Kingston City Schools-Educating and Inspiring Students in Kingston, NY

Chambers Elementary School Library Media Center

Library Media Specialist:
Charlotte Adamis

Library Clerk:
Mary Williams

Contact Number:
336-5995 x 44
E-mail address: cadamis@kingstoncityschools.org

Days/hours of availability to students:
M-F: 8:50 AM – 3:20 PM

Total Collection Statistics:
# of books 12,000 (approximately)
# of videos 59
# of software titles 27
# of periodicals 7
# of audio books 43
# of newspapers 1 daily (The Daily Freeman)
# of computers 5 (each with Internet access)

Other technology available:
We have a projection screen that allows us to project images from a computer screen. Our collection is available online via the Destiny program and can be accessed anywhere, anytime.

The following AV equipment is available:
• Overhead Projector
• 2 Tape Recorders
• VCR/TV
• TV/DVD (this belongs to the entire building.)

Database subscription services are:

• NOVEL

Links for favorite websites are:

• http://www.planetesme.com - This creative site is run by Esme Raji Codell, a former teacher/librarian and now children’s book author. Esme offers book recommendations (new and old titles), tips for great read-alouds, and even advice on how to get your child to love reading.

• http://www.kidsreads.com - This is a great place for kids to find information about their favorite books, authors, and series.

• http://www.guysread.com - This is a really cool site put together by children’s book author, Jon Scieszka. GUYS READ is just what it says: a website designed to encourage boys to read!

• http://www.nwrel.org/sky - Library in the Sky is a free database of fabulous educational web sites organized and reviewed by Northwest Regional Educational Library.

• Databases through NOVEL.

"We are now fully automated at Chambers!," states Charlotte Adamis, library media specialist. "Our collection is available online via the Destiny program and can be accessed anywhere, anytime. Students are doing an amazing job using the catalog in the library to search for materials. Automation also means that hardcover books are now barcoded, so that students scan out most library materials. We still have to barcode magazines and paperbacks--and plan to do so next year."

The three other things we are most proud of are:

We connect kids to books. We encourage children to reach into the collection and broaden their reading experiences. Our favorite question is: Can you suggest a good book?
We have improved the quality of our collection so that it is more appealing to our students (and our teachers). When I arrived, we had some very strong areas in the collection, but other sections were seriously outdated. My clerk, Mary Williams, and I weeded heavily and replaced the old with exciting new choices.
We regularly collaborate with teachers to support the curriculum and enrich the learning experience for our students. I meet with fourth and fifth grade students and their teachers for a second library class each week. We have focused these collaborative lessons on teaching the children much-needed information literacy skills.