Library Online

A Very Happy New Year to all our visitors – hope 2012 is a good one for you!

As Mrs Robinson is now running a Library Service across both our Senior and Junior Schools (working with Mrs Enston at our Junior School), she has decided to write a full Progress Report at the end of each term. You can download and read it below:

written by Mrs Robinson \\ tags: development, evaluation, monitoring, school libraries

We tried a new idea in the Michael Parker Library on Open Morning. One of the Student Helpers asked our visitors for their comments about the Library. Here they are:

“A wonderful, bright and relaxing space.”

“Could we have a book of the week?”

“I can’t believe it is so different!”

Good things: “Book requests, space to work, nice lighting, seating, newspapers, subscriptions.”

“Excellent.”

“Good layout, signage and lighting.”

“Ooh, that’s good!”

“Lovely library – great resources.”

“Nice layout.”

“It looks fantastic and has great resources.”

“Relaxing space. Wide range of books.”

“Brilliant books. I love it and can’t wait to use it!”

“Lovely atmosphere.”

“Wow! Amazing and gorgeous!”

“Fantastic space!”

Now, wasn’t that nice?

written by Mrs Robinson \\ tags: assessment, feedback, monitoring, Open Morning, parents, visitors

Mrs Robinson will now be working on Wednesday and Friday mornings at the Junior School during term time. This week, she has done the following:

1)  Checked off the new books from Peters Bookselling Services.
2)  Labelled and covered some of the existing stock.
3)  Put staff details on Junior Librarian.
4)  Assembled some new shelf guides for the Fiction section.
5)  Started a simple user guide to the basic systems of the Library to be kept on the desk.
6)  Started the process of developing management information and evaluation of the Library: inclusion in the Annual Report, finance documents, Library Development Plan, Library Policy and Library Procedures Manual etc.

Stop Press!

Great news! We can now borrow books for the Junior School from LSE – our local Schools Library Service. Mrs Robinson will talk to the teaching staff to find out the topics they would like resourcing during the second half of this term and then she will go to LSE and choose suitable books. These can then be used either in the classroom or in the Library.

written by Mrs Robinson \\ tags: development, evaluation, monitoring, school libraries

Mrs Robinson was on holiday during Week 6 so this is our update at the end of Week 7.

At the end of Week 7 (2 September) Mrs Robinson has:

1) Catalogued 1549 books.

Fiction complete, picture books complete, non-fiction almost complete. Some books need to be labelled and the labels covered.

2) Labelled 1400 books.

Approximate figure.

3) The Junior Librarian (Library Management System) has been set up with all of the students’ details.

Staff details still to be added.

4) The Library has been left neat and tidy.

There are signs on the shelves to show what work needs to be done next.

5) Mrs Robinson and Mrs Enston have visited Peters Booksellers in Birmingham and have spent £4000 on some lovely new books!

These will be delivered next week and then Mrs Robinson will start cataloguing and processing them ready for shelving.

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Plans for the Autumn Term

Mrs Robinson is discussing with the school management to see when she will be working at the Junior School during the Autumn Term. We are hoping that this will be on a regular as there is a lot of work to do!

1)  Finishing cataloguing and processing the existing stock – there is a small amount of this to finish.
2)  Cataloguing and processing the new stock when it arrives.
3)  Making a wish list on the Library Online website to encourage students and staff to suggest new stock.
4)  Putting staff details on Junior Librarian.
5)  Setting up the borrower rights on Junior Librarian and testing to ensure stock can be issued and returned.
6)  Signs and guiding for the new layout.
7)  Displays.
8)  Writing a simple user guide to the basic systems of the Library to be kept on the desk.
9)  Teaching Mrs Enston the basics of Junior Librarian. More advanced training to be done at a later date.
10) Teaching staff how to use Junior Librarian – they will need to know how to issue and return books for their classes and also how to conduct basic searches.
11) Teaching student Library Helpers how to issue and return books and how to conduct basic searches.
12) Making a list of suitable jobs for Library Helpers and training them how to do these.
13) Making a list of suitable tasks for Parent Volunteers and training them how to do these.
14) Opening discussions with staff and students as to their wants/needs in terms of library use so that we can come up with a plan for possible future refurbishment.
15) Talking to staff about their resource needs so that we can purchase suitable stock in the future.
16) Starting the process of developing management information and evaluation of the Library: inclusion in the Annual Report, finance documents, Library Development Plan, Library Policy and Library Procedures Manual etc.

I think that is enough to be going on with!

written by Mrs Robinson \\ tags: development, evaluation, monitoring, school libraries

This week, the Junior School has been open on three days. Many thanks to Mrs Enston for coming in to help.

So, by the end of Week 5 (19 August) Mrs Robinson has:

1) Catalogued 1361 books.

Fiction complete, picture books complete, 900s, 800s and 700s (Non-Fiction) also complete. 600s catalogued and awaiting labels.

2) Labelled 1221 books.

Mrs Enston has been helping with the label covers and we have nearly cought up.

We have also done a lot of general tidying up, cleaning and re-positioning of shelving, planning for the future, talking to teaching staff about how the library can support their work and more…

Plan for Week 6

Mrs Robinson will be on holiday during Week 6 and will resume after the Bank Holiday.

Back again at the end of Week 7!

written by Mrs Robinson \\ tags: development, evaluation, monitoring, school libraries

We have made good progress this week – all of the Fiction books are now catalogued and labelled and Mrs Robinson has started on the Non-Fiction books. Thanks to her son, Mark, for helping! Mrs Enston has also been in to see how we are getting on and is coming in to help next week.

So, by the end of Week 4 (12 August) Mrs Robinson has:

1) Catalogued 1127 books.

Fiction complete, picture books almost finished, 900s and 800s (Non-Fiction) also complete.

2) Labelled 1152 books.

Most of these also have the label covers on too – looking very smart! These are taking longer to do than anticipated.

Plan for Week 5

As the Junior School is closed on two days, Mrs Robinson will be working there Tuesday to Thursday. She hopes to make good progress towards cataloguing the rest of the Non-Fiction.

We have also organised our book-buying visit for 2 September, which will be great!

This slideshow will give you an idea of how we are progressing – the newest photos are first:

written by Mrs Robinson \\ tags: development, evaluation, monitoring, school libraries

Well, we have now got internet access and are now steaming ahead with getting the books onto Junior Librarian! By the end of Week 3 (5th August), Mrs Robinson has:

1) Catalogued 862 books

That’s almost all of the Fiction now done! Picture books and Non-fiction next…

2) Labelled 825 books

They do look nice!

So, during this week (Week 4) what is going to happen?

Mrs Robinson will carry on cataloguing as quickly as she can and she hopes to get most of the existing books on the system by the end of Week 5. Her son, Mark, is coming in to help put label covers on each book. Then we will finish cleaning off the shelves and put on guiding so that the pupils, and staff, can find the books. Many of the books will not be in the same places as they were before.

Also, Mrs Robinson and Mrs Enston are going to have fun buying loads of new books for the Library. These will also have to be catalogued and labelled before they are ready to be borrowed. This might take us into the Autumn Term. Mrs Robinson will then put all of the Junior School pupils and staff onto Junior Librarian and start teaching Mrs Enston and the Pupil Librarians how to use our new system.

We have lots of other plans too – keep watch on this site to find out more!

written by Mrs Robinson \\ tags: development, evaluation, monitoring, school libraries

Each week, Mrs Robinson is going to post here with an update to show how the work is progressing at the Junior School Library. This is what she has done this week:

1) Catalogued over 360 books

This is not going as fast as it should because we have not had internet access at the Junior School all week, so Mrs Robinson is having to type all of the details on by hand!

2) Labelled around 200 books

This is so that pupils and staff will be able to find them easily.

3) Sorted out and weeded books that are damaged, out of date or unsuitable for the Library

This is very important so that the Library will meet the needs of the school and to make room for lots of new books!

4) Begun to make a “wish list” for new books.

Mrs Enston has compiled a list of the topics that are taught in school and Mrs Robinson is matching that against what we already have. She is also looking to see where there are gaps in our stock so that we can buy lots of new books to fit with what the pupils and staff need!

5) Started a list for new equipment needed for the Library.

We need lots of things that will help us to run the Library smoothly.

The photos below show you what the Library has looked like this week. (Yes, it is a bit of a mess! Check back each week to see how it goes):

written by Mrs Robinson \\ tags: development, evaluation, monitoring, school libraries

Exciting times! Mrs Robinson will now be working with Mrs Enston, the staff, students and parents at the Junior School to help update and develop the Library. Over the summer, she will be sorting out the new computer system and cataloguing all of the books onto it – well, as many as she can manage in the time!

Then, Mrs Robinson and Mrs Enston are going to buy loads of new books to add to the stock. Parent volunteers have already been giving us loads of help – many thanks to them!

Mrs Robinson will put regular updates on this site to show progress (as she does with the Senior School Library). Her first Assessment Report can be seen below:

written by Mrs Robinson \\ tags: development, evaluation, monitoring, school libraries

The new Michael Parker Library has now been open for five months and it is time to look at how far we have progressed. This report will take a different format to the ones produced in the previous academic year in order to focus on how the library is beginning to have an impact on teaching and learning in the school. More detail will be included in the Annual Report, published at the beginning of September 2010.

Collection of Creatively Dyed Easter Eggs from around flickr by Dot D from the Flickr website.

1. Library use and impact on teaching and learning

1.1. Inductions
Year 6: triple lesson used for induction, including orientation using a “Clue Hunt” and “Dewey Detective” covering non-fiction. Finding and choosing Fiction, using “Reading Game”, took place during English lessons in Spring Term.
Years 7 and 8: basic inductions during weekly English lessons covering Fiction and Non-fiction, using similar materials. Will change next year as only new entrants will need this kind of induction.

1.2. Reading development
Years 6-8: from January 2010, weekly English lessons in Library. Working with staff, Librarian covered range of induction lessons, mentioned above. Sessions also used to develop reading for pleasure – will continue in Summer Term. Some evaluations and observations made in order to discuss development of structured reading programme for academic year 2010-2011 with English Department.
Year 9: visits by one class using “Reading Game” and “Speed Dating” to develop reading.
Reading Champions: Reading Group met regularly. Many students developing their wiki pages to show books they enjoy. Planning to meet weekly during Summer Term to work on Carnegie Shadowing with group of up to 10 students.
Book Week: range of events held in Library including Book Trailer Show, Book Swap, Year 6 Book Quiz and “Caught Reading” competition. Varying levels of success. Excellent visit by Dave Cryer on World Book Day – worked with Years 6 and 7 classes on creative writing. Some activities took place during lessons.
Impact of improved stock and professional staffing can be seen on increased borrowing figures and response of students. Many students now asking for books to be purchased. Some parents have also reported improved reading levels amongst students.

1.3. Progress in Information Literacy
Year 12: two presentations delivered – “Working Independently: Being Organised” and “Effective Research: Avoiding Plagiarism”. Handouts distributed and presentations and resources uploaded to Library Online for students to access in their own time.
Librarian acquired excellent booklets produced by Ofqual on plagiarism for teachers, parents and students – should be distributed next term.
From April, school subscribing to Leicestershire Library Services for Education – enabling borrowing of resource collections to supplement library stock. Also number of e-resources available as part of LSE package. Can be used in classroom or library and will facilitate development of IL lessons. Support needed from SMT to enable Librarian to begin working collaboratively with departments to plan whole school progression of IL/research skills teaching.
Librarian has been observing students’ use of ICT and book resources for research in order to assess needs for support and formal teaching of skills. Ad-hoc support with range of research queries by students and staff continuing to develop.

2. Meeting the needs of the school community

2.1. Extra-curricular activities
Lunchtimes and after school: open every day for whole lunchtime session and well used by students. Librarian supported by small Student Helper Team. Library open after school until 5.15 every day.  Range of activities on offer during Book Week etc.

2.2. Provision of resources
Old library stock: All weeded, re-catalogued, cleaned, mended and re-labeled.
New library stock: “Normal” library plus Development budgets for 2009-2010 almost all spent – resources all processed and added to stock. Feedback from subject teachers essential to ensure purchases from 2010-2011 budgets meet and extend needs of school curriculum. Development of multi-media resources, including online subscription databases, could be included.

2.3. Provision of services and facilities
Information services: Library Online Services developing as virtual library with range of Web2.0 sites including Delicious, Flickr, LibraryThing, Netvibes and YouTube. Some of these demonstrated to HODs and other staff. Notable uses: Netvibes with MFL, Animoto with Music (to be completed), Flickr with Marketing Manager.
ICT facilities: laptops used extensively during day by range of students and staff. Students bringing in own laptops can re-charge using floor sockets. Screen & projector very useful for lessons, meetings and events.

3. Library management and administration

Procedures Manual setting out all library administrative systems continuously updated. Handbook gathering evidence of the Library and Librarian’s impact on teaching and learning in the school was shown to inspectors. Annual Report for 2008-2009 submitted in the Autumn Term. Development Plan written in Autumn Term. Library Policy still in draft version and will be sent to SMT for comments as soon as possible.
Librarian continues to attend school INSET and meetings, local school librarians’ meetings, CPD (including Literacy Forum and online training from YSL) and has contributed to wider profession through presentations and online collaboration.

written by Mrs Robinson \\ tags: assessment, development, monitoring, school libraries