Library 

What a busy start to the school year, including a circuit-breaker lock down as well. I hope all families are well and have managed this week. While we know what to do and how it works for us having to go back into this mode, being so early in the year was a bit of a shock! For the Senior School Library, this meant a reversal to a remote learning support centre for students whose parents have to go to work. 

Full stocktakes on both Senior and Junior School Library collections means we know what we have on all our shelves and what we may need to replace for the first time in several years. We are really looking forward to supporting the many elements of education that fall within our jurisdiction.

Junior School students will start borrowing from next week; many Senior School students have already been accessing our collection, some of them on a daily basis. I also received a brilliant email from a student in Year 8 which contained her recollection of words on a blurb and asking if we could find what it was and lend her the book. I have never had such a detailed request and it certainly rang some bells as a book I had read but Miss Welst beat me to the title! The book was lent, bagged and left in the foyer of the Tower building within the first few hours on Monday. 

Given the turbulent nature of last year, it is possible that your child has a title against their name. Textbooks at Senior School were billed but titles from our regular collections were not. Even if it was borrowed last February, we would love to welcome it home now. Any returned items will not be showing as being on loan now.

We are currently working on our eBook collections and some students are finding that there are titles that they can’t borrow. We have been in consultation with Wheelers and students will be advised once it is resolved. We will also provide access to the Primary Library collection this year. Details and links to that collection are still in the process of being set up.

Any questions, suggestions or concerns can be raised with me via msimkin@hamiltoncollege.vic.edu.au. Best wishes for a well read year in 2021.

Margaret Simkin

Head of Library