Dance eXchange
Recess Play Program
Our Past Successes
Bache in Bloom
Support our Library and Local Community!
Our Tigers love to read! Bache-Martin is so proud of our library and we're thrilled when our readers request new and different books to stock our shelves. Last week we happily welcomed our preschool students to the library and it was wonderful to see our youngest students fall in love with our library space.
With the help of our students' suggestions, teachers' requests and incredible library staff, we've put together a wishlist! Now you can easily donate books to the Bache-Martin library.
Did you know that less than 5% of Philadelphia Public K-8 schools have a functioning library?
Bache-Martin School is a Philadelphia kindergarten to 8th grade public school serving the Fairmount, Francisville, and Spring Garden neighborhoods, each of which is socioeconomically and racially diverse. Our school library was shuttered by budget cuts over 10 years ago. A school library with a sufficient, relevant, and upgraded inventory helps strike a more equitable balance between students who have access to books outside of school, and those who don't. Research demonstrates a correlation between school library access and test score improvements. Studies by the American Association of School Libraries suggest that libraries foster information-literate students who are critical thinkers, informed decision makers, and productive members of society. With strong parental and community participation the Friends of Bache-Martin successfully re-opened the school's library in November, 2018.
Today our library offers:
1. 14,000 books of fiction and nonfiction, including in multiple languages and large format books. Bache-Martin's collection meets the benchmarks for school libraries per the American Library Association ("ALA"). We currently have 30 books per student and we are shooting for 40 by the end of this year.
2. A Library Coordinator, an Assistant Library Coordinator and a group of dedicated volunteers, who keep the collection updated and relevant and assist students in using the library's resources.
3. A state of the art cloud-based library inventory management system that students, teachers and parents can access 24/7 to see what materials are available in the collection.
4. Various annual magazine and online subscriptions
6. 30 portable fold-up and movable stools which have the added benefit of allowing for social distancing during class library visits
7. New shelving, book carts and a rocking chair for story time
We rely on donations from our community to keep the collection updated. The Be a Friend Campaign is the easiest way to donate via an automatic monthly contribution. Click the red icon at the top of this page to find out how to contribute. The Friends of Bache-Martin would like to thank all the Fairmount/Francisville/Spring Garden community members and businesses who make this ongoing success possible and especially:
The Andeer Family
Bache-Martin HSA
Bache-Martin staff and teachers
Beneficial Bank
Celeste Fiordimondo (aka "Miss Celeste")
Janice Hunt
Jessica Kahn
Kratz Family
Nina Liou
Redemption City Church
Residents of the Philadelphian Condominiums
Rotary Club of Philadelphia
School District of Philadelphia Grants Department
School District of Philadelphia Office of Strategic Partnerships
St Joseph's Prep
Catherine Vernon
Copyright ©2017 Friends of Bache Martin. All Rights Reserved
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Friends of Bache-Martin is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.