YIES Media Center

Welcome to the Media Center

The Media Center is the heart of our school. It is a cozy, welcoming space where curiosity is encouraged, stories are celebrated, and students are free to explore what they love. Serving students in Kindergarten through 5th grade, as well as our ASD classroom, the Media Center is a place where reading is joyful, learning is meaningful, and every child belongs.

Each class visits the Media Center weekly for 30 minutes. For our younger students, time together often includes readalouds filled with laughter, discussion, and connection. Our older students enjoy greater independence as they browse, read, explore, and spend time in a calm, comfortable space designed just for them. No matter the grade level, students have voice and choice in what they read. They help select the books we order, influence what gets read aloud, and shape the collection in meaningful ways.

What We Learn

The Media Center supports the Primary Years Programme and plays an active role in developing thoughtful, responsible learners. Students build skills in:

Research and inquiry
Digital citizenship and internet safety
Media literacy
Responsible technology use

Through collaboration with classroom teachers, students learn how to ask strong questions, evaluate information, and think critically about the media they consume. Our goal is to help students become strong readers and informed, ethical users of information in a digital world.

A Community Space

The Media Center is more than shelves of books. It is a gathering place for our school community. Throughout the year, we welcome community members such as the mayor, college athletes, and other community members to read with students and share their experiences. We partner with Washtenaw Community College and Eastern Michigan university students, host the Scholastic Book Fair, and welcome the YDL Bookmobile to expand access to books.

Our collection reflects the diverse interests of our students. We offer a strong selection of graphic novels, foreign language books, and high interest titles that encourage every reader to find something they love. Student input, along with recommendations from local children’s librarians, helps guide new purchases so our shelves stay fresh, relevant, and exciting.

Book Checkout Information

Students may check out books during their weekly Media Center visit. Books are checked out for two weeks and may be renewed as long as another student is not waiting for the title. To help preserve our collection and ensure books remain available to all students, books remain at school and are not taken home.

Students are also welcome to exchange books during the week if they finish early and are ready for something new.