3. Media Center Data The existing Media Center at Sarah Cobb Elementary School was built in 1991, an expanded part of the former office space of the school. The original Media Center in the school was very small and inadequate for the students. The school used to end where the columns are located in the photos, but the school was added on to and became a 3rd -5th grade building. There are currently almost 600 students in the building, with a faculty of 54 teachers, 3 administrators, and multiple support staff. We are located in Sumter County, are a Title I school, and because of our low socio-economic status also qualify for free breakfast and lunch throughout the system.
4. Media Center Data 2 The Media Center is located in the center of the school, and is easily accessible from anywhere in the building. Our school is big into Accelerated Reading, so the library is a busy place. Our Media Specialist works on a flexible schedule, and the Media Center itself is open from 7:15to 4:00 each day.
5. Media Center entrance This is a view of the Media Center entrance for students. Notice the columns inside and outside the door. This was once the front of the school. The Media Center office and storage spaces were once the front office space.
8. Computer Lab #1 We are in our second year with a full time computer lab instructor and tech assistant in each building. They are responsible for teaching classes to the students, and have a rotating schedule. They are also utilized to make small repairs on the classroom computers.
9. Computer Lab #2 This is our newest lab. Teachers sign up to use it on a rotating basis. There are also 5 computers in each classroom. It is having air conditioning problems at the moment so it is not in use right now. Both labs are a direct extension of the Media Center.
11. Seating Areas The seating area is located in the middle of the Media Center. It is that way because we have faculty meetings in there, and the only other place to meet large enough to hold everyone is the cafeteria, and the seats are very small and uncomfortable.
12. Computer Area The computers seen here are for students to look up books they want to check out. One just out of sight to the right is for extra check out of books when it gets really busy at the desk.
13. Teacher Resource Room We have an abundance of resources, but as you can see, you can’t find anything very easily. This is the number 1 complaint among the teachers that sent back my survey. It gets very frustrating when you can’t find what you need.
17. Resource room (cont.) The door leads out into the hallway, but is never used. As you can see, it is blocked by a cart of magazines.
18. Teacher Resources in the main Media center area Some things are easy to find here if you can read the binding, but…I spent almost an hour looking for something in the stacked up books, with no luck.
19. Storage Areas This is the paraprofessional’s office, as well as the kitchen area.
20. Storage Areas This area has been the nurse’s office, as well as a storage area. It was originally designed as a Media production room, and with our new Academy emphasis, our Academy Director is wanting to make this room into the T.V. show/morning announcement area.
21. The stacks This is one of the many stacks. It looks full, but we have as many as 500 books checked out a day, so they don’t stay on the shelf for long.
22. Student Survey says… The overwhelming desires of our students were a comfortable reading area, and an area to study and do research in the Media Center itself. Some of the students expressed a desire for a story time area, and a few wanted newspapers and magazines. (We currently do not have any current magazines or newspapers in our Media Center.)
23. Teacher Survey said… The teacher’s were overwhelmingly positive about the abundance of materials available to them and to our students, as well as giving high praise to our Media Specialist for dropping whatever she was doing to help them out if they needed her. They also really liked the friendliness of the Media staff. Their main frustration, however was the messiness of the Teacher Resource room, and the frustration in not being able to locate what they were looking for.
24. Teacher survey continued… The teachers had a lot of ideas on what they would like to see in our Media Center. Number one of course, was to get everything organized so they could find things! They too thought a reading area would be a good idea, as well as to make it a more child friendly place with colorful areas and a literature based décor. Some wanted more chances to collaborate, and a make and take workroom.(Our workroom is across from the Media Center). They also asked for more room for student work to be displayed . Overall I had a good response from teachers, and when I become a Media Specialist I will keep all these things in mind.
26. added Reading Area This is where I would like to add a comfortable reading area. Behind those T.V. boxes is the magazine rack. I would rearrange the stacks to parallel the wall seen, and place a couch, rug, a couple of comfortable chairs, and maybe a couple of pillows in front of the magazine area. I would also order some current reading material for students and teachers.
27. Added Study/research area I would add the study/research area in this corner. There are already 6 drops located on the back wall. The research area is on the book case in the corner. Currently the laminator takes up some of this space, as well as the area where they take student I.D. pictures. That used to be done in the conference room area, but that room was given to our new Behavior Specialist.
28. Reading area furnishings This rug would add an inviting splash of color to the Media Center, and draw students to the area. If there is room, I would also add a couple of beanbag chairs. www.shopbrodart.com
29. More reading area furnishings The modular seating area would be easy to fit into any sized area, and be able to seat both children and adults. www.shopbrodart.com
30. Additional decor The Media Center could use some color and displays, so I would add a few things “hanging around” to make it a more child friendly place. www.shopbrodart.com
31. More décor ideas This shelf elf poster set would be a good way to help students learn the Dewey Decimal System, and where to find materials in the Media Center. www.highsmith.com
32. Study carrels for research area These study carrels would give students privacy when doing research or studying . They would be located in the area next to the research books and the new computer area. www.demco.com
33. Storage Ideas To address the messiness of the Teacher Resources, I would first go in and totally clean out. There are a lot of outdated and unused items in the resource room(filmstrips, etc.) that need to be gone to make room for more useful and requested items . The room is in serious need of reorganization, and that would be my first step, then reassess the situation to see what needed to happen next.
34. Accessibility “The following shall be included in school media program implementation: 1. A plan for flexibly scheduled media access for students and teachers in groups or as individuals simultaneously throughout each instructional day. Accessibility shall refer to the faculty, the staff, and the resources and shall be based on instructional need.” www.sumterschools.org policy manual The Media Center is open from 7:15-4:00 every day, with a full time Media Paraprofessional on duty.
35. Media Center Staffing There is one full time Media Specialist and one full time Media Paraprofessional in our Media Center.
36. Media Committee “ 2. A media committee that makes recommendations and decisions related to planning, operation, evaluation and improvement of the media program. This committee shall annually evaluate media services and develop a multi-year media plan for budget and service priorities.” Sumter County Schools Policy Manual There is a system wide media committee consisting of Media Specialists from across the system, and a school wide media committee that helps the Media Specialist plan and improve media services in the building.
39. There are no fines charged in our system for overdue books; students are encouraged to bring books back in a timely manner. At the end of the school year if the book has not been returned, the student will be charged for it.
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42. “Use of the Internet must be in support of education and research and consistent with the educational objectives of the Sumter County School System.”
43. “Network Etiquette-Users are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette.” Sumter County Schools Policy Manual
