Research in the Library

The Mepham High School library student teacher, Mrs. Hirsch has been teaching Mrs. Greco's 9th-grade classes as they begin their argumentative essays. She started by showing them how to search for articles using the database Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints. "Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints is the premier online resource covering today's hottest social issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana." Students were able to browse topics and search for a theme of interest. Mrs. Hirsch showed the students how to search the database for articles, infographics, and more. She also introduced them to boolean search terms: AND, OR, and NOT. Mrs. Hirsch pointed out some features that will make their gathering of sources easier to manage, such as sending articles directly to their Google Drive and how to select, copy, and paste their MLA 9th Edition citation into a Google Doc.  

The lessons continued the following days with how to write an annotated bibliography and how to use Google Citations. This is one of many classes that come to the Mepham High School to perform research for papers and essays. Librarians are experts in showing students how to find the information they need. We also have resources online and hard copy to help students format and write their Works Cited pages. We are always here to help. Never hesitate to ask! 

Doors for a Cause

SADD's Doors for a Cause raised money for the Bellmore-Merrick Community Cupboard. There were over 20 submissions by teachers, staff, and student groups. Way to go Pirates!

W.C. Mepham High School Library

Old Buildings

Wellington C. Mepham High School was completed in 1939. Old buildings are beautiful, but require lots of TLC. Our HVAC system was causing condensation to build up in our library dome and the paint and plaster started to peel. Our head custodian brought the concern to the Director of School Facilities & Operations and Security & Chief Emergency Officer and they decided to hire an outside company to repair the damage. We are currently about a week and a half in and you can see the progress from the photographs below. The work should take another few days to complete, but already it looks so much better. They have also started to insulate the surrounding area to prevent this from happening in the future. Stop by the library next week to see the final look. 

Interesting side note: The paint is white, but the LED lights that surround the dome give it a blueish-grey tint. In person, it looks much more white than it appears in the photos.  

LibraryTrac

We have new procedures in place here when entering the Mepham High School Library. We are using LibraryTrac, it's an "application that allows libraries/media centers to keep track of their daily users and why those users are coming to use the library. The application allows librarians to designate reasons for using the library, as well as document what teacher students are coming from. It allows librarians to collect and analyze logged in user statistics."

When you enter the library, using the camera (or Snapchat) on your Smartphone, scan the QR code displayed at the circulation desk. A link will pop up at the top of your screen. Click the link and fill out the form with your first name and last name (you can leave teacher blank if you are visiting the library during a free period). If you are having trouble, please see either Ms. Stack, Ms. Gellerman, or the teacher on duty for assistance.

Students can also get an advance pass to the library by going to the Mepham High School Library website, and clicking on "Advance Pass to the Library." Students can then select the day (up to two days in advance) and period they plan to use the library. This is a nice feature because space is limited. Only 25 students are now permitted in the library during a period. This is temporary due to the global pandemic and our need to properly socially distance within the school building.

New Library Display

Here are a few photos from our new library display. This display will be updated weekly as new school and library events are featured. Have something you want to share? Just let Mrs. Stack know and she will add it to the presentation! We are always looking for innovative ways to reach our school community. A very special thank you to Rose Luna, Librarian at Freeport High School for posting this tweet and inspiring me to finally get this old television up and running! The thing I love the most about being a librarian is the collaborative spirit among colleagues, the willingness to share ideas, and the enthusiasm to try new things. 

Overdue

All library books are now considered overdue. AND THERE ARE 216 OF THEM! AHHHH!!! No worries, just put your book in Mrs. Stack's mailbox. There are no late fines charged - ever.

Paper, Paper….Get Your Paper Here!

Our newspaper stand just arrived at the Mepham High School Library. You can now pick up a copy of The Buccaneer (our school newspaper), Newsday, or The Wall Street Journal. Read the world or our little neck of the woods.

Mepham High School Library Newspaper Stand

Mepham's Mobile Library

Ms. Donnelly poses with the Mepham's Mobile Library 

It's hard to keep popular titles in stock at the Mepham High School library. Thanks to Ms. Donnelly, Mepham's English Department Chairperson and Mr. Gomez, our Principal for purchasing multiple copies of our favorite books. There are currently 16 titles on this bookshelf including:

• A Work in Progress by Connor Franta
• Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini
• Dear Martin by Nic Stone
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson'
• It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
• Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
• Odd One Out by Nic Stone
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
• Solo by Kwame Alexander
• The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
• Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

We are looking to secure another cart for next year. Do you have any recommended titles we should include?

Place of Study?

Buccaneer Vol. XLII 

While doing some research for our Buccaneer (Mepham's newspaper) staff, Mrs. Gellerman came across this interesting article regarding the school library. It even has a rebuttal by Wilma M. Cope, Librarian (great name by the way)! Personally, I would love to get my hands on Alison Goldstein's petition (wonder what was on that)!

The Mepham Library of yesteryear may still be seen in the construction of the space, but it hardly resembles the atmosphere today. When Ms. Cope stated that, "the librarians have tried to be more tolerant of moderate student talking of short duration;" I literally laughed out loud. Our library is anything but quiet. Learning is not always quiet. In fact, sometimes learning is loud. And we like it that way!

MHS Library Orientation 2018

Hey Mepham Pirates! Are you new to Mepham High School? Part of the Class of 2022? Welcome and welcome back to our returning students. We are so glad to have you. Click above to view our 2018 library orientation video. It is a virtual tour of your fabulous library in just six minutes! There have been a few changes over the summer... including the installation of a brand-new Starbucks-esque seating area thanks to a generous donation. You can read all about it here. 

Questions? Swing by and ask the librarian!

Suggestion Box

We have a new suggestion box in the school library. If you have any suggestions please put them into the box and we will review them. All inquires are welcome. 

Someone once suggested we get a 3D printer. Guess what? We bought one!

Please Interrupt Me!

Since my desk is in the front of the library, and my job calls for stints at the computer - ordering books, responding to emails, posting on the school's Twitter account, etc. - I often hear students says, "Sorry to bother you, but..." YOU ARE NEVER BOTHERING ME. In fact, I download this sign from Grey House Publishing to make that clear and stuck it on my desk.

Courtesy of Grey House Publishing 

Whatever I am doing is not more important than helping you. So, please interrupt me! Remember that we are here to help you. That is our most important job.

Ms. Stack's desk

Matching "Please interrupt me" button!

Button courtesy of Mepham parent, Ms. Williams. 

A Day in the Life of the Library

Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of the William S. Christy Memorial Library looks like? Well, wonder no more! The students of the Bellmore-Merrick Broadcasting department filmed an average day in our library recently, highlighting some of our current initiatives, such as BreakoutEDU, 3D printing, Stick Together, MakerSpace activities, independent reading, and so much more!

While this video doesn't include ALL the wonderful things that happen every day in our library, it gives you a glimpse into what is happening around here. Come see for yourself. Remember... Everyone is welcome.

Library Club Manual

We recently came across a bunch of Mepham High School Library Club Manual's from the 1960s. The purpose of these handbooks was to describe some of the important duties of Library Club members. It was intended to be used for training the apprentices recruited each spring and to be kept for reference and review. The junior and senior students were to certify the sophomores under their tutelage as each branch of training was completed. The first manual was published in April 1962. It was intended to revised each year and suggestions were solicited. The hope was that both masters and apprentices will learn from this process. While most of the Library Club activities are outdated, the premise still rings true today:

"The smooth operation of the Library is very important to the high school, and the Library Club is very important to the smooth operation of the Library." - Wilma H. Cope and Mildred E. Klips, Librarians, W. C. Mepham High School  

Library Club Manuals from the 1960s

Uncovering the Past

Our dear friend, Ms. Dennis has taught the Gilder Lehrman class, Uncovering the Past, here at Mepham for over 8 years. Her class can often been seen in the school library researching many different aspects of our strong and rich history. There is a plaque (see below) in the Mepham Library on the classroom side, and I have always wondered about it. Who was Donald F. Thompson? How did he serve Mepham High School? I enlisted Ms. Dennis's class to help solve the mystery. 

This plaque hangs on the classroom side of the Mepham Library 

Her class headed straight for the yearbooks. They picked up the 1964 Treasure Chest. Sure enough this yearbook was dedicated to Mr. Thompson. 

Mr. Donald F. Thompson

 In Memoriam

"Donald F. Thompson's untimely death has meant the loss of one of its ablest and most beloved teachers. Of his thirty-three years in teaching, twenty-four were spent here. His career was interrupted for a time during which he served in the North African campaign in World War II. Although we think of him primarily as a classical scholar, he taught English as well as Latin, bringing to both subjects the enthusiasm, learning, and inspiration which brought him the respect of faculty and students alike. We mourn his passing, but we take comfort knowing that his influence, like his memory, will remain ever with us."

"No place is perfect," he would say.
Ours is less so; he's gone away.
The ready smile, the earthy wit,
The cheery voice, th' endearing bit
Of boyishness within the man -
Can we forget them? No one can.
And if we learn from him to be
Patient, gentle, kind, and free
From all envy, malice, guile
As we mourn for him the while,
We'll thus improve our earthly lot.
And he? In pace requiescat.

Joseph J. Lozito to Visit Mepham High School

Mepham Father and Author, Joseph J. Lozito

One of the most anticipated events in the school library year after year is our author visit. This year we have the great honor to host author Joseph J. Lozito, who is also the father of Mepham senior, Joe Lozito and freshman, Dominic Lozito. Check out this documentary that details Joseph Lozito's amazing story and is the basis for his book, The New York Subway Hero: My Battle with Evil...and a Spree-Killer!!

Mr. Lozito will join us on Tuesday, March 13th at 2:15 p.m. in the school library. He will read a passage from his autobiography. There will also be a Q&A session, a book raffle, and a chance to have copies of his book signed. This event is sponsored by the National English Honor Society and is a sanctioned ELITE event. You can sign up here.

Not "Blinded by the Light" Anymore

Thanks to our amazing head custodian, Mr. Pennington, brand new blinds were installed over the weekend in the school library. Twenty-eight partial black-out blinds were put up and now our students won't be blinded by the beautiful, but sometimes very strong rays.

Main seating area of the Mepham High School Library

Our library makeover is never complete. We are always trying to make this space more comfortable and accommodating for students and teachers. If you have a request, please drop it in our suggestion box. We love to hear your ideas, no matter how crazy they are!

Classroom side of the Mepham High School Library

Crafting for a Cause

Created with Canva.com

Join us in the school library on Monday, December 11th at 2:15 p.m. in our MakerSpace to craft holiday cards for Mercy Haven’s network of families. Mercy Haven is a non-sectarian, non-profit organization located in Islip Terrace that offers assistance to over 3,000 Long Islanders, approximately half of which are children. Mercy Haven’s mission is to acknowledge the dignity and potential of people who are homeless, living with mental illness, or living in poverty by providing housing, advocacy, education, and life skills development. All craft supplies will be provided. This is an ELITE event. Sign up by clicking here.

Romeo & Juliet Break Out!

Mrs. Chacko's class just finished reading William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. As a review, they came to the school library to play "Fortune's Fool" from BreakoutEDU. With 40 minutes on the clock, her class was divided into two groups, the Montagues and the Capulets. There mission was to break into the box that contained the lost half on Shakespeare's cut of the profits from Romeo and Juliet. We learned that the most successful groups communicate well and divide and conquer.

Breakout EDU in the school library 

Stress-Reduction Stations

The holidays can be a very stressful time, even for teens. Today and tomorrow, we invite all of our health classes, and any students off during a free or lunch period to come to the library and spend some time at our stress-reduction stations.  We have something for everyone.

Stress-reduction stations set up and in action

• Station # 1: Make Your Own Bookmark / Augmented Reality
• Station # 2: Board Games - Jenga & Rubik's Cubes
• Station # 3: Virtual Reality / Meditation  
• Station # 4: Button Maker / Origami
• Station # 5: 3Doodler Pen / littleBits
• Station # 6: Bracelet Making (to support the non-profit Reason2Smile)  
• Station # 7: Stick Together 

Before the students arrive