Library and Technology
Purpose
The purpose and objectives of the library reflect, support and implement the purposes and objectives of the school. Its primary mission is to function as an intellectual force in providing leadership in stimulating and enriching the educational climate and giving at the same time support in researching resources and services which are essential to the educational program. St. Sebastian's is committed to the integration and effective use of current and future technology to further the mission of the school. To accomplish these goals, the school librarians and technology coordinator work with the headmaster, deans, department heads, teachers, students, and parents to assess needs and determine the course by which the advancement of the school's mission may be aided via technology.
Resources
The librarians work closely with classroom teachers in selecting books, establishing reserve collections, planning visits by entire classes, introducing research skills and resources and evaluating the results, providing research assistance to individual students and small groups on a wide range of topics. The St. Sebastian's Library has an on-line catalog and circulation system, allowing students and faculty immediate access to the Library resources, while at the same time helping them acquire the skills necessary for computer-assisted research. The print collection is particularly strong in reference books and encyclopedias, and monographs in fiction, classical languages, religion and arts. From the Library, through the Internet, students have access to a multitude of information which is useful to the students in general in completing their projects, writing term papers and in particular to the Debate Team in preparation for meetings with students of other New England schools.
Gale Group - Students and faculty can use the U.S. World databases, with access to primary sources and reference materials. Included in these resources are full-text articles from academic journals and periodicals.
Evaluating a Web Page - This link will give students criteria that should be used to determine whether a source found on the web is credible.
Bartleby Online - This site publishes the classics of literature, nonfiction, and reference free of charge for the home, classroom, and desktop. Among its many search options, Bartleby.com allows for searching the Bible, a dictionary, a thesaurus, and famous quotations.
Online Newspapers Collection - From the United State to Egypt, from Ireland to India, this collection provides access to newspapers around the globe.
Project Gutenberg - This venture, begun in 1971, strives to provide access to free electronic texts. From Vergil to the Gettysburg Address to Twain, the project is a repository for works searchable by author or title. Of particular note in the collection are presidential State of the Union addresses.