THE PAUL CUMMINS LIBRARY is more than just a building housing books; it is a hub of student activity and social interaction. Whether it’s for group or independent study sessions, academic research, pleasure reading, meetings with classes, taking make-up tests, using one of our special collections, working on a computer, or just being with friends, the library staff is committed to creating a warm, student-centered environment. THE LIBRAY'S COLLECTIONS are multifaceted to support the various types of academic activities of Crossroads students. Our collection includes both print and audio-visual materials with an emphasis on age-appropriate reading and research materials. Our special collections highlight foreign language materials, children’s and youth rights, Middle School fiction and non-fiction, and Upper School fiction and non-fiction. THE LIBRARY'S MISSION is to support life-long learning and create an appreciation and respect for library culture within our students. The library facilitates this goal in several ways: The library faculty supports the curriculum by providing students with the resources they need for independent learning. The entire collection contains over 32,500 titles and is geared towards supporting student curriculum needs, teacher lesson planning, professional development, and reading for personal enjoyment. The library also subscribes to over 100 magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals. In addition to these resources, the library belongs to the Independent School Library Exchange (ISLE), which allows us to borrow print resources and magazine articles from a consortium of other independent school libraries in the area. We have subscriptions to twelve on-line databases, and three on-line newspapers. Each of these resources is accessible to students on or off campus. THE LIBRARY also supports the faculty in teaching students to think critically and work independently by giving students a comprehensive library skills program. This program focuses on developing research skills, searching educational databases, web searching, citation writing, note taking, bibliography writing, and integrating print and on-line resources into research projects. Librarians also conduct regular classes with students in addition to working with students on an individual basis. IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL COLLECTION, the Paul Cummins Library has two special rooms: the Kirschner Family Documentary Film Room and the Herbert Zipper Archive. The Kirschner Documentary Room is designed for class discussions around media, has a big-screen TV for viewing, and houses the library’s extensive collection of documentary videos. This room also serves as a meeting location for on-campus groups. THE HERBERT ZIPPER ARCHIVE is a special collection containing the life work of Herbert Zipper, a Vienna-born composer and musical educator. The archive contains books, photographs, correspondence, musical scores, manuscripts, recordings, artwork, and memorabilia.  The archive also houses a reference library of some 2000 works on Austria, the Philippines, World War II, the Holocaust, European and American history, music, and art, and other subjects related to the life of Herbert Zipper. The Zipper archive is open for both student and public use. THE PAUL CUMMINS LIBRARY also contains a computer lab for student use. The Gaylord Donnelley Children and Youth Studies Center contains computers for individual or group study and can be used in tandem with our special collection on children’s and youth rights, also donated by the Morton Donnelley family. THE LIBRARY IS OPEN 7:30AM TO 6PM Monday through Friday during the school year and 9 am to 4:00 pm during summer school. We are closed holidays and pupil-free days. Parents and school staff are welcome to use the library and check out items. THE BUILDING was designed by Stephen Ehrlich and was completed in 1996. In 1997, the library won the 1997 Award of Excellence for Library Architecture from the Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA).