Mission and Vision of the Library

James Baldwin’s library welcomes student imagination and curiosity. A strong library program has many goals. It provides a safe and welcoming environment; offers a collection and programming that encourages students to read widely; fosters students who read for enjoyment; equips learners to ask questions, seek infomation, evaluate their findings, and communicate their learning in a variety of ways; and encourages students to develop their interests in a variety of genres and content areas.

Seattle Public Library  access

Sora and Libby are linked on students’ Clever pages. SORA is an eBook access point for children, and this guide explains how to access it at home. This video explains how to access Seattle Public Library and its other electronic resources.

Global Reading Challenge

The GRC is for 4th and 5th grade students to develop their love of reading in a collaborative group, reading multicultural texts together. From November to March, groups of students will read and review 8 books, supported by a volunteer in the library. The program is explained best at Seattle Public Library’s page.

Hours

The library is open Thursday, Friday and every other Wednesday. We open on Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 and students are invited to come to the library before school starts on those days.

Books that are overdue or lost

Books are checked out for 2 weeks of school days. Fines for late books are never charged. However, we do ask families to replace books that are lost or damaged. Parents can see their students’ library book checkouts and lost book fees on the Source. Mistakes happen and times are tough- let us know if replacing lost books would constitute a hardship. Older students can keep track of their checkouts by logging in to our library website to the right. Students can browse the book collection, check to see due dates, and find research avenues there.

Media and Digital Literacy

The library teaches Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship. Library lessons will encourage children to think critically about media messages, when they engage in consuming or creating messages. Digital citizen lessons teach how to use technology in ways that are safe and kind, ethical and responsible, and balanced.

Volunteer Opportunities

The library space needs constant work, checking in returned books, shelving them, and repairing them. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete your SPS volunteer training, and let me know. We have a great volunteer group who will be glad to welcome you.

Thank you!

Jodie Purcell, James Baldwin Elementary Librarian
jkpurcell@seattleschools.org