The library at Soundview School offers a welcoming environment in which to study, learn, and enjoy good books.
With thousands of titles, our current emphasis is on building the collection to reflect our school’s focus on internationalism. Our juvenile fiction collection is exciting as well as current. The addition of a growing selection of up-to-date reference materials funded by very active participation in our bookfairs ensures that the library is continuing to meet the needs of students and staff alike.
Alongside our general circulation collection, several hundred volumes of teacher resource materials are currently being catalogued so that our staff can more readily utilize the rich diversity of teaching tools at their disposal.
Weekly storytime is a favorite among the early childhood students. Through fourth grade, Soundview students visit the library once a week for a reading and check-out time with the librarian. First grade students begin learning library skills, with an introduction to the Dewey Decimal System and fiction searches by author. Second through fourth graders deepen their experience with exercises in research and other library skills.
Older students visit the library to learn research skills, and often come from Language Arts, Social Studies, Science or Drama classes, as they need access to various research materials. The Library Media Specialist staffs the library several days a week during lunch breaks as well, to give students an opportunity to browse for favorite books.
Soundview Library's Mission:
- To be a place where current, balanced information on a variety of topics can be found
- To be a place to gather and share ideas
- To welcome all, regardless of age, interest or ability
- To promote and encourage a love of reading and learning
- To be aware of the need for change in order to serve today's library users
- To give its students the tools necessary to access information confidently and efficiently
The following links may be of interest as you begin a new year at Soundview School. Some of these sites are helpful in researching and writing papers, or for finding a good book to read.
Research Tools
Premium databases at Sno-Isle library are available to anyone with a Sno-Isle library card, and most can be accessed from home.
Sno-Isle Library Database Search
A great online citation resource, fairly easy to use:
The Owl at Purdue
Diana Hacker site gives comprehensive instructions for citations, as well as several sample documents and some primary source materials for research purposes:
dianahacker.com
Homework Help
Sno-Isle Library's Homework Help site is:
Sno-Isle Library Homework Help
The Discovery Channel also offers a really nice homework help site with lots of cool stuff:
Discovery Education Homework Help
Good Reads
Each year, Soundview School Library curriculum for early childhood and elementary students includes the use of the Washington Children’s Choice Picture Book Awards:
Washington Children’s Choice Picture Book Award
This list of nominees is generated by members of the Washington Library Media Association. This list of books is one of the main sources of new picture books for Soundview’s collection. All are shared with early childhood and elementary students; we read them and discuss them, we think about what makes a good book, and the students vote on their favorite with students across Washington. Each year this turns out to be a very powerful analysis exercise, starting as early as 3 years of age; it is a really fun way to help kids figure out what they like about books as individuals.
For our older students, we purchase some of the books at the younger levels, along with the books from the Sasquatch booklist. These two lists give us fiction with which to start dialogue with older students – they read 3 and pick their favorite in each of these programs.
PNLA Young Readers Choice
Sasquatch Reading Award
Want more?
On Sno-Isle’s Homepage, look in the “More to Explore” section, to find links to some really great book lists in Teens and Kids.
Sno-Isle Library
