Keeping up with you... developing our collection

Of course, everyone is aware by now aware that our country’s current economic situation has impacted schools, and especially their libraries. This is even more so in the case of government assisted schools like ours.  

While our reading program is well known for its depth and variety of fun reads for our pre-teens and teens, budgetary constraints have meant that we have been unable maintain or develop our collection for the past 18 months and even though Mrs Pounder and Mrs Ramphal try, the fact is, our budget for new books has almost completely dried up...

We know that multiple studies show that extensive reading for pleasure not only increases anyone’s reading speed, understanding, vocabulary and facility for language acquisition, it improves all round academic achievement!

So please consider purchasing one or more books from our Amazon wish list that we may continue to provide our entire school community with the engaging and useful books for which we are known. When filling out the shipping information, we suggest choosing the option of shipping directly to the library.

Or, you may choose to purchase a book voucher for us at any RIK or Keith Khan book store. You may be able to claim a charitable deduction for books purchased and donated to the school. We encourage you to consult with your tax advisor regarding your gift-in-kind donation.

Thank you so much in advance! 

We're open for borrowing!

So even if you've only just met me, one thing will probably be very obvious... I love reading! I especially enjoy adult and young adult paranormals, science fiction/fantasy and adult romances. I just love reading!

So I am really excited to announce that the library will be open for borrowing from tomorrow, Wednesday 10th September at lunchtime. Just take a minute to read through our loans policy below and make sure you have your library card ready!

• Students in Forms 1 - 3  may borrow up to 2 items at a time.
• Students in Forms 4 - 5 students may borrow up to 3 items at a time.
• Form 6 students may borrow up to 4 items at a time.
• All materials must be checked out before they leave the library, including magazines which are to be signed out at the desk. 
• A two-week checkout period is allowed for most books. 
• Quick Read books (under 150 pages) may be borrowed for only one week. 
• Special reserve items may be borrowed overnight but are due before 8.00 am the next day.
• Fines are charged for overdue books - 0.50c per day for General and Quick Read items and $3.00 per day for Special Reserve items.
• No student is permitted additional checkouts until overdue books are returned, and fines cleared. Replacement costs are charged for lost or damaged books, and parents or guardians will be contacted if students have overdue books or charges at the end of any term.
• Items, including Special Reserve Collection items, may be renewed once unless requested. 

And if you need suggestions and recommendations, my staff, my library prefects and I would be delighted to be your Book Buddy!

New (school) year... new worlds.

The library staff is so happy to welcome all members of the SJCPOS family for our new school year!

I chose some brilliantly cool new books, Ms. Seepersad has worked really hard to get our them processed and on the shelves and Ms. Peters has sweated over repairs to your old favorites.

So now we're all ready and book loans will resume on Wednesday 10th September. We would like to remind everyone that

• Form 1s to Form 3s are allowed to borrow 2 books
• Form 4s and Form 5s may borrow 3,
• and all Form 6s may have up to 4 books out at one time.

But what to do if you have overdue books and/or outstanding fines for the library? Well, just for this week we are declaring a BOOK AMNESTY. Bring in your overdue item and we'll forgive all fines!

So everyone come in, check out our amazing collection and make sure you have your library card available... because 'you can't get none if you ain't got one!'

New Book Bonanza

Over the August vacation, the library staff and prefects worked very hard to prepare our space and resources for everyone. Ms. Shepherd even joked that we might have to hang books from the ceiling, as we tried to make space for over 300 new books.

So, finally yesterday we finished the last of the Form 1 library orientation sessions and distributed the last of their library cards. And today for the first time in this new school year, we issued loans for all forms.

It was a awesome day! Over 240 students came into the library, and 72 people borrowed 104 books!

But there are plenty more where those came from. So if you missed out today, drop in tomorrow. The library will be open from 7.00 am to 3.45 pm and don't forget your library card!

How Books Rocked Taylor Swift's World

She's actually seeing RED. And no, she's not mad or embarrassed. She's a part of RED (Read Every Day), an initiative launched by Scholastic Publishers, to encourage global literacy.

In a live webcast, Taylor Swift spoke to millions of students about how books made her the singer she is today. She was very open and articulate as she explained how fables, fairy tales, and poetry inspired her imagination and taught her to be a stronger person.

Click on the picture to hear the entire webcast!

Kids still read books!

But right now, we just want to congratulate 1L for being the top reading form last term with a total of 288 books completed. We had a great time celebrating in the library on Friday...













Did we mention there was cake involved? Keep up the good work everyone!

Our Christmas Book Blitz

Reading promotion in our school is very important to me- study after study shows direct links between extensive and consistent reading for pleasure and academic success. As an avid reader myself, I love to 'infect' you with my passion.
And that's where my GEAR- Get Excited about Reading program comes in. It tries to combine extrinsic motivation; small prizes for high borrowing (more than 15 books a term), with intrinsic prompts, like increasing your self esteem linked to improved reading speed, comprehension and academic success which I have long identified as being extremely important to a majority of my users.
I try to provide you with as wide a collection of exciting and interesting teen and young adult materials as I can and you do me and yourselves proud- our circulation figures are amazing!
And just to make sure you keep up during the vacation, we'll be having a mini bookfair; our Christmas Book Blitz on at the library from Tuesday 12th- Friday 16th December. Come buy yourself, a friend or relative a book or two and remember - Happy Reading!

Ms. Heywood