Gunning Bedford Middle School Library
6th Grade Orientation to the Library:
Welcome to the Gunning Bedford Middle School Library. It is the hope of the library staff that you will become familiar with following information so that you will be able to come to the library and be comfortable with the facility and its procedures. There are many people on hand to help you during your visits. The librarian and the adult library aide are ready to help you find the materials you need and to answer your questions. Student library aides are often available to help you check out materials.
The library is open every school day between the hours of 7:30 am and 2:10 pm. You may return books at any time during the day but if you plan to remain in the library, you must have a hall pass from your subject or homeroom teacher. (Sometimes the library is closed for special events. If the library is closed an announcement will be made over the intercom.) Feel free to browse the collection, use the computers or do you homework. If you plan to use the Internet, be sure to have an internet pass from your subject teacher. You must also have an internet parent permission form on file with the librarian.
The Gunning Bedford Middle School Library has a collection of over 12,000 books. Several magazines are also available to you. These include Time, Newsweek, US News & World Report, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Delaware Today, National Geographic, National Geographic World, and many others. Forms for requesting magazines are available at the circulation desk. We have 25 internet-ready computers for use by classes or individuals. There is a large collection of videos for teacher use and a satellite dish which receives programs from all over the world. The library's catalog us also available through the computers. Look for the icon marked "Spectrum." Accelerated Reader testing can also be done in the library on our computers.
Checking out books: You may check out two books at a time for a period of three weeks. If three weeks is not long enough for you to finish your book(s), you may renew your book(s) for another three weeks. Overdue materials are charged at the rate of five cents per day per book. You will not be allowed to participate in library games and contests if you have obligations to the library. You are also responsible for any damage you cause to library materials and if you loose a book you must pay its replacement cost. Do not check out materials for someone else. If you give a book to another student and that person damages or looses the book, the person who checked it out is responsible for the cost of repairs or replacement. Be sure to place a lock on your locker and do not leave your library books unattended.
You do not need a library card to check out a book. Every Gunning Bedford student's name is already registered in the circulation computer. Simply give your name to the librarian or aide and your books will be checked out to you for three weeks. You may return your books anytime within the three week period. You are not obligated to keep books for three weeks. You can return them the next day if you like and check out three more. You may do this as often as you like as long as you do not have more than two books at any time. Late fees do not accrue when school is not is session. Weekends, holidays, snow days or days when the library is closed do not count towards calculating late fees. If you are absent, you will not be charged a late fee for that day. If you have been absent from school, simply ask the library to check the absentee to verify the dates of your absence.
If your books are overdue, turn them in as soon as possible. Fines do not continue to grow once your books are checked back in to the library. You may pay the fine later. Students often hold books until they have the money to pay their fines. This is a mistake since your fines continue to grow until they are checked back in Overdue and fine notices are sent to homerooms every week but it is your responsibility to know when your books are due and to return them on time. Students who have late books or unpaid fines may not check out more materials until their books are returned and their fines paid.
When you return your library books, be sure to bring them to the return slot in front of the circulation desk. Do not give them to other students to return for you. Do not return your books directly to the shelves. The librarian must check them in with the computer. Encyclopedias may be checked out overnight. Only the specially designated circulation encyclopedias may be checked out. They are due the following school day. Students who do not return encyclopedias on time will be referred to the office.
It is a good idea to return your books on time to:
Internet access is available through the library's 25 computer stations. In order to use the internet in our district, a parent permission slip must be signed and on file with the librarian. If you come to the library with your teacher for an internet project, the parent permission slip is all you will need for internet access. If however, you come to the library during homeroom or any other time without your teacher, you will also need an internet pass signed by your subject teacher (the teacher for whose class you must access the internet). The internet pass will have a short description of your project so the librarian knows what you are looking for on the internet.
The internet may only be used for school projects. No surfing is allowed. Students who access inappropriate web site will be suspeneded from internet use for 30 school days and a possible referral to the office. A second offense will result in loss of internet priviledges for the rest of the school year as well as a referral to the office.
The library staff hopes you will come to the library to use the resources. Please remember a few guidelines when you visit: