Library

Book checkout is dependent on student need. Generally, if a student is an avid reader they are free to have as many books as they can responsibly manage. Until that time, book checkout is scaffolded at these grade levels but the opportunity to checkout more books is always an option after talking with Mrs. Link.

• Kindergarten begins with one book at a time beginning in November. Once routines are well established they may check out 2 at a time.
• 1st-3rd may have up to 3 books checked out at a time.
• 4th-8th may have up to 5 books checked out at a time.

Loan periods are 3 weeks (except for high demand graphic novels). However, for classes that come to the library once a week (K-3) it is a good idea to return books on library day so the maximum number of books can be swapped. Most books can be renewed as long as there is not a hold on it. High demand graphic novels have a 1 week loan period.

Start your book search from home here! You can place a book on hold by selecting "More Details" once you've selected the book cover. The student logs in with their student ID (lunch number) and birthday password and then selects Hold. We'll contact them when the book is ready to be picked up!

The school library values Elk Plain parents and their essential role in creating confident, capable learners. You are their first teachers!

As a K-8 school we have a unique opportunity to guide students through the first two-thirds of their education--from children to adolescence. Parent and student needs will change a lot in that time and the school library is prepared to adapt with you. A strong partnership between the Elk Plain library and families sends positive ripples throughout the entire school. The resources on the subpages here are selected with you in mind. Please let us know if you would like something added or something changed. We look forward to connecting with you virtually and in person!

Volunteering

We are in the process of genrefying the Elk Plain library. A genrefied library organizes all the fiction books according to its genre like a book store. Examples of genres are horror, mystery, fantasy, romance and sci-fi. Genrefied school libraries are becoming the norm in school libraries. It makes the space much more accessible for students and often leads to big spikes in circulation and reading. It's also a time consuming process. The photo on this page shows the very beginnings of our first genre section completed over the summer. There's still much more to do. If you like projects that involve organization, color coding and labeling then helping us genrefy would be a perfect way for you to fulfill your 15 volunteer hours. To completety move and label one genre takes 3-4 hours. If you'd like to learn more about the effects of genrefying, here is a great blog post by Kelsey Bogan.

Please contact us if you are interested in helping!

Welcome to the The Elk Plain K-8 school library website. We are open from 7:30am-2:30pm every school day and 24 hours a day online. Throughout the year we'll be posting the latest and greatest library and technology information below. Looking forward to a great year!
"Even the silence has a story to tell you. Just listen, listen, listen."

~Jacqueline Woodson

Mrs. Link is beginning her 3rd year as the Elk Plain K-8 teacher-librarian. She has 2 daughters who are Sky Warriors and she also spent time on the PTA board. She is thrilled to be in her new position as the teacher-librarian and works very hard to make the space inviting for everyone. Right now she is enjoying reading sci-fi and narrative nonfiction books!

Christine Link

clink@bethelsd.org

253-800-7955 (office)

Mrs. Keane came from Graham-Kapowsin High School two years ago and loves working with younger kids! She is a wife, mother and grandmother. She keeps book checkout, curriculum, phone calls and iPad troubleshooting manageable through her powers of positivity and flexibility.

Tracey Keane

tcraigkean@bethelsd.org

253-800-7995 (circulation desk)

The Elk Plain school library offers a wide variety of books for ages 5-14. Use this guide to learn more about reading interest levels in a K-8 library.

Elk Plain K-8 Guide to Book Interest Levels

Every year district librarians in grades 4-8 facilitate Battle of the Books. Students create teams of 3 or 4, read 12-15 books per team (not per student) and then battle over how well they know the book with other students. Winning teams from each school go on to compete in the district championship every March.

21/22 Battle of the Books

Start your Elk Plain school library book search here. Our catalog can be accessed from any computer with internet at anytime--even from home. This is especially useful when choosing extra books together during Read & Lead!

Follow these steps to place books on hold from home:

• Use the search window above to begin your search
• Once you have chosen a book, select the book cover
• Select View More Details
• Select Login and use the student's ID and birthday password
• Select Hold
• We'll contact the student when the hold is ready!

If your child wants to read a "just right" book use the Accelerated Reading Bookfinder to check the reading level of books you find in the Elk Plain library.

• Every year the Washington Library Assocation creates lists of award winning books at all reading levels. Many of these books will be added to the Elk Plain library collection. The links below take you to individual categories.

  • 2021 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Awards
  • 2022 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Awards
  • 2021 Towner awards for nonfiction picture books
  • 2021 Sasquatch Awards for fiction, Grades 4-6
  • 2021 OTTER Awards for early chapter books

   

  Every year the Pacific Northwest Library Association asks young readers to nominate their favorite books for grades 4-12. This list is called the Young Readers Choice Award. At the end of the school year, students vote on their favorite. Below are the links to last year's winners and the 2022 nominees. 

  • 2021 YRCA Winners, Middle Grade and Young Adult Interest Levels
  • 2022 YRCA Nominations, Middle Grade and Young Adult Interest Levels

  Every year the American Library Association curates the Youth Media Awards book lists. The first link explains what each category represents. The second link gives the 2021 winning titles.

  • Youth Media Award Categores
  • 2021 Youth Media Award Winners