Caption: PACA’s library contains an elementary section that is used quite frequently by elementary teachers and their students. [Taken by Eric Zhang.]
by Eric Zhang (Warrior Post Reporter / São Paulo, Brazil)
The physical resources of PACA’s library may seem limited at first glance. However, students usually forget that the school library offers not only physical books but also online resources that are reliable and suitable for research through the PACA school site.
To access the online resources, students, teachers, and others in the PACA community can simply go to the school site: (paca.com.br), go to the academics page, and click on the library link.
“I never knew the school library had online resources. It would sure make my life easier with my research,” says Mariana Helfer, a PACA freshman.
The online resources offered by PACA’s library are not just good, but they are recommended by international colleges.
“I would recommend our library online resources. It’s more trustworthy because kids don’t really know how to differentiate what’s real and what is not, so it helps them do some research,” says Mrs. Katia Villa, one of PACA’s librarians. “It is also recommended by international universities and it is very useful in terms of research.”
There are a total of nine different online resources available on the PACA library page. Through the resource called “Destiny,” you can reserve books and see what books are available in the library.
The remaining four resources are Project Muse, Webpath Express, JSTOR, and Sora Overdrive. These are used for different types of research since they are databases that allow students to find valuable articles and magazines.
There is also another resource called Periodicos which contains links to newspapers and magazines. On top of that, there are three more resources from Britannica which gives students access to their world encyclopedias.
In addition to providing research resources, PACA’s librarians have a keen eye for helping students to find books that match their interests.
“Some kids didn’t like reading,” said Mrs. Lilian Pedrozo, the fifth grade English teacher. “But they didn’t like reading because they just didn’t find the type of genre that they liked. So the librarian helps them find books they are interested in, and some students that I know didn’t like reading found out that they actually do like reading.”
In addition, Pedrozo believes that letting her students use the library resources will strengthen their English literature skills.
“Reading not only helps them in understanding literature, but also helps them in writing and in spelling,” said Pedrozo
By promoting the habit of reading, PACA’s librarians are helping students enhance their writing skills, which is invaluable in their academic and professional journey.
The librarians are always present in the library and willing to help anyone in need with any problem, whether it be research or book finding.
The PACA library is a valuable resource that many students do not use on a regular basis, but with the online resources available, students can take advantage of the research that is available to them with ease.
The library is open from Monday through Friday, from 7:50 to 16:00. Study halls happen in the library from Monday through Friday from 5th period to 8th period.
