Library News

Latest HSC Study Guides

We have recently purchased and accessioned the latest Excel HSC study guides (Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Legal Studies, Business Studies, Chemistry, Physics, English and many more) that are written by experienced educators and include revision exercises with answers and explanations to maximise exam success. These guides have been shelved in the Senior study Room and are available for borrowing.

Senior Recommended Readers for EAL/D Students For Wide Reading

Ms Shah has been liaising with the librarian to make available to our Year 11 Senior EAL/D students the recommended readers (consolidating, developing and emerging categories) for wide reading. These resources have been purchased and accessioned and are now available for our senior students to borrow out and enjoy reading them.

Blacktown City Libraries Membership Update

Mrs Chalhoub has been liaising with Ms Barbara Hillman (Library Youth Development Officer) at Blacktown City library, who has been kindly processing the membership cards for a big number of our students who showed interest in joining up our local library to access the large collection of materials and digital resources available to them free of charge. Ms Hillman also dropped off the student library cards,  information brochures on the library and a letter outlining their set password. Students have been reminded that they need to login and change their password. Thank you again Ms Hillman for organising the library cards for our students. We hope that they enjoy using their membership cards and take advantage of what the library offers them.

 

Public Library Activities for the Spring School Holidays

Find out what is on at Blacktown City libraries (Max Webber Library / The Mount Druitt Hub / Dennis Johnson Library / Lalor park Library / Riverstone Library & Digital Hub) during the coming up spring school holidays. There is something for everyone and all age groups.

For further information, please check this link https://www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au/Services/Libraries

 

Please check out the program attachment below.

Book Week 2019 Celebrations

Every year across Australia and since 1945, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) leads Book Week. CBCA is a volunteer run and a non-profit organisation that aims at engaging the community with literature for young Australians, supporting the work of Australian writers and illustrators and promoting a lifelong love for reading. In 1946, the CBCA established annual book awards to promote books of high literary and artistic quality written and illustrated by Australian authors and illustrators. These awards are now considered the most influential and highly respected in Australia.

During this time, libraries celebrate Australian children's literature through various events e.g. author visit, stories, competitions, character parades, activities and book displays.

What is this year’s theme?  "Reading is my Secret Power!"

Reading does indeed give us secret powers: the power to walk in the shoes of others when we read their stories, to escape into other worlds when we read, to have great and free entertainment, to exercise our brain, to reduce our stress, to improve our concentration, to enrich our language and vocabulary, to imagine…the list goes on.

 

At our school we celebrated Book Week 2019 in week 6 with two major celebrations:

  • Evans Great Read-In Afternoon: 40 students attended this event at the library. They learnt about Book Week through a PowerPoint presentation. Some of them brought their own books to read. Others browsed through the new books series and chose a book that interest them. They were also offered hot chocolate, orange juice and afternoon tea and enjoyed relaxing and reading in the comfort of our library.
  • Authors' Visits:  We hosted 2 authors: Mr John Heffernan and Mr Tohby Riddle who presented to our year 7 and LAF students.

Students were surveyed after the event. They found the authors’ visits very enjoyable and engaging. Students liked John Heffernan’s talk that was funny and enthusiastic and particularly loved when Mr Heffernan read to them couple of pages from his story “Naveed”.

Students also found the drawing techniques and illustrations of My Riddle amazing and very clever.

Mr Heffernan was impressed by our students behaviour and attitude and the clever questions that our year 7 asked him. Student were given a raffle ticket each as they entered the library and a big number of them won CBCA pens , bookmarks, books and lolly bags.

In addition, year 8 students learnt about Book Week in their library lessons. They also listened to Book Talks from the CBCA shortlist, participated in a Book Week Quiz and won lovely prizes.

Happy Book Week 2019 everyone!

 

Returning Library Items

A friendly reminder that the books in our collection are borrowable for two weeks. Students need to come to the circulation desk and ask library staff for an extension time on their loan if they still need more time to finish reading a book. Thank you for your cooperation in advance and for returning items on time.

Year 8 Library Lessons Updates

Year 8 students are continuing with their learning about digital citizenship during their library lessons classes and are getting more engaged in class activities and discussions. In the second half of this term, they have been discussing digital citizenship scenarios, watching short clips on the topic, completing the digital citizenship test and learning about the three core principles that responsible citizens should practice: Engage positively – Know your online world – Choose consciously.

Please check out this short video link to learn more about digital citizenship  https://www.esafety.gov.au/education-resources/classroom-resources/digital-citizenship

 

Author of the Month (Roald Dahl)

You are invited to check out our special display for the author of the month: Roald Dahl. He is one of the most popular authors of children’s books in the world. Some of his more famous books include James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, George's Marvelous Medicine, and Matilda.

Roald Dahl was born on September 13, 1916 in Llandaff, Wales. He liked to read adventure stories as a kid. His mum would tell him all sorts of fantasy stories, which he loved.

Roald didn't like school much, so when he turned 18 he decided not to go to university. Then WWII started when he was 23 and he joined the Royal Air Force.

He started writing stories for kids after he had children and began making up stories for them. James and the Giant Peach was his first child book and it was a great success.

He kept a diary as a child and hid it up at the top of a tree so his sisters couldn't get to it.

We have a big number of his books on display at our library.

For further information on this author, please check out this link:

https://www.roalddahl.com/roald-dahl-day

 

Lifeline Giant Book Fair

Oakhill College, Castle Hill - 11th to 13th October 2019

Lifeline is holding its annual Giant Book Fair at Oakhill College, Castle Hill on Friday 11th October, Saturday 12th October and Sunday 14th October from 9am to 5pm each day.

The sale will include over 60,000 second hand books including many for children (sorted into appropriate age ranges) as well as quality novels, literature, history, study aids and other categories, all at very attractive prices.

Lifeline offers an important service to our community. In addition to the 131114 crisis support telephone service, it provides a range of suicide prevention counselling services. To assist Lifeline in maintaining this work, this organisation relies heavily on the income received from book fairs which are run entirely by volunteers.

Please check out the attached flyer.

Thanks for supporting Lifeline on behalf of Michael Cleary - Lifeline Book Fair Coordinator

 

Library Staff

Pauline Chalhoub - Teacher Librarian

Diane Johnson - Library Assistant

Linda Bathio - Library Assistant

Sene Scalan Sufia - Library Assistant

Annette Tomlinson - Library Assistant

Kathleen Andrews - Library Assistant