Library News

By Meghan Douglas - Director of Library Services

Reading in Winter

Winter is a great time to curl up with a book and read! Through our structured reading programs, we have been promoting a broad range of genres and giving students options about what they might be interested in reading next. You can help to maintain the momentum at home by encouraging wide reading and by reading alongside your child.

Here are some suggestions:

Create a comfortable place to read. This might be under a warm blanket, near a fireplace, or near a bright window.
Build a ritual. Maybe it is the twenty minutes after dinner, or the first half hour of the morning. Creating a regular time for reading in the day means this time is protected and becomes part of the daily routine.
Level up the comfort. Add a hot chocolate, a little snack, some soft music, or anything else that helps to set the scene for calm relaxation.
Ask questions. Find out what they are reading, and how the story is unfolding. What are they enjoying? Which characters remind them of someone they know? Who is making questionable choices? What would they do differently?
Go on a reading excursion. Pop into one of our great local bookshops, or visit the local Library during the break. In Melbourne? Make a stop at the State Library for a warm drink and explore the programs and reading rooms.

Reconciliation Week

During Reconciliation Week, the Library hosted our Year 7 Humanities and Year 8 RE classes for learning activities related to the theme 'All In for Reconciliation’. We know that one of the ways we can be 'All In' is through education about First Nations culture and experiences. To that end, our Year 7s watched and read bilingual Dreaming stories from around Australia, examining the purpose or role of these texts, and being exposed to stories told in Language. Many classes were able to join us for a second lesson, where they explored the importance of language maintenance, alongside the meaning of Wadawurrung place names using the Gambay language map. Our Year 8s practiced their research skills, investigating the biography of a famous First Nations leader using physical and online resources, before teaching their friends about this person through a competitive game of memory. The Library’s First Nations guide has many resources that students and staff can use to learn more about Australia’s history and First Nations culture.

VCE English

Year 11 and 12 English students have joined us in the Library over the last weeks to learn more about researching and referencing to support their persuasive speeches SACs. They have used the Informit Explore and Access Australia (Newsbank) databases to research their topics, as well as being reminded about proper referencing conventions. The Library’s ‘Newspapers and Statistics’ guide is a rich resource for these students, collating helpful databases, news sources, referencing information, and reliable sources of statistics and data to support and extend their arguments.

Happy Reading!

Library Website: https://libguides.loreto.vic.edu.au/Loreto-Library

Our email: library@loreto.vic.edu.au

Our eBook and audiobook collection: https://loreto.wheelers.co/