This week, all 700+ CVHS first year students will begin their orientations to the library in their English classes. The orientations consist of one 90 minute in-class orientation to the Digital Library, Physical Library and Digital Libraries nearby, and a second 48 minute in-person class visit to the CVHS Library on August 28 or 29. Slides and exit tickets have been provided to all English teachers by the Teacher Librarian for this week's virtual orientations. They are also available on the library website for all teachers and families. We encourage teachers in other departments to become familiar with the content of the orientations such that we begin to establish a baseline of information literacy skills all teachers can expect from first year students.
By the end of the the first 90 minute orientations (referred to as Digital Library Navigator Levels 1, 2 and 3), all entering first year students should be able to access their digital high school library in 3 different ways; they should be able to identify the format and availability of books in the print and digital library, as well as the catalog elements needed to access the books; they should be able to find research databases on the library's A-Z list and access the landing page of a database to determine the on-and- off-site access mechanisms for each database. Students will further explore their reading preferences and identify one way they will begin to create their independent reading habits over the next 4 years.
All CHVS first year students will also get an Alameda County Public Library eCard and will test their access to a specific database in the eLibrary. Students are encouraged to save their eCard information as a contact such that they can easily access it in the future. With this foundation, and starting with this first year class (2025-2026), teachers in all departments will be able to begin to rely upon and direct students to use additional, expensive subscription databases at the public library for student projects.
These initial orientations for the first year class will lay the foundation for students to access quality information sources throughout and beyond their high school career.
Stay tuned for announcements next week about the August 28 and 29th Passport to the Next Level orientations at the library. The library will be closed to all students on August 28 and 29th in order to bring all 700+ First Year students into the library for additional activities throughout the library. All library staff and all library student assistants will be training for and setting up the Passport to the Next Level stations this week in preparation for next week's visits.
This week, CVHS first year students will visit the library on August 28 or 29 with their English classes to complete their Passport to the Next Level library orientations.
Students will visit stations set up around the library. My Time, Our Space and Extra Help stations launch first year students toward resources for self-directed learning, accessibility, reading and writing support, civic responsibility and volunteer opportunities.
All students will take an intake assessment of their research and information literacy skills at a fourth station such that CVHS can begin to build a longitudinal analysis of student outcomes.
The library will be closed August 28 and 29 to all other students during the school day.