Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
Mrs. Muller, Librarian
Mrs. McCown, Librarian
Mrs. Dorn, Library Secretary
When may I come to the BWHS Library?
Students may come:
What is the Virtual Library?
The Virtual Library is a page on the Briar Woods High School Library Website. The library staff provides links to databases, pathfinders, citation information and other tools. This information can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To visit, go to the top of this page and click the link on the left.
Pathfinders are guides to library resources prepared by the librarians. They include materials physically located in the library and those available through electronic access. Some, but not all, of the electronic materials require passwords which may be obtained in the library. Please ask the librarians if you need help accessing any of the resources.
Pathfinders may be located by going to the top of this page and clicking the link on the left. Please note, Pathfinders are constantly being updated. Also, they are prepared for classes coming into the library. Pathfinders for assignments that have been completed, may have been taken down to allow for other content. Please ask if you need help.
Briar Woods students may borrow from other Loudoun County Public Schools using InterLibrary Loan (ILL). We also encourage students to borrow materials from the Loudoun County Public Library. Library Card Registration Forms are available in the BWHS library.
How do I borrow materials?
How many items may I check out at a time?
At Briar Woods you may check out as many as you want or need. At times, the number of materials you may check out on a subject may be limited so that all students may have access.
How long may I keep library materials?
The loan periods are as follows:
Books --- 14 days
Reference --- Overnight
Periodicals --- 7 days
Media --- 7 days
May I get library materials from other schools?
An InterLibrary Loan is a transaction that allows patrons to borrow materials from any of the Loudoun County school libraries. It takes about two to three school days for the items to arrive at Briar Woods. Any renewals of the borrowed InterLibrary items must be approved by the lending school library. InterLibrary Loan Forms may be found by the stand alone online catalogs (IPACs-Internet Public Access Catalogs) and at the circulation desk.
May I renew materials?
There are no limitations on renewals as long as other students have not requested the item. Renewals of materials from other schools need to be approved by the lending school library.
May I reserve materials?
If an item you need or want is checked out, you may reserve it at the Circulation Desk.
May I check out Audio-visual materials?
Students may check out audiovisual materials with teacher permission. This is to ensure that materials are available for classroom instructional use.
Is there anything I may not check out?
Equipment
Textbooks
Calculators
Is there a Library Copier?
However, color copies can be made by using the scanner and then printing the document.
There is a scanner attached to a computer in the last row.
May I use the computers in the BWHS library?
Computers and printers are reserved for school assignments. There are 14 desktop computers connected to the LAN (local area network) and the Internet.
Students may print their assignments in black & white or color as required by their teachers.
There are many online research subscription databases linked to the Briar Woods Library website. These include:
ABC-CLIO Schools, Britannica Online, CQ Researcher, EBSCO Host, e-Library, Grolier Online, InfoTrac, Issues & Controversies, netTrekker, NewsBank, Pop Culture Universe, TumbleReadables, and World Book Online.
The passwords cannot be posted on this site. Loudoun County Public Schools pays fees for access to the databases. For this reason, passwords are not available outside of the LCPS community.
Your library staff will be happy to help you.
Use the four stand alone IPACs (Internet Public Access Catalogs) in the library OR
Go to the top of this page and click on the BWHS Library Catalog link on the left side.
The materials in the BWHS library are organized according to the Dewey Decimal system. This is the same system that is used in the Loudoun County Public Library. The call number found through the catalog is the "address" of the material in the library. Non-Fiction, which includes our Reference section, is arranged by a number system where items are grouped by subject. Our Fiction has the letter "F" and is organized by the last name of the author. Signs in the library indicate the location of these collections. We also have Biography, Story Collection, "E" for our Pre-school students, and a Professional Collection for educators. In addition to our print, video, and audio collections, we have Electronic Books. These can be accessed remotely via computer with passwords from the library.
According to Loudoun County Public School Policy, “No late fees will be assessed for overdue materials.”
LCPS policy states, “Patrons will be charged for lost or damaged materials.” Students are charged for damaged or lost items. If lost items are found after they have been paid for, but before they have been replaced, a refund will be made.
Students and staff may not eat in the library. Water bottles are permitted; sodas, coffee, and other beverages are not allowed. A water fountain is available near the copy machine. This policy is enforced to prevent damage to materials and to avoid the attraction of rodents and insects.
What if I don’t return materials by the end of the year?
Deficiencies for lost or damaged books are written at the end of each school year. Students must clear their deficiencies before lockers and textbooks are issued the following school year. All deficiencies must be cleared before graduation.
graphic novels.
games and puzzles for students (our collection is building).
a statue of a faculty member. Guess who?
a website which provides 24/7 access to electronic books & other resources.
books that may be borrowed without checking them out.
The librarians will help students with their bibliographies.
The librarians and reading teacher sponsor Book Club, Battle of the Books, and Library Club.
