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We would love to welcome you and your class to the Library. All our Class Visit options are free of charge and designed to help support your students’ learning. Everyone one who lives, works, or studies in St. Catharines can get a SCPL card, and we will provide cards to every student. All Class Visits can be modified to be:

Virtual: via Teams or Zoom

In our library: you bring your class on a field trip to any of our 4 branches

At your school: a Librarian will come to you and present in your classroom or at an assembly

In Library visits can include a tour of the location and browsing/borrowing time. 

 

Elementary School Modules

Welcome to the Library! (Grades K – 8)

Students will learn the basics of using a public library with fun activities and a behind the scenes look at how the Library works.

Preschool, K-1, topics include:

  • An interactive storytime about libraries, books, and reading
  • What is a library and what can people borrow?
  • How we treat the books we borrow and use a library card
  • If visit is on-site, a tour of the library or children's area

Grades 2-8, topics include:

  • An introduction to SCPL locations
  • The difference between Fiction and Non-Fiction
  • What you can borrow from the Library besides books
  • How to use your new library card
  • If visit is on-site, a tour of the library and/or a scavenger hunt activity

Overall goal: Students feel comfortable and excited about using their library

 

Get Excited About Reading! (Grades 1 – 8)

Here at the Library, we are on a mission to help everyone develop a lifelong love of reading!

Grades 1-3, topics include:

  • A short fill-in-the-blanks story game
  • Fun book talks on new items in the library targeted towards the age group of your class
  • A short tutorial of how to access those items with your library card

Grades 4-8, topics include:

  • Fun book talks on new or classic items in the library targeted towards the age group of your class
  • A short tutorial of how to access those items with your library card
  • A short tutorial and exploration of the Novelist database to encourage you to find readalikes to favourites

Overall goal: Students are knowledgeable about new books, and motivated to read more books.

 

Be a Research Wizard! (Grades 3 – 8)

The Library is the perfect place to go when you have questions that need answering or research to complete. In this workshop, students will learn what resources the Library offers, and how to use them. Optional: Teachers can request a focus on a topic that reflects what you are learning about in class.

Grades 3-4, topics include:

  • An overview of the Dewey Decimal system and how non-fiction books are organized
  • An introduction to searching the catalogue for non-fiction titles and subjects, including a catalogue searching activity

Grades 5-8, topics include:

  • Exploring the parts of a book, including table of contents and index, to find information
  • Using the library catalogue to search non-fiction subjects and keywords
  • Optional: using the catalogue advanced search
  • Linked activity: catalogue searching activity or a non-fiction scavenger hunt

Overall goal: Students understand what resources to use in different circumstances, and they have the basic skills to access information using Library resources.

 

Summer Reading Club Bonanza (Grades K – 8, May – June)

Every year the Library offers an exciting Summer Reading Club program designed to get kids excited about reading over the summer break.

This visit includes:

  • Information about how the Summer Reading Club works
  • Showcase of the amazing prizes they could win
  • Book talks on new items
  • Promotion of our fun lineup of Summer library events

Overall goal: Students know how to participate in Summer Reading Club, and have an increased reading rate over the summer break

 

Recurring Library Field Trips (Grades K – 8)

Make the Library a regular fixture in the lives of your students. We can work with you to design a customized monthly class visit experience which can include a new activity each visit and browsing/borrowing time for the students. This is a popular option for schools that are located within walking distance of a SCPL location.

This visit is highly customizable, and can include:

  • Storytime and/or book talks
  • Library tours
  • Catalogue and digital resource tutorials
  • Library-related activities such as scavenger hunts and personality quizzes
  • Staff present to help students pick items they love

Overall goal: Students are reading more, and are completely comfortable using their library.

 

 

High School Modules

Introduction to the Library

Learn the basics of what SCPL has to offer the community, including an overview of popular items and a tour.

Topics include:

  • What you can borrow from the Library besides books
  • How to use your new library card and a demonstration on how to use the library catalogue
  • Optional: overview of upcoming events and recommended reads
  • On-site tour of the library

Overall goal: Students feel comfortable and excited about using their library.

Reader's Advisory: Get Excited About Reading

The Library purchases hundreds of new items every week. In this dynamic presentation we will tell your students about new and popular books to appeal to different reading interests.

Topics include:

  • Book talks on new and appealing titles
  • An overview of fiction genres that may appeal to teens
  • A short demonstration of Novelist database to find readalikes
  • Optional: a demonstration of CloudLibrary or Hoopla to find digital items
  • Optional linked activity: Reader's Advisory Personality Quiz

Overall goal: Students are excited to read the new books that they've selected.

Research Basics

The Library offers several tools to help students with their research needs. In this workshop, students will learn what resources the Library offers, and how to use them. Optional: Teachers can request a focus on a topic that reflects what you are learning about in class.

Topics include:

  • An overview of the library’s digital resources
  • Best practices for searching a database
  • Advanced search tricks (Boolean Search Logic, Keywords vs Subjects, searching shortcuts)
  • Linked activity: Database Race searching

Overall goal: Students understand what resources to use in different circumstances, and they have the basic skills to access information using Library resources.

Information Literacy Workshop: Assessing Information Sources

We live in the Information Age, and it can be difficult to decipher what is true and what is fake. This workshop challenges students to think critically about the information they consume, and teaches techniques for assessing news sources.

This visit includes:

  • An overview of modern information literacy challenges
  • Tips for identifying reliable information
  • Linked activity: Fake News Challenge: can students use their new skills to identify which news story is from a satirical news source vs a real news source?

Overall goal: Students understand that we live in a complex information driven world, and can apply information literacy skills to identify credible new sources.

Digital Collections & Online Resources

The Library offers many different Online Resources, besides traditional research databases. This workshop will showcase which online resources we offer, and how they can be used to improve student’s lives.

This visit includes:

  • A presentation and demonstration highlighting some of our non-traditional online resources (CloudLibrary, Hoopla, LinkedIn Learning, and more - we're happy to tailor selections to class needs)

Overall goal: Students have a comprehensive knowledge of the Library’s digital resources, and are excited to use them.

Recurring Library Field Trips

Make the Library a regular fixture in the lives of your students. We can work with you to design a customized monthly class visit experience which can include a new activity each visit and browsing/borrowing time for the students. This is a popular option for schools that are located within walking distance of a SCPL location.

This visit is highly customizable, and can include:

  • Library tours
  • Resource tutorials
  • Book talks to promote new items
  • Staff present to help students pick items they love

Overall goal: Students are reading more, and are completely comfortable using their library.

Book your class visit now:

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone: 905-688-6103

 

Educator Memberships

Educator memberships are available to educators currently working or living in St. Catharines. This includes Kindergarten to Grade 12 classroom teachers in public and private schools and licenced daycare employees. The membership allows educators to borrow library items for an extended period. Name identification and address verification as per Adult Card Registration and proof of educator status is required. Please call 905-688-6103 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

 

Community Groups and Organizations

Groups wishing to visit the Library are encouraged to arrange a session with a Librarian. Your visit can be customized to meet the unique needs of your group or organization. Visits may include a guided tour of the facility, catalogue/database training, research assistance and much more. Please call 905-688-6103 for more information or to book a visit.