Hempfield School District has a robust library program that serves all high school students, pre-school students and the entire staff. In such an information-rich environment, being able to read and think critically is vital to effective participation in society. Thus, the High School Library program reinforces the need for instruction in critical thinking and evaluation of information and media in a variety of formats. These are essential teaching areas for the school library and ensure that our learners are life, career, and college-ready.

The High School program impacts students and staff by:

• Providing diverse books and digital resources that support both academic learning and personal growth to meet the needs of all students, pre-school - 12th grade.
• Embedding a range of literacy instruction across all content areas with skills transferable to authentic learning. Instruction focuses on information literacy, digital literacy, media literacy, news literacy, research and digital citizenship.
• Providing an opportunity where students can build, design, code and invent as well as an extracurricular gaming club.
• Creating a dynamic and flexible space for students to collaborate and explore personal and academic interests in a welcoming and safe environment.
• Maintains open access of the library driven by learners’ needs including continuous access throughout the school day and additional access beyond the school day.

Course Offerings

See the course selection guide for detailed descriptions of each course.

• Research Pathways I
• Research Pathways II

“The Guidelines for Pennsylvania School Library Programs begin with eight indicators of an effective school library program, and expand on these to provide goals, guidelines, and resources appropriate to Pennsylvania schools. The Guidelines complement the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries published by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL, 2018), providing a model of excellence for Pennsylvania school library programs.”

Research studies provide strong evidence that academic achievement is significantly higher in schools where a strong library program exists. The best measure of the effectiveness of a school library program is the extent of its impact on learning. 

Guidelines for Pennsylvania School Library Programs, PDE, 2019.