St. Mary Catholic Secondary School

User Information

Resources - User Information - Research Guide - Information Literacy - Accelerated Reader

Library/Resource Centre Policy

Hours	Reference Materials	Book Returns
Seating	Magazines/Periodicals	Book Renewals
Photocopier	Reserves	Overdue Books
Procedure for Coming to the Library	Check-out Procedures for Circulating Books	Lost Books
	Loan Period	Behaviour in the Resource-Centre

Hours:

The resource centre is open from 8:30 until 3:45 from Monday through Thursday and from 8:30 until 3:15 on Friday. Any exceptions will be posted on the library door.

All students, teachers and staff with clear library records are eligible to sign out circulating books from the Library/Resource Centre. In order to sign out books, students must present their Student Identification Card (Buss Pass) with photo and name clearly legible. Until the student ID cards are distributed, students must present sufficient alternative identification to satisfy the library staff, such as driver's license, other photo ID, health card etc. Students must not lend their ID or borrow books for their friends. This practice often has serious ramifications. The person in whose name materials are checked out assumes responsibility for returning the books on time and in good condition.

Seating:

Tables are available for students to do QUIET work. A maximum of four people are to sit at any round table and a maximum of six at any rectangular table. Study carrels are for one student only.

Group discussion should take place outside the library – except when an entire class is in the library for a lesson or to work on class research. Even then, the atmosphere is to be a quiet, studious one.

Photocopier:

The photocopier is available for your convenience. Make sure to check the instructions carefully BEFORE inserting your money or ask for assistance. Copies are .10¢ each. The library does not have change available so come prepared. The copier accepts nickels through twonies.

Procedure For Coming To The Library:

Your teachers are equipped with LIBRARY ADMIT SLIPS. You must bring one with you when you come to the library from a class. This does not apply before or after class hours or during lunch at which times you may come to the library on your own and without any documentation.

Reference Materials:

Reference materials are any materials marked REF on the spine label. This includes encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases and many other sources of information. These materials are not to be removed from the library/resource centre for any reason at any time. They are to be available to everyone always.

Magazines/Periodicals:

These are to be read only in the resource centre. Current issues are found on the periodical display rack.

Reserves:

If your teacher has put a book or books on reserve, these are available at the circulation desk and are to be used in the library only until the reserve is lifted.

Check-out Procedures For Circulating Books:

Take your books to the circulation desk. You may have five books out at a time.
State your full name to the person working at the desk and give that person the books you wish to borrow.
Show your student identification card.
The books will then be checked out to you through the computer and you will be given a date due card for each book.

Loan Period:

Books are loaned for a two week period, but may be renewed an unlimited number of times providing there are no holds on record.

Book Returns:

During library hours, books must be returned to the designated book return box, just inside the second set of library doors.
DO NOT RETURN BOOKS TO THE COUNTER OR TO A BOOK CART (TROLLEY) OR TO THE SHELVES. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!

During times when the library is not open, you may return books through the chute in the wall between the two sets of library doors. This is to be used only when the library is closed.

Book Renewals:

If you need to keep your books for even one day after they are due, bring them to the librarian for renewal. Books may be renewed an unlimited number of times providing there is no hold recorded.

DO RETURN BOOKS ON TIME!!

Overdue Books:

There may be a grace period before late books are charged as overdue. Once books are charged as overdue, fines are 10¢ per book, per school day. There is no charge for weekends. Fines on an overdue book that is returned continue to acrue until paid, to a maximum of $4.00 per book. You must take care of the fine or make arrangements with the library staff. You will receive overdue notices from your homeroom teacher. Once you receive this notice, it is up to you to follow up immediately. Chronic negligence with overdue books and unpaid fines will be dealt with by the office after letters are sent and telephone calls are made home by the teacher-librarian.

Lost and Damaged Books:

Lost, vandalized and accidentally damaged books must be paid for. If these are lost, payment is for the full price of the book. If vandalized or accidentally damaged, books will be assessed and a penalty charged accordingly.

NOTE: IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO LEND BOOKS THAT YOU HAVE BORROWED – NOT EVEN TO YOUR BEST FRIENDS. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE – IT IS YOUR NAME THAT THE BOOKS HAVE BEEN CHECKED OUT TO. IF SOMETHING IS LOST OR DAMAGED YOU WILL HAVE TO LOOK AFTER IT.

Behaviour in the Resource Centre:

All students must have a library admit slip when coming from a class. Your teacher will fill this out for you and you must present it to the librarian or teacher on duty at the time. You will be sent back to class to get a slip if the teacher does not provide you with one in the first place.

The library/resource centre is a quiet place where students read and work independently or with the teacher-librarian or with another teacher. This is not a lounge. Socializing is, in this place inappropriate.

Absolutely no food or drinks are allowed in the library.

Only REFERENCE materials must be returned to their proper place. Other books should be put on the circulation desk.

All chairs must be pushed in after use.

Failure to adhere to and respect these rules will result in ejection from the library or, in repeat offences, a suspension from the library.

Remember: Sign out materials before leaving the library. If in doubt about anything, ask the teacher-librarian.

We look forward to seeing and working with all of you.

Mrs. M. Davis, Teacher-Librarian
Head of Library/Resource Centre

Mrs. Mary Richards
Teacher-Librarian

Computer Policy

Teacher/Staff must be present when the library/classroom is in use.
No accessing of computers, data and programs for which you are not authorized.
No sharing of passwords and accounts.
No deleting, creating or moving any files on the file server or hard disk without permission.
No food or drink is to be handled or consumed in a computer lab at any time.
No student will access the network using a teacher user ID.
Students should respect copyright laws and software license agreements.
Students should not install software including freeware, shareware, public domain or commercial software on any school-owned computer equipment without appropriate authority.
The downloading of files (MP3’s, videos, programs) is strictly prohibited.
No excessive use of paper, toner, disk space or other resources.
No monopolizing of systems so that others are prevented from use.
No overloading of computers or networks with excessive data.
All computer equipment must be respected and handled with care as if it were owned by you personally. Any tampering with hardware (including unplugging devices such as mouse, keyboards, etc.) will be regarded as a breach of this policy.
Absolutely no personal disks/CD’s from home may be used in the lab without appropriate authority.
Students will not change or upgrade any software on school computers. This includes downloads from the Microsoft Windows update web site and images to screen savers.
Students may not upload any digital images from personal digital technology without the classroom teacher’s (or teacher present’s) written permission.

Internet Use

Students will access the Internet only with their teacher’s permission.
Students will conduct searches that are for the purposes of an assignment or project.
Students will not attempt to access pornography, hate literature, private and restricted material.
Students will not participate in chat rooms, newsgroups or information centres that are in conflict with the code of conduct of St. Mary Catholic Secondary School and Board policy.
Students will not play Internet games or similar endeavors as this poses a severe burden on the system resources.
Students will not participate or attempt to gain information regarding material of a violent nature. This includes bombs, snuff films, weapon manufacturing, violence against minorities and similar content.

Consequences

If a student breaches any of the previous rules, any of the following penalties may apply:

A phone call home may be made by the teacher.
Computer Class Student: The student will be barred thereafter from using the computer in the class for a minimum of 5 days. The student will receive a mark of zero for all assignments done during this time.
Non-Computer class student: The student’s computer account will be revoked immediately.
The student will be banned from using any computer before/after school for the rest of the semester.
Possible suspension from school may result with all the incumbent ramifications (eg. Inclusion on the ineligibility list)
Subsequent violations of this policy may result in loss of the course credit in computer class. In addition, the student may be barred from taking any computer courses in the future.
St. Mary respects the federal and provincial laws. Serious offence may lead to expulsion from school, and/or legal action.

The library section was designed by parent volunteer, Patricia Talarowski, to assist students and teachers with using the many resources of the library to their fullest. This page last updated: Friday, 05-May-2006.