All McEachern Media Center policies are modeled after Cobb County Board Policies, specifically the following Board Administrative Rules: Inventories: Property Control (DID), District Property Replacement/Restitution (ECAD), and Media Programs and Supplementary Materials Selection (IJK)
Facilities policies specifically written for the local media center are as follows:
Campus-wide: McEachern's Media Center provides a variety of services for students an teachers. Media Specialists and staff assist students in locating and using print, non-print, computer-based, and internet resources. A quiet atmosphere conducive to individual research is maintained in the center. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
Students... must have a pass in their student handbook signed by a teacher to use the Media Center during the day, except during lunches. Passes are not necessary before and after school hours.
Teachers... must sign up classes in the media center class notebook (located in the MC main office). We have a total of 35 student computers and can accomodate 2 classes per period. Please limit the number of visits by one class to no more than 2 consecutive visits for initial research. The number of classes using the Media Center will be limited based on the type of resources needed for effective research by the students. Substitute teachers may NOT bring classes to the Media Center. Please make other arrangements if you are scheduled for the Media Center and require a substitute.
Students... may have limited use of the computers. Internet access is subject to parental/guardian approval. Students must have current AUP (Authorized Use Policy) form on file in the Media Center. Internet access is provided for use in researching educational topics for the completion of assigned class projects. Misuse of the internet will result in loss of authorization for use. Personal use is subject to need for assigned class work. Students whose teachers have signed up for classes for research will have first rights to the computers.
Teachers... may check out any materials (some materials/equipment are an exception) for use in their classroom for as long as they are needed or until requested by another teacher. Teachers are responsible for all materials checked out.
Students... must provide their own supplies for personal and school use. Media Center budget restrictions do not permit the issuance of items such as glue, colored pencils, construction paper, highlighters, Kleenex, etc.
Teachers... may use supplies such as bulletin board paper, border, die-cut letters/design plates and some construction paper located in the Work Room for decorating classrooms. These supplies are not intended for individual student projects.
Students... may check out materials for a period of 3 weeks. A student ID card is mandatory for checking out materials. Reference materials are for use in the Media Center only. Students may have 3 items checked out at any given time. Students who do not return materials on time will be contacted through their advisors. After a time the material will be considered lost, and the student must pay for the material. Failure to pay for lost materials can result in loss of parking spaces, no report cards, and/or no textbooks issued the following semester.. until obligations are cleared with the Media staff.
Teachers... may check out equipment for a maximum of 2 weeks. Such equipment includes DVD players, cameras, projectors, and other limited equipment. TVs, VCRs, and overhead projectors may be checked out for the school year. The laminator, die-cut machine, poster maker, and copy machine are available for teacher use anytime during normal hours.
Students... must be considerate of other working in the Media Center. Administrative disciplinary action will be taken for inappropriate behavior in the Media Center, misuse or damage of materials, and ANY setting off of the security check point system upon leaving the center.
Teachers... can request materials to be ordered. A consideration file is kept for ordering materials by individual teachers and orders are placed as funds are available and the need assessed. When requesting orders, please keep in mind consideration must be made as to the benefit to ALL students. Requests can be dropped in our mailbox or made via email.
Teachers... have access to a Teacher Resource Center. It offers 2 networked computers with attached printers (1 color), a combination TV/VCR for previewing tapes, comfortable chairs, tables for working, a copier, and a professional collection of materials available for checkout. A phone with privacy is available in the Work Room.
The Media Specialists... are happy to collaborate on lessons involving media center resources. Plan to meet with them a couple of days before bringing classes in order to prepare.
The floor plan changes are indicated in the text boxes, with the exception of the periodicals. The half-glass, half-counter wall separating the main office from the student areas is a physical and unconscious barrier to students and faculty alike. The media specialists liked the idea of taking the glass out, thus eliminating the doorway and the illusion of total enclosure.
There has been mention of the Fire Marshall disapproving of the turnstiles at the entrance and exit points of the media center. They require a narrow passageway that would hinder a quick escape in the event of a fire. The new plan calls for removal of the turnstiles and the addition of 4 new Security gates (there are no gates wide enough for each passageway to be able to use just one on each side), 2 on each side of the Circulation Desk. Click here for some security system options.
The media specialists are unhappy with the current location of the Die Cut Room. They feel it was randomly placed; it just sort of sticks out right in the middle of the wall and causes site line issues in the corner to the left. The solution is to knock out the walls and extend the counter all the way to the wall. The Die Cut Room would then become the Die Cut Area replacing the storage area near the faculty bathroom. The center and back wall shelves would be removed and a counter with cabinets put in on the back wall. Click here for counter options.
Students have had concerns over the height of the computer tables in the student computer area. The table area is not very tall to begin with, add a pull-out keyboard tray, and it becomes awkward for larger body-size and tall students. Click here for better table solutions.
Last, but not least, the carpet was a negative issue with everyone! It is old and really just needs to be replaced, instead of just cleaned! Click here for carpet ideas.
Over 70 students and faculty were surveyed about the good and the bad aspects of the media center facility.THE GOOD:
The faculty: the abundance of supplies and machines, especially the poster maker and laminator; the full class set of computers all in one area; the large student areas for full classes; the availability of the media specialists; the housing of the Technology Department in the media center; the murals; the small tables (too many students at one table = trouble)
The students: the large and varied collection of books; the lack of overdue fines; the availability of computers at any time during the day; the availability of the media specialists; not having to pay for black and white copies or printouts; the murals; the access to the media center during lunches without a pass; comfy easy chairs near the windows for relaxing reading
THE BAD:
The faculty: some limited sight issues from parts of the media center; lack of lighting the further you get from the windows in the back; poor quality carpet; entrance/exit area awkward; security detector too small; Die Cut room in awkward location (random placement causing limited sight lines)
The students: computer tables are too short, the pull-out keyboard trays are too low for larger students and/or taller students; lack of lighting near the front of facility; lack of student bathrooms; necessity of ID to check out books; turnstiles to get in and out
Welcome to the Media Center! Note the entrance and exit turnstiles. The entrance side has a gate for handicap accessibility and large equipment. The exit is equipped with a security detector.
This is the student computer area. There are currently 29 computers in this one area. Each table holds 2 computers with pull-out trays for the keyboards. The media specialists are expecting the addition of 4 more computers sometime this semester. The media center also has its own technology cart with 13 laptop computers. This allows more than two classes to use the computers at the same time! 
On the opposite side of the media center from the computers are 5 half shelves and tall shelves along the walls for the book collection. There is also a pyramid shelf for the periodicals. 
This is a view of the same stacks from the front of the media center. Notice each half-shelf has a computer and a stool at the end. These computers, plus two more in the central student area, are for student access at any time during the day. Students in the facility with a class may not use these. The front computer is the only computer in the school that has a floppy disk drive (a sign of the times!).
The central student area. There are 18 4-person tables down the middle of the media center. This view is from the entrance to the circulation desk. This area is used for classes and small-scale faculty meetings such as 2-3 departments grouping together for an inservice. It is also used after school for various club meetings such as Student Council, Reading Bowl, and Becca's Closet. Notice the lovely Books with Bite display for Teen Read Week! The wonderful parapro created this for the students!
A view of the central student area from the back of the media center. It is sectioned off from the side areas by 4 half-shelves and 6 support poles. 
This is a work area right outside the Die Cut room. Students (with media specialist supervision and teachers have access to this area. It contains 2 computers with a scanner and the poster maker. Notice the electric typewriter? The media center must be part museum, too! It should be put on top of the old card catalog!
Another view from the circulation desk. This is another student area. It is to the right of the Die Cut room. It is enclosed by a half counter. There is a copier and an electric hole punch and pencil sharpener for student use. In the back corner of the area is access to an open storage area and a faculty bathroom.
This is a storage area to the right of the Die Cut Room. At the moment it stores old magazines and volumes used by History classes. There is a faculty bathroom on the right. The suspended TV/VCR faces out into a student area with about 8 4-person tables. The Special Education teachers use this area to read tests on occasion.
A view of the Die Cut room. This room contains a huge assortment of die cuts, all the bulletin board border you could want, and a telephone for private parent phone calls. 
A favorite teacher workroom area! This room contains a copier, 2 computers, teacher resource books, the school video collection, easy chairs, and a TV. Who wouldn't like this place? The Special Education department uses this space, too, to read tests.
This is the entrance to the Media Production room. Access is through the main office. Up until this year, this is where the school news show was produced. The program was canceled because the teacher, who had been teaching this class for 20+ years, was considered unqualified because she does not have a degree in Media. This room is now just an English classroom. There is a divider to the left inside the classroom. It is currently in use, and there is another English classroom on the other side.
The main office from the doorway. 
A view of the main office from the front of the circulation desk. Note the wall enclosing the office- half wall, half sliding glass windows.
A view of the main office area. The office contains individual offices for the media specialists, a copier, a laminator, a large paper cutter, storage cabinets, a sink, a work table, and access to the TV Distribution room, 2 storage rooms, and the Media Production room/classroom.
This is the TV Distribution room. It is housed off the main office area. This is where the school channels 4&5 are maintained and operated. Announcements, lunch and breakfast menus, class officer campaign speeches, PTA news, etc. are scrolled or run through the stations. 
The brains of the school: THE SERVERS! The lighting is even worse in here.
The Technology Office is located in the far left corner of the Media Center. It currently houses the server closet and 3 full-time staff. Students come here for log-in problems. Teachers come here for laptop issues, log-in problems, computer lab sign-up, etc. 
THE MEDIA CENTER...
Welcome to
