Media Center Info

If a parent comes to you and challenges or objects to a reading selection, whether print, or non-print materials, DCSD has procedures in place for reconsideration of challenged materials. Please consult the Challenged Materials Flowchart & Reconsideration of Materials Request Form, both of which can be found at the bottom of this Smore Newsletter.

Services and resources available through the Professional Library (http://plibrary.dekalb.k12.ga.us), including:

· Print (books and journals) materials that can be requested by telephone or email (plibrary@dekalbschoolsga.org) and picked up from the Educational Media Office in the Administrative and Instructional Complex (AIC) after arranging a date/time with library staff,

· Online resources e.g. eBooks, online periodicals, databases such as GALILEO

· Faculty in-services on professional resources, and

· DVDs and sheet music collections.

Remember the DeKalb County Public Library when you need help with research and resources. Rosie Robledo, Senior Library Specialist at Stone Mountain Branch, is our contact. If your class has a research project, I will be happy to contact our local branch with a school assignment alert form. The youth services librarian can come to our school/your classroom to talk to both students and teachers about the resources at DPL, including Overdrive. They can also come to sign up students on your team(s) for public library cards or come to a PTA meeting in order to sign up parents for library cards. Please remember that by working for DCSD, you are eligible for a library card regardless of your address. www.dekalblibrary.org.

From Ms. Robledo: "DCPL offers library cardholders free access to ebooks and audiobooks from Overdrive, Hoopla, and eRead Kids, test prep from LearningExpress, plus live tutoring and more study tools with HelpNow from Brainfuse! College-bound students can even receive assistance filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) through Brainfuse. Additionally, we offer access to computers, free wifi, programs for children and adults, and so much more!"

There are three sources of information about copyright.

I have a collection of copyright videos and charts at my SMS Media Center website:

https://stephensonmiddlemediacenter.weebly.com/copyright-information.html. There are several helpful videos on this site, as well as some printouts about fair use, which is particularly important in an educational setting. Copyright is complex, so always ask if you are in doubt. I don't know all the answers; I am not a copyright attorney. However, I will try to find them for you.

There is a copyright quiz (with the answers in the questions) required of all teachers:

https://forms.gle/9dvRLjmz9Bt5tRNx7

There is also a course on CANVAS about copyright, and you can sign up for it using the following instructions:

DIIT has provided the new instructions for accessing the Digital Citizenship Week course in Canvas. Use the instructions below to access the course from the Canvas Global Announcement.

Please follow the steps below on how to access the course material from the Canvas Global Announcement: (Global announcements can be found at the top of your landing page when you first log into Canvas)

1. Log into Canvas

2. Click the link from the Global Announcement to self-enroll in the Digital Citizenship Week Course from Educational Media. (You should see the global announcement at the top of your landing page when you first enter Canvas.)

3. Click “Enroll in course” in the top right corner.

4. Click “Go to Course” in the top right corner.

5. Now you have access to the Digital Citizenship Week course and resources.

Please download and look through the Media Center Handbook for 2023-2024 (link below). It contains detailed information about our resources and about the services we provide. Photo is not the actual media center handbook, but is a copyright free image from Pixabay. Our handbook is very useful, but not nearly as cool as a wizard notebook, fyi.

Ms. O'Connor is the T/L for everyone, students and staff alike. In that capacity, I can offer suggestions of resources (electronic and print) that can help you in developing your lessons, units, etc. I can also help you locate resources for your university capstone and thesis papers, as well as class projects. Books that are not in Stephenson Middle School's media center can be requested from other media centers throughout DCSD's Destiny system. Ms. Joyce, our LMA, can also help you.

We will laminate your materials for you. Drop them off in the media center with your name & room number on them.

1. Teacher prepares a help desk ticket for ailing Chromebook.

2. Ms. Glover, our IT, will come and pick it up and have it sent out for repairs.

Email: patricia_oconnor@dekalbschoolsga.org
Website: stephensonmiddlemediacenter.weebly.com
Phone: 000000000
Twitter: @DCSD_SMS