The Albany Elementary library/media center is centrally located
by the office and gymnasium and welcomes all visitors. It is
filled with stuffed wild animals and sports bean bags for casual
seating. The adjoining courtyard, which features a gazebo,
fountain, and small pond, as well as flowers, and trees, is
accessible from our library too. Different programs we offer
throughout the year, are accelerated reader, a book club for Title
I, which meets Wednesday after school, and a tutoring program
offered by Ball State University. Also, the Young Hoosier books
are made available to students who vote for their favorite book in
the spring each year. As a fundraiser, a book fair is held once a
year in the fall.
All classes visit the library one time each week for
instruction and an opportunity to check out books. Library skills
learned are using the card catalog, dictionary skills and an
introduction of reference books, an overview of the Dewey Decimal
System, as well as the location of different book collections.
Students are also invited to visit the library each morning to
exchange books as needed.
As an incentive for teaching students responsibility, those
students who faithfully return their books each week are given a
free book at the end of the year. It is our goal to provide
students with current award winning books, such as the Newbery and
Caldecott Medal winners and honor books as well as new releases,
which have been starred in professional journals.
To quote a bookmark we make available to our students, we
believe "The more you read, the more you know. The more you
know, the smarter you grow. The smarter you grow, the stronger you
voice when speaking your mind or making your choice."
