Cori Minton (Librarian)
I have experience as a classroom teacher, and  26 years of experience as a Media Specialist.  I served as the librarian and technology teacher at Gardners Elementary in Wilson, NC (two years), and have been at Morrisville twenty four years. I did my undergraduate work at the University of North Carolina – Wilmington, and received my Master’s in Library Science from East Carolina University. In 2007, I received technology certification from East Carolina and am a Nationally Board Certified Teacher.  I live in Raleigh, NC with my daughter.

¨  Planning and teaching whole/small group instruction

¨   Managing circulation and overdues 

¨  Creation of Collection Management Plan

-  Processing new materials

¨  Assisting students and staff in the checkout process and in locating materials

¨  Maintaining equipment

¨  Overseeing and coordinating the Junior Librarians Program

Media Scheduling for All Grade Levels
As you know, K-5 will have a different special each day of the week.  The library goals and objectives are taught on a fully fixed schedule (6 classes a day, 5 days a week).  Collaborative planning is crucial to the success of our programs.  We would like to make our weekly scheduled classes as meaningful as possible.  If we are informed about classroom needs, we can use our class time as an opportunity to expand learning.  With our more flexible schedule, we would like to see an increase in the use of the media center and computer lab as classrooms outside the four walls of your room.  Planning can be scheduled one-on-one, or with grade-level teams.

Circulation Policies
On average, we circulate approximately 4,000 materials per month to students, staff, and parents, for a total of 45,000 items per year.

Staff has fairly unrestricted access to materials. We do ask a couple of things, however:

• Remember that tracked-in teachers may need resources on some topics when you are tracked out. We ask that you return items borrowed from the Media Center that you are no longer using, so that others may use them in your absence.
• Everyone studies certain topics at the same time. And, everyone needs the same (usually few) materials (i.e., Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, and Presidents' Day). Please be considerate.
  
  

Student Circulation Policies
To promote and encourage reading we have eliminated circulation limits for students.  Kindergarten will begin the year only checking out one title at a time until they become more responsible library users.  Everyone else will be allowed to check out more books if they ask.  I teacher the motto, “You must bring some, to get some.”  Students can visit the library every day but I want them to return materials they are finished reading so other can enjoy them.  I know many books are circulated to be read for pleasure and to be used as research tools.  I do not want to limit student needs for materials. 

Studies show that the more a student reads, the better overall student he/she becomes!

The Media Center is open ALL DAY, EVERYDAY for students to circulate on an "as needed" basis. Checking in/out books is an independent, self-circulating process with adult support available when needed.  Before school from 8:45-9:15 and at the end of the day from 3:15-3:35 are optimal times to encourage circulation. 

Overdue Notices
Student overdue notices will be sent out periodically, usually a week before tracking out and the week of track in.  Teachers will also receive weekly email reminders for students who have overdue materials.  Teachers will receive a List of Items on Loan, just before tracking out, and should make an effort to return those items that are no longer needed so that other staff members and students can use them.  Mid year and end of the year, overdue and lost book letters will be sent home with students, requesting payment.  If students are unable to full the financial obligation, other arrangements can be made.

Tracking Out – How Many Books Can Students Take?
Students may have a total of 5 books checked out at the time of track out, for grades 1-5. Kindergarten students will start the school year taking 3 track out books, gradually working up to 5 books as they demonstrate responsible borrowing practices.  However, if the student has several overdue items, usually no additional materials will be lent until the overdue materials have been returned; for this reason we will be sending out overdue notices a week before track-out, to give the students ample time to return overdue materials. Students may need to be reminded by their teachers to take care of overdue materials, so that they can take additional materials when they track out, and we thank you for assisting us with this.

Overdue Materials – Lending Policies
If a student has severely overdue or lost material(s), only 1 book can be borrowed at a time until the overdue/loss is taken care of.  At the end of each semester we will send out overdue or lost item reports.  Any student or staff member with lost materials will be asked to pay the replacement costs.

Types of Materials in the Collection
The collection is strong, with over 10,000 materials, made up of:

Print materials, including some reference materials	Maker Space (puzzles, board games, cards, chess, art supplies, etc.)
Curriculum materials	Lego WeDo
Online resources	Snap Circuits
Chromebooks	Makey Makey
iPads	OSMOs
Laptops	Promethean Boards

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. This includes literary, dramatic, musical, architectural, cartographic, choreographic, pantomimic, pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and audiovisual works. (https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/definitions.html

1. Owners of a copyrighted work have the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, and create derivatives of that work. Copyright violations occur when someone other than the copyright holder uses the work in one of these manners, without the permission of the copyright holder.

Exclusive Rights:

• • • to make copies of their works

    • to publicly perform and communicate their works to the public, including via broadcast

    • to make adaptations and arrangements of their works

    • to make authorized translations of their works

2. Copyright does not protect facts or ideas themselves, only the expression of those facts or ideas.

3. Generally speaking, copyright is automatic the moment a work becomes a tangible medium. This goes back to the point above--the work must go from idea or concept into actual expressed form.

4. Copyright protection lasts a long time. Currently in the United States, the copyright term is the life of the creator plus 70 years.

Utilitarian

• Copyright is intended to provide an incentive to creators with the aim to encourage the creation of new works.

• This purpose could be tied to the monetary and legal connection of a creator to the work.

Author's Rights

• Copyright is intended to guarantee attribution for creators and to preserve the integrity of creative works.

• This purpose could be tied to recognizing the personal connection creators have with their works.

PARENTAL INSPECTION OF AND  OBJECTION TO INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Policy Code: 3210 

Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials Form (This must be completed by the person questioning the matierls being used.)

Junior Librarian Program
The librarian is the coordinator of this 4^th grade student program, which has been a great success. Being a Junior Librarian allows the children to take an ownership interest in the media center.  Please ask media about the details!

Junior Librarians assist in the Media Center in the mornings from 8:45 to 9:10, in the afternoons from 3:30 until dismissal on a rotating schedule, and if their class comes to the Media Center. 

Duties will include:       

• Check-In and Check-Out
• Sorting Books
• Placing books in proper order on carts
• Shelving Books
• Shelf reading and maintenance of books on shelves
• Assisting students, teachers and parents in the media center
• Assisting the media center teachers with afternoon duties
• Assisting with other projects as assigned by media center teachers

Hours/Days of Operation
The Media Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 for staff (we open at 8:45 for students and parents). Teachers may access media materials at any time during the day. If you pull a stack of resources after hours, feel free to use the self check out or just leave your name on top of the materials and we'll check them out to you.