Our new, purpose built, library is a tremendous improvement on the old site and is a developing resource that we can be proud of. One challenge, however, that emerges when you run a single site library catering for two departments with different timetables, is finding times for all the Primary classes to visit in between their Spanish, ICT, PE and so on. Last year all the classes between Year 2 and Year 6 were fitted in but the youngest Key Stage 1 pupils didn’t get a chance to visit regularly. We partly resolved this by offering family membership to KS1 pupils visiting with parents after school on Mondays and Thursdays. Lots of parents took advantage of the opportunity to borrow books and their children loved doing the “ping thing” with the barcode wand. We will continue to offer this “buy none get two free” service next year. See our youngest visitor this year pictured right.

Our main purchases this year included two new computers, bringing the total available to library users to thirteen machines, and an overhead projector. This last, together with a pull-down screen and some inexpensive but efficient Ikea blackout blinds, was essential to carry out our plan to go cross curricular and teach one each of the Year 7 and Year 8 ICT units in the library for the first time.

Unit 7:2 Using data and information sources and Unit 8:3 Information: reliability, validity and bias were taught in the Spring Term. These two units cover the common ground between ICT and LIS (library and information skills) and include how to tell fact from opinion, spotting misinformation and bias, matching information forms to purpose, evaluating websites and using advanced searches on different search engines.

Instead of the usual end of unit test, the pupils were assigned the task of designing an online information resource for the school’s VLE (virtual learning environment), demonstrating the skills covered in the Spring Term. The best examples will feature next year on the VLE library page, along with links to good sites, book promotions and general information. See right some screen shots from the Years 7 and 8 projects.

Daniel Porter in Year 8 masterminded the Chess Tournament this year and proved to be a super efficient organizer (see page 184). Spending for next year will focus on substantially improving the book stock. We shall be selecting new titles for all age groups and looking at new ways to use online technology to promote books and reading around the school. We will also be shopping in Ikea for modules to provide new display space. The librarian is a big Ikea fan and is hoping that one day soon the erect-it-yourself empire will offer a librarian’s issue desk in three pale wood finishes or white for less than 100 euros . . .

Margaret Sutcliffe