What's going on in the library?
Greetings Families,
It has been an exciting and busy start to the school year! The students have been checking out a lot of new books to bring home which means some of the books are now ready to come back. 6th grade families can start to expect overdue notices this week, while 7th and 8th grade students will receive them over the next two weeks. The process for verifying student checkouts is listed below under the heading "Accessing Destiny Discover". See there for more details on logging in to see specifics. The notices that I send intentionally do not list details on book copies to ensure patron privacy. These notices will only contain barcodes, due dates, and number of items overdue. To see full details, students must log in to Destiny in Clever.
While lost books do not generate a fine for students at Deal, it is still important for patrons to let Mr. Reichlen know when they have lost a book. Mr. Reichlen is the only person who can remove lost items from Deal student accounts and clean up the system for future orders. If a student does not tell Mr. Reichlen about a lost item, the record of that book will remain in their account through high school and can be included in their reconciliation form that seniors receive before they graduate. High schools can then charge a student for these items before issuing their diploma. Please reach out to Mr. Reichlen if students notice any lost or mysterious items on their accounts. Books can also be returned by families after a student has graduated. So if you find any old Deal library books, contact Mr. Reichlen or leave them with the Welcome Center.
We will take used hard cover and popular fiction titles for our library
The library accepts donations of used books in good condition that are age-appropriate and purchased within the last 10 years. If you would like to donate any books, reach out to Mr. Reichlen or leave them with the Welcome Center with a note indicating that they are for the library. Popular fiction titles from the last couple of years are especially needed since these are often titles that are in high demand and often end up lost. The first couple of books in popular series are also highly in demand. Teen murder mysteries, high fantasy, romance, and graphic novels are especially popular with students.
Student access to library accounts
Students are able to see their current loans by accessing their library accounts through the Clever app called "Destiny Discover". They can follow the process below to see items that they have checked out:
Log into Clever (clever.com/in/dcpsk12)
Search "Destiny Discover" or navigate to the Library Resources section and click on the icon.
Click on the "My Stuff" link at the top of the screen to see any items that are checked out.
Students who have lost materials or see items that may be linked to their account by mistake should speak with Mr. Reichlen.
In addition to using SORA for e-books, Destiny Discover has additional e-books and audibooks that students can checkout directly to their digital devices. Destiny also allows students to place books on hold. For titles that are popular, this is the best way to ensure that they will be first to get a book when it comes back!
Students can design 3D models and send to Mr. Reichlen for printing!
We received a new 3D printer a few weeks ago from a grant for middle school libraries. Since its arrival, it has been one of the most popular features in our library! Students can sign up to use it by coming to the library and talking to Mr. Reichlen. Once a student is signed up, they will be granted access to a TinkerCAD (https://www.tinkercad.com/) account to design an original 3D model. TinkerCAD is an easy to use platform that is a great way for students to learn more about 3D modeling. The only conditions for designing and printing is that students must create an original design that is school appropriate. No copies of other peoples' designs are allowed. The intention is for students to become comfortable with the software and to spark their creativity. Parents can reach out to Mr. Reichlen if they would like to learn more.
Book Recommendations
Mr. Reichlen creates a new display of book recommendations each month. This month we are featuring Hispanic Heritage Month and Spooky October Reads!
The big library book order will be submitted at the end of October. Students and families have the opportunity to make featured recommendations for the library displays by filling the linked form: https://bit.ly/DealMSLibraryRecommend
More information about the Must Read lists and digital resources on the web at the Library's LibGuide Page: https://bit.ly/DealMSLibGuide
Give additional feedback using the Deal Library Survey Form:
The SORA app is located in Clever, the DCPS hub for digital learning. Students have access to thousands of e-books, audiobooks, interactive readers, and magazines! New titles are added on a regular basis. Students can access SORA through the app available for iOS, Kindle, and Android platforms in addition to accessing through the web. Click on the image to learn more.