Research / Media Center

Online Resources and Databases

We work constantly to find the best online resources and databases to help our students and staff with their research needs. Select from the available resources below to access the most up-to-date information. Some of these resources and databases require a school password or logon ID. If you have questions or need assistance, please speak with the Research / Media Center staff.

***Click here for required usernames / passwords (mainly when accessing the above resources at home)***
(PSD Login Required to access)

Your Media Center...Your Way!

Your Media Center, Your Books

Your Media Center, Your Movies (coming soon!)

Your Media Center, Your Music

Success in a Changing World

Our world is changing at an exponential rate and we must learn to change and adapt our skills if we are going to succeed beyond the walls of our school. Our research / media center staff work collaboratively with all students at Fossil Ridge High School to develop their digital literacy and information literacy skills.

Digital literacy skills include:

The ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information.  
The ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of digital sources
The ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment including reading, creating, interpreting and evaluating various media and types of text

Information literacy skills include:

The ability to clarify and understand the requirements of the problem or task for which information is sought
The ability to locate information – either in print or online
The ability to examine the resources that were gathered and determine what is useful or not useful in solving the problem
The ability to organize and synthesize the information that has been selected so that knowledge and solutions are developed
The student’s ability to create and present the information or solution is presented to the appropriate audience in an appropriate format
The ability to critically evaluate the completion of the task or the new understanding of the concept

Our Literacy Mission

Our literacy mission at Fossil Ridge High School is to support student growth by developing their information literacy and digital literacy skills through access to a rich variety of multimedia, information and textual resources, through active participation in a worldwide community of digital learners, and through daily access to reading and real world application of research strategies.

Our Collection

The Fossil Ridge Research / Media Center houses a diverse collection of non-fiction and reference books, classic and contemporary fiction, bestsellers, graphic novels, foreign language books, audio and e-books and a vast offering of online resources.  We have multiple subscriptions to magazines and newspapers as well. 

Our collection of online databases with access to full-text magazine and journal articles, reference works, viewpoint essays, primary sources, newspapers, radio and TV transcripts and multimedia help our students to complete their research in creative ways that develop their information literacy skills.  Students have direct access to these databases within the school building via their PSD laptop. For use of these online resources when outside of the school, please visit the circulation desk and ask our staff for the necessary password information.

Hours of Operation

The FRHS Research / Media center is open Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 4:30pm.  Students also have access during designated lunch times, and for drop-in use during off-periods.

Print Services

Students can print school-related documents in the media center, in black and white or in color.  The cost for color prints is 25 cents a page.  There is no charge for black and white prints.  The media center also features four desktop computers and two scanners available for student use on a drop-in basis. 

Book Drop - Off Location

There are two locations to return books. Drop off is available in the drop box in the west hallway (at any time) and in the slot at the circulation desk when the media center is open.

Checkout Policies

Students must have their student ID to check out books and materials.
Books and print resources circulate for three weeks.  They can be renewed multiple times.
Reference books can be checked out for three days.
Current issues of magazines are for media center use only.  Back issues can be checked out for one week.
Students can have a maximum of 10 items checked out at a time.
If a book is lost, students are responsible for the replacement cost plus a $3 district processing fee.
Overdue fees are 25 cents per day up to a maximum fee of $5 per item.
Students cannot check out books if they owe $5.00 or more in media fines.

Center Rules and Expectations

Keep conversation(s) volume at a reasonable level so that you do not distract others
Use headphones / ear buds if you listen to audio on a computer or mobile device
Refrain from talking on cell phones so that you do not distract others
Arrange the furniture after your use
Place books and media on designated carts to be shelved by staff and do not re-shelve materials yourself
Clean up your work area, dispose of trash properly and recycle items in bins located throughout the research / media center

Additional Student Resources

FRHS Chocolate Book Club

Poudre River Public Library

Teen Lounge                       

Teen Reads