West University Elementary

Library Information

Important Parent information below...

Library murals, designed and painted by teachers and parent volunteers in the summer of 2001,  liven the library environment and teach the children about our southeast Texas biome.

Please read the entire page by pressing the down arrow at the right of the page....

West U. Elementary Library serves over 1,000 children and 60 + teachers with a collection of over 18,500 books, audio-visual materials, and periodicals.  The library renovation completed in 2006 has provided newly expanded space which offers a separate area for our younger readers, a student workstation with 7 computers, and an additional faculty/staff workstation with 5 new computers.  This gives us a total of 11 computers that access our online library card catalog, the AR program, and the internet.  The library is visited daily by 5-6 classes (approximately 150 students) who browse and check out books.  See below for library hours and other information new this year.

Library Hours

HOURS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY ARE FOR SCHEDULED CLASSES ONLY due to a full schedule of homeroom classes.  Drop-in parent visits cannot be accommodated due to this full schedule.  Extended hours will be Monday through Thursday from 2:45 to 3:15 p.m. beginning on Tuesday, September 25, 2007.

Class Schedules

Students visit the library every 8 school days as part of the ancillary class rotation.  All grade levels receive instruction in state mandated library skills curriculum as well as browse and check out books during the 45 minute class period.  The weekly schedule for all ancillary classes can be found on the Ancillary/Magnet Schedules link of our school website.  Students keep books until their next ancillary library class with one re-check allowed.  (The book must be brought to the library in order to recheck.)  Overdue books incur no fine, but further checkout is restricted until overdue books are returned.  Lost or damaged books must be paid for, but a book found during the same year it was lost will be refunded. Overdue slips are sent periodically to the child's homeroom teacher and placed in Monday folders.  Please help your child locate overdue books so they may continue to check out books.

Checkout Policies/Curriculum Overview

Kindergarten    1st grade   2nd grade    3rd grade

4th - 5th grade    Teachers

Kindergarten students select one paperback book each time they visit the library - which is every 8 school days.  These books are kept in the classroom and shared with classmates.  This ensures that our kindergarten students experience the joy of browsing and personally selecting books without the worry of lost or overdue books.  This policy follows Texas library curriculum guidelines, which dictates lesson content at each grade level.  (See grade level overviews of other grade levels below for examples.)  Kindergarten students are taught a 25 minute curriculum lesson each time they come to the library.  Lessons  include literature introduction and listening to books, several author/illustrator studies, learning  the difference between fiction and nonfiction, book care, and how to select books from many different categories.   These lessons prepare them for first grade checkouts and the responsibility of caring for their own books.  The other 15 minutes involves browsing from our extensive paper back collection and choosing their books.

1st grade students may check out one book each visit starting as soon as introductory library lessons are completed.  First grade students first learn to browse for Everyone (picture books) and nonfiction books first.  Checkouts early in the year stress procedures and book selection criteria.  Longer chapter books are added later in the first semester.  Many other introductory library skills are covered in first grade such as book care, the alphabetical organization of fiction books and introduction of the Dewey decimal classification system (number order in nonfiction books.)  First grade students are introduced to the skill of choosing a book they can read on their own or share with a parent as a read aloud.  They are also introduced to our colored spine label sticker system identifying grade level AR readers. First grade students are taught to take responsibility for their own books and how to remember library  day.  (Overdue books must be returned before checking out additional books.)

2nd grade students may check out two books at a time first semester and three books second semester.  Our second graders begin to use the online library catalog to locate books during the second semester of school.  They become more familiar with the Dewey Decimal system, and begin to use this knowledge to locate books with assistance.  Second graders also begin to use online databases for research purposes. 

3rd grade students may check out three books at a time.  Third grade students become more proficient in using the card catalog and in understanding the Dewey Decimal system to locate nonfiction books independently.  They further learn to use online databases and reference materials to conduct research.   Various authors and genres of books are explored by third grade.  They are introduced for the first time to the Texas Bluebonnet Award Program (see Reading Incentives page on this site) and all are encouraged to participate.

4th and 5th grade students may check out three books at a time.  If a class project requires an additional book, students may check out four books at a time.  Most older students become quite proficient in using the library, especially after continued lessons that cover research skills, library usage, and use of a variety of online resources.  Literature lessons are continued with featured authors and featured book genres.  All 4th and 5th grade students participate in the Texas Bluebonnet Award reading program as a requirement from their reading teachers.

Teachers may check out an unlimited number of books and keep them as long as they are needed for curriculum units.  Teachers may come to the library any time during the school day, or email the librarian for assistance.

Volunteer Opportunities

Library volunteers assist students and the librarian with many tasks each day. Volunteers re-shelve books, help students locate books, process new library materials, and some even help run the computerized circulation system to help check in and out books.   If you are a detail-oriented person, and if you have an hour or two each week, please consider this opportunity.  Children love to see their parents in the library!  Watch the Pony Express for ongoing details about when volunteer training will be scheduled.