Library

It has been quite challenging running a hybrid system of some students here and some students elsewhere. Our Senior School Library reading space currently looks like a recording studio – and is where much of the Assembly and other meetings you may be attending or watching with your children are produced. Our bookshelves on both campuses are labelled do not touch the books! Our processes all revolve around staying safe and keeping others safe.

So, what are we doing? Our libraries continue to function and provide a loan and return facility to all students from ELC to Year 12. Books are risky in this COVID era so we need to ensure that they spend time in quarantine when they come back to us. By handling the books between quarantine starting and relending we need to ensure that our hands are clean, and our shelves are safe. We are also staying safe by not sharing the equipment that we have in the past: pens, whiteboard markers and staplers are all safely out of reach. The print release station has been disabled so that work comes straight out of the printer. Sanitiser and wipes are available near the entrance, lending desk and photocopier. Our amazing cleaning staff are dedicated to supporting us and have been a constant support to Caroline and myself.

We look forward to welcoming the other year levels back next week.  The Senior Library has a clearly labelled one-way traffic flow – enter at the Library end and exit at the IT end. This enables us to monitor who is coming through and what they are touching. It also puts the likely returns and loans in easy reach in supervised space.

The building is open at lunchtime, and this may be interesting when everyone is back. There are no shared devices available within the library, but there are tables and chairs safely set up for student use and enjoyment.

Unfortunately, our new soft furnishings are not able to be used at present at the Senior School.

Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge heroes:

The following students are our heroes! Camilla Edgar, John Fenton, Harley Kearns, George Nicholls, Ruby Price, Jessica Templeton, Maggie Bourke, Fay Harjanto, Charlie Mahar, Isobel Mecham, Molly Mecham, Tom Templeton, Will Templeton, Will Balkin. Evie Kennedy, Hattie Nicholls, and Hugh Stratmann. Remember, in this new version of the challenge I can raise the bar – the challenge does not have to stop at 15. I have enjoyed raising the bar for Hattie Nicholls again this week!

Best wishes to all families – and keep reading!!

Margaret Simkin

Head of Library