Laurence Library

Love Your Library

The Laurence Library finishes the year with a Christmas display and a stock take. Students need to return all their borrowed library books. Time now is spent checking through the collection and weeding old or damaged copies. This is also a time to review what works and what hasn’t worked over the year in the library. As all courses have been finalised for 2024, the Campion Booklist is now available on the School website and on SEQTA.

The most popular genre over 2023 has been crime and mystery. I have noticed a trend away from fantasy with students actively seeking crime, including classics such as Agatha Christie’s novels. Authors of young adult fiction are responding to demand with novels such as the recently published, The Headmaster’s List. However, in terms of a well written murder mystery, nothing eclipses Dorothy Sayers’ novels. We have some of her novels in our library.

We had a useful meeting with the English Department this week to discuss the “wider reading” program. This was instigated last year once our collection could sustain borrowing. All students from Years 7 to 10 are now encouraged to borrow and spend part of a lesson reading. Next year we will extend this to focus on a specific program that tracks the curriculum in these years. Students will be taught how to write reviews of their books and the reviews will be posted on Oliver. We will complement their reading with library-initiated activities, including reading to the very reluctant readers. It is exciting watching our reading numbers growing.

With course changes settled and timetables organised for 2024, the school booklists are available on SEQTA and there is a link on our website. Please get in early and order so our students are prepared for 2024. 

Have a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends and books.

Dr Annette Pedersen

Library Coordinator