Library Schedule & Hours

Monday - Thursday
6:30 am - 4:30 pm

Friday
6:30 am - 2:20 pm

The library will not be open on the first Wednesday of every month and occasional yearbook photo shoots.

Please do not disturb classes in session.

Back to School Night

Library Cards

For Students and Families: Nearly 100% of last year's students have been issued Boston Public Library (BPL) cards needed to check books out at both our Orchard Gardens Library (OG) and the BPL and neighborhood branches. Unless your child is new to Orchard Gardens or came late last year,  they were issued a library card. If they were issued a library card at another Boston Public School that card is still good at OG and the BPL.

Please make sure your child leaves their library card in a safe place. They do not need to bring the card to school to use the OG library.

Your child will need their library card to check out books at the BPL and neighborhood branches. Remember that the BPL charges fines for late books and DVDs.

If your child has LOST their library card, please send a short note and I will make one replacement card for free.

Students new to Orchard Gardens will receive a library application over the next few weeks. If you receive the form and your child already has a BPL Card please write the number on the form and return it.

Exciting Update: All OG 6th, 7th and 8th Graders now have their library cards as part of their T-Pass and Lunch Card - it's the ONE CARD!

For OG Staff and Partners: All staff and partners must have a BPL Card to check out books from the Orchard Gardens Library. If you do not have a library card I will be happy to make one for you. Visit me after school and get your card!

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Buy me here!

As emerging readers I help our students learn to THINK and IMAGINE as we read our stories. Thinking is quiet and we can do it with our eyes open and closed! What we think is ours and no one can tell you what to think or how to think. When you think you can think about real things or imaginary things. When we read, we think about the story and the words in the story. GREAT readers can make pictures in their minds of what we read and all of my students are GREAT readers in training.
Harold and the Purple Crayon is a perfect introductory book to illustrate thinking and imagining. Prior to reading the story we discuss the words "think" and "imagine." We then read the story aloud followed by watching the animated version. After reading and viewing we share either orally or with a purple crayon on paper where we would go with our own purple crayon. This year Jayden took a voyage on a submarine, Patrick was an astronaut going to space and Evilene took her mom to the park.

Welcome Back!

It has been a terrific start to the school year. I LOVE seeing how much everyone has grown over the summer and meeting many new OG students. I also LOVE seeing how many people's names I can remember.  But even Ms. M sometimes needs a little help with names and that's why we play The Name Game to welcome everyone to Library Media. It's silly, it's fun and underscores the importance I place in students and teachers calling each other by their names. We show respect and caring when we remember each other's names. In our school this is an enormous challenge because there are so many of us - but we CAN DO IT! Watch Shirley Ellis rhyme with ease and play this game at your next family gathering - it's fun with a purpose. I've also provided the words so you can follow along!

Orchard Gardens Welcome Back B-B-Q

Join us! 

Back to School B-B-Q! 

Meet teachers, enjoy some food and order uniforms!

Wednesday, August 31st

2-4 pm

Free Ebooks on Open eBooks

Download the App here. If your child attends a Title I school, the school librarian, reading teacher or even principal may have the access code. This is a great free resource, but you will need the access code for your child's school.