 | The Richard Cardinal Cushing Library & Media Center maintains a collection of approximately 12,000 print volumes and 70 magazine subscriptions, with access to thousands more through its membership in the Massachusetts Library System. All resources are carefully selected with the interests of students, faculty and curriculum in mind. Books, periodicals and electronic resources are updated and augmented regularly to meet the ever-changing information needs of the CCHS Community. The library is fully staffed by experienced library personnel and faculty to assist students with homework assignments and research projects.
Hours:
Monday - Thursday, 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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Magazines, newspapers, journals, transcripts, photographs & reference sources- all available to CCHS students 24/7.
Logging into the Student Portal and going to the Library & Media Center Portal gives CCHS students access to countless information sources including:
For assistance with access, please contact the Library staff. |
Central Catholic Card Catalog | | | Q. | When can students use the library? | | A. | The library opens at 7:00 AM so that student have the opportunity to use the library before the start of homeroom (the official start to the school day).
During the school day, students who have obtained a library pass may come to the library during homeroom, during studies and during lunch periods. Teachers frequently book the library computer lab for whole class instruction for lessons using web-based research, course specific software such as Geometer's Sketchpad, general resources such as Comic Life, Photo Story or Prezi, and for completing class research and projects using a variety of word processing and presentation tools.
The library remains open after school until 6:00 PM, Monday - Thursday and until 3:00 PM on Fridays.
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| Q. | How do I find books in the library? | | A. | The CCHS Card Catalog is available to students 24/7 via Follett's Destiny Library Manger. Accessed via a web browser, Destiny Library Manager not only allows students to see what materials are present in our library holdings, but also points students towards other titles of similar interest either by author, subject or genre.
The non-fiction books in the CCHS Library are arranged according to the Dewey Decimal System. The non-fiction books are arranged in order from 001 to 999, beginning to your left as you enter the library. General Dewey Decimal headings include:
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000 Computers, information, & general reference
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500 Science |
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100 Philosophy & psychology
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600 Technology |
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200 Religion
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700 Arts & recreation |
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300 Social sciences
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800 Literature |
| 400 Language |
900 History & geography |
The fiction books are arranged alphabetically by author. New fiction titles are available throughout the year, and are often exhibited through special displays. |
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| Q. | What is a database and how is a database accessed? | | A. | A database is a collection of digital resources arranged for ease of use and retrieval. Databases typically contain periodicals (magazines and newspapers), reference sources, maps, multimedia (photographs, video, sound), podcasts and eBooks. Databases are different from the internet. Database resources are reviewed and edited for content in the same way a book is edited before being printed. Information is often more scholarly and reliable than in a simple internet search.
The CCHS Library offers a wide array of databases, accessible on any type of computer, anywhere there is an internet connection. Simply by going to the Library & Media Center Portal, students can access any of our databases to conduct research. or to complete homework assignments and projects. |
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| Q. | How are materials selected for the library? | | A. | The mission of the Central Catholic Library Materials Selection Policy is to:
- Support the academic, professional and personal needs of the high school community.
- Support and engage students at all academic levels and interests.
- Encourage, inspire and stimulate student interest and appreciation for reading and learning.
The Director of Library & Media Services serves on the Central Catholic Curriculum Committee in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the goals and objectives for each academic department. Materials and resources selected for the CCHS Library are based on the merit of the work and its relevance to the needs, interests and demands of the curriculum. The following criteria are used as a guide in the selection process for all materials:
- Contemporary significance or permanent value.
- Contribution to the curriculum and educational goals of the school.
- Relevance to the interests of students.
- Favorable reviews published in standard selection resources. Reviews published in professional, literary or general periodicals recognized for their expertise are often consulted as the basis of selection.
- Authority, reputation and significance of the author, and publisher.
- Contribution to the breadth and diversity of viewpoints.
Suggestions from faculty and students for the purchase of materials and resources are welcomed and are given consideration within the guidelines of the Materials Selection Policy. Gift materials are evaluated by the same selection criteria as purchased materials. |
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