118,503: Pages printed in the library 2010-11
110,917: Words we wrote for 2010 NaNoWriMo
2,020: % increase in book circulation since 2008
316: Pieces of art exhibited in the library 2010-11
164: Books featured on Library Picker 2010-11
27: Videos featured in "ON CAMERA: 2015"
1: Books about gnomes in the library collection
Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Tags:
events,
service
20-30 8th grade football players came to school a week early to participate in the team's service project in the Middle School Library. Students recorded, boxed, and moved nearly 5000 books in preparation for donating them to schools in need. Each student received four community service hours for their participation. CLICK HERE to see some photos.
MISSION
Messing Library works to foster and facilitate communication, collaboration, creativity, and community.
STAFF
Mr. Matthew Lundy DiGiulio (MICDS '97) | Middle School Librarian
Matt has a diverse set of experiences in almost two decades as part of the MICDS community, ranging from athletic championships and technology integration to innovative design concepts for curricula, web sites, and library facilities. Read more about him in this recent interview.
Mrs. Andrea Ostlund | Library Assistant
Andrea works in both the Middle School and the Lower School as a library assistant. She's also a manager of the Extended Day program for Beasley students. You're most likely to see her in Messing Library during the afternoons!
RESOURCES
Messing Library provides many resources to MICDS faculty, staff, students, and parents. The space itself has been used for classes, study halls, athletic team meetings, parent committee meetings, admissions events, dances, and MICDS family gatherings. Click here to learn about the history of Messing Library.
SPACE
> Messing Library: Main Room (capacity: up to 3 classes or 60 people)
> Messing Library: Reading Room (seating capacity: about 8 - 20 students)
BOOKS
> Fiction (Main Room): Arranged by genre (Short Stories, Historical Fiction, SciFi & Fantasy, Classics, Drama & Comedy, Action & Suspense)
> Grab & Go (Main Room): No checkout necessary for these paperbacks
> Reference & Biography (between Main & Reading Rooms)
> Non-Fiction/Stacks (Reading Room)
> Oversize (Reading Room)
SUBSCRIPTIONS
> Newspapers: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Suburban Journal, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal
> Magazines: Time, Newsweek, NYT UpFront, Sports Illustrated, Girl's Life, Crow Toes Quarterly, Teen Ink, GamePro, MICDS ClassNotes, MICDS Magazine
> Research Databases: About 40 online databases, including EBSCO, Gale, ABC-CLIO, CQ Researcher, JSTOR, SIRS, and Discovery Streaming. Visit our databases page for a full listing.
TECHNOLOGY
> 7 computer work stations
----- 5 wall stations for collaborative group work (Intel Mac Minis)
----- 2 library catalog terminals (iMacs)
> Wired & wireless networks supporting student tablet program
> 2 networked printers (MS-Messing-Student, MS-Messing-Faculty)
> 1 Xerox copier (no document feeder)
> 8 digital still/video capable cameras (Canon, SD memory)
> 22 digital video cameras & accessories (18 Flip, 4 miniDV Sony)
> 3 USB scanners (Canon)
> 2 USB CD/DVD drives
> 1 Promethean ActivBoard
> Wireless audio system
> 1 dual screen VHS/DVD viewing system
> Social networking presence on: Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Flickr, YouTube, & Delicious
The Wilma Jean Messing Library originally served the as the Mary Institute Upper School library during the second half of the 20th Century. According to the book Mary Institute: The Story of One Hundred Years, by Arthur Newell Chamberlin III (former MI History Department Chair)...
Following the successful Centennial Development Program of 1958, Mary began its second hundred years to the sounds of construction workers and their divers machines. The new wing was added to the main building, and the old gymnasium was thoroughly remodeled into an up-to-date science building. Additional library space was provided by the construction of the Wilma Jean Messing Memorial Library (in memory of Wilma Jean Messing, MI '62). An open shelf library with comfortable chairs and delightful decor, the Messing Memorial has more than 11,000 volumes. The old library was renovated and became the Barbara Cousland Memorial Room and has housed the the Middle School Library of approximately 4,000 volumes.
After the MI-CDS merger of 1992, the former Mary Institute campus became "South Campus" and home to the MICDS Middle School. Messing Library also began to serve the MICDS Middle School at this time under the direction of long-time CDS teacher and coach John Steward. Formally a Latin teacher, Mr. Steward became the School's new Senior Master and brought the library program into the internet age by continually learning and applying new techniques. Very much an advocate of the use of technology in the classroom, John was a great resource for many members of the faculty and also served as the School's archivist.
Upon John's retirement after more than four decades of service to CDS and MICDS, Matt DiGiulio (MICDS '97), a member of the History Department faculty since 2002, began the task of redesigning the Messing Library floor plan and program in the Summer of 2007. After more than a month of physical work on the library space, Messing Library opened it's doors in August 2007, prepared to serve the needs of teaching and learning in the MICDS community.
To get an idea of the changing nature of the middle school library, watch the short video "Change of Space" below.
project in the Middle School Library. Students recorded, boxed, and moved nearly 5000 books in preparation for donating them to schools in need. Each student received four community service hours for their participation. CLICK HERE to see some photos.
