Learning Commons
What is a Learning Commons?
What is a Library Learning Commons? The concept of the library as a learning commons focuses on flexible, collaborative, and future-oriented practice in a place where everyone is a learner. “A learning commons is a whole school approach to building a participatory learning community. The library learning commons is the school's physical and virtual collaborative learning hub of the school.hub. It is designed to engineer and drive future-oriented learning and teaching throughout the entire school. Inquiry, project/problem-based learning experiences are designed as catalysts for intellectual engagement with information, ideas, thinking, and dialogue. Reading thrives, learning literacies and technology competencies evolve, and critical thinking, creativity, innovation and playing to learn are nourished. Everyone is a learner;learner everyone isand a teacher working collaboratively toward excellence.” Canadian Library Association, 2024
Mission
The mission of HCOS Learning Commons is to provide Christian community, Discipleship, Innovation and Literacy to all our patrons and staff. As the staff purchases their collection of digital and non-digital resources, they try to discern what meets the needs of all the HCS schools from a Christian and a curriculum perspective. They aim to provide accessible information retrieval and quality resources for all the school's educational needs. If a patron would like to request something at any time, they may contact Pippa, Cynthia or Shandra for their curriculum or media needs.
Families living in the Kelowna area are welcome tocan drop in and check out the resources. If they live out of town, resources are shipped to their home by courier. It is an honour to serve our families! Feel free to reach out to chat with us!
Staff
Our Learning Commons team comprises Pippa Davies, Cynthia Duncalfe, Shandra Wiebe, Margaret Basaraba, Kelly Wiebe, Justine Dehod, Raine Oddy, Rachael Rennie and Erin Duncan.
Virtual Commons
Pippa Davies, Cynthia Duncalfe, Margaret Basaraba, Rachael Rennie and Erin Duncan serve in the Virtual CommonsCommons.
- Mon 08:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Tue 08:00 AM - 4.00 PM
- Wed 08:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Thu 08:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Fri 08:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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Sat Closed
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Sun Closed
Our Learning Commons Director, Pippa Davies, provides library/inquiry training for students, staff, and parents. She may be contacted for queries relating to the eBook Virtual Library on SORA, purchasing materials for OverDrive or the Search Portal, newsletters, website queries, and any concerns regarding the materials in the Learning Commons.
Pippa is available from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday. Ph. 604.9080826 To sign up for a collaborative teaching time with her, email her at Pippa Davies or call her on Zoom.
Our curriculum consultant, Cynthia Duncalfe, consults with home-educating parents and HCOS teachers regarding a wide variety ofvarious curriculum resources. She is involved in curriculum correlating, the development of the HCOS Unit Study Kits, website development, OverDrive Virtual Library digital resource lists and theme pages, blogging, monthly Learning Commons newsletters, and various training webinars.
Cynthia is available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8 am - 4:00 pm. Email Cynthia Duncalfe.
Our subscriptions facilitator, Margaret Basaraba, is responsible for our subscription accounts and helps maintain the information on our website. For questions about how subscriptions work, accessing the Search Portal or general questions, please phone or email her; she’ll be happy togladly assist you.
Margaret works Monday through Thursday. 8:00 to 4:00 and can be contacted at (250) 402-8476 or by email at margaret.basaraba@onlineschool.ca
Our Unit Study Developer, Rachael Rennie, creates unit study kits for families at home. That means she spends her day reading great books, looking through terrific resources, and finding exciting learning activities for families to do together!
Rachael works three days a week teaching homeschoolers, writing kits and researching curriculum. She can be contacted at Ph. 1.250.240.4264 or by email at Rachael Rennie.
Our Assistant Librarian, Erin Duncan, oversees our student contests, advises students of upcoming events, answers Live Chat and enjoys archiving material in our weblinking library.
Erin works Monday to Friday, varying hours. She can be contacted by email at Erin Duncan, as her phone connection is questionable.
Physical Commons
Shandra Wiebe, Kelly Wiebe and Raine Oddy.
HCOS/Flex campus library is available Tuesday-Thursday 8-4 pm
Our Library Resource Administrator, Shandra Wiebe, manages our Search Portal, library resources, online family accounts, and library education. She is involved in creating webinars and blogging. If you have a question about accessing your online library account or need information about the resources available, don't hesitate to contact Shandra.
Shandra is available Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. at Ph. 250.862.2377 ext. 311 or by email Shandra Wiebe.
Our Physical Learning Commons Assistant, Librarian Raine Oddy, works in shipping, library circulation, and cataloging and manages the used curriculum website.
Raine is available Monday and Tuesday 8:00 to 4:00 and Thursday 8:00 to 4: 00 Ph. 250.862.2377 ext. 312 or email Raine Oddy.
Our Shipping Specialist, Kelly Wiebe, is responsible for Loomis and Canada Post queries, shipping and receiving materials to and from our online families all over BC. Kelly also assists with reserves and renewals of materials.
Kelly is available Monday through Thursday, 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. Ph. 250.862.2377 ext. 311 or email Kelly Wiebe
How do I Join the Learning Commons?
IfTo youborrow are an enrolled patronmaterials or teacheraccess at HCOS watch this video.
If you are a registered patron, EA or someone without an Encom account watch this video.
Here is the "Letter for New Enrolled Patrons", which will give you helpful information aboutany Learning Commons.
Physical Commons Search Portal
To learn how to access the physical catalogue, which houses all of our physical materials, kits, subscriptions and web links go to this landing page and find your unique URL to log in. Here is a tutorial on using the search portal and here is an excellent, thorough video to explain it (1 hour long).
Virtual Commons (SORA and OverDrive eBook Library)
OverDrive is a digital eBook and Audiobook holdings library with over 7000 fiction and nonfiction materials, including curriculum. To learn how to access eBooks and Audiobooks on OverDrive, please go to this page. You can also watch this introductory video (4 minutes) specifically for teachers or the longer explanation to be found at this OverDrive Training Webinar (42 minutes).
OverDrive is gradually being phased out and Sora, is coming in. To find out more about Sora, our new OverDrive digital student app, check out this video.
BC DL Curriculum
The Learning Commons has information correlated to the BC curriculum. Teachers will appreciate the wide variety of resources and correlations to the new BC curriculum. To find this selection go to the Resources tab and click on a specific grade. Within each gradesubscriptions, you will finduse ayour breakdownENCOM username and address to sign into the landing page. Please contact Shandra Wiebe if unsure of topics and information about all resources available in the Learningprocess, Commonsor forcontact thatus grade.on our Live Chat.
The Learning Commons has an open access curriculum available via our Unit study kits. These digital and physical kits, written by Rachael Rennie, provide our families with wonderful resources to complete the new standards in Science, Bible and Social Studies for Gr. K-9. Please encourage your families to review the introduction to the kits to understand how to use them well.
Research
For students in grades 4-9 we have a research document which will help your students plan out their research with discernment. Resources and further teaching for students in Gr. K-5 can be found here. For students in Gr. 6-9 go here.
Webinar Wednesday Events
Webinar Wednesday events are live webinars which are hosted on Zoom virtual classroom. Presenters are Learning Commons staff, teachers and vendors. For a list of events please go to the Learning Commons Events List. For recordings of these events, or further training on technology in the Learning Commons, access this page here. Teachers are welcome to join in these sessions and recommend them to new families.
Book Clubs
To discover more about what book clubs are offered at our school click on this page here.