| Highland School Library Toolkit |
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Support for library development |
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Sample school library policies: |
It can save time and money to have an initial discussion before starting to reorganise, buying furniture etc. Contact Library Support Unit in the first instance: 01463 235713. See below for basic information and pointers to consider:
Initial Planning and Policy Making:
A written policy should be drawn up after consultation with staff, and should include a statement of aims, and statements relating to the questions raised above. topDevelopment Planning: Library Furnishing and Planning: The Library Service can give advice on layout, sources and types of shelving etc. Most suppliers of library furniture offer a free planning service. If you have a large enough budget and intend to buy new shelving, or have specialised needs, it is worth contacting them. A representative will visit you, talk over your needs, and provide you with a plan of the proposed layout and a quotation of the cost. The following firms are experienced in working with schools and have Scottish representatives:
Stationery: Library stationery can be purchased from Don Gresswell and LFC (see above) and Librex Educational Ltd, Colwick Rd, Nottingham NG2 4BG, Tel: 0115 9504664. Purchase of Stock: When purchasing new stock it is sometimes expedient to order direct from publishers, and you may be able to benefit from special offers – be wary of these however, as it can be a way of off-loading material which has not sold well! If you are ordering a quantity of library books, story tapes etc produced by a range of publishers, it may be better to deal with a library supplier, who will be able to handle the complete order. A library supplier will also, for a small charge, put plastic jackets on paperbacks, stick date labels on books etc – all of this saves time. You may also be able to make arrangements to select stock from a local bookseller, the great advantage of this being that you can see what you are buying. School Librarians and public library staff will be able to give you contact details for library suppliers. A good local library supplier, used by a number of primary schools is: Highland Children's Books Reviews in magazines such as Books for Keeps and The School Librarian will help you to select stock in an informed way, particularly if you are unable to see materials before purchase. The recommendations on our own reading webs should also help with fiction selection. Management of Stock: For your library to remain useful and active, stock needs to be withdrawn as well as added. Look out for material which is:
This should be removed, and, if appropriate, replaced. It is worth
listing your own criteria for withdrawal of stock, particularly if your
library is run on a day to day basis by volunteers (e.g. parent
helpers). Organisation of Stock: Non fiction It is recommended that the Dewey Decimal Classification system is used for non fiction resources. This is the system used by most public libraries in the UK. It allocates a number to each subject. These numbers are put on the spine of the books (and other materials), and they are filed in number order on the shelves. This means that materials on the same and related subjects can be found close together. An alphabetical subject index is used to enable pupils and teachers to find the numbers for the subjects they are looking for. The School Library Association has produced a simplified version of the Dewey Decimal Classification for primary schools. This includes a guide to the classification scheme, a subject index, and a CD which contains a searchable electronic version of the subject index. The Principal Schools Librarian provided training in the use of this when working with primary schools and gave the school a copy of the pack for future use. Copies of the pack are still available from the Library Support Unit. The library service has a small subject index called "Where's that Book?" which is used with school classes when they visit a library. A class set of these can be made available to schools undertaking library development. Fiction It is recommended that fiction for older readers (i.e. not picture books or easy readers) and story tapes are arranged alphabetically by the author’s surname. Library Catalogue If you want to create a catalogue of your resources, this can be done using a database programme. Computerised library management systems, which keep a record of loans as well as the catalogue, are available for school libraries, but can be expensive. Some systems will also provide classification numbers, saving you this task. Literacy and skills development: Primary and pre-school teachers and group leaders are encouraged to arrange library visits for classes and groups of children. A package of materials has been developed to support library staff working with the children. This includes activities to support library skills development and to encourage reading for pleasure. For more information see the class visits pages on the Highland Council web site: http://www.highland.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/libraries/childrensservices/classvisitstolibraries/ Alternative sources of support School Library Association The School Library Association publishes a range of practical guidelines on all aspects of managing a school library. Some of these can be borrowed from the CPD collection which is now housed at the Library Support Unit following the closure of the Resource Centre. However, they are fairly inexpensive and you may wish to purchase your own copies. Look on the web site http://www.sla.org.uk/sla-guidelines.php to see what is available. There is additional help available for SLA members see: http://www.sla.org.uk/advice-and-support.php. CILIP Primary schools will find the following document helpful: The primary school library: guidelines, Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, 2002 (revised ed), ISBN: 0954379209. You can download a copy from the CILIP site. CILIP Scotland This site has useful information relating to self evaluation for school libraries, preparing for inspection, information literacy and ACfE, see: http://www.slainte.org.uk/slic/schoollibs/
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Professional advice and support Library design and furnishing Library stationery Stock selection http://www.highlandschools-virtualib.org.uk/reading_webs.htm |
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