Library

Paws enjoying a book in our library!

Curriculum Overview:

We are fortunate to have a beautiful library with over 14,000 books! Our library program is designed to foster a love of reading and also equip our students with library and research skills that they will use in their academic lives and beyond.

In addition to the books in our library, students may also take advantage of magazines, online databases, and the 30 computer stations in our library media center. We also have a state-of-the-art ActivPanel, an interactive board used for library lessons and presentations..

All students at OLGC have a weekly scheduled library class. In Grades K-5, students independently check out books and engage in various activities to foster their research and literacy skills. In Grades 6-8, students learn research and study skills, as well as have time to read and check out books.

Automated Library Notices!

Overdue notices are automated.

Parents will receive an email about any books your child has checked out that are overdue by 7 or more days.

Questions? Please email Mrs. Holden.

OLGC Library Web Links and Resources:

Here are some links to some of our most used OLGC Library resources:

OLGC Library Online Catalog: Use this link to look up books we have in the OLGC Library for fun or for a report.

Webpath Express: You can also use the catalog to find online resources especially for student use through our Webpath Express service. After accessing the catalog:

click on Our Lady of Good Counsel
click on Catalog
click on Webpath Express

Fact Cite Database: Explore this database to find interesting facts about American History, Science, and many other subjects.

Username: olgc

Password: wildcats

Find It Virginia: Explore this website managed by the Library of Virginia which contains databases and other online learning tools for Virginians of all ages.

Fairfax County Public Library: Explore what is available on the Fairfax County Public Library website.

Accelerated Reader Bookfinder: AR Bookfinder is a great way to look for books of interest. Use this link, and do an advanced search. Use your Lexile Score to find the perfect book!.

Library Newsletters

Click on the tab of the monthly newsletter from the 2019-2020 school year you would like to read.

January 2020

Book Spotlight: Award Winning Books This month in the library we explored the many book awards for children's authors and illustrators. Award and Honor Caldecott, Newbery, and many other book award winners were showcased. Students learned how book awards can help them find new and interesting books to read.

K-3rd Grade students learned about some of the many Caldecott, and Geisel Medal and Honor winning books. We read some in class, and our book detectives even found them on our shelves by finding the award medals on books!

4th through Middle School students reviewed the Caldecott and Geisel awards, and also explored award categories such as the Newbery, Coretta Scott King, and Sibert.

4th through Middle School students also sharpened their shelving skills, learning more about the Dewey Decimal System and how to shelve fiction books.

5th Grade: Our 5th Grade students are learning about the research process by working on their International Day reports in their library and computer classes.

September 2019

Welcome back to the Library!

September brought the students back to the library with many learning activities:

Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Our youngest elementary students learned all about the library and book care. They also learned about the genres of "fiction" and "non-fiction."
2nd though 5th Grades: Each grade listens to and discusses a novel over the course of the year. Our novel studies were started this month:
- 2nd Grade: "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" by Beverly Cleary.
- 3rd Grade: "The BFG" & "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" both by Roald Dahl
- 4th Grade: "The Puzzling World of Winston Breen" by Eric Berlin
- 5th Grade: "How I Became a Spy: A Mystery of WWII London" by Deborah Hopkinson
6th Grade: 6th Grade reviewed book genres and library terms.
7th Grade: 7th Grade began honing their research skills while working on their Explorers & Conquistadors reports for Social Studies.
8th Grade: 8th Grade worked on their high school resumes, as well as started monthly study skills lessons.

October 2019

Author Spotlight--Tomie dePaola: Our "Author Spotlight" series displayed books by celebrated author/illustrator Tomie dePaola. Our library owns many of his beautiful books, including biographies of Mary, St. Christopher, St. Patrick, and St. Francis of Assisi. He is the author of the "Strega Nona" series, and many other books with beautiful messages and charmng illustrations.

K-5th Grade: October was Mystery Month in the Library! Our Kindergarten through 5th Grade students explored the fiction genre of mysteries.

Middle School: Our Middle School students honed their book shelving skills during October. Students reviewed how to find non-fiction books on the shelves using the Dewey Decimal Numbers, as well as how to find different types of fiction books in our library.

November 2019

Author Spotlight--Cynthia Rylant: Our "Author Spotlight" series displayed books by popular award-winning author Cynthia Rylant. Cynthia has written several well-loved series, including "Henry and Mudge," "The Cobble Street Cousins," and "Mr. Putter and Tabby." She is a Newberry Medal, Newberry Honor, and Caldecott Honor winner.

K to 5th Grade: Our elementary students explored the works of Cynthia Rylant.

6th Grade: The 6th Graders began working on their "River Valley Civilizations" reports for Social Studies class. Students reviewed good research skills, as well as the topics of primary sources and plagairsm.

7th Grade: The 7th Graders explored different book genres.

8th Grade: The 8th Graders practiced how to find, summarize, and cite journal articles.

December 2019

Author Spotlight--Tomie dePaola: Our "Author Spotlight" series displayed books by popular award-winning author Tomie dePaola. Tomie has written over 270 books! Some of his most popular ones include the well-loved "Strega Nona" series, "Pancakes for Breakfast," and many religious books, such as "The Miracles of Jesus," "St. Patrick--Patron Saint of Ireland," and "The Night of Las Posadas". He is a Caldecott Honor winner, a Newbery Honor winner, and a Regina Medal winner.

Students in all grades explored Dr. Seuss' classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," learning how text, illustrations, and font all support the story an author is trying to tell.

Book Fairs

The OLGC Library hosts two book fairs a year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Proceeds from the sales help support our library programs through the purchasing of books and other library materials.

Dates for the 2019-2020 school year are:

Fall 2019 Book Fair: November 11-15: Thank you for joining us at our Fall 2019 Book Fair! We hope you enjoyed your time shopping for just the right books to suit children of all ages. It was wonderful for our school community to gather together to choose and discuss books. Your generosity in purchasing from us helped the OLGC School library to obtain many new and exciting books for our library. Please stop by and take a look at some of our new offerings on our shelves!

Come Join Us at our Spring 2020 Summer Reading Book Fair--May 29 to June 2! In Spring 2019, we held our 1st ever Summer Reading Book Fair to help families stock up on educational books and games for the summer. Parishioners were able to find age appropriate reading materials and educational games, including OLGC school required summer reading books, for preschool through 8th grade students to help keep children learning & reading all summer long. Thank you so much to all of our wonderful volunteers who organized and kept our book fair running!

Back and better than ever, our 2nd Summer Reading Book Fair will be held on Friday, May 29; Sunday, May 31; Monday, June 1 & Tuesday, June 2.

Many volunteers make light work of set-up, clean-up, and helping students purchase books. Please consider helping us out at our next book fair...no experience necessary!