"We read to know we are not alone."

PHS Destiny Discover

All of the books in the PHS library are included in our online, Destiny Discover catalog .

Students can search by author, title, subject or genre. The catalog is very easy to use. There is a search bar at the top. Other features include newly added books, genre and book collections Kiki has put together. 

Corvallis Benton County Public Library/Philomath Community Library

Students can also access the Corvallis Benton County Public Library (which includes the Philomath Public Library) catalog online .

They have a ton of great eBooks you can access online.  And if you place a book on hold from the Corvallis branch, they will deliver it to the Philomath branch for you.

Getting a library card is really easy. The PHS library has cards available...you just have to call the public library to have them activated.

Stop by the PHS library for help with any of these things! We can help you get a card and figure out the best way to use it.

Our library has a Destiny Discover Online Catalog that includes all the books in the library.

Students can search by author, title, subject or genre. The catalog is very easy to use. There is a search bar at the top. Other features include newly added books, searching by genre and book collections Kiki has put together.

Feel free to contact Kiki Klipfel or Jolene Latz in the library: call 541-929-3211 ext. 1842 or email  kiki.klipfel@philomath.k12.or.us. or jolene.latz@philomath.k12.or.us. They are happy to help students with Destiny and book searches.

Access the catalog from this link: PHS Destiny Library Catalog 

OSLIS (Oregon School Library Information System)

Philomath High School students have access to OSLIS, the Oregon School Library Information System.

Students can get to OSLIS by Googling it or using this link: OSLIS 

For the username and password, see Kiki Klipfel in the library.

Find Information

The OSLIS Find Information  section is a library database. It provides access to a variety of magazines, newspapers, journals, encyclopedias, e-books and multimedia content in one location. The sources are included in the database because they are considered reliable.

Learn to Research

The Learn to Research  function has great videos and other information that teaches students research skills. The videos really help explain tools that make research much easier and more efficient.

Generating Search Terms covers how to come up with usable keywords or search terms.

The Search String video teaches tools to make the most of search words.

Evaluating Websites discusses ways to evaluate websites to make sure students are using reliable sources.

Cite My Sources

Cite My Sources  helps students create bibliographies and cite their sources.

Oregon Battle of the Books

Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) is a statewide voluntary reading motivation and comprehension program sponsored by the Oregon Association of School Libraries. Students across the state read books from a predetermined list and battle against teams from other schools using trivia questions about the books. 

The mission of the progam is to "encourage and recognize students who enjoy reading, to broaden reading interests, to increase reading comprehension, promote academic excellence, and to promote cooperative learning and teamwork among students."

The PHS team meets during the school day, usually during advisory, to talk about the books, plan who is covering which books and quiz each other with practice questions.

If you are interested in Battle of the Books, come see Kiki Klipfel in the library or email kiki.klipfel@philomath.k12.or.us 

Book List 2024-2025

For more information, visit the OBOB website . Here is a link to the list of books . Click on the "9-12 Annotated List" at the bottom of the list for a description of the books.

Battle Rules

Here is a video that explains the format and rules for battles. It was made by an elementary teacher. but he does a great job of explaining everything you need to know for the day of the battles in a clear, concise way. Battle of the Books Rules video 

If you want more details here is a link to the OBOB handbook . Look at pages 9 to 11 for Regional and State Tournament Rules and Procedures.

If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book yet. — JK Rowling

Choosing a good book is often a challenge. There are a few resources that can help students find something that they will love to read.

Destiny Catalog

The PHS library catalog  has recommendations. You can access the catalog either from the link here or from your desktop when you log in to a computer at school. There is a “Library Catalog” icon on your desktop.

Search a book you like and select the title. Once you open the specific book and get the full listing, on the right side there is a box titled “You May Also Like.” The advantage of this method is that all the books listed are in our library.

Genres are also listed on the Destiny library catalog homepage. If you like mysteries or romance, for example, click on one of those icons and you will see a selection of those books.

Another place to look is at the bottom of the catalog homepage at the Collections. Those are lists of books in our library compiled to fit a certain theme.

Look for “Books Like…”

If you have a book you love, try Googling “books like….” or “if you loved…try” and chances are someone has created a list of books that are similar to your favorite. Some examples are:

Book Like Harry Potter 

Book Like The Fault in Our Stars 

Books Like Twilight 

Books Like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before 

Award Lists

Award winners in young adult fiction is another place to find good books. There are usually a number of different genres represented on these lists.

Best Fiction for Young Adults 

Printz Award 

Edwards Award 

YALSA Best of the Best 

Library Displays

There are themed displays in the library that change frequently. Check them out to see if anything sparks your interest. There is also a shelf with a “New Books” sign. Recent additions to the library are placed there for a few weeks so students can see what is new. The Oregon Battle of the Books display has a all of the OBOB books for the year. They are all great books and you don’t have to be an OBOB participant to check them out.

Goodreads

Goodreads  is a website dedicated to books. Readers can create an account and get book recommendations based on books and genres they like. The site also has book reviews, author interviews, discussion forums, and lists like “Books Everyone Should Read,” “Books That Should Be Movies,” “Best Books in…” with lots of categories.

Ask Someone

Ask teachers, friends, family members what they are reading. Ask Kiki Klipfel in the library. She really likes to help students find something good to read.

Here are some links to sites that offer documentaries. The sites all have search functions that let you find a documentary about the topic you are researching.

Top Documentary Films  

YouTube Documentaries 

Documentary Heaven 

We have two media assitants who staff the library, Kiki Klipfel and Jolene Latz. They are both woking part-time so only one of them is in the library each day. 

Phone:

541-929-3211 ext. 1832

Email:

kiki.klipfel@philomath.k12.or.us

jolene.latz@philomath.k12.or.us

Chester is the library dog at PHS. He was born in the summer of 2020 and is a registered therapy dog with Pet Partners. To become a registered therapy dog, Chester had to pass a lengthy test that included temperament, obedience and willingness to work with others.

Chester is in the library most school days when Kiki Klipfel is here. He enjoys interacting with students and is always on the lookout for a muffin.

Chester's littermate, Mettler, is also registered with Pet Partners. He primarily works with Kiki's daughter at her job at Samaritan Hospital in Newport in the cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation department. He occasionally makes an appearance at PHS as well. Staff and students agree that Chester and Mettler are exponentially cuter when they are together.