Cardinal Gilroy Library

Objectives

• Support the Catholic ethos and uphold the values specified in the school's Vision Statement and other “whole school” documentation
• Foster and improve the educational opportunities of students with respect to curricular pursuits and individual recreational interests
• Aid the teaching programmes and personal endeavours of staff members
• Act as the resource centre and hub of school learning technologies

Functions

• Provide a collection of materials (books, websites, audio-visual media,
• Internet resources, etc.) which supplement the school curriculum and cater for the interests and abilities of staff and students
• Organise these materials for easy access
• Provide services to teaching staff
• Provide services to students
• Store and maintain equipment (tape recorders, data projectors, computer workstations, data projectors, etc.) necessary for the use of audio-visual and learning technology resources

Technology

The Library at Holy Cross offers an array of technology.

The Library has 50 computers for the students to extend their learning and also they can be used during classes for teachers to make learning more interactive.

The Library has is full printing and photo-copying facilities. Printing is for students that want to print or finish their assessments.

Another technological device the Library has is a computer to search and locate all the books in the library also it has book borrowing for the students with their personal library card.

The Librarian is the Colleges myInternet administrator and supports both students and staff in the use of and development of myInternet resources.

Services to Students

Library Staff co-operate with students by:

• Selecting materials, in a variety of formats, (e.g. book, audio-visual and websites), which support the teaching they receive in key learning areas
  • Selecting materials that will foster and enrich their personal interests, hobbies and pursuits and encourage in them an attitude of enquiry
• Maintaining a "climate" in the Library which promotes study and research
  • Providing each student with a personal I.D. card which allows for electronic photocopying and is used by the book hire and latecomers programmes
• Teaching and promoting the functions and properties of the Alice automated Library program as an aid in locating and borrowing materialsAdvising on the best and most appropriate use of Library materials, according to each student's individual requirements (e.g. essay, speech, model)
  • Teaching students to gain maximum benefit from learning technologies resources (e.g. cd-roms, Internet websites, virtual drive, word processing, laser printing)
• Teaching Literacy skills at point of need, especially within the Year 7 Programme, where they learn information retrieval/note taking skills such as “Finding the Main Idea”, and “ Reading for Details”
  • Advising students on using books to advantage (e.g. use of Index, Table of Contents, etc.)
• Promoting respect for the role of Libraries in the community and the care of Library resources
  • Supporting and fostering the educational opportunities of students with special needs by encouraging Library usage for small groups (Gifted and Talented, etc.) or individual tuition (hearing impaired students, aboriginal students, accelerated students, etc

Services to Teaching Staff

Library Staff co-operate with teaching staff by:

• Providing information on new publications, arranging displays, etc. as an aid to selection of new Library materials
  • Aiding individual teaching programmes by introducing teachers to relevant educational resources
• Supporting the Liturgy programme of the school by providing materials suitable for prayer and liturgical readings
  • Participating in "team teaching" with colleagues, when the need arises, to support teaching programmes within each key learning area
• Participating in Literacy initiatives, in which Library \ Information Retrieval \ Note taking skills are taught during subject lessons
  • Familiarising teachers with the educational opportunities available through usage of the Library's computer network (virtual drive, encyclopaedias on cd-rom, format, Windows NT programmes, word processing) and providing in-service when necessary
• Providing staff with many opportunities to access Internet resources, and offering in-service when necessary
  • Assuring teaching staff have ample opportunities to book classes into the Library (weekly roster in staff room allowing two classes per period)
• Arranging special loans (e.g. "block loans" to a classroom, overnight loans for "in demand" materials) to support particular teaching topics
  • Encouraging curriculum initiatives by providing a collection of syllabus materials and support documents
• Providing access to audio-visual equipment (e.g. overhead projectors, staff laptops) and assisting teachers in the use of these materials

Library Staff co-operate with staff on a personal level by:

• In-servicing new staff members on the functions and facilities of the Library
  • Supporting staff in their professional development by purchasing materials relevant to appropriate courses of study (e.g. R.E. qualifications, M.Ed.)
• Fostering the personal interests of staff by providing materials appropriate to their individual pursuits (e.g. adult fiction)