MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Mount Carmel Academy Library is to provide a wide range of print and digital resources to support the schools commitment to a quality Catholic education. The Mount Carmel Academy Library offers a dynamic, technology rich environment to support 21st century learning skills and ensures that students and staff “inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge…to thrive in a complex information environment.” (Standards for the 21st Century Learner, 2007)
The Mount Carmel Academy Library is staffed by a full- time certified librarian. The librarian is an active member of the American Library Association, Louisiana Library Association, and the Greater New Orleans Catholic Librarian’s Association.
The library is open from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, allowing students time both before and after school to work on assignments, seek assistance, check out books, read, or complete homework in a group setting. During the Independent Study time of the school day, students may work on assignments, study quietly, or read. All of this takes place in an atmosphere that is friendly, open, equitable and in an environment that is conducive to research, study, and growth in the pursuit of knowledge.
The library has flexible scheduling that allows subject area teachers to bring their classes for research. In addition, the school wide growth of classroom technology enables librarians to bring information literacy instruction to the classroom. The library staff regularly meets with classroom teachers to collaborate on infusing 21st Century research skills into lesson plans. An annual faculty survey is used to gather feedback for improvement in library services.
Collection development, whether electronic or print, is built around the education needs and interests of the faculty and students. The collection consists of a variety of print and electronic resources including 19 subscription databases. The databases provide authoritative sources that cover most curriculum areas.
“Reading is a foundational skill for learning, personal growth, and enjoyment.” (Standards for the 21st Century Learner) With this in mind, the librarians offer school- wide reading promotion programs, and fiction displays are continually updated to reflect student interests. It is a goal of the MCA library to nurture lifelong learners and we believe that reading is key to developing those skills.
The greatest Catholic values exhibited by the library staff are the respect the staff has for the students and their manifest desire to always be of service.
American Association of School Librarians. “Standards for the 21st Century Learner.” Chicago:
American Library Association, 2007.
