The librarians met throughout the year to do some import work around our Library Guiding Statements, our operations manual, and the Library Program Framework. The guiding statements are core to everything we do in the library. The program framework contains literacy and research benchmarks that align with and can be integrated into subject-area curricula. This work will continue next year.
The libraries are still benefitting from the One For the Books campaign of 2022, so we were able to continue to develop our print book collections.
Both libraries were able to improve the ages of their collections and are approaching the target age of 10 years. Both libraries are also approaching their targets for books per student.
In addition to being a place to find books, conduct research, and study, the MSHS Library is also a place where students share their learning.
AP Human Geography students read the books they wrote about developing nations to grade 5 students.
The Genocide Project reception was held in the library again this year.
AP Calculus, AP Research, and NGSS Chemistry students all shared their learning in the library with posters throughout the school year.
ASD uses library guides (Libguides) as a place to curate resources for our students research. Collaboration between librarians and teachers ensure that relevant high quality resources are available and used. Our students then have a reliable entry point for starting their research.
In the past year both the number and usage of these guides have increased significantly.
ASD subscribes to a number of high quality research databases for the use of our students and community.
We also support academic integrity through our lessons in research and citation and the use of our citation tool "NoodleTools". Students from Grade 6 to 12 reference their work and make use of the notecard features.
Spoken-word poets Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye spent a week at ASD in March, performing for students in grades 1 through 12, and conducting workshops with MS and HS students. The students reported finding that their visit was educational, entertaining, and inspiring.
"I learned the different ways poetry can spread a message. The ways people can use and say words can drastically change the meaning if what the words are actually communicating."
"I am inspired to write more poems especially when a lot is happening in my life. I will write poems especially when Im experiencing a lot of emotions at once. I will use poem writing as a way of destressing."
"I went in not knowing much and not expecting anything transformative and left feekling very inspired and happy."
"Stories matter, and there are many ways to tell our stories."
Thanks to CAST and PTSA for their support of this year's author visit!
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No Matter the Wreckage by ASD Middle School welcomed Melanie La'Brooy to talk about her new middle school fantasy "The Wintrish Girl" - students have been loving hte book as witnessed by it's circulations. We're looking forward to the next in the series!
The ASD librarians hosted the first-ever Librarian to Librarian workshop in October. Fifty librarians from around the world gathered to learn from each other and from our keynote speakers, Dr. Myra Garces-Bacsal from the United Arab Emirates University, and ASD's own Anthony Copeland.
One participant wrote: "I feel refreshed, inspired and ready to use what I learned to improve my practice. Also, it is great to reaffirm that we are part of a library community internationally and here to support each other. Thank you!!"
Dr. Amra Sabic El-Rayess spoke to the HS student body about her memoir, The Cat I Never Named. Her message was one of hope and resilience in times of conflict.
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Students and teachers enjoyed the Library Luau.
The Library Advisory Council hosted a Jazz Jam Session.
The HS sewing club created some fun projects.
Despite the unexpected rain day, this year's Used Book Sale was nearly twice as big as last year's, with over 600 coupons redeemed for books, 4000 AED donated to PTSA and CAST (representing over 800 books sold), hundreds of books added to the libraries and classroom collections, and 2000 books donated to Old Books for New Eyes.
The libraries collect donated books as well as library discards throughout the year. In the weeks leading up to the event, community members receive one coupon for every 3 books donated. This is an environmentally-friendly way to share great reads!
Early Starters held a book fair in the Gate 1 Courtyard just in time for the winter holidays. It coincided with several PTSA holiday events, creating a festive atmosphere.
One of our ES Librarians, Julie Jones, will be exiting ASD in June of this year.
During her tenure here at ASD, she has enjoyed working with students and families to develop a love of reading and learning in our ES Library.
We wish her a fond farewell as she departs our school and Dubai to head back home to the US.
Sandra Otedoh joined the ES library team in March. Welcome, Sandra!
Print book circulation has been steadily increasing in the MSHS library, with the growth led by the middle school. Graphic Novels, Realistic Fiction, and Fantasy are the most popular fiction genres. Fiction is almost twice as popular as non-fiction.
In order to help our middle school community with their choices of high interest high quality reading materials, the library and our ELA teachers have selected 25 books per grade to promote pleasure reading during the year. These books have proven to be extremely popular with our students and resulted in increased circulations.
In January 2024 we held our first live "battle of the core" quiz during a student assembly where houses pitted their book knowledge against each other.
Over 400 ASD HS students completed a survey on their reading habits in May 2023, and their results reflect decades'-worth of international studies: students who read more do better in school and on standardized tests.
In this year's survey, the majority of students replied that they enjoyed reading, they don't have enough time to read as much as they want to, that reading is a good use of their time, and they believe that if they read more they will get better grades. When asked what gets in the way of reading more, the top replies were: schoolwork, extra-curricular activities, and social media/technology.