Faculty News (Library)

The benefits of reading are numerous. Reading exercises the brain, improves vocabulary, helps us relax, especially during the stress of study and exams, teaches us about different times, places and topics and helps us to understand and empathise with others.

The Canadian cognitive psychologist, Keith Oatley, calls fiction “the mind’s flight simulator”.

‘Just as pilots can practise flying without leaving the ground, people who read fiction may improve their social skills each time they open a novel.’ (Oatley, 1999)

Mazenod College Library has excellent qualified and experienced Library staff, including two Teacher Librarians and two Library Technicians, who work together to encourage a reading culture. We are also extremely fortunate to have one of our Teacher Librarians teaching fortnightly reading classes to Year 7, 8 and 9 students alongside their English teacher. Students in reading classes are encouraged to read, borrow and participate in activities to establish and broaden their reading habits, including speed booking, genre reading game and creative book reviews for display in the Library. Data from the Deakin Reading Survey shows that approximately 75% of Mazenod Junior School students are regularly reading in their free time with the majority of these students preferring to read printed books. 

"Literacy skills associated with our students’ academic, vocational and social opportunities in school and beyond, and regular reading is strongly related to building and sustaining students’ literacy skills. This means that when libraries provide access to books and impetus to read, they are potentially influencing students’ life outcomes." (Merga, 2020)

Library staff regularly promote reading to students and receive positive feedback from both students and parents about our ‘Book of the Week’ on Mazcom. We enjoy reading and recommending suitable books for students’ reading level and interest. Students are also able to recommend books for the Library collection via Mazcom. 

The Library collection includes fiction books, non fiction books, magazines, biographies, short stories, graphic novels, picture books and Manga. The Library fiction collection is organised into genres which greatly helps students to find a read that engages them. The top three fiction genres enjoyed by our students are humour, fantasy and mystery/crime. The Library also has an excellent collection of ebooks and audio books through Sora which is supplemented by ‘Your Library’ (formerly Eastern Regional Library) to provide an even greater range of digital books.

Events such as Book Week and Mazenod Literature Festival, which have already been highlighted in previous issues of the newsletter, further promote interest in reading and literacy. This year we had authors James Phelan and Mark Smith speak to students as well as run writing workshops. Our visiting illustrator and presenter, Marc McBride said that ‘Reading helps us understand people’ and ‘the best way to improve your imagination is with a book.’ Book author James Phelan advised students to know their ending before they start writing with author Mark Smith telling students, "If your character doesn't have a problem then you don't have a story". 

Finally, I would just like to share some photos from our #BookFace competition winners. Happy Reading!

Lisa Burger

Head of Library