Library

The Lower School library inspires students to discover the joy of reading and research, laying the foundation for a lifelong journey of intellectual curiosity and discovery. Designed with Nightingale’s youngest learners in mind, the library space offers cozy nooks for reading on one’s own as well as a bright, open space for teaching and collaboration. In the library, students experience and create stories through text, song, art, and creative play. Librarians collaborate across subjects to design and support research projects, engaging learners in best practice in gathering and presenting information. Through a wide range of print and digital resources, students are connected with stories and information representative of the diversity of the Nightingale community, New York City, and beyond. All students have daily opportunities to stop by and choose new books to enjoy with the support of librarians who are deeply invested in each student’s identity, interests, and reading goals.

Through our Books and Big Ideas series, students and their parents learn to navigate discussions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Each centered around a specific book, these evening gatherings feature members of the Lower School Leadership Team who lead discussions and model the types of conversations that occur in a Lower School classroom. As a result, a bridge is built between school and home, as our students experience the trusted adults in their lives having meaningful conversations about the same topics. Parents are able to see firsthand their own children have these important conversations and moments of discovery.

Building on the foundations developed in the Lower School, the Middle School library program's dual objectives are to foster a love of reading and to introduce skills necessary to thrive in a dynamic, complex world of information. Accordingly, the Middle School library curriculum focuses on expanding students’ proficiency in media and digital literacies, giving them the tools they need to be critical consumers of information. In addition to completing more advanced research projects, Middle School students learn how to recognize mis- and disinformation, how to be acutely aware of bias in research, and how to locate credible sources. As librarians collaborate with classroom teachers, Middle School students visit the library for research assistance and reading activities that expose them to a wide range of reading material and nurture individual reading interests.

The Upper School library program cultivates competent, creative, and agile thinkers who are confident navigating our information-rich world on and offline. In preparation for college and 21st century careers, students engage in advanced research, navigating multi-layered lines of inquiry using sources that range from scholarly journals to social media. Collaborating with faculty from various academic disciplines, the librarians provide contextual, project-based instruction both in groups and one-on-one, all designed to nurture evaluative, critical thinking. Additionally, the library coordinates a series of student-led initiatives that support reading and research, such as the library advisory board, book clubs, and community engagement. With a sophisticated and diverse collection, Upper School students use university-level digital resources for scholarly pursuits and everyday enrichment.