, the American Library Association guidelines indicate that all levels—elementary, middle school, and high school—should have “one or more certificated library media teachers” and at least “one full-time technical assistant for each library media teacher.” Credentialed Teacher Librarians and Library Media Technicians are essential to maintaining the current level of success for our students.
* School libraries serve the full student spectrum.
* School libraries promote recreational reading.
* School libraries foster lifelong learning.
* School libraries teach information literacy skills.
* School libraries matter.
Please take an active role in supporting our district school libraries! For more information, take a look at the New Haven Unified School District Library Improvement Plan to see how we are meeting our goals for future development of our school library media centers.
