Brighouse High School - A Leading Edge School With Specialism In Applied Learning

Borrowing
All students and staff can borrow library materials. To facilitate this and make borrowing more secure a fingerprint recognition system is in operation. Parents must give their permission for pupils to register their fingerprint for library borrowing. The fingerprint is encrypted into a unique barcode and cannot be recognized in any other format. Pupils may opt to use a library card instead which they need to keep safely.

• Y7-9 pupils may borrow up to 3 library books, + 1 audio and 1 video item.
• Y10-11 pupils may borrow up to 4 books.
• Y12-13 pupils may borrow up to 5 books.
• Staff may borrow up to 30 items for 6 weeks.
• Books and audio resources may be borrowed for 2 weeks, Videos/DVDs for 2 nights.

Make sure that your library resources have been issued through the library management system and return them on or before the due date marked on the label. Most items may be renewed if required for longer.

Overdue reminders are sent out in registers every 2 weeks. If no response Heads of Year are informed to follow up late books. After 3 reminders parents are notified to aid the return of late resources.

Fines are charged for late returns. Lost and damaged items must be paid for.

Books and other items may be renewed if not required by another user.

All items may be reserved.

Behaviour

The library is intended as a quiet place to read and work. Therefore we encourage users to respect others’ needs by not disturbing them with unnecessary talking.

Food and drink are not allowed.

All items should be issued through the library computerized management system before leaving the room.

Bags and coats should be left in lockers or stored under the tables when working. This is a health and safety issue to avoid obstructing the main entrance and to make sure there is maximum space available to work.

The outside library door is only to be used in emergencies and not as a thoroughfare or shortcut through the library as it disturbs other users.

Sensible behaviour is expected at all times.

Library use

Staff may book the library as a resource, with or without the computers, for whole class use or for small groups. Individual users should be sent with a permission slip from their teacher indicating what they are using the library for.

Resource boxes of topics can be prepared in advance for use in the library or in the classroom.

Pupils can use the library in their own time before and after school, at break and also at lunchtime when homework support is available. The adjacent ICT suite is also available and staffed for Y7-9 pupils at lunchtime.

Load the catalogue. (ELRC – Oliver)

Type in your search word and press enter until your chosen subject/title/author/series/keyword is shown.

It will be marked ‘available’, ‘on loan’, or ‘missing’.

Check the classification code number or letters and select your book from the shelves.

Use the contents and index pages at the front and back of the book to find specific information. If this is what you are looking for read it and make notes in your own words. If not, try a different book or ask for help. A reference book may help or you may need to use the internet, particularly for very current information.

The library catalogue is networked throughout school and can be accessed from all the library computers. Go to programs – ELRC – Oliver using the library user name and password or your own user area. There is a map to help you locate the resources more easily.

Useful reference tools

• Essential articles – updated annually
• Key organizations – updated annually
• Whitaker’s Almanac
• West Yorkshire Street by street atlas
• Fact file – updated annually
• World Travel guide
• World Book encyclopedia
• Issues online (subscription) www.independence.co.uk

The library subscribes to a host website which gives access to thousands of suitable websites for students. Look for the globe icon when searching for information in the catalogue. Select the address to open the link.

We have 2 or more book fairs each year where books and other items can be bought. These popular events raise valuable funds for the library.

Several book club leaflets are circulated during the year (Scholastic, Puffin) allowing pupils and staff to select books regularly. The library also earns commission from these sales.

The library is often used by visiting speakers, authors and other guests. We have hosted Business and Enterprise promotional events for local and national interest.

Visitors include Michael Howard (Conservative leader), Alec Williams (freelance speaker and ex-chief librarian of Calderdale and Leeds with a strong interest in children’s literature), Graham Marks (teenage author), and Livi Michael (for World Book Day).

Supporting charities – The Library Venue

We have held a number of music gigs to raise money for Children in Need and Comic relief. These events have become a popular feature in the library calendar. Our talented pupils have organized, promoted and performed at these events with great enthusiasm. We are increasingly in need of a stage and lighting!

Library stock – approximately 8000 items.

• Fiction –a wide selection of picture books, easy readers, junior, teenage and adult fiction.
• Non-fiction – covering the whole school curriculum and a range of leisure interests.
• Audio cassettes and CDs.
• Videos and DVDs
• Large print and Braille books, with access to the National Library for the Blind library loans.
• Newspapers and magazines.
• Cuttings/posters/leaflets/maps

Pupils are invited to suggest items for library stock and take some part in physically selecting library stock.

Reading is actively encouraged and promoted, particularly at KS3. All Year 7 and 8 tutor groups visit the library on a rolling programme of instruction. During these sessions they discover the library resources and are encouraged to borrow books for the annual reading challenge. At the end of each term the top readers and borrowers in Y7-9 are awarded a prize. Monthly updates are posted on the library notice board.

The library has registered Brighouse High School with Reading Connects, http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/readingconnects/index.html a national initiative to encourage and develop reading.

Stationery shop

The stationery shop is open in pupils’ own time to purchase a wide range of stationery at reasonable cost. A printed list is available on the library desk.

We are also involved in Reading Champions, which is aimed at male readers and have weekly meetings to develop this scheme.

http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/campaign/Champions/index.html

All boys are welcome to join the Champions to promote reading and books to others.

The Bookworms club meets weekly to read and discuss books. We have participated in shadowing the Carnegie Children’s Book Award, which requires a number of well-written, recently published books to be read in a couple of months. The books are discussed and voted on, before our selection is sent online to the final national competition. Our reviews are posted online and views can be exchanged with other schools nationwide.

We have also taken part in the Calderdale Children’s Book of the year award for several years, which is a local version of the Carnegie event, but more accessible to our pupils. Our attendance has culminated in a literary lunch at Halifax Library to vote for and listen to the winning authors of the selected books.