Library’s Mission

The Discovery Middle School Library Media Center’s mission is to meet the research, academic, and recreational reading needs of our students. The media center provides over 17,200 fiction and nonfiction books for patron use. We also have thirty library computers for research using the Alabama Virtual Library. The computers are also used for a variety of other school related purposes, such as Power Point projects, Moodle, and our online card catalog, Athena. The Media Center is a focal point for an academic learning environment at DMS. Each of our language arts classes are assigned one period per week to be in the library for an emphasis on recreational reading, academic research, or skill development training. Teachers are also given the opportunity to bring their classes to the media center or send small groups of students on an as-needed basis.

Library Hours

Students are welcome in the library from 7:50 AM until 3:27 PM each school day. The library is open before school from 7:50 AM to 8:05 AM for those students wanting to return or check out books. The library closes when school is out at 3:27 PM. The library is generally reserved for various school functions or club meetings during the afternoon or evening hours, along with some weekends. 

Checkout Policy

Students may check out one nonfiction and one fiction book at a time for a period of two weeks. Students are allowed to renew books, but must have permission to renew a second time. If a student has an overdue or lost book, that book must be returned or paid for before the student can continue checking out additional books. Students are charged $.25 per day for late fines. These fines are charged for five school days per week—weekends are not included in accumulating fines. 

Books

Our collection of reference and circulating titles includes over 17,200 books. New books are purchased throughout the school year. Our reference and nonfiction books are purchased specifically to support our curriculum. 

Periodicals

The library subscribes to or receives free approximately 40 magazines and 3 newspapers. In addition, students may access full text articles from thousands of magazines and newspapers through the Alabama Virtual Library Internet site. 

Technology

The DMS library has three administrative computers, thirty student computers and two Athena search stations for student use. Athena computers are only used for searching our library Athena database system. The thirty computers in the library are used for Alabama Virtual Library research training, class research projects, and specific teacher directed activities. Surfing the Internet in the library is discouraged. The Madison City School System employs Internet software designed to block unwanted or questionable Internet sites. Those students exposed to the Internet are generally limited to a class assignment requiring the use of a specific Internet site.

Alabama Virtual Library (AVL)

The Alabama Virtual Library (AVL) is an Internet Research Based Subscription Service provided for by the state of Alabama for all Alabama residents. This site is funded yearly by the state legislature at a cost of approximately five million dollars per year and consists of over eighty commercial Internet databases, such as, Encyclopedias, Atlases, Almanacs, Literature searches, Periodical searches, etc. DMS students are issued AVL cards the first year they attend DMS. AVL cards are active for three years. Family members can obtain their own AVL card at any Alabama Public library. AVL usage is restricted to only the residents of the state of Alabama. The site is located at http://www.avl.lib.al.us/.

Parent Library Volunteers

The DMS library welcomes parents of DMS students to volunteer as library parent assistants. If you are interested in being a parent helper in the library please contact us. 

Helpful Links:

Alabama Virtual Library – You will need an AVL user name and password to access the AVL site. Students that do not have an AVL card or have lost their user name and password should contact Mrs. Harlow, Mrs. Jenkins, or Dr. Sanders in the DMS library.

Liberty Media Center Catalog Search – visit the Liberty collection.