The Beauvoir Library is a favorite spot for students to visit with their class or on their own. As part of the 2001 renovation of the School, the library is adjacent to the entrance foyer and houses a collection of more than 17,000 books. A spacious room with a high ceiling and exposed wood beams, the library has many windows that allow natural light to permeate the space. There is a reading loft where small book groups gather to enjoy a book and let their imaginations explore. Throughout the library, comfortable and inviting spots for quiet reading abound.
At Beauvoir, our library and technology programs intersect to provide students with the informational literacy and digital literacy skills needed to be experienced researchers, online citizens and critical consumers of information in the digital age. As such, our Innovation Lab next to the library helps students make connections by accessing information on digital devices like iPads. The Innovation Lab serves as a space where the digital literacy curriculum comes alive, whether students are learning foundational computer science skills or beginning to experiment with Java Script and other coding languages.
In today’s digital world, Beauvoir recognizes, appreciates and is committed to the educational importance of technology use in and out of the classroom. We engage our students, promote creativity and enhance the curriculum with the use of technology. Our faculty, staff and students are encouraged to experiment, research, imagine and explore the unique resources and opportunities for global, collaborative communication, and Beauvoir’s technology team is dedicated to providing a safe, reliable and user-friendly environment. The
School’s mission states that we seek to foster a spirit of inquiry and joy in learning, and we use technology to meet that goal and our community’s growing technology needs.
The library curriculum is likewise thoughtfully designed in a continuum to support the literacy skill development of children, as well as an individual love of reading. Our librarians create lessons and activities that bring joy to the act of reading and inspire students to truly enjoy books as lifelong readers. We often use literature circles and a wide variety of storytelling techniques to engage children in the understanding of
language and literature. Beauvoir students also select books during library time that they first take back to class and later take home. Library visits emphasize group listening, cooperative learning and making independent choices. Children also have the benefit of visits from local authors and illustrators.
There is no doubt that a young child’s curiosity is enhanced by what he or she finds in a library, especially as students begin to read more on their own. As a result, our library curriculum supports students in taking knowledge and ideas that they have learned in the classroom and fully exploring the library’s informational texts and fiction on that topic. We strive to provide limitless resources to nurture students' curiosity and help them develop into critical consumers of information in today’s increasingly digital world.
In
Pre-Kindergarten and
Kindergarten, students visit the library once a week with their class to hear stories and to choose books to borrow and take home to enjoy with their families.
First,
Second and
Third Grade students also visit the library with their class once a week to choose books. All grades are introduced to different genres, as well as the works of individual authors and illustrators.
During their First Grade year, children explore the library section by section and begin to learn library skills, including the use of the electronic library catalogue. Second and Third Grade students build on these library skills and begin to develop research skills using the library’s many resources. The collection of books reflects Beauvoir’s
vision, mission and core values, with a special commitment made to supporting Beauvoir's diverse community and exciting Global Studies program.
Students have 1:1 access to iPads and use them to enhance their learning every day. The digital literacy curriculum supports the developmental skills needed to navigate digital devices and allows students to become digital creators, designers, builders and coders.