Orchard School (PreK-Grade 5)

The library has many stuffed book characters. As you enter, looking up, you'll see this: 

Here's the front of the Circulation Desk.

Graphic texts are of HUGE interest at Orchard School. The graphic novel section is under the teddy bear with lots of characters from these type of books.

Looking to the right as you enter the library is the Fiction Section.

The Harry Potter books have a special section above the Fiction series.

The Fiction area has been organized by genre with color-coded labels for Action Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Sports. 

The 500 section is in its own alcove with two library pets on each side. See below for pictures of these unique pets. 

Throughout the library there are artifacts to help guide our youngest learners to various topics. For example, the paper skeleton indicates books on the human body or the owl poster indicates animal books.

In the back of the library, classes in kindergarten through third grade are read to on these "story steps." 

Here's a closer view of the top of the story step tree.  Book characters are "reading" their books!

Some Caldecott winning books are located next to the Story Steps. 

Books with a New England focus are in their own section of Orchard's library.

There is a weaving and a Picasso reproduction over the arts section. A book character arch separates non-fiction books from the "E" for "Everybody" section.

Here's the beginning of the Everybody picture book section.  Over the years, many parents have donated stuffed book characters to add to the collection.  Many are hanging on the arch in the picture to the left.

"Bin Books" are popular with our youngest learners. The bins are sorted by type of books.

Here's another location for "Bin Books."

Any yet another section for "Bin Books."

Some cozy rocking chairs are available for enjoying books with a friend.

The Everybody Section has a bench for enjoying a picture book. 

Another bench area.

There is a makerspace tucked away in the corner of the library. It includes a LEGO Wall and loads of storage for littleBits, K'nex, MakeyMakey, Sphero, Snap Circuits, Arduino and much, much more. On the doors of the cabinets is the AASL motto of "Think, Create, Share, Grow."

A puppet theater is available for shows or just a quiet work space. A LEGO wall is in front of the space This picture was taken at the beginning of the school year before much LEGO work had begun. 

Thanks to Code.org for funding so many amazing tech tools, including a fabulous 3D printer in the makerspace. Orchard School was chosen as the Vermont recipient of $10,000 for coding with every class in the school in 2014.

Check out the Makerspace Library with LEGO identifiers!

The LMC classroom is a great space for instruction and presentations.  It is equipped with a SMARTboard with ceiling-mounted projection.  Most LMC classes begin here and then students proceed to their own computers. 

Since Orchard School is a wireless environment, this cart of laptops comes in handy.  Students in grades 2-5 each have a Chromebook assigned to them. 

A Chromebook cart with 20 devices is available in Orchard's library. Students in grades 2 - 5 have their own Chromebooks in their classrooms. 

Taracula is a Chilean Rose- Haired Tarantula and it has lived in the Orchard School Library for about fourteen years. Since Taracula first came to us on Halloween, a student decided to give it a name combining the words "tarantula" and "Dracula."

Orchard's library is also home for many Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. In the fall of 2017, only three were added as library pets. There are now over thirty! 

There are also two aquariums in Orchard School's library. The one to the right has tropical fish. The second aquarium has a very large goldfish and even frogs that came to our library as eggs in 2011!