Philosophy
Library media instruction is a partnership with all disciplines.  Information literacy will be taught through the collaboration of the library media specialist and the classroom teacher to ensure that these skills are integrated throughout the curriculum.  Our purpose is to provide maximum access to materials and teach the skills necessary to locate, process, synthesize, and evaluate information.  Opportunities will be provided for students to gather information for pleasure and personal interest in order to provide the basis for a lifelong love of learning and reading.

Library/Media Program Rationale
Research has directly connected student academic achievement to library access, staffing and resources.

The ultimate purpose of the library media program is to prepare graduates who, by instruction and practice, have gained the ability to access, evaluate, select and utilize the most useful information from a vast collection of sources and formats.  As a result of our commitment to this purpose, it is the intent of the Rockwood School District Library Media program to provide the means for supporting students in their development and growth as life-long readers and thinkers.  These means include:

·         a Flexible Scheduling program implemented throughout the Rockwood Library Media system.   (Fourth Cycle MSIP) (Board of Education Goals) (CSIP). 

·         the integration of information literacy skills throughout all subject area curriculums and correlation between the various strands of the Library Media curriculum, the Show Me Standards and Grade Level Expectations.   See Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) at http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/GLE/

 ·         a resource-based approach to promoting information literacy by implementing a program based upon teacher/librarian collaboration.

·         a wide range of resources, non-fiction and fiction, in a variety of formats to support subject area curriculums, personal interests, and recreational reading.

·         maximum access to LMC resources and personnel by students and teachers throughout the school day (Flexible Access).

·         opportunities for students to cultivate a life-long appreciation for learning and reading through successful experiences in the Library Media Center.

·         current and reliable electronic resources including on-line subscription databases and equipment to meet the needs of students and staff, while supporting the district guidelines for Technology Competencies.