Back to School Pre Library News
August 1, 2026
Welcome back everyone! Bienvenidos!
Student, Faculty and Staff Fall 2026
We hope everyone had time to rest, read, and relax this summer. :) Miss Crane and myself, Mrs. McNiel, are working together as a team to assist staff and students. If you haven't met us yet, please feel free to stop by the library!
PRE Library Website
https://sites.google.com/richland2.org/media-center-polo-road/home/pres-online-resources?authuser=0
Guest Teaching/Substitute Teaching
This is an interest form with some information regarding substitute/guest teaching. If interested, please read, fill it out, and apply with Richland 2 at the link provided. We are in desperate need of substitutes at Polo Road. Thanks!
Summer Reading
If any of you participated in the summer reading program, Miss Crane will be managing this and will ask for your forms for a small treat. Please see her with your completed form through the month of August.
Please bring back your summer reading documents by Friday, August 14, 2026 - turn them into Miss Crane for a small prize.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MPjZSHiGp6ARixdeog-tBYC2gnu5MLrD
Library Patron Information
All patron information, including faculty and staff, have been updated in Destiny as of 8/4/2026.
Sharing Library for Adults at PRE
This is for the faculty and staff at PRE to share their favorite books with others. It's a leave one, take one, system.
Electric Cooperative's Children's Book Challenge 2026-2027
This contest is available to students across the state of South Carolina to write and illustrate a book and become published authors. Through the electric cooperatives' Children's Book Challenge, students and their teachers can win cash prizes, have their book distributed to schools across the state, and be recognized at the South Carolina Statehouse. It's also a great opporutnity to meet mutiple state education standards in art, science, language arts, and social studies. There is no cost to participate.
The books from previous years contests are sent to the media specialists across the state.
Go to: scbookchallenge.com to learn more.
Register to participate; registration opens September 8 and closes on November 14
Review the rules, instructions, and requirements to start creating!
Local Animal Shelters
If you are interested in adopting an animal companion to expand your family, as many of our students are, here are some good resources for you.
There are MANY animals needing fosters while they wait for their furever home. Perhaps you could offer a safe space for them - cats, dogs, and also rabbits? Contact the animal shelters for more information.
Many of these places teach you how to properly take care of your animals, too, so that these innocents can get the best chance at life and companionship.
Pawmetto Lifeline
Hoppy Hearts SC
(803) 575-2080
Here is a link to some important information regarding proper rabbit care. These delicate creatures are often misunderstood. If given proper care, they should live between 8-14 years or longer. Please do your research as they are a long term commitment and best taken care of overall by adults.
https://houserabbit.org/spanish-resources
https://houserabbit.org/handouts
Kershaw County Humane Society
Humane Society Richland County
https://adoptourstrays.com/adoptables/
Humane Society South Carolina
City of Columbia Animal Services
https://animalservices.columbiasc.gov/
We Are Zeus Rescue
Open Culture Audio Books - great resource for low visibility students and patrons.
Seedlings - great resource for Braille books.
PAALS - Service Learning dogs who help people with disabilities and come to schools to educate children and lower reading anxiety.
Resource Site for Families with Miltiary Children
School Quest for Military Families with Children
TeachingBooks.net/SouthCarolinaPL
TeachingBooks.net/SouthCarolina
Richland Soil and Water Conservation District
Natural Awakenings Columbia Magazine
Read FreelyFest Richland Library March 28-30
Month of the Military Child Activities (April)
South Carolina Ballet Educational Outreach
National League of Junior Cotillions - for rising sixth graders
Fur Friends Summer Camp through Pawmetto Lifeline
Wag Vet - local emergency vet
SC Field Trip Ideas for Teachers
August Professional Development Calendar for the Year for Teachers, Faculty and Staff
Listening and following directions video
Countries and Cultures Represented at PRE Form
Kid Connect - Hispanic Heritage Resource - September 15- October 15 Hispanic Heritage Month
CERRA - Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement
Praxis for Elementary Education Practice Tests
PRE Library Resources
Training video on some of our online resources, including Sora, and others that are provided to you via R2, Richland County Libraries, and the State Library. These are available 24/7 for electronic books, audio books, and other resources such as magazines, movies, TV shows, and games. Some require passwords and others that are free do not. There are some resources in multiple languages.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ey0KR1x1bHUFAJWe0DOmGIWvD8Ly5H9w/view
ELL Assistance
These are some websites that parents and teachers can use with their MLP students for help.
Colorin Colorado - This website provides assistance for families of ELL/MLP/ESOL students.
Beanstack
Beanstack is a new resource that the district will be using to track student reading minutes.
Teachers and parents - please take a moment to watch these videos and look at the information guide to help students track their reading minutes. Pre's Link: richland2pre.beanstack.org/users/sign_in (NOTE: This was discontinued for the 2026-2027 school year). It is now up and running on Classlink as of 9/11/26.
- teacher experience video
- teacher quick start guide
- teacher reading engagement guide
- Parent Welcome Letter
- Beanstack Flyer
For Teachers to login:
Username: Teacher email
Password: beanstackreads
The winner of our yearlong challenge for 2024 was Christian White from Mrs. Agbatutu's class with 1011 logged reading minutes for the school year! Congratulations Christian!For students to login: Username: student email
Password: last name in lowercase
Beanstack Reading Challenge Dates will be announced throughout the year on the site.
Library Checkout Reminders
Please make sure you are checking out things appropriately. This is to prevent library materials from becoming lost etc.
As you know, we conduct a library inventory of all items each year. This process takes us at least two months. Last year we found many items missing. We do not want that to be repeated this year.
If you would like to check something out, please check out materials with myself or Ms. Crane. You may send us an email with requests.
When sending students down to the library for independent check out, please send them down with a pass. Thank you.
Here is a video on how to use the Destiny Catalog to search for things.
Destiny Discover will send automated messages when your book is due. When the book is turned in and checked back in, you will no longer receive emails regarding that particular book.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ikayZTV7nZZJGCC6BRXKkRkfQWX3mm5q/view?usp=sharing
This is not the correct way to turn in books
Please do not leave books on the circulation desk, put them back on the shelves yourself etc. We go over all of these procedures during our month long orientation and have mentioned this frequently.
Volunteers in the Library
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered in the library! We are hoping to grow this program at PRE. The volunteer information sheet asking interest and what days/times you all are available to volunteer is below! :) We look forward to working with you this year!
We could really use some help shelving books right now and later on with book fair and inventory. Please let us know if you are available to help. Thank you.
Use of the Pre Library
Please remember to clean up after yourselves, students and adults, when hosting events in the library. Unfortunately, there have been too many occasions where Miss Crane and I are finding trash on the floors and tables, belongings left behind etc.
Also, please do not put things in the blue recyling bin that do not belong.
Also, bathrooms should be visited with the homeroom teacher prior to coming to library. We have a very short amount of time with each class and to maximize instruction time, restrooms need to be visited prior to coming to the library.
Please do not bring toys, crayons, etc. (only chrome books) to the library unless specifically communicated in an email via homeroom teacher of something needed for a specific purpose. Jackets and sweaters are fine. These are distractions.
Gum, food, and drinks
Gum is not allowed in the library. You may bring a water bottle, put place it on the ground away from your library books and chrome books. After meetings, clean up after yourselves. This picture demonstrates some food waste, a blow pop stick and something else, that we sometimes find in the library. This waste attracts bugs and will harm the library books.
Potential Progamming Events
Dates of RCL (Richland County Library) Visits
Tuesday, August 25 for grades: K-2
Wednesday, August 26 for grades: 3-5
Author Visits - Potential Day, March 3, 2027.
National Custodian Day Recognition - Friday, October 2, 2026
Two in person Book fairs during school hours:
Books are Fun- October 19- October 31, 2026
Scholastic - January 7, 2027-January 14, 2027
Wednesday, January 13 - Biscuits and Books for Parents shopping Bookfair.
Recruiting Library Advisory Board 5th graders in August 2026. The application is in your 5th grade Google Classroom. Applications are due by September 11, 2026.
December 9, 2026 Book Tasting for Faculty and Staff. Drop in in the library.
April 20, 2026 In person thank you Spring Tea for the Library Advisory Board and Library Volunteers.
SCASL Picture Book Award and Children's Book Award Voting
Students will have an opportunity to vote on their favorite South Carolina Picture Book Award Nominee for K-2 and Children's Book Award Nominee for grades 3-5 in February 2027. For the Children's Book Awards, students will need to read at least five of the award nominees to vote. The Picture Book Award Nominees will be read to K-2 students in class. They are available digitally through Sora, one print copy of each in our library, and in the public libraries.
SCASL Bookmark Contest
If you are in 3rd -5th grade, you have an opportunity to participate in the SCASL bookmark contest for the Children's Book Award Nominees. Read all the contest rules here. This information is also posted in your Google Library grade classroom at PRE. Deadline for entry and turn into our school is: to ensure enough time to get it to the committee. We will take three overall entries for this category.
https://www.scasl.net/book-award-bookmarks
If you are in K- 2nd grade, you have an opportunity to participate in the SCASL bookmark contest for the Picture Book Award Nominees. Read all the contest rules on the same link. This information is also posted in your Google library grade classroom at PRE. Deadline for entry and turn into our school is: to ensure enough time to get it to the committee. We will take three overall entries for this category. (Note: this will be updated with deadlines as soon as they are announced for the 2026-2027 school year).