Library News

Maria SMITH 

Head of Library

WELCOME TO ANOTHER EXCITING YEAR OF LEARNING AND CONNECTING AT HIGHVALE!

Welcome to another exciting year ahead of us! Our caring and supportive library looks forward to a year of transformation to make our main collection more engaging, flexible and user-friendly with the installation of new shelving units, eventually increasing our borrowing numbers and spreading the pleasure of reading. Huge thanks for your understanding and cooperation while we go through this refurbishment with some interruptions in our Library services.

INTRODUCING OUR ENTHUSIASTIC BUNCH OF LIBRARY MONITORS FOR 2026

The library welcomes our new team of Library volunteers to assist at our Circulation Desk during lunchtime and perform other duties and responsibilities when required. The Monitors also help organize our annual Literacy/Numeracy/Book Week activities and other events taking place in the library. The Library Monitors Program is vital in ensuring the smooth running of our Resource Centre while developing our volunteers’ employability and other skills as confident Highvale graduates. 

Please congratulate the new members of our Library Team: Kyon C. (8C), Elsa L. (9H), Nicole L. (8G), Maya P. (8H), Sanvi R. (8H), Aagvi S. (8I), and Anishka T. (9G). Thank you, Returning Monitors: Sara K. (10B), Angela L. (10G), Priya P. (11G), Alyssa P. (9G), Niya R. (9A), Amelia W. (9F), Jonelle W. (10G) and Andrea Z. (10D). Thank you, Library Assistant Sherry Liang for capturing our first meeting.

Acknowledging the efforts (in pictures) of our Monitors as the Library organizes the weeding of outdated resources and prepare for the new shelving units coming very soon. Watch this space!

YEAR 7 LIBRARY INFORMATION SESSIONS

To support our new Year 7s transition into secondary school, we have had Library Information sessions to familiarize them with how our Circulation Desk works, how many books to borrow (four books) and for how long (three weeks), printing and photocopying and other relevant information including rules to observe in our library, a QUIET ZONE that RESPECTS EVERYONE’S RIGHT TO LEARN.(Credit to Ms Liang for the photos)

PLEASE NOTE: The Library will be closed from the 17th Feb through to the 25th Feb.  The closure is to facilitate a change on the shelving to replace the old racks with new, as the first steps to refresh the Library area. This means the Library will not be available to student during the school day.  

In time for the Love month, ready for you are the new additions to our Graphic Novels section:

This latest Manga collection (Love Me, Love Me not) is a fresh romance series from Io Sakisaka, leading shojo manga creator and author of Ao Haru Ride. 

ADDITIONAL FEBRUARY ARRIVALS for you to borrow and read with pleasure!

A MEANINGFUL TEACHER REFLECTION ON THE CHINESE LUNAR NEW YEAR 

What a delightful surprise from our new Science teacher Ms Sharon Tay, wishing me a “Happy New Year” while handing out a fortune cookie on the first day of the Chinese New Year! So privileged to have a glimpse of and excited to share how Ms Tay’s family celebrates this rich cultural event. May we all have a prosperous new year! (photo credit: BBC)

“To celebrate Chinese New Year, we follow several meaningful traditions. One of the most important is the New Year’s Eve reunion dinner, where the whole family gathers to share a special meal together. During the festive period, we also visit relatives and family friends, going from house to house to exchange greetings and well wishes.

We usually wear red or other bright colours, as red symbolises good luck and prosperity. Children receive red packets/envelopes, while parents and married adults give them out as a way of sharing blessings and good fortune. Firecrackers and fireworks are also a big part of the celebration. In countries and neighbourhoods where people are less strict about fireworks laws, we would stay up until midnight to watch everyone set off fireworks to welcome the new year.

Throughout the 15 days of celebration, some families or business owners invite lion dancers to perform at their homes or shops for good luck. Otherwise, we attend community events to watch lion dances and dragon parades, which create a lively and festive atmosphere.

Food plays an important role as well. We enjoy sticky rice treats and various traditional New Year snacks. Fish is often included in the reunion dinner because the Chinese word for “fish” (鱼, yú) sounds like the word for “surplus” or “abundance” (余, yú), symbolising prosperity and having more than enough in the coming year”.

AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPERIENCE THE CHINESE LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION? (from 17 February to 3 March 2026)

Our beautiful City of Melbourne has a weekend full of fun activities for the whole family!

Check out these three iconic venues in Melbourne for the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations. And did you know that the legendary Melbourne Cup racehorse Phar Lap turns 100 years old this year, the International Year of the Horse!

Melbourne Museum (21 February 2026 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM) 

https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/whats-on/lunar-new-year-at-melbourne-museum/ 

Immigration Museum (22 February 2026 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM) 

https://museumsvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/

National Gallery of Victoria (22 February 2026 from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM) 

https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/things-to-do/lunar-new-year-at-ngv

AND ANOTHER MOOMBA FESTIVAL FROM 5-9 MARCH COMING YOUR WAY! 

https://moomba.melbourne.vic.gov.au/

The Moomba Parade is the highlight of the annual Moomba Festival, with its larger-than-life floats, dance performance groups, dance troupes and the special appearance from our Melbourne Monarchs! There are other events taking place during this cultural celebration in our beautiful city. Please check the website for more details.