Teen Library Advisor Badges Ceremony

As a school we love coming together and celebrating our many successes. One of these happy and highly anticipated events happened just before lockdown when we congratulated our official Teen Library Advisors (TLAs) for 2021.

After completing a rigorous trial period, the day finally arrived when the finalists, 60 students, were smiling and enjoying receiving their new badges.

To arrive here, students had spent tireless hours of volunteering in the Library, with such duties as:

attending weekly TLA meetings
shelving
processing books
making bookmarks
organising events
public speaking... and many more

For a reward, students received shiny new badges with a slight innovation from previous years. The badges now have little hole spaces for future year medals to hang from the bar. A powder blue medal, with the sparkling 2021 year, is already dangling delightfully from the first space of the TLA badge.

We want to tell all our TLAs that we are incredibly proud of your work and commitment. The wait was worth it. Our shiny new badges not only look great on you, but, in years to come, will also reflect the great loyalty that many of you show.

Book Week under Lockdown

There were many surprises that rescued Book Week in 2021 from sad cancellations and Lockdown doldrums, transforming it into another literary success. This is how, in this year, under the most extraordinary pressures of Term 3, we came together as a community to celebrate the love and joy of reading and to highlight the role books and reading play in positively enhancing young people’s lives.

Victorian Premiers' Reading Challenge Update

By Book Week, well over 1,100 books had been read and listed on the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge (VPRC) by students in our school.

Congratulations to our school community for reading such a staggering amount of books under extremely difficult conditions. Also, huge congratulations to the students who have already completed the Challenge well ahead of the finish date of 17th September. Of course it goes without saying that this would not be possible without the unflagging support of their teachers.

We encourage students to keep reading and updating. Lockdown is the perfect time to update your VPRC site. Sign in and click on VPRC Login. Use your unique VPRC login details which your teachers or librarians have given you. Contact Mrs Papazoglou if you need your login details again or any other help with this challenge.

We want you all to experience the satisfaction of meeting your reading goals.

Dress Ups & Bookish Talk

It wouldn’t be Book Week without dress ups. To the amusement of TLAs, the Library Team dressed up as book characters for their virtual Book Week meeting.

Mrs Papazoglou literally popped in as her alter ego, Mary Poppins, to visit classes during their usual library time, spreading more Book Week cheer across the whole week. The verdict? Mary Poppins was pleased to discover students reading, swapping book ideas on their class’s padlet page or other fantastic literary activities. The encouragement from teachers was powerful and engaging. According to Mary, everything was “simply perfect!”

It was satisfying to see so many students and teachers sharing the joy and love of reading. If you are looking for reading inspiration, check out the TLA book recommendations here.

eBooks & Audiobooks

While you can’t visit the library at this time, the library never sleeps and is always available to you online. Borrowing of your favourite ebooks and audiobooks continued during Lockdown 6.0 and Book Week. Remember, it is possible to borrow ebooks and audiobooks anytime anywhere.

Thank you to Ms Gatward for promoting a whopping 24 ebooks during Book Week.

If you are looking for more links to free ebooks and audiobooks, visit our website.

Comics Plus

Negotiations were underway during Book Week for a new exciting online service that is coming to you very soon and will give you access to thousands of popular graphic novels, manga and comics. You can’t read these books yet but you can explore our demo sites here and see what is coming soon:

Comics Plus – Primary School demo – no reading access

https://lpchildrensdemo.librarypass.com

Comics Plus – High School demo – no reading access

https://lpteenyademo.librarypass.com/

Feeling inspired by Book Week? The celebrations and book love continue in September with events and activities for Australian Reading Hour. Find out more info on their website. Follow along and join in at @Australiareads on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and continue the conversation around the joy and love of reading.

Remember, even though you can’t go anywhere at this time, it is always possible to escape your 5km limit without even leaving your armchair by enjoying a good book powered by your imagination!

Writing Club

When we went back into Remote Learning, we decided to take our brand-new Writing Club online. Every Tuesday, we post a writing challenge or exercise at the start of lunchtime and give the Writing Club members time to write. At 'first bell', we stop writing and join a chat where we talk about what we were writing and even share some of what we wrote.

Our small group of writers are creating all sorts of stories and poems and some have even entered a couple of competitions.

Writing Club is a fabulous way for us all to connect with students in different Houses and year levels who love writing as much as we do.

Well done to all of our Writing Club members for your commitment to creativity during this difficult time. We love spending Tuesday lunchtimes online with you.

If you love writing, consider joining the Writing Club. You'll be able to spend time with your fellow writers, learn new skills, and hear about competitions you can enter.

Please send an email to katie.gatward@education.vic.gov.au if you would like to join Writing Club.

Take care, everyone! Stay safe and happy! Enjoy reading!

Maria Papazoglou & Katie Gatward

Library

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