1st Quarter Newsletter 24-25

• We kicked off the school year by passing out Chromebooks to all of the students. So much fun!
• This month, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students were introduced to the LMS Media Center during library orientation. Every ELA class visited the Media Center to learn about book checkout, library expectations, and general library activities.
• The Morning News Crew for the 2024-2025 school year was selected, and the students began meeting in preparation for the live show to start.
• An interest meeting was held for Battle of the Books to encourage students to join.
• 6th grade students began checking out books as a whole class and in small groups.

• 7th and 8th grade students began checking out books as a whole class and in small groups.
• The Media Center hosted the Spooky Fall Book Fair for students. Every ELA class got to visit the Fair, and we hosted a Family Night for families to visit as well. With your help, we raised over $2,000 Scholastic Dollars for our school! Thank you for all of your support!
  
• 6th grade students attended a Spooky Book Tasting experience in the Media Center where they got to "taste" a variety of different books from an assortment of genres.
• On Halloween, LMS staff members attended a professional development session in the Media Center on Blended Learning strategies.
• This month, Battle of the Books club members began meeting during interventions. These students will be reading about one book every two weeks. Our first book discussion was on Bloom by Kenneth Oppel!

"Established in 1982, Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community in shared support of the freedom to read."

- American Library Association

More Information About Banned Books Week

In 2023, the American Library Association (ALA) reported that 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for censorship, a 65% increase from 2022.

Censorship By the Numbers

After rescuing a baby griffin from a hidden lake, Christopher discovers the world of Archipelago, a series of uncharted islands home to magical creatures. Christopher then meets Mal, and, together, they embark on a thrilling adventure, racing across islands to find answers about the fading magic and dying creatures. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and even negotiate with dragons. As they uncover the dark truth, it becomes clear: if the Archipelago is to be saved, only Mal and Christopher can do it.

Said to be the "J. R. R. Tolkien of Middle Grade Fantasy," Rundell weaves an orignal fantasy adventure guaranteed to keep you flipping the pages!

School Library Journal Review

We’re excited to announce that we are reorganizing the fiction section of our media center to make it even more accessible and enjoyable for the Ledford community. Starting soon, our fiction collection will be organized by genre, allowing students to easily find the books that match their interests.

What does this mean?

• Easier Browsing: Students will be able to explore different genres—like fantasy, mystery, sports, historical fiction and science fiction—without having to search through all the titles.

• Discover New Favorites: This new organization will encourage students to discover new authors and books within genres they love or explore new ones they haven’t tried yet.

• Clear Signage: Each genre will be clearly labeled and color-coded, making it easier to search the collection.

Important Note: This process will (hopefully) take two weeks in November to complete, and during this time, the library will be closed for book checkout. We appreciate your understanding as we work to enhance the Media Center.

We believe this change will make the Media Center a more inviting space for our readers. If you have any questions or feedback during this transition, please feel free to reach out!

• https://www.ala.org/bbooks/banned
  
• https://www.slj.com/review/impossible-creatures