Media Center

Hours: 7:15 AM-1:45 PM

Staff Email Access

To access your employee email from OUTSIDE the OCSD Network, please use the following link: https://email.okaloosa.k12.fl.us/

Online Reading Resources

Mission

The mission of the Bob Sikes Elementary School Media Center is to help teachers teach and students learn. Our goal is to help students become lifelong learners who read for information and for pleasure.

Borrowing Privileges

We encourage students and staff to use the many books and other resources available in the Media Center.

  1. Students may check out books and magazines from the Media Center, and staff may check out books, videos, DVDs, periodicals, teaching resources, and equipment.

  2. Students in kindergarten and first grade may check out one book.  Students in grades 2-5 may check out two books at a time.

  3. Library books are checked out to students for one week and can be renewed for an additional two weeks. 

  4. If a student has overdue materials, his or her borrowing privileges will be curtailed until the overdue materials are returned.  We do not charge overdue fines; however, any item that is lost or damaged must be paid for.

Interested in an Enjoyable and Fulfilling Volunteering Experience?

The Media Center offers a variety of opportunities for volunteering that fit a variety of interests and a variety of schedules.  If you volunteer in the library, you can check books in and out, help students find books, shelve books, decorate bulletin boards, assist with book fairs, mastermind fundraisers, and help with many other tasks and projects.  In the volunteer room, volunteers make copies for teachers, use die cuts to cut out letters and figures, laminate classroom materials, etc. 

Media Center volunteers set their own schedules.  Some of our volunteers are here for a few hours every day; several volunteer all day once or twice a week; and others come only in the morning or afternoon.  We also have drop-ins who come to the Media Center when they have a few minutes to pitch in.  Whatever your schedule is, we will be delighted to sign you up and put you to work! Click Volunteer Application for additional information on volunteering in the Media Center, where you will have the potential to assist every child and teacher at Bob Sikes Elementary School. 

Accelerated Reader and Book Selection

The Accelerated Reader Program is an online database of tests that are used to gauge a student’s reading comprehension of a book.  A student’s AR level is determined by the difficulty of text, so that a student can choose books that are challenging yet not frustrating.  Students are encouraged to read books on their level and then take a short quiz on a classroom or Media Center computer to test their comprehension.  Books in the Media Center are color-coded to make book selection easier for students. 

Through Bob Sikes Elementary School’s contract with Renaissance Learning, students have access of all of the tests that have been published by the Accelerated Reader program.  Therefore, in addition to library and classroom books, students may take tests on books that have been purchased or checked out from the public library.  Click Accelerated Reader Book Finder to identify a book’s AR reading level.

Links for Media Center

  • Accelerated Reader Books – Database of AR tests, searchable by titles, authors, subjects, and reading levels of books.                                                

  • Just Read Florida – Resources for parents, teachers, and students to encourage reading and improve comprehension. 

  • Kidsclick  – An annotated searchable (by subject, reading level and degree of picture content) directory of websites created for students by librarians.

  • City of Crestview - Robert L. F. Sikes Public Library – Crestview’s public library.

  • INFOTRAC - CENGAGE Learning
    It’s a great source for researching from home.  Students only need one of the City of Crestview Public Library cards to access it 24/7. 

  • Sunshine State Young Readers Award  – The SSYRA Program is a statewide reading
    motivation program for students in grades 3-8. Its purpose is to encourage students to read independently for personal satisfaction, based on interest rather than reading level.

READER'S OATH
I promise to read
Each day and each night.
I know it's the key
To growing up right.

I'll read to myself,
I'll read to a crowd.
It makes no difference
If silent or loud

I'll read at my desk,
At home and at school,
On my bean bag or bed,
By the fire or pool.

Each book that I read,
Puts smarts in my head,
'Cause brains grow more thoughts
The more they are fed.

So I take this oath
To make reading my way
Of feeding my brain

School-Based Media Center Collections

Library Access Consent