Library
Director of Library, Media and Technology
Molly Laden
Email:
mladen@medford.k12.ma.us
Mission Statement
The mission of the MHS/MVTHS library program is to ensure that students attain the knowledge and skills to effectively research and use information and to promote independent and critical thinking. The school library program will provide a rich variety of materials and instruction to support the curriculum and will promote enthusiasm for lifelong learning.
Guiding Principles
The school libraries have three main areas of focus for students:
- To promote literacy and reading for learning, personal growth and enjoyment
- To assist students and classroom teachers in fostering academic achievement
- To create responsible digital citizens
For the school community at large, the school library’s mission is to promote a culture of literacy and learning for all, and provide a welcoming space for collaboration, project creation, and inspiration.
Library Curriculum Overview
The high school curriculum focuses on advanced research and project creation skills, such as writing a thesis, using databases and other libraries, evaluating sources for accuracy and bias, copyright and in-text citations, in collaboration with classroom teachers on projects such as Science Fair, World History Day, and other curriculum related topics.
Freshman orientation introduces 9th graders to online and print resources, with reader’s advisories and instruction on access to all reading formats. Collaboration with the public youth librarian expands those resources to the vast collection of YA literature and programming available in the public library in preparation for college level information skills. Understanding their digital footprint and how to apply security measures for online safety and privacy is also covered.