Library & Technology
Integrating Libraries and Technology to Promote Student-Centered Learning
At Friends School, nurturing a love of reading and literature is paramount to our work. Our librarians and technology educators work in tandem to integrate into the curriculum a variety of skills — from information literacy and research techniques to coding and programming, digital literacy, and digital citizenship — that promote active, student-centered learning. We believe that cultivating this level of expertise in our students is critically important to prepare them for the many challenges that college and the real world will present.
Our divisional libraries serve as a “learning commons” for students of all ages, offering space and opportunities for group work, project-based learning, and time spent enjoying books. Our librarians and technology educators are teachers first and serve as collaborative partners with our faculty. Together they guide students to find new ways of demonstrating knowledge, conducting research, and exploring their passions through authentic learning that reinforces traditional skills and concepts.
Visiting Authors
The goal of the Friends Visiting Author program is to help students make connections with great writing and illustrating, as well as the people behind the work that goes into producing books.
Lower School
The library encourages students to love reading and to become more than simply content consumers. Students use technology to archive their learning portfolios, create content, make global connections, and become responsible digital citizens.
Middle School
The library contains more than 16,000 items, a robust digital library and devices for students to film, record, and edit. Librarians and tech educators work with teachers to guide students to develop media literacy and a deeper understanding of digital citizenship.
Upper School
Serving as a place for quiet study, collaborative group work, and research consultations; students are encouraged to use the library and its technology as a tool to enhance important skills — such as information literacy and critical-thinking.