LIBRARY POLICY
Philosophy
Harvest IB library role
“Libraries are combinations of people, places, collections and services that aid and extend learning and teaching.”
- At Harvest, the Librarian participates in creating and communicating inquiry promotion at all levels.
- To develop the collection, enhance the service experience in terms of learning, research and reflection and to make the library space more inviting and friendly, the Librarian continuously collaborate with learners and teachers.
- Librarian contributes to expanding access to all educational environments; classrooms, performance spaces, virtual platforms or other places where learning is monitored by the school.
- Librarian stores, organizes, manages, and disseminates a wide array of resources, both physical and virtual.
- Librarian at Harvest manages or supports multipurpose spaces, reading, inquiry, multiliteracies, approaches to learning, approaches to teaching, learner profile development.
6+1 framework for IB libraries
The Library at Harvest is inspired by the ideologies provided by the IB and adhere to the 6 +1 framework is used as a starting point to make the most effective library system possible.
- Curating (of information)
- Caretaking (content and people)
- Catalyzing (people and services)
- Connecting (to sources of information, multiliteracies, and reading)
- Co-creating (of information with school and community)
- Challenging (learners to seek appropriate information, methods of inquiry and research)
- +1 Catering (lowest form of support – catering to its users)
Harvest IB library goals
- Effectively participate in the teaching-learning programme of the school.
- Inculcate the idea of academic integrity amongst the IB learning community.
- Provide the students with appropriate library materials both printed as well as audio visual and services for the holistic development of students, including the development of IB Learner Profile.
- Develop reading ability and interest and inculcate love, enjoyment and pleasure of reading amongst the students.
- Assist the students to become skillful and discriminating users of library.
- Offer opportunities for experiences in creating and using information for knowledge, understanding and enjoyment.
- Assist every student in engaging with inquiry, research, and the development of skills for evaluating and utilizing information.
- Encouraging critical thinking and promoting a global perspective.
- Facilitates the intellectual growth and development of students within the framework of the International Baccalaureate program.
International Baccalaureate Requirements
To meet the requirements of the IB, school management and library staff must ensure that:
1. The library programme is designed to serve the requirements of the PYP, MYP (and the DP) in promoting the education of the whole person through an emphasis on intellectual, personal, emotional, spiritual and social growth.
2. The library facilitates student, staff and school community use.
3. Library staff members have appropriate training and are aware of new resources and developments relating to IB programs.
4. Library staff and teachers collaborate effectively in planning for the needs of the PYP, MYP (and DP) programs.
5. The collection of resources, including material reflecting different cultures, perspectives and languages, meets the needs of the PYP, MYP (and DP).
6. The library contains resources in the mother tongue language(s) of students in the school.
7. There is an annual library budget that provides for the appropriate maintenance of and additions to the library’s collection.
8. A proportion of the library collection is devoted to resources for the professional support and education of the teaching staff.
9. The library has a central role in the successful implementation of IB programs in the school.
The IB learner profile in the library
INQUIRER Students develop skills in multiple literacy forms (including digital, visual, textual, and technological) to learn new skills or to find information that will lead them to become independent lifelong learners. They show curiosity in their inquiry and conduct purposeful, constructive research.
KNOWLEDGEABLE Students show a commitment to their own learning. Using a wide range of information sources, students develop the capacity to recognize a need for information, to know how and where to find it, and how to select, organize and communicate it to others.
THINKER Inquiry encourages students to become critical thinkers and creative problem solvers. They make real-world connections for using this process in their own life. They generate new ideas with help of the library resources.
COMMUNICATOR Students are encouraged to express their own ideas, feelings and information in a variety of communication modes. Their ideas and opinions are encouraged and respected. Students are motivated to read in different languages.
PRINCIPLED Students respect the rights of all community members in the sharing of facilities and resources. Students show integrity by using information ethically and using the web and social media tools responsibly and safely. They understand and practice academic honesty.
OPEN-MINDED Students are exposed to a wide range of literary and factual texts reflecting different cultures, perspectives, attitudes and languages. These resources extend the students appreciation for the world and its people.
CARING Through literature students learn to empathize and respect the experiences of others whether different or similar to themselves. Students are respectful of other library users and look after library resources.
RISK TAKER Students are confident to take risks in using various literacy forms to create, apply and express new understandings. Students expose themselves to new genres and forms of literature.
BALANCED Students have access to a collection of resources that represents all viewpoints and types of literature, which contributes to their personal, social, spiritual and educational growth.
Library facilitates inquiry
Library at Harvest, plays a crucial role in supporting inquiry by serving as a hub for diverse resources and fostering an environment conducive to exploration and learning. It goes beyond a conventional library, facilitating a wide range of inquiries, not limited to academic pursuits. Moreover, the IB library serves as a space where individuals engaged in inquiries can develop and refine their searching and researching skills, contributing significantly to the overall inquiry-based learning experience within the International Baccalaureate framework.
Areas of Inquiry:
- Curriculum (content, research)
- Social and emotional learning (personal development of student & community)
- Service learning (knowledge & wisdom gained through serving community)
- Experiential learning (through experience, experimentation, reflection)
- Play (play, games and the reflection on process and outcomes)
Space
As a multi-use space, the library is designed to play a central role for the school community and will comfortably accommodate maximum 25 students of a particular grade at any given time. The spaces cater to working independently and collaboratively.
The zones includes:
● Library teaching space
● A reading bay
● Computers (2 in number)
Collection
The school’s library collection attempts to exceed national requirements (1:10 student-book ratio). The school promotes involvement of teachers, students, and parents in terms of suggestions of books to acquire for the library. The following resources and collections are available in the school library:
- Primary Picture Books Stories that are suitable for children ages 3 to 12 but relevant and available for all ages.
- Junior Fiction Chapter books suitable for beginning readers and children up to ten years of age.
- Graphic Novels Comic-style books suitable for all ages.
- Junior Non-Fiction Information books reflecting the interests and information requirements of Junior School students. (Suitable for ages 3-12).
- Senior books are arranged as per genre: Contemporary, Crime & Thriller, Fantasy, Historical, Classical Literature, Adventure, Science Fiction & Futuristic, Short Stories, Biographies, Self-help/ Philosophical/ Behavior, Reference.
Library facilitates inquiry
Library at Harvest, plays a crucial role in supporting inquiry by serving as a hub for diverse resources and fostering an environment conducive to exploration and learning. It goes beyond a conventional library, facilitating a wide range of inquiries, not limited to academic pursuits. Moreover, the IB library serves as a space where individuals engaged in inquiries can develop and refine their searching and researching skills, contributing significantly to the overall inquiry-based learning experience within the International Baccalaureate framework.
Areas of Inquiry:
- Curriculum (content, research)
- Social and emotional learning (personal development of student & community)
- Service learning (knowledge & wisdom gained through serving community)
- Experiential learning (through experience, experimentation, reflection)
- Play (play, games and the reflection on process and outcomes)
Space
As a multi-use space, the library is designed to play a central role for the school community and will comfortably accommodate maximum 25 students of a particular grade at any given time. The spaces cater to working independently and collaboratively.
The zones includes:
● Library teaching space
● A reading bay
● Computers (2 in number)
Collection
The school’s library collection attempts to exceed national requirements (1:10 student-book ratio). The school promotes involvement of teachers, students, and parents in terms of suggestions of books to acquire for the library. The following resources and collections are available in the school library:
- Primary Picture Books Stories that are suitable for children ages 3 to 12 but relevant and available for all ages.
- Junior Fiction Chapter books suitable for beginning readers and children up to ten years of age.
- Graphic Novels Comic-style books suitable for all ages.
- Junior Non-Fiction Information books reflecting the interests and information requirements of Junior School students. (Suitable for ages 3-12).
- Senior books are arranged as per genre: Contemporary, Crime & Thriller, Fantasy, Historical, Classical Literature, Adventure, Science Fiction & Futuristic, Short Stories, Biographies, Self-help/ Philosophical/ Behavior, Reference.
General areas of involvement and responsibility
The library has at least six main areas of involvement and responsibility: Library is a learning space for students for research work, leisure reading or issuing the books. The school uses a library management system and provides some space for library teaching, a reading bay and two computers.
1. Teaching and Learning
- Teacher librarians work collaboratively with teachers in delivering and modelling quality teaching and learning.
- Assisting staff and students to select appropriate resources for teaching and learning. Steps are taken to promote creating own reading corners in various classrooms
- The library supports the literature programs of the English and language faculties.
- Support the implementation of IB programs, by ensuring all relevant IB practices and standards are met.
2. Provision and Management of Resources
- Selection, acquisition, organization, promotion and lending of quality resources that support the School mission and curriculum and promote reading. The library resource center identifies the topics of investigation in each classroom well in advance.
- The library operates effective library management systems to account for all resources.
- Regular evaluation of library services and management.
3. Social and Recreational Development
- Promote the enjoyment of reading and literature and encourage students to explore and interpret human experience and the world around them through reading. For Example: Book Character days are celebrated to bring students together in celebrating joy of reading.
- Promote safe and effective use of web resources and social media for enjoyment and recreation and self-directed learning.
4. Stimulating Learning Environment
- Create an environment that stimulates interest and enthusiasm for learning and a respect for information and knowledge.
- Create a flexible teaching and learning environment that provides variety according to class, group, teacher or individual needs.
- Reading Bay: At Harvest International School, students are encouraged to read at least 10 books per year in the IB according to their age and level of willingness. The library catalog reflects collection of various genre of books. November is considered as literary month and library resource center conducts various activities such as Book Character Week, Author visits, DEAR program-Drop everything and read, Author talk etc.
5. Role of the Library in Language Development
The library plays a very vital role in the language program at Harvest International School. The library provides a very healthy learning space and a calm, disciplined environment to promote reading, learning and research skills. It is essentially stocked with all genres of books(1:10 student-book ratio) including reference books, multicultural books and world classics for students and teachers to access. The school library is one of the valuable resources for promoting international-mindedness in the students. The resources provided by the library help nurture intercultural understanding in the students. School plans to keep adding to the collection of regional books, bilingual books and multicultural books for this purpose. The library is one of the key resources for teachers to do all the collaborative planning, researching, professional development and for specific support in terms of language development.
- Language Days: In order to promote the additional language offerings at Harvest, special days are celebrated such as Hindi Diwas, National French Day, Kannada Rajyotsava. Languages Kannada, Hindi, French are given importance as state, national and additional foreign language exposure. Students are given opportunities to appreciate these languages.
- Bhasha Sangam – Family language clubs has been introduced with a belief of promoting intercultural understanding and respect and to promote mother tongue.
6. Role of Librarian in implementing Academic Integrity Policy of the school
- Support teachers and students in identifying good practice regarding academic honesty.
- Providing authentic resources for teaching and learning.
- Help students obtain reliable information from various sources such as primary/secondary sources of information.
- Provide guidance regarding citing sources so that students gain a clear idea of the purpose of correct citation and referencing in a variety of disciplines.
IB library guidelines for teaching and non-teaching staff
- Teachers can issue 5 books at a time, which they have to return within 30 days.
- If books are to be reissued, entry in the issue register is compulsory after 8 days.
- All books should be deposited in the library on last working day of the academic session.
- In the absence of the librarian, all teachers entering/using library space are required to sign the Library Logbook.
- “No Dues” Library clearance is to be maintained before the transfer certificate is issued.
IB Library Guidelines for Students
- All classes from PYP-1 onwards are provided with one library period per week.
- All learners must come in a line and remove their footwear before entering the library.
- Students are prohibited from rearranging books on the shelves. They are required to deposit books at the librarian’s counter.
- Learners must bring their ID card along with them for borrowing library books.
- Learners are advised not to bring their personal belongings to the library.
- Learners are allowed to borrow maximum one book every week. Book will not be issued unless previous book is returned.
- Library books are to be returned in week’s time, failing which a notice is issued to the student.
- Learners are encouraged to always use a bookmark, while reading.
- Follow habits like using clean hands while reading a book.
- Learners should refrain themselves from marking or damaging the library books such as writing, drawing, tearing pages or stickers etc.
- Books from the library are non-transferable; learners should refrain themselves from swapping or exchanging them with others.
- Big Books, Oversize non-fiction and information books are for use in the library only.
- Books marked, disfigured, damaged or lost will have to be replaced by the borrower within 15 days from the reported incident.
- The Librarian may call for a book or library material at any time, even if the normal period of loan has not expired.
- All books should be deposited in the library on last working day of the academic session.
- “No Dues” Library clearance is to be maintained before the transfer certificate is issued.
Bibliography:
- “Summary IB ‘Ideal Libraries: A Guide for School.
