Get out of the library!

Sue Bastone

Learning Resources Manager

Licensed Victuallers’ School, Ascot

School Librarian of the Year Honour List 2010

Me and my philosophy Previous career as PA in Advertising & Marketing Second career in school libraries began 1992 HNC 1994-96, Chartered 2007 State schools 1992- 2003 2004 – now – LVS, Ascot The school library is a service – to the school, its staff,

students, parents and governors. It portrays the “heart and soul” of a school and, as such, should reach out to the community around it.

Service is the key

Promote yourself as a service to EVERYONE Make it easy for staff to get involved Invite people in – non users will come if asked – but go out

too! Make sure you (and your staff) are friendly and welcoming Never close if you can help it Make yourself indispensable and

hard to refuse! Prove your worth – keep evidence and

be professional

Identify where you can make an impact What’s on the SDP ? Who are the keen staff ? Who are the pupils who frequent your library –

and who never come in ? What are your personal strengths ? Where are the gaps ? Who is not catered for ? SWOTs

Whole School involvement – a finger in every pie ?

Teaching and Learning The Reading Culture The Organisation

How are you involving .... ?

Pupils - Juniors – your own or local feeder schools Take part in primary

liaison/Yr 6 taster days Shadowing the Greenaway –

with Yr 5 or 6, invite primaries in or go to them

Have one lunch time a week when juniors can visit

Involve them in big initiatives i.e. DEAR

Run and/or judge competitions for them – junior schools rarely have the staff time to do this

Pupils - Seniors – particularly those pupils who don’t even know where the library is! Persuade English to let you have each class for

a book talk Open the library for “breakfast” – I don’t offer

breakfast as such as we are a boarding school but do offer squash & biscuits, newspapers and magazines and promote it to Yr 10 up

Have a Pupil Committee – encourage them to canvas their peers and allow them to make decisions – a recent new Teen Section brought in older students out of curiosity! Ask them what magazines they want.

Promote an author visit or event to non library users – even if they attend to get out of lessons it can be a turning point!

Offer simple prizes (bribery!) if caught reading!

Pupils – those difficult years! Try and persuade the school to have at least one

time during the week for reading – provide varied reading material – visit their classrooms

Encourage staff to leave reading material on their desks and talk to pupils about reading

Run competitions which attract wider audience – give out prizes in assemblies

Run a whole school event which appeals to all – Murder in the Library is brilliant!

Organise theatre trips for pleasure!

Get involved and attend House events – organise one!

House Storytelling

Held in assemblies – 6/7, 8/9, 10/11, 6th form – captive audience

Each House puts in a team Organised by sixth form students Stories no more than 5 minutes Staff judges

House Storytellingwinners 2010

Right – Year 11 Storytellers – Bells HouseBelow – Year 7 Boarders

Sixth Form students

Provide guides & templates on VLE or memory stick

Offer one to one study skills sessions, particularly with EPQ or IB students

Ask for their help – they usually love it Canvas their views Make sure you consider their interests Provide something for Book Week – they hate

being left out! Involve them in Pupil Committee, House

events, School events

Day and Boarding

I insist day pupils allowed until 5.30 LRC is optional during prep so to attract them I invite

each house (girls/boys) – first choice of new books & dvds, also more relaxed as you can see!

Evening events Storytimes

Book Weeks Competitive element: tutor groups, individual, house Events throughout the week Involve older pupils Involve all staff One whole school event i.e. DEAR, Big Read etc. Have a theme -tie up with a relevant dept. i.e. Sport, Art, Geography

Book Week Programme 2010The Reading OlympicsMonday – Author Mark Robson. Launch Pentathlon – 5 events with a task

each day to gain points – Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Reference; Launch tutor competition

Tuesday - Year 8 e-book (G&T)

Year 9/10 Assembly – Brian Clough;

Pentathlon 2

Wednesday - 9.30 Andrew Fusek Peters Yr 12

writing workshop; Art competition – design a Sporting

Book cover; Pentathlon 3

Thursday – WORLD BOOK DAY –

Staff dress up; Question of Reading

assembly; Penalty shoot out; Pentathlon 4; DEAR

Friday – LVS Literary Challenge;

Great Paper Caper, Pentathlon 5

Staff - Teaching and Learning Identify strands from SDP and see how you can contribute Be an expert on information literacy and identify gaps in students’

skills – help with assessment Talk to SMT about Information literacy Speak at HoDs or Faculty meetings Form library curriculum committee Deliver INSET and advice on your subject Always try and accommodate class of pupils and allow small groups

without teacher – be on hand to help If they don’t come to you, find out their topics and offer book boxes

for the classroom! Use different subjects including PHSE – go with an idea to a

reluctant HoD

Year 9 MFL Project using the QUICK steps – 5th year Groups of 3-4 research aspect of country Q – Questions – brainstorm in groups – identify questions to ask –

what do I know, what do I need to find out, what shall I research, where shall I look ?

U – Understand and plan – who will do what ? What is the end product ? How long have we got ?

I – Identify resources – use OLIVER, online reference tools, books C – Choose what to use – make notes – must be handed in by each

member of group K – Know what you’ve done – produce bibliography, how shall we

present it ? What have we learnt ? (student assessment)

LVS LEARNING RESOURCE CENTRESPIRALLING SKILLS CURRICULUM – the QUICK Steps to Success

Questions to askYear 7 – LRC lessons – mindmapping & brainstormingYear 8 – Science project – Formulate own questionsYear 9 – MFL Project – Formulate own questionsYear 10 – PHSE – Fact vs Opinion questionsYear 12 – PHSE – Induction & Independent Learning sessions

Understand and PlanYear 7 – LRC lessons – planning projects Year 8 – Science Project – Plan Newspaper projectYear 9 – MFL Project – Planning project & presentationYear 10 – PHSE – Quick StepsYear 12 – PHSE – Induction & IL sessions

Identify and EvaluateYear 7 – LRC lessons using OLIVERYear 8 – Science Project – using different sourcesYear 8 – English, History, Geography – using a variety of sources – which is best for the task ?Year 9 – MFL Project – which sources shall I use ?Year 10 – PHSE - Looking at resources – CARS evaluationYear 12 – PHSE - Induction

ChooseYear 7 – LRC lessons – note-taking for projectYear 7 – Science – note-taking askYear 8 – Science project – taking notes on MicrobesYear 9 – MFL project – notes assessed in mark scheme

KnowYear 7 – Recording sources in a bibliography, self-assessment at end of yearYear 8 – Science & English – bibliographiesYear 9 – Independent Learning Skills self-assessmentYear 10 – PHSE - Self assessment (as above) + writing bibliographies & referencingYear 12 – PHSE – Referencing & citation

Staff – the personal touch – for ALL staff

Offer reduced newspaper subscription Organise the Book People Provide a book swap trolley in the staffroom Include non-teaching and organisational staff in

big events i.e. DEAR, Big Read etc. Encourage non-teaching staff to use the library Run a staff book group Send out book suggestions

Parents and Governors Invite them in! Ensure new parents know who you are and how you can

help Offer appointments with parents to help with their child’s

reading – provide a leaflet Send home a literary newsletter or regular contribution to

school newsletter Provide booklists and advice online Offer “paired reading” sets –

two books for parent & child with

guide for discussion

The Literary Year – tell people what you do!

Outside the School ...involving the community Liaise with your local public library – pupil visits, joint competitions,

work displayed, Yr 6 liaison Local schools – inter-school quiz, Carnegie days etc. Join together with other schools to get involved

in Book Awards Bookshops – use your local bookshop for bookfair at least once a year Support your SLS if you have one! Support other book & library events Ensure your events are reported in the

press! Write home to parents regularly

BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU DO!And last of all ......

Collage summary

Sue Bastone The Licensed Victuallers’ School, Ascot