Our Library is an integral part of school services and is staffed by a teacher-librarian and a library aide. O.L.A. students have access to an effective school library that reflects the curriculum and the needs of the school community and the world in general.
Aims of the O.L.A. Library include:-
- To foster in children an ongoing and ever-increasing love of literature, reading and learning; thereby continuing their process of self-discovery.
- To promote a variety of media as sources of entertainment, enjoyment, relaxation and information. (Media = books, digital books, videos, DVDs, software, CDs, charts, stimulus pictures, big books, kits etc).
- To encourage children towards the independent use of library facilities.
- To foster in students a commitment to informed decision-making.
- To assist in the development of skills and attitudes that will enable children to continue lifelong learning.
- To encourage in the children a sense of respect, care and responsibility for resources in their possession.
- To advocate and promote the practice of teachers working co-operatively with the teacher-librarian as teaching partners to plan, resource and implement units of work.
- To integrate into units of work the skills needed to locate, evaluate, organise and present information from a variety of sources.
- To help facilitate the use of ICLTs (Information Communication and Learning Technologies) in our curriculum.
Our Lady of the Assumption boasts a new, air-conditioned library, which is home to an extensive collection of resources. All children are encouraged to borrow from the library every week.
Weekly borrowing limits are:-
- Prep and year 1 children one book per week,
- Years 2 and 3 children borrow two books per week,
- Years 4 and 5 children borrow three books per week, and
- Years 6 children may borrow four books per week.
Children are encouraged to borrow a wide variety of literature. For example: picture books, novels, information books, joke books, craft books, poetry books, prayer books, graphic novels, folk tales, fairy tales, myths, legends and magazines. The weekly borrowing time seeks to assist the children’s reading development as well as their enjoyment of literature. Displays, author studies, Book Week, Book Club, and the annual Book Fair are just some of the ways that reading is promoted to children.
Children who are beginning to read chapter books are encouraged to use the ‘Five Finger Test’ to check the book’s reading level. Pre-readers are encouraged to check out their book before borrowing. Children are encouraged to check “the front cover, the back cover and some of the pages in between” to see if the book appeals to them. These browsing skills help children to make a good selection when borrowing. Competent readers are encouraged to read regularly from a wide variety of authors and genres.
The library is open at first break on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The library is closed on the second break.