Welcome to the St. Mary's Catholic School library page!  The SMCS library program gives our students the opportunity to grow as learners and readers. Our school library's collection includes children's classics, Catholic books, popular titles, picture books, many Caldecott and Newbery Award winners, and numerous nonfiction books on a variety of topics. This growing collection caters to a wide range of interests and reading levels.

Library Classes
Students in Preschool through Grade 5 have library class once per week with Mrs. O’Callahan, the school librarian. During library class, younger students enjoy story time and fun, literacy-centered activities, while upper elementary students are introduced to library skills and work to develop their research skills.

Makerspace/STEAM Classes
In addition to weekly library classes, students in grades K-2 also participate in biweekly STEAM classes with the school librarian. These classes provide students with an opportunity to engage in activities that will help them to develop skills in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. While working with different materials, students use their imaginations to design and create various creative projects.

Birthday Club
The school library’s Birthday Club provides an exciting way to recognize your child’s birthday while supporting our school. During their birthday month, students who join the club may select a brand new library book as their “Birthday Book.”  The book will be added to our school library’s collection and a commemorative bookplate displaying the child’s name will be affixed to the book. Parents who are interested in registering their children for the Birthday Club may fill out this form.

Book Circulation Procedures
We have developed new circulation procedures for the 2020-21 school year in response to COVID-19.

Book Selection
During their library classes, which will be held in the classrooms, students in grades Preschool through grade 2 will make a book selection by circling their choices on a paper book menu. Students in Grades 3-8 will request their books through the OPALS card catalog, which can be accessed on their Chromebooks in their classrooms. Books selected by the students on book menus or through the card catalog will be taken off the shelf by the librarian or library volunteers and delivered to the students’ classrooms. Students are likely to receive their selected book the day after their scheduled library class, or whenever it becomes available.

Library Book Care
It is important for students to remember to take care of their library books and use good hygiene when handling library books. Students should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before and after handling school library materials. As always, borrowed library books should be kept in a safe place to reduce the risk of becoming lost or damaged.

Book Return
In accordance with recommendations by the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC), books returned to the SMCS library will be quarantined for at least 3 days. Quarantining collection items is viewed as the most effective way to disinfect them after they have been used by library patrons. The library book drop and classroom collection bins will be emptied on Tuesdays and Fridays, with books being transferred into quarantine bins, where they will remain for at least 3 days. A student will not be allowed to check out a specific book until it has been adequately quarantined.

Book Checkout Limits

• Preschool students may check out one book at a time. They will have the opportunity to choose books twice a month during their library time.
• Students in grades K-3 may check out one library book at a time and will have the opportunity to choose books weekly during their library time.
• Students in grades 4-8 may check out two library books at a time, and may take out additional books as needed for research or class projects. Students in grades 4 and 5 will select their books during their weekly library classes, and middle school students will select their books during their language arts classes.

Books that have been returned but are in quarantine do not count toward checkout limits.

Library Volunteers
We have an amazing group of library volunteers who assist our school librarian with various behind-the-scenes tasks. Please email Mrs. O'Callahan for more information if you are a SMCS parent who is interested in assisting in the school library.