Library

The mission of the library program at Paideia is to nurture lifelong, independent learning, with a central focus on research and promoting reading for pleasure for all the members of the learning community: students, teachers, staff and parents. The library at Paideia serves as the hub of a culture of learning and reading that is vital to student achievement.

Pleasure reading is a core component of the library program at all levels. It builds general knowledge and vocabulary but more profoundly, it offers the extraordinary opportunity to inhabit the interior lives of others, enlarging our understanding of the human experience and nurturing the growth of compassion and an ethical self. Parents are encouraged to borrow materials to share with their families and for their own enjoyment.

Research is also central to the library program. As the amount of information available continues to grow, a strong school library program is essential to help its users acquire the skills they will need to use information competently and contribute to the well-being of the community.

As students progress through the school, the library teaches the concepts of information literacy and engages individuals in active, creative thinking and problem solving. Students develop increasingly sophisticated approaches to research in a variety of media with instruction in developing essential questions, finding sources, evaluating websites, synthesizing information and creating new understanding.