The library of Moravian Academy Lower School serves the students, faculty and staff and contains a collection of over 10,000 volumes.  Students also have access to the Middle School library through the InfoCentre catalog and may borrow from the Middle School library as needed for reports and class assignments.  Students also receive instruction in basic library concepts, research skills, and book selection.

The library is located on the lower level of the Main Building and is open during school hours – 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM .

The library is staffed by Mrs. Roseanne Emig, librarian  ( remig@moravianacademy.org ) and a host of dedicated volunteers.

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1. To provide students with a knowledge of and appreciation for libraries.
2. To provide students with the tools to use and appreciate the written word whether for pleasure or information collection.
3. To provide students and faculty with access and knowledge of new and emerging technologies. 
4. To provide a well maintained and varied collection for both students and faculty. 
5. To provide resources that support curricula and a variety of learning styles and interests. 
6. To provide a collection that is diverse and developmentally appropriate.
7. To provide instruction to both students and faculty that will facilitate their ability to use both written and electronic information sources.

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While we wait for the first snow (Will we even have any!), the children have been busy learning more about the library and books.

Pre Kindergarten and Kindergarten are still practicing whispering, raising hands, listening attentively to the stories, using book sticks and learning to line up in various orders.  Kindergarten is becoming very adept at using the call numbers on their books for line up order and identifying the author’s letters.  We have also spent some time learning about the different parts of a book.

1^st Grade students have completed a voyage through Central and South America as well as Mexico through folktales.  The children are now spending some time in the Middle East to hear Christmas & Hanukkah tales as well as some Middle Eastern folktales.

2^nd Grade students are now learning about writing on clay tablets using the cuneiform alphabets.  This is in tandem with the story of Gilgamesh.  They will also be hearing some holiday stories during December.

3^rd Grade students have mapped the exterior walls of the library and are becoming very adept at locating Easy & Fiction books using call numbers.    

4^th Grade students are using the adjacent computer lab to explore various sites that will be most useful as they start their state reports.  They each chose a subject that was of personal interest and are searching for sources they could use if they were doing a report on that topic.

5^th Grade students are having a quick review of the report writing process and also visited the library with Mrs. Schenkel to find resources for their Presidents’ PowerPoint presentation.

Great news – students will now have access to the Go.Grolier site at home.  Go to the web page “Your Child and the Internet” and you will find the directions for logging on to this valuable site.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the librarian during school hours – Mondays (all day) and Wednesday mornings are the best time to reach her.

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Mission : The Lower School Library Guild’s mission is to support the library. The Guild members assist the librarian to provide the students with a productive and enriching library experience where they are able to effectively browse for books as they learn how to navigate the library.

The Guild supports three fundraisers: the Used Book Sale at Country Fair and the Fall and Spring Book Fairs on Parent Conference Days.

The Lower School library could certainly not operate as efficiently as is does without the dedicated volunteers who help in numerous ways.  The Guild members help with checking in and shelving returned books, checking out the children’s books, processing new books, keeping the shelves organized and inventorying the collection.  

If you are interested in joining this invaluable group of dedicated volunteers, please contact Kate Eighmy or Michelle Stone, co-chairs.

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The Fall Book Fair was, again, a smashing success.  Thanks to our parents for their staunch support of this annual fund raiser.  The library earned $1,556.27 and a good portion of this will be used to purchase a fourth computer for the OPAC (that is the automated card catalog to those of us who remember the old paper card catalogs).

With the upcoming changes to the lower level, the collection will be shifting as we add more shelving.  We at Moravian Academy have become very creative in our use of space.  The Easy collection and some of the Dewey books will be finding new homes in the new shelving.  The Guild will be helping with this move after the Holiday break.

Look for more changes to come in the next school year.

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Children in 4^th and 5^th grades will be doing research projects for their classes which will often require the use of internet sources.  In order to assure that the best sources and most appropriate sites are found we recommend that students use the following sources for web sites. Using Google or any of the other major browsers can generate numerous sites, many of them inappropriate or inaccurate.  The following sites are validated and available to all.

netTrekker d.i.- This is a search engine that provides access to more than 180,000 educator- selected online resources.  Resources are organized by grade levels and reading levels to meet individual students’ learning needs. There is such a wealth of information in this site it would be impossible to single out any particular area.

Please contact Mrs. Emig for the username and password to access the site.

http://school.nettrekker.com/subject/

POWER Library – This site is available to all Pennsylvania residents holding a valid Public Library card.  The POWER library provides internet access to thousands of full text periodical articles, newspapers, a major encyclopedia, plus photographs, pictures, charts, maps and other reference materials.  This site can be accessed through your library’s web site using the barcode on your library card.
http://www.powerlibrary.org/Interface/Power.asp?ID=PL2541

KidsClick! – This site has been set up by librarians who validate each site for accuracy and appropriate material.  The sites are signed by the reviewing teacher and you can contact them if there are any concerns about the sites.  This is a great place to start a search.                                                            
http://www.kidsclick.org/

Available exclusively in the Lower School Library

InfoCentre – This is the library’s catalog and has web sites imbedded into most topic areas.  The sites have been inspected for accuracy and appropriate material.