Media Center Guidelines

The O'Keefe Media Center offers a full range of information resources and services that support the curriculum and the mission and goals of the school. We encourage reading, viewing and listening in a climate conducive to learning. 

A pass from your teacher is needed to come to the Media Center during class or you may sign out of your study period to come to the Media Center for quiet study. No food or drinks are allowed in the Media Center. 

Checking Out Books

You may borrow and renew as many books or magazines as needed, as long as they are not reserved or on hold for another patron. Materials are lent for three weeks at a time. Bring your selection to the front desk to be stamped and dated.

Overdue and Lost Items

You are expected to be responsible for all borrowed materials as if they were your own. Overdue notices will be sent to you through PlusPortals. There are no overdue fines however, students are responsible for the replacement cost of lost books.

Destiny Catalog

Destiny Catalogue is a search engine designed to engage students by helping them easily locate appropriate library materials that meet their classroom needs and personal interests. Please visit  http://library.sjcadets.org/  to go to the Destiny Catalog. The Destiny Catalog will be available to you on and off campus.

MLA @ SJ

MLA Format is the expected standard for all written assignments across subjects unless directed by the teacher to use APA or Chicago. The National English Honor Society under the direction of Mrs Broderick, formed an MLA committee. MLA @ SJ will be an ongoing manual for all students and teachers to use. Click here to view the MLA @ SJ Manual.

Acceptable Use Policy for Internet and Network Access

All students should read the acceptable use policy for internet and network access. Access the policy here. 

Academic Search Premier
A multi-disciplinary database of more than 4600 magazines and journals, including full text for nearly 3900 peer-reviewed titles. When accessing from home you will need your town library card #.

American Government 
Provides helpful content, study tools, and innovative ways of matching current events with enduring themes of American politics and public policy at all levels—from grassroots activism to the White House.

American History
Specially selected content on different eras, themes, and milestone events of American history—including articles, slideshows, videos, and more—provide valuable information for 500 years of American history.

Biography Reference Bank
Biographical articles and references, searchable by name, profession, place of origin, gender, race/ethnicity, and birth and death dates. When accessing from home you will need your town library card #.

Biography Reference Center 
A collection of full-text biographies on notable personalities from around the world, including actors, authors, and world leaders. When accessing from home you will need the bar code # on the back of your town library card.

Bloom's Literature
Covers reference essays and literary criticism examining the lives of great authors and their works throughout history. Also contains overviews, synopses and analyses, of thousands of works.

Classroom Video on Demand
Streaming video for high school classes with content spanning the core subject areas. Includes over 17,000 entries which can be used for research papers and projects.

Columbia Grangers World of Poetry Online
This database features full-text poetry (over 150,000 poems), biographies, commentaries, critical context, and a glossary. Use Granger's to complete a homework assignment, locate a poem only partially remembered, or discover other works by a favorite poet.

ConnecticutHistory
A variety of interesting articles about people, places and events from the state's past. Provided by the Connecticut Humanities Council.

Encyclopedia Britannica
Award-winning titles and content that is curriculum aligned and recommended by teachers and industry professionals.

Explora searches multiple magazine, newspaper, reference and database sources for curriculum relevant material for high school students.  When accessing from home you will need the bar code # on the back of your town library card.

Gale Virtual Reference Library
A database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.

Grove Art
Grove Art Online is the foremost scholarly art encyclopedia, covering both Western and non-Western art

Grove Music
The leading online resource for music research since its inception in 2001. Includes more than 50,000 signed articles and 30,000 biographies contributed by over 6,000 scholars from around the world, Grove Music Online is the unsurpassed authority on all aspects of music.

History Reference Center
This database features full text for more than 1,990 reference books, encyclopedias and non-fiction books from leading history publishers. When accessing from home you will needthe bar code # on the back of your town library card.

Issues and Controversies
Explore more than 800 hot topics in business, politics, government, education, and popular culture.

JSTOR
Multidisciplinary resource with full-text articles from scholarly and peer-reviewed journals.

Legal Information Reference Center
This database is a valuable resource for understanding the complex world of law and legal matters. When accessing from home you will need your town library card #.

Gale Literature Criticism contains an extensive compilation of literary commentary including  the scholarly and popular commentary from broadsheets, pamphlets, encyclopedias, books and periodicals.

Literature Resource Center
Full-text journal articles, literary criticism, reviews, biographical information, and overviews on over 130,000 writers in all disciplines, from all time periods and from around the world.

MagillOnLiterature Plus

Contains biographical essays of the 2,500 most studied authors. More than 8,500 writers of fiction, poetry, drama, and essays are featured. More than 400 comprehensive essays on specific literary genres, themes and settings round out the collection. Includes a cross-referenced glossary of 1,800 literary words and phrases.  When accessing from home you will need the bar code # on the back of your town library card.

MainFile
World's largest, multi-subject full-text database.Provides coverage for more than 4,300 full-text magazines and journals and nearly 250 full-text newspapers and newswires. This databases also includes over 2,900 full-text reference books and encyclopedias. When accessing from home you will need the bar code # on the back of your town library card.

MasterClass 

Provides online classes taught by experts in their field. Categories include sports and games, music and entertainment, film and TV, writing, culinary arts and more.

Medline Plus
Health information from the National Library of Medicine. Easy access to health topics, medical dictionaries, directories and publications.

UConn Health Sciences Library

Research service for Connecticut residents with medical questions.

Health Source: Consumer Edition

Database contains full-text consumer health magazines and reference books, including searchable full text for current health pamphlets. Covers a wide variety of subjects, including information on specific diseases as well as overall health topics.

Modern World History

Modern World History offers a comprehensive look at world history from the mid-15th century to the present. Thousands of subject entries, biographies, images, videos and slideshows, maps and graphs, primary sources, and timelines combine to provide a detailed and comparative view of the people, places, events, and ideas that have defined modern world history.

Online Magazines
Popular magazines such as People, Consumer Reports, Time, Wired and more. When accessing from home you will need the bar code # on the back of your town library card.

Online Newspapers
Includes Christian Science Monitor; Hartford Courant; New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and more. When accessing from home you will need the bar code # on the back of your town library card.

Oxford Biblical Studies
A comprehensive resource for the study of the Bible and biblical history.

Find information in journals, reference sources and magazines. Search local libraries for books, videos, etc. Search the statewide library catalog and request materials through inter-library loan using requestIT CT.

When accessing from home you will need the bar code # on the back of your town library card.

Salem Press
Search Countries: Their Wars and Conflicts and other social studies reference books.

Science Reference Center
Earth science, life science, technology, health and other popular topics discussed by today's science researchers. When accessing from home you will need the bar code # on the back of your town library card.

SIRS Researcher
Helps students make sense of the world by offering relevant, credible resources aligned to standards that tell the whole story on the major issues of the day. It features thousands of relevant full-text articles and analysis on today’s hottest and most controversial social, scientific, health, historic, economic, political, and global issues.

World News Digest
World News Digest brings together and enhances nearly seven decades of news from the renowned Facts On File World News Digest in print.

World Religions Online
World Religions Online features specially selected content on 15 of the world's religions and traditional spiritual practices, quickly guiding users to information on important topics, spiritual leaders, sacred texts, and holy days, festivals and more