If you haven’t been into the library for some time, it might be worth paying us a visit to see what we’ve got. The library has a great collection of Young Adult fiction and non-fiction, reference books, posters, audio-visual material and equipment, games, magazines and laptops.

“The bodybuilder’s bulges, attained by training, not chemicals” from Drugs, Steroids and Sports (1989) by Janet Mohun

Our non-fiction collection has been weeded and updated regularly to ensure that the books we have are relevant and current.  That doesn’t mean that some classics don’t slip through the net as is evidenced by the prime example pictured above (look at that neck!).

From our more relevant collection, the kids seem particularly keen on the sporty books and we also have various odd requests (someone asked for a book on programming last week). We have just rearranged the biography section that lives at the end of the non-fiction shelves. If the subject of the biography is obvious (like, it’s about Brendan Fevola) then you will find it under the first three letters of the person’s name (i.e. BIO FEV), if the subject is less obvious (say it’s about the Sudanese child soldier Emmanuel Jal whose biography is entitled Warchild), then the call number is the first three letters of the title (i.e. BIO WAR).

If you need books on a particular topic, don’t forget you can search for them on the catalogue by subject as well as title and author. We can also put together a basket of books on a particular topic that you can take to your class or use here in the library for assignments. Furthermore, if you want a particular book or books on a topic that isn’t represented in the library, let me know and I’ll order it in for you.

We have an excellent fiction collection including many of the books that have achieved notoriety for different reasons. We have books that have been made into films and serieses, such as The Hunger Games, The Hobbit, The Vampire Diaries, and books that have won awards such as the CBCA Book of the Year winners Crow country and The dead I know.

Out the back we have various other classroom resources including text books, reference books, posters, games, dvds and (for the moment) videos. The cupboard behind my desk is stuffed full of media equipment some of which can be borrowed for use in classes. If you need a camera, send me an email and I’ll make sure one is charged and ready to go.

I am also a resource that can be booked and used. I can give you advice on resources, copyright and instruction on using all sorts of technologies, I am happy to come and talk to your classes about research skills, referencing and avoiding plagiarism, latest releases, literacy and reading for pleasure and if you want to do some team teaching, let me know!

Above all don’t forget: it’s your library.