School Library Media Website’s Top Ten List

Here are the top ten components all media center websites should have:

1. Objectives/Curriculum: Identifying what the students are doing or have done while at the Media Center, and how it matches the grade-level curriculum acknowledges the importance of students going to the Media Center. It also informs the parents about how the Media Center program enriches their children’s education.

2. Author Websites: Having links to author websites helps with grade-level author studies. It also allows students to read up on favorite authors and become aware of other books written by favorite authors.

3. Photographs: Photographs of students in action at the Media Center as well as photos of student work demonstrates what great things are occurring in the school library.

4. Parent Information: Displaying special events, important dates, hours of operation, and Media Center procedures/processes keeps parents up-to-date about what’s happening in school. It is just another resource of information, but in non-print form.

5. Curriculum Links: Providing links to sites that correspond to curriculum assignments helps students with research and gathering of information. Providing previewed links also helps with internet safety.

6. Grade-level Links: Students can explore their school’s Media Center website and find sites that are appropriate for them to use and that match curriculum objectives/indicators.

7. Research Tips: Information about AGOPP, using search engines effectively, as well as providing examples of graphic organizers will allow students to complete research assignments. These tips will also be helpful to both teachers and parents.

8. Safe Search Engines: Listing links to kid-safe search engines corresponds with the research tips. Students can quickly access search engines by logging onto their school’s media center website.

9. Teacher Resources: Assisting teachers is a part of being a media specialist, so what better place to provide links to teacher resources than on the Media Center website. Parents will also be able to see the collaboration between the teachers and the media specialist.

10. Link to the School Home Page: This opens up even more communication opportunities for both students and parents. Often, the school home page has grade level links, where teachers have posted classroom newsletters, quarterly objectives, upcoming classroom events, and websites that correspond to the curriculum.