* in a separate section, and as a new collection in Oliver * GRA on the spine * separate and in baskets according to series * with GRA on the first line of the spine label, collection on the second and location on the third * we also created a separate collection - well .. 2 collections - Graphic Novels (GN spine label) & Graphic Novels Senior Fiction (GNSF) & we have moved each to their own carousel (S) .. this has been HUGELY popular move amongst our kids * I’ve just ditched my separate graphics section. It was great initially to engage some reluctant readers, but became a bit of a hazard- the rumble of bodies to get their hands on them. It was also mostly empty, prime shelving real estate, and I found many kids were limiting their library perusal to graphics only. I’ve popped them all back into the fiction collection, with some signage to help them identify where favourites are now located . Kids complained briefly, but are now used to it, and more likely to have something else catch their eye * In the collection as normal with spine labels identifying them. I don’t agree that they should be seperate. We should be teaching kids how to find these books in any library and I use spine labels identifying graphics etc.
*I start with limiting borrowing according to year - and what I know of the student - then, once, we're in the borrowing routine, I change borrowing to suit individual students, regardless of their year. I have some great borrowers and want to keep feeding their enthusiasm. I usually start Yr 3 with 3, Yr 4 with 4 and Yrs 5-6 with 5, but it does also depend on what I know of the student in previous years * Foundation: start with 1 and then increase to 2 mid year, once they’ve been introduced to their readers and are used to returning/borrowing (must have a library bag); Grades 1-2: 2 books with a library bag; Grades 3-6: 4 books, library bag optional; Grades 7+: 4 books, but if they’re after more, we’ll let them. Before me, there were all kind of rules and restrictions like 2x non fiction, 2x fiction and not borrowing 4 of the same type. But we just want kids reading and not getting confused by that. Borrowing stats went up dramatically, including non fiction! * One book each P-6 as we have shocking return rates * I had limits set by year as well, making it a bit of a "ooh when you are in year 5 you can borrow X books" but I was also willing to break the rules dependant on the circumstance - 'Miss I can't decide between X, Y and Z and I am only allowed 2' - that's ok borrow all 3! * Kindy for the first half of year can borrow 2, then after the whole school gets 4 * It’s hard on parents to be responsible for lots of books for their quite young children. One or two books for K-2 while they learn the routines, then gradually an extra each year after up to six for Year 6 * I allow all students (K-12) to borrow 2 books at a time. But they can come back any day to return and borrow more books * I have always been 1 book for kindergarten for term 1 and 2 books for everyone else for the whole year. Kindergarten really look forward to term 2 when they can borrow 2 books. I do restrict some borrowers to 1 book if they have a history of losing or damaging books from the year before but if they have a good record for a term then the restriction is lifted. I am thinking about lifting the limit to 3 and 4 books for year 3/4 and 5/6 respectively from term 2 onwards. Only the children who are keen will borrow that many anyway is my thinking. My biggest concern is if a loan doesn't come back I lose more books. My budget is very tight so I cannot afford to replace books * We have almost 1000 kids so every student borrows 2 books each week * I keep it simple - Kinder 1 book: St 1 2 books; St 2 3 books; St 3 4 books. Each book has a 2 week loan. Classes attend every week, or students can borrow any or every lunch time! Close off date in Oliver calendar is the 2nd last Friday terms 1,2 & 3 & then 3 weeks out from end of year
* I’d put them in a prize box. Mostly there are no errors in them but I think the intention is add the finished book to your library. That’s how the author etc gets their tiny royalty. Also they often don’t contain the finished art
* I have a library award for someone that has shown how much they love the library this year. So I take into consideration, book borrowing, behavior, attitude towards library lessons and reading. Stuff like that * My criteria: • regularly borrows from a range of genres • expresses their interest in books
• contributes often to class/book discussions • works consistently to improve library skills * I like the idea of a general Library Excellence Award. That way it can be customised to suit the student/s it is awarded to each year. One year you may have someone who provides outstanding leadership by helping with shelving, consistently keeping the library tidy, and reading with younger students. Another year you may have someone who advocates for your library by presenting book reviews, making recommendations to their peers, helping with book selections for the library, and preparing library displays. If you have any author signed copies of books, they make a treasured prize * Ours is one award to a year 6 student - literacy appreciation award. The criteria involves regular borrowing, home reading, PRC, participation in class etc from K-6 * I’m doing 1 award across K-6 based on borrowing and engagement with library lessons. The student will receive a book and this year’s National Simultaneous Storytime book * Just to our 4 dedicated Yr 6 librarians- Community Award * I do one award per grade level and it is based on engagement in library content
Do you use contact on hard covers?
* I do, but only cover the front and about 1/3 of the back * I use adhesive contact on hard cover books with no issues. However I have met many other librarians who prefer the non adhesive plastic wrap for hard cover books. But no matter how many times I am taught I cannot cover a book with that non adhesive plastic wrap. It does my head in and I hate it!! * My opinion would be we keep hardcovers for longer and when you take off the plastic (not contact that can’t be removed) and put fresh plastic cover (assuming you have time, personnel and resources) the book suddenly looks brand new. They do this quite regularly in the library where I volunteer. I’m often shocked to discover a book that looks really new could be quite old * It’s all about what you prefer. Me: I like plastic on hardcovers and I have a special method to cover dust covers so they still look like a dust over and contact for paperbacks for strength * I use contact on all our hardbacks. The only time I use plastic is for books with dust cover, and then I take off the dust cover if possible (unless the dust cover and the actual cover are different) and use contact there too. I find students pick at the plastic and rip it from the top or bottom of the spine. They tend (usually!) not to do this with contact covered book * We had people run their fingernail down the spine and break the contact. Which then gets dirt under it and peels back. Looks ugly and can't be removed. Hard covers always covered in plastic * I contact all over, I also add a preemptive strip to the inside to help the cover stay attached to the book * I use it for all my hardcovers. If it gets tatty etc but the book is good, I find you can pull off contact and recover
Does payment for lost or damaged books go back into library funds? My SAM says no.
It's always gone back into the library funds for the libraries I've worked at. Yes it does. Funds to replace the lost/ damaged book. Maybe clarify with the principal what happens to those funds. They should go towards the replacement of the book! If it doesn’t go to replacing the new book the school is taking money under false pretences and I am sure the fish book would say something about it Not at my school We ask parents to replace - like for like - so no money is transacted. Yes - comes back to the library - accounts have a lost / damaged library books cost code We use School Bytes and our SAM has added a section for parents to pay for damaged/lost books which goes to the library. As you know this doesn’t replace all costs Mine also says no. Ours doesn't come back to the library... I always prefer to have families replace the book where possible as a result. Yes it comes to the library for me. Office keeps track and does a transfer once a term and emails me amount. We actually share a spreadsheet that I update with 'fines' and they mark it when payments are made. We use it to replace books and most often parents will buy and replace. It is to replace damaged books so I don’t see how it can be allocated anywhere else? It took me 3 years but I now get the money parents pay for lost or damaged books. I got the total from the previous paid at the start of the next year.
How do you get your overdue books returned?
Classes that have all books returned get ice blocks. Merit award for all students who return all their books. The best response was after I painstakingly seesaw messaged individuals and gave them the name of the book * I offered ice blocks to all classes who returned by the end of Wk 6 - only one class did. I harass on assembly and Seesaw to the whole school community but invoicing parents has seen my best returns. * I had been emailing teachers and parents since week 7. Also I put funny memes on our Facebook post. I do send emails home every week for books outstanding for more than three weeks. I also have a year round class incentives whereby the classes earn $2.50 worth of scholastic book club vouchers if they have no overdues - one class this year earns $60. We call them ROBOT (return our books on time) awards. * I give the first class back a free sausage sizzle (paid for by P&C this year). I send home slips, promote returning books via schoolbytes (like seesaw) then email via school platform. I finally follow up with phone calls. *Ice blocks for first class with all returned books back. I schedule overdue emails for the first of each month. I reminded students. Have monitors going around each morning to ask for books. Conducted stocktake and individually sent a message to each parent again via Dojo - with good response. Use the countdown calendar and post on school face book daily with books due and the amount this will cost the school in Money to replace. I also praise the classes with all returned books. Made connections both the P&C who use stronger words than me to tell parents to bring back books. It will be personal phone calls on Monday and invoice from office. Phew. I'm tired!
Do you still keep paper invoices in 2025?
I have an excel spreadsheet for every purchase and keep receipts but I don't keep invoices once they are paid * Yes * I keep a budget sheet and a flder of receipts * No. It’s double handling. I mark off the items to show they’ve been received, sign and date the invoice and write goods received ok to pay. I enter the information I need- pricing, supplier- in to Oliver and the invoice is stored with the school SAM * SAM keeps them all *
Hints & tips from the State library collaborative planning day
5/5/5 - break into groups; 5 minutes selecting, 5 minutes reading, 5 minutes;
Battle of the Books with CBCA books
made a picture book - modelled on Charlie Cook's Favourite book
passports for Book Week
EduChat translates into different languages
Lego - use hulahoops - Lego outside the hoops means time inside at recess; names on lids of last users
walk new staff members the library and what's available
read 3-6 book aloud; make bookmarks; funny comp about who was ahead in the story
recess reads
eye-catching displays
fun and busy lunch time activities
Google form - getting to know you name class what do you like to read what do you do outside school what would you like to see in the library
recognition and reward for first class to return all their books
flashlight Friday - lunch time acxtivity - incentive for given goals
Andy Lee - kids wrote you don't turn the page
Advocacy: NSS is a huge event with Literary Lunchtime (books scanned out to class teacher); parents stay from recess to lunch and their child reads with them
sit in on exec meetings * P&C attendance, successful for grants written
class parliaments; ed team at Old Parl House will find a book to support the class parliaments
ALIA membership for the school
go to teachers/goody bags/take resources to classrooms
newsletters/push notifications - useful to promote book fairs; STEM, robotics - Marsden Alliance - integrates into the library; promotes through library monitors
orientation to new parents/Kindy parents/sell picture books for $10 and donate to the library, first book they borrow;
library stats each term
giving talks to pre-service teachers at UOW; online KLA sheet about what resources CRTs need
own website, Instagram and Facebooks use them as promotion
speak at conferences
Parcel Pickup - deliver to classrooms for staff