The mission of the Fieldstone Middle School Library Media Center in partnership with the school and the surrounding community, is to build our students’ sense of belonging, engagement and achievement, while facilitating their transformation into literate, critical thinkers who are respectful and responsible young adults.

The goal of the Fieldstone Middle School Library Media Center program is to help children foster our mission statement. Our objective is to build upon the children’s skills and knowledge to increase their independence in being able to find resources, whether fiction or non-fiction, digital or print, and to recognize when they need assistance.

Our library serves students in seventh and eighth grades in an organized, user-friendly, and comfortable environment. There are currently more than 18,000 books available to students. During their library lessons students are instructed in the use of the library, learn to use print and online sources of information and the safe and effective use of technology.

The library uses the Follett Destiny OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog), and offers access to digital encyclopedias and databases as well as guiding students to appropriate websites.

In collaboration with the classroom teachers, we hope to develop a life-long interest and desire for inquiry and reading. At Fieldstone LMC, we are a community of learners who work both independently and collaboratively.

Using Online Information Sources

So much information is available to students today. It is an extraordinary challenge for our children to learn how to discern appropriate and reliable information.

Our approach at FMS is geared toward specific projects. We encourage students to approach information with a critical eye, and as we guide them through the information seeking process of using different kinds of resources. The importance of beginning a project with information from a reputable or authoritative source. Possible sources would be, for example, an encyclopedia or a book. Our staff encourages students to use our subscription databases, such as World Book Online, Grolier Online, Culturegrams, and the NOVEL databases. Our teachers' have also selected sites with accurate information that we term -- "Teacher designated sites" for students to use.

Over the course of our students time at Fieldstone, we will expect them to become more independent in evaluating and selecting their online sources. The importance of copyright and fair use will be stressed to the entire FMS community by documenting their works cited.

All students who use computer technology are required to abide by the North Rockland Central School District's Acceptable Use Policy in order for us to provide a safe learning environment for everyone.