History of the BATCE Library

Bishop Anstey High School East (B.A.H.S.E) and Trinity College East (T.C.E) opened their doors in September of 2001, under the auspices of the Anglican Diocese Church of Trinidad and Tobago.

True to our slogan "Selflessly Serving Our Community", the brother and sister schools were built and designed with the sole purpose of providing a new model of Education to the environs and residence of the East.

“To ask why we need libraries at all, when there is so much information available elsewhere,

is about as sensible as asking if roadmaps are necessary now that there are so very many roads."

~ Jon Bing [American Libraries Magazine, May 28, 2009]”

The BATCE Library, was not opened in September with the schools but was delayed a few months to complete work to some basic infrastructures within the space. It was one of the first to adopt the "Library Media Centre" model. Once opened the Library assumed its role in fulfiling the functions of Enriching, Educating, Entertaining and Informing.

Upon commencement: the Library Media Specialist Miss Nicholls was responsible for the overall management of the library along with Mrs. Mooleedhar (Library Technician). The staff eventurally grew from two to four with two new positions of Library Assistant and Library Aide. Together they worked feverishly to acquire resources, to process and stock the shelves.

Uniquely designed the library served as the heartbeat of the school, delivering service to its users. It was about the fusion of the traditional services with the technological world. Over the years the space has been transformed and eqipped with the necessary resources and devices to meet the needs of the 21st Century Student.

The library is well known for hosting of special events, activities and mounting of displays which were geared towards empowering and edifying the user. For example; Book Talk with authors such as Merle Hodge and Michael Anthony, Celebration of the Life and Music of the Legendary Bob Marley, Book clubs, International Library Observances, National Festivities and Holidays, and much more.

Today the library has grown and continues to grow daily. We now have two spaces that serves both the Lower school and Sixth Form users respectively. The Sixth form library was opened in 2008. Both spaces have under gone rennovation and redesign which now lend to the creativity, intellectual and vibrancy of our user population continues to evolve.