St. Paul's School Libraries

Overview

The Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools each have a library with resources and programs appropriate to the ages of the students they serve. The St. Paul's librarians strive to instill a love of reading in their students while making their libraries welcoming, reassuring and comfortable place for reading, research and reflection.

Lower School Library

The Lower School Library serves students from pre-first through fourth grades both during their weekly scheduled times and whenever needed.  The 12,000 volume collection contains age appropriate resources as well as a diverse literary collection.  The library curriculum has two goals.  The first is for students to become proficient in accessing resources found in the library and then use their research skills to gain the information needed.  The second is to help each individual student foster a life-long love of reading both for pleasure and to gain knowledge.  The library also has access to on-line databases, an extensive collection of videos for classroom use and various periodicals.

Middle School Library

The Middle School Library is the hub of activity in the middle school.  It is a completely automated 3,400 square foot library with Internet access. It contains approximately 8,000 volumes, 37 magazines, 450 AV items, 10 online databases, and a study room.  The focal point of the library is a reading area with comfortable chairs and computer workstations.

The library is available for student use before school, during recess, and after school. Students can expect to come to the library with their classes periodically throughout the year to engage in research projects. The middle school librarian uses a research model called “The Big 6”, six skills necessary to becoming successful researchers. Students will be introduced to this research model in the fifth grade. A one semester Library Skills in the fifth grade class offers a detailed orientation to the library, author talks, and the study literary genres.

Research projects in each grade provide an opportunity to practice research skills. Fifth graders research invertebrates and the Revolutionary War.  Sixth graders research topics in American history and a disease for their health fair project.  Seventh graders research topics in geography and environmental issues.  Eighth graders research topics in ancient history.

Upper School Library

Upper School students find the Upper School library a welcoming place to get work done.

Students use the Grover M. Hermann library to do research for projects using print and online resources, to work collaboratively and to pursue leisure reading.  Research techniques are taught to classes in conjunction with group projects.   Individual instruction and guidance is also given to students on a regular basis.  The library, often a central meeting place, is also a place for quiet reflection and study.
 
The Upper School library collection contains a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, print and non-print materials, audio-visual resources, and subscription online databases. Students may also use these resources off-campus by connecting to the St. Paul’s website.  Library computers provide immediate access to these resources. 

Upper School Book Club Lists and Dates:

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar (September 19)

The Pact by Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt (November 14)

World War Z by Max Brooks (December 12)

Children of the Jihad by Jared Cohen (January 23)

The Disunited States of America by Harry Turtledove (March 13)

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson (April 17)

Any Man so Daring by Sarah A. Hoyt (May 29)

Internet Search Policy

Library Resources

Students are instructed in research skills and in the use of various types of resource (print, online, etc.). This instruction is integrated across the curriculum.