The world at your fingertips
Our library is waiting for you to go on many journeys
About us
We opened a newly refurbished Learning Resource Centre in November 2009. This centre houses an extensive range of library books to cater for all year groups. The books currently include fiction and non fiction as well as books for emerging and reluctant readers. A new sixth form and staff shelf is now available and more competent younger readers may borrow from this shelf with parents’ permission. We are also adding to our general teen fiction regularly and hope to stock all the current trends throughout the year to keep students coming back for more.
Students are encouraged to contact the library via the Contact us button with any requests or suggestions they may have. We also have a silent study room and a reprographics service for any photocopying needs.
The LRC is open and staffed throughout the week and is open during break times and lunchtimes. We have invested in the Eclipse.net library software which enables students to search for books in our on line catalogue and browse and reserve books whilst at home. They can also see at a glance what books they have out and when they are due to be returned. Book reviews and book recommendations are also part of the site along with linked websites and resources for a complete research facility. We hope this interactive software will encourage more students to access the library and become part of a whole new reading experience.
Presently, students are allowed to borrow up to three books for a maximum of three weeks, at which time those books need to be returned promptly to allow other students to access the wealth of books we have on offer. If books are overdue then an email is sent to the individual as well as regular tutor notes to encourage the safe and speedy return of the overdue book.
We look forward to seeing all of you visit our library!
WHY READING IS IMPORTANT
This article explains the importance of reading and what we gain by doing it!
Read MoreBOOK LISTS
MODERN CLASSICS - READING LIST
Here is a list of books that are sure to be classics in years to come. How many have you read?.
BOOKS THAT BOYS MIGHT LIKE? GIRLS MIGHT TOO..
Some books appeal to boys more than girls and vice versa - This is just a guide... of course anyone can read anything!
RECOMMENDED FOR OLDER TEENS
Here are some recommendations for older teens..
BOOK CHALLENGE LIST - can you read 52 books?
Challenge yourself to read 52 books - all sorts of genres to experiment with!
BOOKS FOR YEAR GROUPS
BOOKS FOR YEAR 7 AND 8
BOOKS FOR YEAR GROUPS
BOOKS FOR YEAR NINE
BOOKS FOR YEAR GROUPS
BOOKS FOR YEARS 10 AND 11
what next? book ideas by genre and group
BOOK QUIZZES
Can you guess the book covers from the pictures provided?
Read MoreCan you answer the questions in this book quiz?
Read MoreHere are some film stills of famous books. Can you name them all?
Read Morereading cloud video guides
Here is a short video which tells you a little bit about our reading and library software here at Okehampton College.
Read More
Please watch a short video which demonstrates how to use our library software at home.
Read More
Library Rules
Library Rules and expectations.
The library is here to provide a purposeful learning and enriching environment.
We expect you to:
The library is here to provide a purposeful learning and enriching environment.
We expect you to:
- Ask for help in choosing or locating a book if you need it.
- Be respectful of others in the library and respect their space.
- Hang your bags and coats on the pegs provided.
- Eat snacks or lunch before you come into the library. Drinks are acceptable providing care is taken.
- Leave the space in which you found it – clean, tidy and organised.
- Return all items to the library on time; remember to have them renewed for longer if you haven’t quite finished with them.
- Come and talk to the Ms Griffiths if you have lost, misplaced or accidentally damaged a book.
- Fill in your suggestions online about how to improve the library.
- Give regular feedback and suggestions about updating the stock.
- Be friendly, helpful and understanding.
- Make sure that the Library is a pleasant and welcoming place to be
- Make sure that the Library is accessible at times that suit you.
- Help you to find the information, books or other resources you need
- Make sure that we regularly update our stock with a range of books on different topics and by different authors
- Provide areas for you to read, study and relax.
- Host special events, competitions and displays throughout the year.
- listen to your opinions and suggestions.
- Positively encourage wider reading and do our best to make reading fun for EVERYONE.
Library Policy
MISSION STATEMENT
The Library strives to provide a resource centre and a welcoming, inclusive learning hub which is central to the school. It also aims to actively support teaching and learning and recognising and valuing each individual as a lifelong learner. We also wish to foster a love and enjoyment of reading in all its forms. We are committed to equality of access and aim to offer opportunities for all students to take responsibility for their own effective learning and enjoyment of reading,
OUR AIMS:
- To support teaching and learning within the school.
- To support and encourage, in partnership with teaching staff, the development of independent learning skills, helping students to be critical and creative users of information.
- To provide a welcoming and supportive, stimulating and structured learning environment.
- To encourage a love and enjoyment of reading in all its forms and to encourage use of the Library by all members of the school community.
- To create opportunities for students to develop their self-confidence, self-respect and sense of responsibility.
STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION - To support teaching and learning within the school by:
- Providing access to a wide range of targeted and differentiated materials, in a variety of formats.
- Consulting with Heads of Department and other teaching staff regarding appropriate resources to support curriculum work.
- Ensuring that all resources are of excellent quality by applying a standard selection policy.
- Editing stock on the basis of the following criteria: physical condition, currency of information, relevance to current curriculum, and frequency of borrowing, duplicates of popular material, receive requests for books not currently stocked, keep up to date on serial book collections.
- Implementing the following loans procedure: To ensure the best possible access to resources, the borrowing limit is currently set at three items for all year groups and four items for student librarians. The standard loan period is three weeks.
- The borrowing limit for staff is unlimited.
- Ensuring Topic boxes are advertised to support a particular topic or genre within faculties. These will be chosen by Devon Library Services to target the appropriate age and ability levels. Bookings for topic boxes should be made in advance, stating topic area, length of loan, size of group, age of group and ability.
- To support and encourage, in partnership with teaching staff, the development of independent research and learning skills by developing and creating help sheets and guides, such as the eclipse support sheets.
- Provide opportunities for staff training and INSET, including the induction of all new staff.
- Continuing and developing the programme of visits to the Library by all pupils in Year 6 on Taster days to help ease the transition and emphasize their new Library’s role in supporting their learning and recreation.
- Ensure maximum access for the whole school community to resources and services, with the Library open before, during and after school.
- Maintaining that the librarian is present every lunchtime and morning break in order to maintain a safe, purposeful, and relaxed environment.
- Shelving non-fiction items according to the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme, and shelving fiction items in alphabetical order by author’s surname.
- Ensuring that displays are up-to-date and preferably designed with yearly events in mind such as World Book Day. Displays are a powerful tool for highlighting library resources, services and activities and improving literacy and stimulating students’ intellectual curiosity. Students’ work, especially when resulting from library-based research, is displayed where appropriate to boost confidence and showcase examples of work.
- A ‘dumping ground’ for unsupervised or badly behaved students.
- A detention area.
- A classroom (other than for research or independent learning lessons).
- An alternative computer room.
- A sixth form recreation area.
THE LIBRARY IS:
- A facility for teaching staff to book for research-based lessons or to bring their class down to promote wider reading and reading for pleasure. Staff may send small groups of students for the changing of books. Students sent in small groups or individually for research or for catching up on coursework or Mock exams during lessons must bring the green corridor pass from the teacher responsible for them, stating the purpose of the visit and the information required. This ensures that the visit is legitimate, purposeful and productive.
- An area where the whole school community can expect to find and maintain a quiet, not silent, working environment, which is conducive to learning and recognizes the needs of all library users. Noisy or disruptive students will be asked to leave. A more relaxed atmosphere operates at break and lunchtimes to encourage the more recreational aspect of the Library.
- The place to encourage a love and enjoyment of reading in all its forms and by all members of the school community by:
- A place which provides a range of resources aimed at encouraging and challenging students to develop their literacy skills through reading for pleasure. Fiction stock is selected to support the recreational reading of all members of the school community at all reading levels. Non-fiction resources are selected to support and extend students’ leisure interests, and to widen their knowledge and understanding.
- A place for organizing events, activities and competitions to promote reading and raise awareness of books, authors and genres, as well as local and national events, issues and themes.
- An area where we can recruit and train students as pupil librarians and reward their contribution accordingly. Students also play a major role in the Open Evening, running activities and talking to parents and new pupils about the library, what it does and how it supports them.
- The Librarian has an essential and unique specialist role to play in supporting pupils’ learning and their development into effective, independent learners and readers.
- She/he is professionally qualified in Information and Library Management and a Chartered Member of CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) or equivalent teacher status.
- The role of the Librarian is to work closely and proactively with teaching staff to provide professional services and facilities in support of learning across the whole school.
- To lead the development and promotion of the Library.
- To be responsible for the strategic and day-to-day management of the Library.
- Manage the Library budget effectively in accordance with school procedures and principles of best value.
- To support the curriculum across the school in order to enhance the learning experience of every student.
- To exploit every opportunity to promote the Library, its stock and services.
- The Librarian is line managed by the Head of English with responsibility for learning.
- The Librarian can be invited to curriculum planning meetings, learning and teaching and literacy-related meetings where appropriate.
- The Librarian and the Library Assistant are included in the school’s own INSET, as well as having regular access to external training opportunities, as appropriate. The Librarian is an active member of professional organisations such as Devon Library Services and attendance at regular Slims meetings for CPD and sharing good practice is encouraged.
- The Librarian supervises the Library Assistant in his/her duties, supporting him/her fully in his/her role and carrying out his/her performance review.
- The Library plays a central role in the life of the school and adopts a proactive approach to providing services, striving to respond to current needs and anticipate and address future needs of the whole school community.
- The Librarian is familiar with the courses offered by all departments, liaising with teaching staff to identify resources to support these courses. Staff from each department is responsible for recommending and requesting items for purchase. Each department should have a nominated library representative who works closely with the Librarian to ensure that mutual knowledge and expertise is fully exploited for the benefit of all students.
- Resources should form part of a balanced collection, providing differing perspectives and information, helping students towards an understanding of cultures and ways of living different from their own.
- Library resources include a range of alternative formats to support each topic studied and to support students’ individual learning styles:
- General and subject-specific books for loan and reference.
- General and subject-specific magazines and journals covering a broad range of topics
- Sufficient funding needs to be available to allow for the replacement of out-of-date or worn stock and for the selection of new stock to reflect changes in the curriculum and meet users’ needs at all levels of ability.
- CILIP recommends replacement of 10% of stock every year to ensure adequate provision.
- The Book Trust document Recommended Spending in Schools 3 states that a minimum spend on library stock per pupil should be £17.50 per secondary school pupil.
- The SLA recommends a stock of 13 -18 items per pupil aged 11-16 and 17-25 items per pupil in the 16-18 age range.
- A computerised catalogue of the Library – currently held on Eclipse. This enables users to search for items on the designated networked machines within school and at home, to check whether an item is available, to make their own lists of resources for further reading, and to view the range of resources available to support a particular project or topic.
- A colour photocopier and scanner.
- Five computers for homework.
- Staplers, whole punch, paper and stationary.
- Work desk and quiet study area.
- It is essential that the Library constantly examines critically and reviews the quality of its provision and identifies areas for improvement. Only then can it be in a position to respond to current needs, anticipate and address future needs and ensure the highest levels of satisfaction.
P Griffiths
LRC Manager
Contact me
- Okehampton EX20 1PW, UK
- 01837650910 - OKEHAMPTON COLLEGE
- pgriff@okehamptoncollege.devon.sch.uk
- Monday 8.30 - 5.00 Tuesday 8.30 - 4.45 Wednesday 9.00 - 3.30 Thursday 8.30 - 4.30 Friday 8.30 - 4.00
