Middle School Media Center Library Overview
"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body" Joseph Addison (1672-1719)

An Overview
Ellenville Middle School Library Media Center is located at the center of the Ellenville Middle School in the beautiful valley bordered to the east by the Shawangunk Mountain Ridge in southern Ulster County. The nine -year old EMS Library Media Center features a growing collection of over 12,758 books and media, several CD-ROM resources both networked and stand-alone, T1 Internet access and the M3 OPAC online catalog version of the Mandarin/SIRS automation system with searchable databases for both the middle and high school collections.

Hours and Visitation
The Library Media Center is open from 7:45am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Students may visit the library before and after school, during lunch, during flex period, or at pre-scheduled times for class projects. Students are required to present a pass from a teacher to the librarian or library aide when not visiting with their teacher and class for research. Passes must contain the student's name, time leaving the classroom, date and assignment (if necessary) whether the student will be using the library for the entire period or making a copy, running an errand or checking out a book. Student may only leave the library with permission and a signed pass from the library staff with time of departure noted. Students who utilize the center during lunch are expected to remain until their lunch period is over. Students who stay after school must fill out and bring in an Extended Day Middle School Library Permission Note: Food, drink, gum are not allowed in the library media center except for special events. Staff are encouraged to meet with the librarian to cooperatively schedule and plan their research assignments so materials can be prepared.

The Collection
The EMS Library Media Center offers a wide variety of information resources including books, videos, audiocassettes, portfolios, CD-ROM products, electronic online databases, and access to the World Wide Web through a T1 line using Opera. Items in the collection are arranged by the Dewey Decimal System of Classification. The number or group of letters on the spine of the book reflects the subject of the book. For instance, Animals are found under the number 599, while Biography is 92 and Fiction along with the special genre collections of Mystery, Science Fiction, and Newbery award winners are arranged alphabetically by the author's last name.

Periodicals
EMS Library Media Center Offers a wide variety of magazine, local and national newspapers, both onsite and online. Papers onsite include: "The Kingston Daily Freeman", "Middletown Times Herald Record" and "The Ellenville Journal". Online papers include under the GaleGroup: 150 custom national and international newspapers, 10 New York State Newspapers, and the National Newspaper Index from 1977-2003 for the top 5 newspapers (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, LA Times, Washington Post, and Christian Science Monitor.) In addition, there are portfolios available which contain historical curriculum related magazine and newspaper clippings, photographs, and broadsheets. Also available are local history and regional materials. The Ellenville Public Library and Museum also offers local research services for students use both at their library and museum site as well as through their website.

CD-ROMs
A growing collection of CD-ROM resources are being developed both for use in the library and to circulate. They include: Accelerated Reader Student Quizzes, a reading comprehension quiz program; Basic American History, a program that traces history from Pre-Columbian era to the present with timelines, information and a student question/answer section; Building Homes of Our Own, an interactive program that provides a simulation of the entire home building process utilizing art, technology, math, science, social studies, and ELA skills; Body Systems, an interactive program about the systems of the human body; Carmen San Diego Math Detective, an interactive math game; Hot Dog Stand, another interactive math game; How Would You Survive, an interactive exploration of ancient Viking, Roman and Egyptian life; Jordan’s Story, a cartoon about Diabetes prevention; A Journey Through Our Eyes, a program dealing with taking care of our eyes; Junior Science Experiments on File Volume 1 and 2 , reproducible experiments for students with glossary; Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet application, Microsoft Word, a word processing application, Microsoft PowerPoint, a presentation software; Microsoft Publisher, a publishing software; 2006 Encarta ,World Book 2003 generalist research tools that help students begin to understand their subject; Tales, an interactive folk and fairy tale application; Zip Zap Map USA, an interactive USA map game; Zap, an interactive science game of sound and electricity; Thinking Maps, a critical thinking webbing activity; NOPD, an interactive Spanish-English picture dictionary; Earobics, an interactive listening, reading, and spelling activity; Side by Side, a multi-media language learning program; Animals, the San Diego Zoo's animal information product; Zak’s Word Games, an interactive language program ; Viruses, an interactive science program with experiments, explorations, journal activities, creation of slide shows and ability to print or save student work on floppy disc; Oceans, another interactive science program with experiments, explorations, journal activities, creation of multimedia slide shows, and ability to print or save student work on floppy disc; Word Q, a writing program; World Book's Young Scientist Natural Science, interactive science program on topics of: Living world--Plants-- Human Body--Conservation--Animals with backbones --Animals without backbones; World Book's Young Scientist Physical and Earth Science, interactive sceinece program on topics of: Light & electricity--Magnetic power--Atoms & molecules--Gases--Planet Earth--Water; World Book's Young Scientist Applied Science and Technology, interactive science program on topics of: Spacetechnology--Computers--Communication--Energy--Construction-- Machines; World Book's How To Study, includes study skills on reading , SQ3R system, listening and notetaking; and World Book's Student Dictionary, an interactive tool .

Online Resources
The Library Media Center currently has subscriptions to SIRS Researcher, an online social issues database; EBSCO link NOVEL Databases, (all capable of changing results to other languages from a menu) from a variety of popular newspapers, magazines, with full text including Masterfile Select from 750 magazines, pamphlets, reference books documents and images collection; Primary Search via Searchasaurus from 60 magazines, the Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia and American Heritage Children's Dictionary, Encyclopedia of Animals and images collection; Topic Search, current events from 64,000 articles and Current Issues database choices; and GALE NOVEL databases, an index of 8 database titles(one in Spanish)on business, magazines, health, authors,and newspaper articles. To gain remote access to Infotrac, SIRS and other online sources ask librarian for the user names and passwords or through the Ellenville Public Library by following directions on the screen and by using your library card number which is located on the back of the card. Materials are also available through inter-library loan through the Ulster BOCES School Library System and the Ramapo Catskill Library System.

Circulation Policy
Materials may be checked out from the library for a period of two weeks with renewals available. Reference books and periodicals do not circulate. Students with overdue items must return them before checking out any new materials. Research materials may be held on reserve by teachers for projects and may only circulate after the scheduled library time is over. Materials that are lost or damaged must be paid for according to school board policy. All library materials may be borrowed by staff. There are no charges for items that are late.

Internet Usage Policy
Each student at the Ellenville Middle School must return a "Policy for Internet Users" form signed by themselves and their parent/guardian in order to access the Internet in the Library Media Center or school classrooms. To read this policy click the link above. Internet use privileges may be revoked at the discretion of the school district and the Library Media Specialist. Internet offenses include, but are not limited to : 

Misrepresenting Research Assignments

Accessing Inappropriate Websites

Tampering with Computer hardware of software

Trying to access the School Network

Discipline
Students utilizing the Ellenville Middle School Library Media Center are responsible for respecting the rights of teachers, fellow students, administrators and all others who are involved in the educational process. It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of and conform with the rules and regulations of student behavior as defined in the EMS Parent/Student Handbook. Ignorance of a rule is never an excuse for breaking a rule.

Asking for Help
The best way to learn and be successful is to ask questions for help in finding the information you are looking for. Mrs. Lewin will be happy to guide you to the best resource for your purposes.

Indexes
One of the best shortcuts to finding information is by using the index that is found in the back of most non-fiction and reference books. It is an alphabetical listing of subjects and the pages in the book where those subjects are found. When you use a search engine, like Yahoo, Dogpile ,AltaVista, or Ask .com, what you are really doing is using an index; the index being all of the words that are on the World Wide Web that they search. 

Academic Success and the Library Media Center
Today's students must be information literate in order to achieve academic success and become lifelong learners. They must learn how to locate, evaluate and process information successfully using the wide variety of both print and electronic information resources available in the Ellenville Middle School Library Media Center. It is a journey that continues throughout life and begins when you first open the pages of a book. Take advantage of this opportunity -- come in and experience the wonders of the world through your Library Media Center !!!