Library

A reflection on the role of libraries - big and small - in challenging times

In recent times street libraries have sprouted in abundance in my neck of the woods.  While there were a few mini-libraries of note before March 2020, now there are lucky dip libraries in every direction of the compass. Invariably wooden, but otherwise bespoke, they have been crafted by neighbourly souls to fit into nooks beside letterboxes, fence posts or trees. Such libraries are emblematic of good libraries in general: they are inviting and inclusive. At a  time of big library closure, these mini-libraries are still accessible.  For my own part, I have snatched up books that I might otherwise never have read, and in turn, I have topped up my favourite street library.

While physical libraries - big and small - help to connect people and ideas, virtual libraries are also vital in ensuring that reading material can be accessed 24/7, without leaving our homes. At Brigidine College, our library collection includes a rich selection of ebooks. If your daughter is uncertain about how to borrow an ebook, this video provides an explanation. While the focus of the video is on Accelerated Reader ebooks, the video assists in the borrowing and return of any type of ebook accessed through the College library.  

Years 7 & 8 Library Competition - focus on Accelerated Reader Books

Competition 1:

Entrants are invited to create a podcast (audio file) in which they take on the role of a  character in a novel of their own choosing at an interesting point in the story. The purpose of the podcast is to entice readers to borrow the book and it should run between 30 and 90 seconds. Share with  trish.kennedy@syd.catholic.edu.au

Competition 2:

Entrants are to write a review of any Accelerated Reader books that they are currently reading or have read and enjoyed this year, including ebooks. The reviews must be less than 100 words. This video will show you how to access ebooks. Entries will be linked to this doc: click the letter G for an example of a review.

 Share your review  trish.kennedy@syd.catholic.edu.au. 

Competition winners will be rewarded with the book of their choice. The competitions extend into Term 4 and may incite some holiday reading!

Reading for pleasure and wellbeing

According to North American Professor Esther Jones, fantasy, science fiction and dystopian genres provide children with crucial respite from a “reality overload”, as well as enriching the analytical and affective skills necessary to negotiate the real world. Indeed, my observations of Brigidine College students suggest that our most engaged readers are frequently drawn to books in which young people navigate worlds in ecological and political trouble. However, of crucial importance is the fact that the novels crafted for young adult readers generally meld harsh realities with hope  - and encourage faith in freshly forged futures.

A few blocks from my favourite street library, the French novelist Albert Camus speaks to passersby from the wall of a building:

It is my hope that our Brigidine girls will find that reading helps to build that “invincible summer” of the heart that is the foundation of all resilience. 

Trish Kennedy

Teacher Librarian