Welcome to the 2008/09 academic year! This year we will continue our efforts to transform the Library Media Center from a room with books to a hub of the school where inquisitive minds are engaged. Part of that transformation has included the development of the Library Media Center's website to facilitate students' access to a variety of authoritative resources, both from school as well as from home. As you take a look at our site, you will find the following pages:

Online Research Tools — Our membership in the Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System provides students and faculty with access to a variety of subscription online databases. These databases extend well beyond our physical collection of books to provide searchable access to numerous additional reference books, encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers, primary source documents and images. In addition to being available at school, these databases can be accessed from home by typing in the number on your Stevens Memorial Library card. Subscriptions to additional online databases have been obtained to meet instructional needs. The user name and password to access those databases from home can be obtained in the library media center. If you have been assigned a research project, our Online Research Tools page is a good place to look for resources! Pathfinders — These lists of recommended resources are developed for various research projects throughout the year. Check to see if one has been created for any research projects that you are assigned. These lists provide a great starting point for your research! Readers' Advisory — If you're looking for a good book to read and need some recommendations, check out this list of websites and online databases that may help you out. Don't forget to check out the library media center's display and notebook of NAMS Star Reviews. Your student peers have some great suggestions for you!

As we continue to rebuild a library media program at NAMS, the following Mission Statement serves as a guideline:

The North Andover Middle School library media program is designed to enable the school’s students and faculty to efficiently and effectively access, process, evaluate and utilize information in a variety of formats. The mission of the library media center's staff is to collaborate with classroom teachers in instructing and guiding students to become competent in all educational literacies; including reading literacy, information literacy and media/technology literacy; by:

• providing access to a stimulating environment and to relevant resources conducive to the pursuit of knowledge and study
• fostering a love and appreciation of reading
• teaching the process of information problem-solving necessary for curriculum-based inquiry learning
• teaching students to use information, ideas, and media/technology ethically, creatively, and critically

In order to fulfill this mission, the Library Media Center operates on a flexible schedule; allowing students to visit as an entire class, in small groups or individually; to meet research, instructional and recreational reading needs. Over 13,000 print and non-print items are available in the Library Media Center. We also offer students access to a variety of online research tools, including subscription databases and encyclopedias; teaching them how to find and use information within these sources. In addition to the computer workstations located in the Library Media Center, wireless laptops are available for use by classes conducting research in the LMC or classrooms.

As 21st century students have access to an overwhelming amount of available information, the information skills that they learn today will help them become the lifelong learners of tomorrow.

Anne Bate, Library Media Specialist