THE
GINA ROSS LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER AT BUZZ ALDRIN
Welcome to the Gina Ross Library
Media Center at Buzz Aldrin Elementary School. Our library is
named in honor of Mrs. Gina Ross, the first principal of the school.
Mrs. Ross served as principal from 1994-2003. Under her leadership,
the school formed an active partnership with namesake and Apollo
11 Astronaut Dr. Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.
FUND
RAISERS
The library hosts a Fall Book Fair to raise
funds for the library program. Some of the items purchased with
funds from past book fairs include:
- Library Computer Workstations
- WALD TV Equipment
- Library Book Carts
- Puppets and Plush Book Buddies
- Reading Rainbow Videotapes
- Reading Incentive Bookmarks
- Virginia Young Reader Books
- Book Fair Prize Awards
- Color Laser Printer for Staff Use
Without parent volunteers, our book fair
would be impossible to operate. We invite you to lend us a hand
when our book fair comes around next school year. Dates will be
forthcoming.
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HOURS
OF OPERATION
The library is open for normal operation
between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday during the
school year.
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LIBRARY
INSTRUCTION
The library operates on a combination fixed/flexible
schedule. The librarian meets with each class on a regular weekly
basis to teach library skills, literature enrichment, and book
checkout. Teachers may schedule additional time, as needed, for
the librarian to assist the students with research projects or
specific skills. In addition, teachers are welcomed to send students
down in pairs or small groups for book checkout, research, etc.
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LIBRARY
MISSION
The library mission at Buzz Aldrin Elementary
is student-centered in focus. It is committed to these goals:
- Providing a program that nurtures the
enjoyment of literature, thus helping students develop skills
needed for lifelong learning.
- Exposing students to state-of-the-art
information resources and technology by providing activities
enabling them to the develop skills needed to become independent
learners.
- Providing a wide array of student library
experiences that link the library media program directly to
all areas of the classroom curriculum.
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LIBRARY
STAFF
Mrs. Linda Morris
Library Media Specialist
Mrs. Kathy Pursifull
Library Secretary
Phone
703-904-3830 or 703-904-3811
The library is staffed by a full-time certified
library media specialist and a half-time library secretary.
The Commonwealth of Virginia, under a Postgraduate
Professional License (Master's Degree) certifies your librarian.
She has endorsements to teach in the following areas:
- Library Media NK-12
- History
- Government
- Computer Science
Volunteers also assist the library staff
by performing a variety of tasks which enhance the library programs.
Parents interested in becoming library volunteers are welcome.
Please contact Mrs. Morris at 703-904-3830 for more information.
The library staff looks forward to instructing
and assisting each one of your Aldrin All-Star students. We want
you to consider our center as a location for learning, enjoyment,
and enrichment. Consider us as partners with you as we seek to
make your child's years in elementary school both pleasant and
productive.
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OVERDUE
MATERIALS
Student library books circulate for a period
of two weeks. Books are considered overdue on the day after the
books were originally due. Due dates are set by the county. The
county prepares all overdue notices. They are available for the
school librarian to print directly to the library administration
workstation. Overdue notices are generally sent home every two
weeks in the Tuesday Recorder.
Overdue fines are not charged for books
that are returned late. Students having delinquent (overdue) books
will not be able to check out additional books until the overdue
books are returned. On a case-by-case basis, the librarian may
wave the policy for students needing books for reports or other
classroom assignments.
Students will receive a bill notice if
they do not return their library books within a reasonable amount
of time. They will be required to either return their books or
pay for them in order for checkout privileges to be resumed.
Students are required to pay the replacement
costs for lost or damaged library books. In the event a student
finds a lost library book for which he/she has paid, payment will
be returned to the student provided the book is found and returned
to the library within a 6-week period. Returned payments for lost
books will be returned to the parent by mail in the form of a
check generated by Buzz Aldrin's finance secretary. (NOTE: Students
who pay for lost library books at the end of the school year will
have six weeks from the beginning of the next school year to receive
repayment for returned library books.)
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STUDENT
CIRCULATION
Each Buzz Aldrin student is entered into
Ecole, the library's circulation system. Bar-coded library cards,
provided to each student, are kept at the circulation desk in
the library.
Library books are checked out for a period
of two weeks with renewals allowed as needed. Grade levels are
used to determine the maximum amount of books a student may have
on his/her circulation record at a given time. Below is a guide
showing the number of books per grade level a student is normally
allowed:
- Pre-school and Kindergarten: 1 book
- Grade 1: 1 or 2 books per teacher's
choice
- Grade 2: 2 books (a 3rd book for reports
or projects)
- Grade 3: 3 books (a 4th book for reports
or projects)
- Grades 4-6: Up to 4 books (a 5th book
for reports or projects)
Periodicals and reference books do not
circulate to students. They are for library use only. (Reminder:
Students have access to an assortment of online reference and
periodical databases from home computers at no cost to them.)
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THE
COLLECTION
The library houses books, newspapers, periodicals,
and audio-visual materials. These materials have been selected
to support the FCPS Programs of Studies, the Virginia Standards
of Learning, and to support the reading levels and interests of
students and staff. Instructional cable television programs, which
supplement the curriculum, can be broadcast directly to classrooms
or downloaded to videotapes for later use. Videotapes that support
the curriculum can be borrowed by staff from the country's film
library located at the Nancy Sprague Center in Annandale.
Online services include subscriptions to
reference and periodical databases appropriate for elementary
students. Products include Grolier Online, World Book Online,
EBSCOHOST, and IFOTRAC. Home access to these databases is provided
free-of-charge to FCPS staff, students, and parents. Login information,
usernames, and passwords for home access may be obtained by contacting
the librarian.
The library maintains a collection of professional
books that are housed in the Language Arts Book Room. These books
are available to be checked out by staff and teaching interns.
In addition, a collection of professional periodicals, housed
in the library's office, is available for circulation to staff
and teaching interns.
A special collection of books for use by
Buzz Aldrin parents is maintained in the Parenting section of
the library. Any parent who wishes to check out these books may
contact either Mrs. Morris or Mrs. Pursifull for a special parent
patron library card. In addition, parents may make recommendations
of book titles for purchase consideration for the Parenting section.
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WALD
WALD is the name of the television studio
located in the library. The morning news is broadcast directly
into the classrooms daily from the studio at approximately 9:15
A.M. Student volunteers from the 5th and 6th grades alternately
staff the studio. The format of the morning news includes the
following:
- The Pledge
- Minute of Silence
- Lunch Menu
- Announcements
- Birthday Introductions
- Time Check
- Weather
Silent bus dismissal is broadcast from
WALD at the end of the day.
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