What makes an IB library?

I couldn't agree more with the author, Stuart Crouch's, view on inquiry based learning and collaboration in between IB Librarians and teachers. I am glad to notice that I am on the way as I teach in collaboration at PYP and MYP level. As Stuart writes "The increased role of approaches to learning skills, such as information literacy and media literacy in our curricula, have meant that librarians are in demand like never before." 

I have had great collaborative classes with our MYP Science, Humanities, English and Music teachers. Connecting learning skills to the actual classroom experiences makes the benefits of acquiring and applying these clear for the students. And librarians can help out with developing other skills as well. Talk about organization in the library context. It's all about it. Our year 5, grade 10, students are about to complete their Personal projects, an engagement I as the Coordinator have guided, pushed and pulled them through.

Bits and pieces have happened with DP students as well. Mostly introducing the quality scholarly resources in and outside our library for their Extended Essay and TOK papers. Also, library being a place to crash at for studying and/or relaxing:) 


Some latest collaborative activities include PYP grade 3 innovation unit and exploring e-books, PYP literature circles, MYP information literacy classes on search techniques, plagiarism and citations workshops, and DP visit to the Tallinn University Academic library.

ISE IB Collaborative activities

Thanks for the great insight! I still have a leg of a journey ahead but I know where I want to get to. 

Read the full article How do you build your library to support inquiry-led learning? by Stuart Crouch.

ISE Library - Your source of information

Did you know that ISE Library holds one of the biggest English language collections for young readers in Tallinn? The library has ~10,000 printed volumes on hand in addition to audio books, films and subscription databases.  Our print collection has classics and contemporary children’s and young adult fiction including award winners from Newbery, Caldecott, Carnegie, ALA Young Adult, Graphic Novel etc. award lists. We have a thorough supplementary non-fiction collection for PYP units of inquiry and upper school research projects.

ISE believes in supplying accuracy, objectivity, and reliability in research materials for both children and adults. Our carefully selected subscription databases, The World Book, Encyclopedia Britannica and EBSCOhost, are among the industry leaders of award-winning encyclopedias, reference sources, and digital products for the home and schools.

Currently ISE is looking into expanding its small but popular e-book collection.

The qualified library staff is an integral part of the teaching team, delivering the Library/Information studies courses and the school literacy programs, coordinating curriculum support and managing resources.

A study by Debra E. Kachel and Keith Curry Lance (The School Library Journal March 2013) adds to the evidence that all K–12 students need and deserve quality school library programs with full-time certified staff. Students are more likely to succeed when they have library programs that are well staffed, well-funded, technologically well equipped, well stocked, and accessible. ISE Library meets the parameters of this research.

ISE library collection is available to the entire school community students, teachers and their families. I invite you to take the advantage of the wonderful resources ISE library offers. Come in the morning or after school and check it out!

The Enrollment Key

Take a look at the Estoodle Library Course and the resources available. Get the Enrollment key from your librarian, Ms. Kadri kadrit@ise.edu.ee or log in with your school account username and password.

Welcome to the library

ISE Library is situated on the second floor. It consists of an interesting maze of five rooms that contain:
Reading lounge
Reference and research area
Upper school area
Classroom and media area
Lower school area

In the ISE Library there are 11 computer workstations for students and teachers. All the library computers have access to the school intranet and the Internet. They can be used for working with CD ROMs, word processing programs, accessing online databases, and to search the ISE Online Catalog. Students and teachers can use the library’s laser printer. There are two permanent TV/VCR/DVD stations for library use and an additional portable TV/VCR/DVD for classroom use.

The librarian is actively engaged in connecting with the teachers; she is an integral part of the teaching team, coordinating curriculum support and managing resources. The librarian is guided by a written selection policy in selecting materials. The teaching staff is consulted for assistance in developing the collections in the area of their expertise.

The collections of the ISE Library are developed with the teaching program in mind. The ISE Library has approximately 9000-volumes on hand. Carefully selected library materials are a cumulative enrichment to the learning environment.

Reference and research materials are available to the entire school population. Reference and research skills are taught using resources such as Encyclopedia Britannica, World Book Encyclopedia, encyclopedias on various subjects (e.g. world cultures, artists, career development, literature, music/musicians, science and inventions, nature, geography and many more) and dictionaries and thesauruses at different levels and in different languages.
ISE library also subscribes for the Grolier Online and World Book databases and has access to a premier academic database EBSCOhost, supplied by the Estonian Ministry of Education. EBSCO is an excellent source for our IB Diploma students.

The fiction collection includes range of leisure reading, from teenage popular fiction to attractive editions of modern and older classics. Beautiful picture books are introduced and enjoyed during story time with our very youngest students.

Many popular periodicals in English, Estonian and French are available for students in the Reading lounge e.g. Time, Twist, Seventeen, National Geographic Kids, Phosphore, Täheke, Hea Laps etc.

During the 2002/2003 school year ISE Library purchased the library automation system Mandarin M3 and automated the records to expand access to the collection and provide better record keeping.
ISE Online Catalog is accessible from the web.

ISE Library was fully renovated during the summer of 2007. The result is a modern facility with areas for younger and older students, as well as for quiet reading or individual learning.
The Library is open for students, parents and staff during the school day. There is also a schedule of weekly library classes. Teachers may book the library for class research or instruction. Students can use library individually, before and after school and during the breaks for homework and studying.

You are welcome to find out more about ISE library by visiting the Library course at the Estoodle site.
And, of course, you are all welcome drop in to the library any time.