• Resource Management

    The library media program provides appropriate, accurate and current resources in all formats to meet the needs of the learning community.  

    Collection

    Overall Stats:

    Montford has around 14,000 books. It is one of the largest collections in the entire county. Students really enjoy graphic novels and manga. We have built up that collection over the last 4 years.

    CirculationEbooks:

    We do not have many digital books (2%) because the student population has expressed their desire for printed books. We have purchased SSYRA digital books in the past and the circulation statistics do not support spending money on ebooks. Students are encouraged to have their parents download audio and ebooks though the public library (through the Boundless app) of popular titles like the SSYRA books assigned for summer reading, or students with IEPs that include audiobooks. The slide below is projected at Open House in the fall.

    ebooks

    Public Library

    We have recently added audiobooks to Destiny- focusing on high traffic books as well as summer reading titles. This slide is advertised on the student news scroll running constantly for the students to see.

    Audiobooks

    Libros en Espanol:

    This year we have more than doubled our books in Spanish to reflect the recent influx of Spanish-speaking students. We also have popular Russian and Chinese titles. 

    Books in Foreign Language

    LGBTQ Titles:

    We follow state laws, but also want to represent our student population. We keep a bookmark with LGBTQ titles in case anyone asks for a book with LGBTQ characters.

    Organization

    Clear Signage:

    The media center recently updated the Dewey Decimal posters using Canva. New row labels were made using a Cricut for fiction, non-fiction, and SSYRA books. The highly popular graphic novel and manga sections got new signs featuring book covers.

     

    Students are trained in the fall to use self-check out. It has clear directions. Self Check-out

     

    Signs Non Fiction

    Acquisition

    Annual Collection Development Plan:

    Montford's LMS wrote the Collection Development Plan in the fall for the 2024-2025 school year. This year's plan focused on expanding the manga and graphic novel collection as well as nonfiction technology and geography. We also shifted the graphic novels to accomodate more space.

     

    Student and Staff Involvement:

    Students are encouraged to recommend books to be added to the library. There is a mailbox by the front door for collecting these recommendations. The LMS looks up reviews to check the appropriate age level. In a teacher survey, math and science asked for updated titles in their content areas. These books are being ordered as recommended by Follett.

    Mailbox of Suggestions

     

    Maintenance

    Weeding:

    Weeding is a continuous process to keep the collection up-to-date. Fiction was weeded first by the media specialist. The main criterion for weeding is any title that has not been checked out since the school opened in 2008. Recently, non-fiction has been a priority for weeding. Out of date areas such as technology, career goals, geography, and biographies were closely examined.

    Little Free Library:

    A few times a year we set up the 'Little Free Library' in the Media Center. Students take home books that were weeded from the library.

    Free Library

    Book Up Keep:

    Sometimes books get back to the media center damaged. The media team makes sure to repair any broken book with proper book tape and glue. Books are also covered in protective plastic before entering circulation to elongate their shelf life.

     

    Technology Resources

    Chromebooks:

    Leon County functions on 1:1, student to device ratio. All students have Chromebooks. The Chromebook distribution and collection are done in the media center with the assistance of the media specialist and aide. When Chromebooks have issues, the media team can help students troubleshoot if the technology specialist is not available.

    There is also a charging station for Chromebooks on a book shelf near the technology coordinator's office.

    Chromebooks

    Student Supplies:

    Students are allowed to borrow headphones, computer cameras, and calculators from the media center. They can also print from their Chromebooks from the printing station located in the media center. A class set of Kindles that a teacher (who has since retired) won with a grant are also available in the media center and has been used by the language arts classes. 

    Printing Station

    Computer Lab:

    The media center features a computer lab with 24 brand-new computers for students to use if they have forgotten their Chromebook. 

    Technology Projects:

    Teachers have sent their students to work on technology projects in the media center for assistance. One recent project was a Black history podcast by 8th grade language arts students.  Those were displayed on the media center's website in honor of Tallahassee's 200th Anniversary.

    Students regularly come by for advice on using Noodletools in the classroom for citing their project information properly.

    Tallahassee 200th