MHS Library Media Center Policies & Procedures - Teachers
Mission: The mission of Manatee High School’s Library Media Program is to support and enhance the research, informational, reading, viewing, and instructional needs of our students and staff and to support Manatee High School's goals, Manatee County district curricula, and the Florida State Standards.
The Library Media program meets these needs by acquiring, processing, and providing user-friendly access to quality resources in a variety of formats and by providing instruction in information retrieval as well as critical appraisal and creative use of that information.
Hours: The media center opens at 7:15 and closes at 3:00 daily.
Personnel: The library media specialist is Mrs. Barbara Roff, a 31 year Manatee County teacher with a Master’s degree in Educational Media and Bachelor degrees in English Education and Psychology. She is a member of the American Association of School Librarians and attends monthly Manatee County media specialist meetings, professional development meetings, and annual conferences in her field.
Mrs. Roffis assisted by student aides.
Class Visits: Class visits for academic activities are always encouraged. Teachers should contact Mrs. Roff to schedule dates and times. An LMC calendar is on the circulation desk and online. Many find it helpful to visit the media center, check for open dates, and discuss lesson plans. This allows the media specialist to prepare for class arrival and support the lesson, including teaching the necessary literacy skills for the assignment and compiling print and non-print materials. See Calendar: Sign Up! on left sidebar for open dates.
Note that testing may override this calendar. You will be contacted.
Two full classes at a time can use the media center effectively. Teachers must accompany their students for the duration of the visit. If a teacher is absent, time in the media center needs to be rescheduled. Substitutes should not be directed to bring classes to the media center. Room 620, PC lab, in the media center may also be scheduled through the media specialist.
Technology: Two full labs and approximately 20 floor computers are available. Both labs are used for standardized testing, and therefore, misuse or damage of these computers by students is particularly serious. Note that a camera is stationed near both labs. To avoid potential problems, teachers using a lab with a class must closely supervise their students.
Students are required to log in with a personal password. This can be set with ID number and Manatee*15 after which the student is prompted to set a personal password. A password may be reset at the circulation desk.
Student Use: Teachers may send up to five students at a time to the media center with a pass filled out completely and signed. Several names may be placed on one pass. Students must come with a specific task or reason for the visit. Teachers should direct their students to return before the bell with their signed pass. Students are expected to sign in. If you are concerned that a student did not arrive at the LMC, please call and the sign in sheet will be checked.
Teacher substitutes may not bring a class to the media center. Teachers may, however, reserve a library lab for substitute use. Teachers are expected to accompany their classes, when using the media center.
The student LMC handbook (policy and procedures) is located on this website. Students must follow the rules and regulations of the media center. If a student chooses otherwise, he/she will be sent back to class. A phone call may follow. Serious student infractions will result in a referral.
Circulation: Teachers may check out library books and materials, AV equipment, and textbooks from the media center. Equipment is generally checked out for the school year unless otherwise noted. All items will be borrowed under the teacher’s ID number (see pay stub) and the item’s barcode number. At the end of the school year, teachers are advised as to the items borrowed and those that need to be returned. Lost library materials will be sent to lost in Destiny and the cost of the item charged to the teacher’s account per district policy.
Textbook: Ms. Brown is in charge of textbooks. Media Center personnel handle circulation of textbooks. See Ms. Brown for ordering purposes or any problems concerning classroom sets, including lost or stolen items. Students may check out one textbook per class for home use from the media center. The media center is closed for regular use the first week of school for the purpose of student textbook checkout. Teachers must bring and stay with their classes during this process. Students may borrow a textbook for study purposes in the LMC and return it before leaving.
Copyright: Teachers are expected to review and follow the district’s copyright policy. See Homepage.
Basic Educational Exemption: 1. A teacher or instructor is present. 2. The showing takes place in a classroom setting with only the enrolled students attending. 3. The movie is used as an essential part of the core, current curriculum being taught. (The instructor should be able to show how the use of the motion picture contributes to the overall course and syllabus.) 4. The movie being used is a legitimate copy, not taped from a legitimate copy or taped from TV. 5. Manatee County: The movie is not R rated.
Approved Club Use
1. No food or drinks during meetings. The sponsor needs to mandate and regulate this. 2. Students are to socialize outside the media center or follow library rules and revert to soft voices and on task activities after the meeting. Sponsor regulate. 3. Ask a custodian to open the library doors if the media specialist is not available to do so. 4. Schedule an alternate club meeting place on testing days.