It’s great to be able to tell you that the results of our school-wide literacy focus are becoming evident in a very positive way.
For the last three years, year on year, our book loan numbers have increased, especially for hard copy books, but also for eBooks and audiobooks. Interestingly, our student and staff readers prefer ‘proper’ hardcopy books. This increase began after COVID lockdowns, and before cellphone use was not permitted during school hours, so neither of those is an explanation as to why this has happened. Our loans this year have been the highest since 2004!
I believe it is a result of the amazing work our English faculty does, incorporating selecting books and reading into their lesson plans. We have a time slot for reading any chosen material during tutor time on a Thursday, and we have had a student-led book club this year.
There is a great collection of new popular and classic fiction, and high-interest non-fiction books available in the library, and I welcome our students and staff to borrow as many books as they would like to read. And it doesn’t matter how long they take to finish the book!
My favourite quote by a student is,
Miss, I hated reading until you found me the right book
So we will just keep finding the right book and putting it in the right hands, at just the right time!
Heather McCorquodale, Library Manager
