FAQ

For my early birds!! The library opens at 7:50am. Students can certainly stop by on their way to class, once students are dismissed to 1st period. Each teacher is given library passes, so students can always ask to visit the library during the school day with a pass. After school, the library will be open until 4:15pm.

Students will visit the library once every 2-3 weeks with their ELA classes to check out books, however I want to see you more often than that! Your student ID card is like your library card. You can scan it to access your library account and check up to 4 books at a time. Turn in your books in the book slot located at the circulation desk.

Absolutely! We have a subscription to the amazing SORA by Overdrive where we currently have over 2,045 digital books ready for you to check out. If they're not available, you can click HOLD just like you would a paper book. The good thing is there is no book to lose. It will just disappear off your SORA shelf when the time is up. Click here to find out more about SORA and how to get started!

Library computers are available when you visit the library with your scheduled class or in the morning or after school. Students are highly encouraged to try to get most of their computer work done in class or at home, however library computers are always there for students to use and print from. Library computers are only available for school business unless permission is granted to play school appropriate games.

I'm so glad you asked! Books can be put on hold directly in Destiny. Destiny is our online public access catalog (OPAC) just a fancy way of saying the catalog that houses all records of every book in the school (and even district)

Access our catalog here to get started!

For more info on how to place a book on hold, check out this video!

When you place a book on hold, the system will time stamp the date/time you placed it on hold and depending on how many holds are ahead of you for that book, it might take awhile. Once your book is ready for you to pick up, we will email you as well as deliver a hold notice to you. You will have 5 school days to come by the library to check out your book.

We want our Vipers healthy and reading. These are some ways the library is making adjustments to follow district and state safety guidelines:

• Hand sanitizing stations are set up at the main entry way along with three different areas in the library.

• Desks and computers will be sprayed and sanitized regularly.

• Library aides will be trained on proper safety guidelines in the handling of library materials and sanitization.

We would love to help you with this! The best way to get your print jobs done expediently is to use Google Drive. When you need a file printed, simply share that file to Mrs. Powell (jessica.powell@g.comalisd.org) Copies will be printed when you come to the library to pick up copy. Might I encourage you to try and print as much as possible at home...or even better save a few trees and go as digitally paperless as possible :)

Ask any teacher for help or have a parent email Mrs. Powell at jessica.powell@g.comalisd.org Any staff member can point you in the right direction.

There is also a new system in place for you to reset your own password. Visit the following link: http://password.comalisd.org and follow the instructions in the resource below.

100% Yes!! In Destiny, you can view your recommendation lists from Mrs. Powell! First make sure you've filled out our library services form and select the option for recommendations. Based on the data you provide me, I will get to work figuring out some books you might like. Within 24 hours or sooner, check into Destiny to see if I've left some recs for you. You can then simply put them on Hold or delete them from your recommendations list. Here's a video showing you how to access your recommendation list.

Click HERE and enter the author's last and first name. Find the specific series you're reading to see the order of the books. Then you can go to our catalog to see if we have it! If we don't, please email Mrs. Powell to request this book be purchased and added to the library!

One of my favorite things is helping every reader find a perfect book. It sometimes starts with figuring out what your interests/hobbies are and even what kinds of movies or TV shows you tend to watch. Reading can be graphic novels, it can be books about cooking or even scary story collections. It can even be a picture book or collection of silly Dad jokes.

PLUS!!! The library has other things that make it the best place to be. There are computers to do research and a relaxing fun place to socialize and even take a breather during a crazy day. I just like seeing you people in there, no matter what the reason is!

Middle schools in CISD do not use AR. We do however encourage Wild Reading, which is a self-motivated desire to try to read as many books as possible of all types, especially genres you like. I do have a special prize for students who participate in our 40 book challenge. You can get a copy of the document here or click on embedded document below.

I would love that!! On our library services form, there is a selection to place a book recommendation. I'll check into it and read some reviews to make sure it is appropriate for middle school levels 6th-8th.

If you'd like to leave a book review, please fill out this book review form. For every well thought out book review you leave, I will enter your name for a prize at the end of each 9 weeks!!

Haha! Great question! Not all librarians sit around reading and shushhing kids all day. :) I have been asked this question a few times. Besides the traditional stuff like ordering books, shelving books, helping students find books, checking in/out books, repairing books, wrapping books....YEP! We actually put the shiny plastic covers, barcodes, and stickers on the books....I also love helping students out with technology, working with your teachers on a research project, doing lessons with ELA classes, or gathering resources for teachers to use. I enjoy chatting with students about books and perplexing teenage life stuff and putting fun announcements on the campus monitors. And when we're not in COVID mode, nothing brings me greater joy than sitting around with students and other teachers working on our library puzzle and chatting about anything and everything. Librarians get to dip their toes in many different ponds! I now love K-POP and manga thanks to my students. See? An old librarian can learn so much from you too!!