get out of the library!
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Presentation to SSAT Conference "The Outward Looking Library" by Sue Bastone, 2010 SLYA Honour ListTRANSCRIPT
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