Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Preparing for the Break

 What does the library staff do all day for this final term which is online?

1. We have been busy with making craft videos, two per week. These instructions are on our You-Tube playlist and the supplies can be collected with the Click and Collect books.

2. We have been making book review and recommendation videos! Every member of our team has a unique style. Each week we highlight two of the videos on our social media. We've even had authors respond to the reviews of their books! Here's an example from our playlist.


3. We have, of course, been checking books in and out with the remote circulation Click and Collect program. It's great to see so many students reading books during Term 3.

4. We have ordered A LOT of new books to arrive during the break and, hopefully, be ready with the new school year. What have we ordered? We have updated our Mystery/Suspense books for both Junior and Senior libraries since this is a very popular genre. The award winning books for children and young adults for 2021 have been ordered, as well as an increase in our Asian Authors collection. We've been able to continue to update our Thai language books for all three libraries! (Yes! Pre-prep will also have Thai picture books now!) We've also completed series, purchased titles requested by students, and added a few more graphic novel series to both libraries. Hopefully all of the books do not arrive on the same day since they must be catalogued, processed, and finalized prior to being available.

5. We are preparing for next year already! We have our theme (announcement coming during Term 1) for Fully Booked Week. The library team has already planned costumes and are brainstorming contest ideas for FBW22. We have an author visit coming in April 2022, and hopefully one in December 2021. Orientation videos have been made for new students, new parents, and new staff. The first library lessons for each year group have been created...that's not all we have planned and created, but that should give you the general idea.

6. We have a special surprise ordered for the Junior Library, and it is being created right now. (And to the sorrow of the students who have been begging for one, it is NOT a life-sized Asian baby elephant. We cannot spend the entire library budget on one item.)

7. We are also doing inventory, which means scanning every single book and item in the library into the computer! This and shelf order, putting all the books in the correct order, does take quite a bit of time.

Tired of reading all of that? Well, the library staff may get a little exhausted from our work, but we are excited and optimistic for next term. We hope to see you in August!