Our mission is to lead our school communities in an environment that challenges students to IMAGINE possibilities, EXPLORE opportunities and CONNECT with the future and the world.
How are Libraries Serving Your Children?
There is a large body of research showing that strong school libraries make a measurable contribution to student achievement, a summary of which can be found at School Libraries Work!
In accordance with those findings, our most recent annual statistics show that Leander ISD libraries:
- had collectively, more than 560,000 items available for check out
- circulated over 1,115,000 items in total
- checked out more than 914,000 items to students, averaging 32 items per student
- shared over 8,500 items among campuses through our inter-library loan service
- had more than 520,000 searches on our Gale databases, 136,000 on EBSCO and nearly 2 million searches on all our databases combined
Your Leander ISD librarians:
- taught over 8,400 hours and nearly 20,000 lessons on
information literacy skills - hosted authors, story tellers, artists, poets–and even reading dogs!
- sponsored dozens of book fairs, reading programs, contests and events
- attended more than 1500 hours of staff development, and were presenters at several conferences, including Leander ISD’s own Continuous Improvement Conference, TCEA Conference, and Texas Library Association Annual Conference
Parent Information
Library Services Frequently Asked Questions
Are there standards on how school libraries should function?
Yes, school libraries follow the School Library Program Standards and Guideline for Texas.
What are the qualifications of school librarians?
School librarians must have at least 2 years of teaching experience, have completed a school librarian certification program, have a Master’s degree, and have successfully passed a librarian certification test. Link: Texas Administrative Code for School Librarian Certification
What’s the difference between a library book and an instructional resource?
While instructional materials and library books are both considered instructional resources, they are not the same and the terms should not be used interchangeably.
Since school and classroom libraries are viewed as places for voluntary inquiry, library books are treated differently from instructional materials used in classroom instruction.This distinction has legal significance and is explained on the TASB Instructional Materials and Library Books in Texas Public Schools document in the “Additional Considerations” section.
How do I access titles in my student’s library to find out what is available?
To view titles in a campus library, go to the campus library catalog https://leanderisd.follettdestiny.com/ and click on your student’s campus link > Catalog tab.
To view titles in the Sora digital library, go to https://soraapp.com/welcome and log in with your student’s login credentials to view titles in the Sora collection. Please note: students only have access to check out titles in the grade-banded area they belong to.
How do I find out what my student currently has checked out?
Current library checkout information is housed in Destiny, our library management system. To access, go to the Leander ISD Destiny link: https://leanderisd.follettdestiny.com/, click on your student’s campus link and login via the Sign in With Google link.
Current Sora checkout information can be accessed by going to Sora (login directions) and logging in with your student’s login credentials and going to the shelf > loans tab. Please note: students only have access to check out titles in the grade-banded area they belong to.
How do librarians select books to purchase for the school library?
School librarians undergo yearly training and review LISD Board policies EF Legal & EF Local. They also abide by the the following practices: How School Library Materials Are Selected in Leander ISD
I have concerns about a book. What is my first step?
Please contact your student’s librarian and/or campus administrator to express your concern. Often initial conversations are enough to diffuse concerns, but if you wish to continue a formal challenge, contact the campus administrator.
Why doesn’t the school district remove a book from the library collection while under formal reconsideration?
Per EF Legal, a district possesses significant discretion to determine the content of its school libraries. A district must, however, exercise its discretion in a manner consistent with the First Amendment.
Per EF Local, access to a challenged resource shall not be restricted during the reconsideration process, except the District may deny access to a child if requested by the child’s parent.
I’ve visited with my librarians and/or campus administrator and still have concerns. What are the next steps?
If there are still concerns after the material has been informally reviewed, please complete the Request for Reconsideration form. Once received, one of our employees will review the request and reach out about next steps in the reconsideration process. If we have not heard back within two weeks, we will assume you no longer wish to file a formal complaint.
What is a graphic novel?
A graphic novel is a format in which a story is told comic book style.
LISD School Libraries
Elementary Schools
Middle Schools
- Canyon Ridge MS
- Cedar Park MS
- Danielson MS
- Four Points MS
- Henry MS
- Leander MS
- Running Brushy MS
- Stiles MS
- Wiley MS
High Schools
Sora Digital Library Information
Where can students get a book to read during the school year or for the summer?
- LISD students and staff can check out books on their mobile devices (iPad, iPhone, Kindle, etc.) via Sora.
- Go to your mobile device’s App Store and download the Sora App.
- Search for Leander ISD.
- Once you download a book, you will have it on your device for two weeks. After two weeks, it will automatically be returned for you.
- If you have a Cedar Park or Leander Public Library Card, you can download books from them as well via Sora. Just search for those libraries in the search box.
- Additional Sora support and book recommendations
Makerspace
A Makerspace is a space and time for students to create, tinker, build, and solve problems through collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Learners are encouraged to think, be persistent, and make real-world connections via the projects and activities that take place in a makerspace.
In Leander ISD libraries that have makerspaces, you will see students interacting with others, taking on simple challenges, and using technology to solve problems through iteration and experimentation.
