Cheshire Academy Library

The Morris Sweetkind Library

10 Main Street Cheshire, CT 06410 

OVERVIEW

The Center of the Cheshire Academy Campus 

   The library building was newly opened in October of 2003 in the very heart of the Cheshire Academy campus. As on other campuses it is felt that the library is the center of learning and research in this age of information and technology, not merely a book repository. The library’s uses for students include primarily quiet and group study, research of the collection and online, classes and recreational reading. The building has been designed with flexibility in mind for the necessary future changes or additions. The librarian is available for technology help, Internet and collection research assistance and leisure reading recommendations,.

The Collection

The library currently houses a 14,000 volume collection of fiction, nonfiction, biography, foreign language books, reference works, journals and a growing collection of books on DVD and well as online resources. The site was built with collection expansion in mind and could house over 40,000 volumes at full capacity. There is a collection of signed books by authors who are school alumni. There is a special collection of books printed by Public Affairs Publishers, generously donated by Peter Osnos(‘). The Curriculum Collection deals with children’s and adolescent developmental and educational issues and is for the use of the faculty for their research and teaching enhancement needs.  

Library Technology

Computer technology is a large component in the new facility. There is a combination of networked Macintosh and IBM computers dispersed around the library in carrels for student use in using the library catalog or internet. For individual and group or class use there is an eighteen computer laboratory available. Online databases and reference works are available through the school’s web site.

Library as Learning Facility

There are four conference rooms to facilitate quiet study, tutoring and classes. The library strives to work with faculty to search for materials that are relevant to and enhance the development of each class’s curriculum. This includes both using the collection itself, outside research and the acquisition of new materials for the collection. Teachers can reserve books for specific classes or assignments. Faculty are encouraged to use the library for instruction and research with their classes.

Archives

 The library houses the Cheshire Academy archives a collection of historic artifacts and documents related to the school, its history, its curriculum, its administration and staff since the school’s inception in 1794. The collection includes paintings of the faculty and staff among other works of art and records of archival value relating to the history of the school, school publications, yearbooks, photographs, programs and other memorabilia. The archive is a resource available to the school community, aluni/ae and other researchers.

Future Prospects

One of the primary goals of the library, beyond the collection and use of the library for learning purposes is to develop a program of instruction on research and bibliographic techniques and access to information to help students make better use of the ever expanding information found in book, journal and especially online formats. 

The Mission Statement and Collection Policy

   Having built a new facility in the center of the Cheshire Academy campus it has become apparent that a mission statement is necessary to help the faculty, administration, students, their parents and prospective students and parents understand the structure and purpose of the library in the school community as a whole. This should help facilitate a deeper understanding of what the library means to the school and those who used it.

A. LIBRARY MISSION STATEMENT 

The primary mission of the Cheshire Academy Library is to provide a multimedia collection that supports and enhances the middle school, upper school and postgraduate curriculum for use by students and faculty alike, as well as, upholding the school’s philosophy of the “Eight Pillars of Bowden” and CASCLE (Cheshire Academy Student-Centered Learning Environment). Secondly, it tries to provide in-house and online materials necessary for both academic requirements and recreational reading in the attempt of making students lifelong readers, independent learners and responsible information researchers. As the academic campus center the library strives to give access to information in all its currently diverse formats to the entire Cheshire Academy community and to provide an environment for learning in single or group settings with the aid of technology and the skills necessary to be successful world citizens in the Information age. Lastly, it tries to address the issues, needs and concerns of the multi-cultural student body.

B. LIBRARY COLLECTION POLICY

The collection policy relates to: fiction, nonfiction, biography, text and reference books, subscriptions to hardcopy periodicals, journals, newspapers, films, videocassettes, records, CD’s, DVD’s, as well as, subscriptions to online periodicals, reference materials and databases. As new mediums emerge in the future they will be added to the list and to the collection. 

The collection addresses: Middle School, Upper School and Postgraduate curriculum issues.

The collection acquires: The library acquires materials from different venues – those purchased with the library fund and those donated by alumni and friends of the library.

Acquired materials must meet three basic criteria:

1. Acquired materials must meet school curriculum or faculty needs – providing students     

with a wide range of educational and research materials on many levels of  difficulty, in a variety of formats, reflecting different points of view, with the cultural diversity of the student body in mind.  

2. Acquired materials must meet the needs of the school faculty to enhance the educational process both in regards to the curriculum and their own continued learning of being more effective teachers.

3. Acquired materials must meet the recreational reading needs of the Cheshire Academy community to promote greater literacy and comprehension and a long term love of reading.

C. LIBRARY DE-ACCESSIONING POLICY

Any materials deemed incompatible with or unnecessary to fulfilling the mission of the library or the curriculum needs of the school may be considered for de-accessioning after due deliberation and consultation with the library director. Materials would include fiction, non-fiction and reference books, various journals or newsprint , multi-media formats, online reference and journal subscriptions. Materials may not be discarded for purposes of cencorship of any kind as per the American Library Association Code of Ethics. (please see appendix 1.)

D. LIBRARY CIRCULATION POLICY

Most library materials can be checked out with the exception of reference and reserved books, journals, periodicals and newspapers. There are three periods when materials are due throughout the year. Reminders of late materials are sent to academic advisors. Users are charged the full price of replacement costs for all lost items. Most materials may be renewed as long as there is no reserve placed on the material. No materials may be taken out of the library without them being checked out.

APPENDIX 1: "The Library Bill of Rights"

"The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services:"

1. "Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded  because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation."

2. "Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval."

3. "Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment."

4. "Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgement of free expression and free access ideas."

5. "A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views."

6. "Libraries which exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use".

-      ( Adopted June 18, 1948. Amended February 2, 1961, June 27, 1967 and January 23, 1980, by the ALA Council.)

APPENDIX 2: Library Student Use Rights and Responsibilities

1. Use all available library information resource materials in the collection and online for research purposes, in accordance with established school technology use protocol.
2. Use designated areas for quiet individual or group study.
3. Use designated areas for class work.
4. Meet tutors in conference rooms.
5. Pursue recreational reading.

  APPENDIX 3: Library Support for School Faculty

The library staff is dedicated to helping the school faculty in supporting the curriculum needs of the students and teaching needs of the faculty. We ask only that prior notice be respected when sending large groups of students for research needs so that the staff can give each student the necessary time and attention needed to fulfill the research requirements of the instructor to optimize the research experience.

1. Use of library for classes.  The library, its conference rooms and computer laboratory are open for classes with prior notice. 

2. Use of library for tutoring. The library has three conference rooms available for quiet study or tutoring needs. Please check to make sure that they are open when you need them.

3. Use of books on reserve. Books and other materials may be requested for reserve purposes for classes. Please come to pick these resources out yourself or let us now ahead of time so that we can pull them and prepare them for reserve.

4. Use of Special Collections:

Curriculum Collection. This is a collection of books on curriculum, adolescent issues and development.

Osnos Collection. The library houses a new collection donated by alumni Peter Osnos from the Public Affairs Publications.

Art History Collection. We have a collection of books concerning all aspects of art and art history.

Middleschool Collection. Fiction and nonfiction books written expressly for the pre or young adolescent in mind.

Audio-visual Collection. There is a growing collection of books on tape and DVD.

Archives. Our extensive collection of historic materials related to the history of the school since its beginning.

5.  Ordering of materials for curriculum needs. The library is dedicated to

       expanding the collection vis-à-vis the Cheshire Academy school curriculum. Let

       us know what materials would be beneficial for improving the collection in any

       department.