Term One has seen a busy start in both our Junior and Senior School libraries. On 14 February we celebrated Library Lovers’ Day in the Senior School, offering students the opportunity to have a ‘blind date’ with a book. The books were carefully chosen to cover a wide range of genres and wrapped in red paper. The girls loved the suspense of not knowing what text genre they were receiving and, added to this, was the delight of unwrapping a surprise. Choosing a book ‘blindly’, without knowing what is inside, is valuable in broadening students’ exposure to genres of literature that they might not otherwise chose for themselves.

Blind Date with a book

We are excited to be working with the Duke of Edinburgh Program to enable Year 9 students to complete their community service hours through assisting in the library. These students will assist with a range of tasks including scanning loans and returns, organising books for re-shelving, assisting with the set-up of displays and special events, and liaising with Barbreck Library. We are thrilled to have these students taking greater ownership of the library space and providing input on how they want the library to be. It is also offers a wonderful opportunity for our new Library Monitors to engage with roles of responsibility and discover new skills.

Last week we celebrated International Women’s Day with purple decorations and book displays. Our large east-facing windows were emblazoned with the names of inspirational people who have made the world a more equal place, and we were entertained by lunchtime film screenings, games and panel discussions throughout the week. The library book displays promoted influential female writers, with a range of fiction and non-fiction works on offer that acknowledged the importance of equality in our world.