Secondary Libraries

[Nearlyhadenough]

Hi all,

Want to want/need/expect from your libraries and library staff? What good ideas can you give me to make the library inviting to as many students as possible?

I have been working as a TA for 10 years and there is an opening for a Library Assistant at my school (running the library - no other staff), so I'm looking for things that staff and students find useful.

I know some would appreciate a study area open for a while after school if there is not already one present - particularly if there is a member of staff present to support them. Not all students can complete their homework at home.

Aside from them, suggestion boxes for new books is always good so the students have a say in the books that appear in the library :)

I like the idea of a suggestion box, thanks!

The school does run an hour long Homework Club each afternoon, and it has been very worth while. Maybe opening before school would be useful?

Board games that can be played at lunch in the library are popular.

Opening before school with access to a printer so pupils can (pay) to print out homework if home printer not working.

Lunchtime book club with a monthly book and discussion time.

Book swap week.

A detective week when you set up a series of clues/ events all leading to solving a 'crime. It can require looking at different library resources, talking to different people. For example 'The case of Mr(s)

I'd suggest various group activities/ reading interventions. Different book groups (sci-fi, manga etc). A reading buddies group to encourage reluctant readers. In fact, I'd make it pretty much all about encouraging reluctant readers, boys and developing a whole school reading culture. Id do lots of research before interview, you may be going up against teachers and librarians, I did when interviewed for a similar post. There is an excellent book about reading in secondary schools published by Nasen. I'll try to think of the author and get back to you. Make sure that you mention any reading interventions that you know of and any knowledge of dyslexia and other Sen. Tell them how you'd promote inclusion and remove barriers. Good luck, sounds like a lovely role.

The book is called Transforming Reading Skills in the Secondary School, and is by Pat Guy. It's brilliant.
I would really recommend that you stress that you understand the importance of reading in improving children's outcomes, both academically across the curriculum, and also in improving children's wider holistic development. Like I said earlier, do lots of research into reading - there's loads out there.

Thanks for the fab ideas!

I already run our 'reading partners' scheme every morning, so have experience of reluctant readers and tracking their outcomes with intervention. It's one of the reasons why I love being in the library so much! Knowing that I can be a small part of helping a student to gain a love of books.

A book group(s) is a great idea - especially breaking it down into different genres. Anything to become more inclusive!

I've been researching over the holidays - looking at the School Library Association site amongst others.

Thank again x

Oh gosh - we are extremely lucky. She organises...

Board games before school and at breaks.
Computers available, some reserved for homework and some for games. Sometimes the library is so full we are turning people away.
Challenges and awards, e.g. there is a group who read the whole Carnegie shortlist, meet with cake to talk about them and vote on who they think should win, then they stream the award ceremony live. I think when there have been local awards she has also taken them to meet authors and things.
Competitions - e.g. get a raffle ticket each time you read a book, entered in a draw at the end of term.
Printers for students to print out their homework.
We have a homework club after school each day but I think this is staffed by teaching assistants who get paid to stay, not sure.
Offers library lessons to support English/drama - basically we tell her what we’re working on and she plans an hour of activities around research / using the books. We don’t make enough of this, I don’t think.
She manages our subscriptions to news services, articles etc and if we are organised and share our long term plans she feeds these in to what we’re doing.
Mentoring takes place in the library and our librarian also manages this, but I think that’s an extra that she has agreed to do.
Reading buddies - younger students read to older students during registration. This tends to be for the younger students who haven’t settled well, to give them some support.

Basically ours is amazing - you’ve made me think we don’t appreciate her enough.

Hello again. I'm glad that you appreciated my suggestions, but I think that you need to consider more fully the meaning of inclusion.

My DD is in year 7 and spends half her time at school in the library it seems. She has a "library lesson" once a fortnight in English, where they spend time doing quiet reading, learning how the library works, about how books are shelved etc.

The librarian runs a creative writing club once a week, two board games clubs one at lunch and one after school, there was a craft club there last term, they did rock painting and similar. There's also a lunchtime vlogging club, they plan video book reviews, record them and put them in the school YouTube channel.

I've been really impressed with how active it's been.

Explanations of the classification system.

I’m assuming the catalogue is on-line? I’d find it useful to be able to save searches and lists and email them.

I would like on-line subscriptions to back issues of newspapers and to subject specific journals.

Would you be doing the book cataloguing or buying that in? And the processing, would you do that or buy it?

If the library is open before and after school will you be offering a space or a service?

I’d like teaching sessions on how to use the Internet-antiGoogle, also general research skills.

I’d also say if you’re running the library AND teaching you’d need a different job title ( and probably a higher grade!).

Are you a member of CILIP?

I forgot, the librarian also arranges the school literary quiz, and she takes the top two teams to compete in the regional quiz too: www.kidslitquiz.com/home.php

@Nearlyhadenough did you get the library role?

Curly

Thank you for asking!

Original closing date was 14th Jan, I had researched and printed all my research ready to do the application the weekend before.... on the Wednesday before closing there had been no applications so the school decided to extend the deadline to the 25th Jan AND put further adverts out, so opening up to more applications...

So still waiting! x

Wow, that’s highly unusual! 100 people applied for my role! Is the salary very poor? Or the school doesn’t have a good reputation?

It was only advertised internally and on the school website originally, now on the county job website.

Pay is £9.78 per hour and it’s a over subscribed school with a good reputation.