The library provides an excellent centre within the school in which teaching and learning takes place to support learning in the classroom. Up-to-date library resources are also available to encourage a love of reading and enjoyment of books.
Picture Books
Junior Fiction
Library Opening Times
| Monday |
08:30 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30 |
| Tuesday |
08:30 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30 |
| Wednesday |
08:30 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30 |
| Thursday |
08:30 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30 |
| Friday |
08:30 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30 |
| Saturday |
08:30 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30 |
Please note: The library may have to close at 15:30 on days at short notice for staff in-service meetings. Parents are requested to use the library before and after school or when there are no classes using the library (see timetable for specific times).
JP and EYP school students must be supervised by an accompanying adult when in the library after 15:30. The library is only to be used as a research or homework reading area.
Membership and Library Use
All Chatsworth students and teachers are automatically issued with book borrowing privileges. Parents wishing to become patrons should call past the library and fill in a membership form.
Each JP and EYP class has one timetabled library session each week where book borrowing and /or short information literacy or reading development lesson takes place. As the library is usually a rather busy place, it is important that all users of the library understand and appreciate the idea of quietly and carefully sharing and using the resources found there.
Library Book Borrowing Limits
| K1, K2 and Y1 |
1 book EYP area |
1 week |
| Y2 – Y6 |
2 books Non Fiction, Junior Fiction |
1 week |
| Y7-Y13 |
4 books Non Fiction, Junior Fiction
1 book Reference
10 books Student Classroom Text |
1 week
overnight
yearly |
Library Collection
The library collection of approximately 30,000 items, is divided into the following main sections and resource types. Book categories can be recognised by their book spine labels:
- Picture fiction books: KIN
- Junior fiction: JF
- Young Adult fiction: FYA
- Non-Fiction: NF
- Reference: R
- Foreign Fiction: FF
- Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes: FT
- English as a Second Language: ESL
Staff Teaching Resources
For teaching purposes the library also stores Big Books, videos, DVDs, CD-Roms, professional magazines, professional texts and educational catalogues. These are all catalogued and organised for ease of access.
Online Access
In addition the Chatsworth library has 5 networked computers for research. Our OPAC catalogue can be viewed from home or any classroom within the school (click here). It has the functions search, new books and user book loan history.
Borrowing Procedures
KEEP BOOKS SAFE AND CLEAN - USE A SPECIAL LIBRARY BAG
Very often school bags are used to carry food and drinks as well as books. Accidents do happen - but damaged books will have to be paid for and replaced! So please help protect our school library resources. We recommend that every student uses a special cloth library bag in which to store and carry their library books.
We hope that all patrons, students, parents and teachers will understand the need to keep books circulating for the use of everybody and return books by the due date. The library and its resources must also be properly maintained for the ongoing use of the Chatsworth community. Therefore the following procedures have been put into place:-
- If books are not renewed after the loan period, the book becomes known as 'overdue'. That week an individual printed overdue slip is given to the student to take home. Class teachers also give a verbal reminder to the children about returning books.
- A week after this reminder, we will assume that the book is lost and a bill will be sent home with your child if the book has still not been returned to cover the costs of a replacement copy.
- After 10 weeks of overdue and non payment for missing or damaged resources the library will give notice to the schools account office and the cost will be deducted from the school deposit.
- There are standard charges for the replacement of library stock. Any paperback is $20.00, any hardback is $30.00 and any classroom textbook is $50.00.
Parent Library Volunteers
A big "Thank you!".... to all of our Parent Library Volunteers
This year our volunteers have done a superb job of helping the library staff prepare and maintain the excellent library resources and services. If you would like to become a volunteer, please call into the library. Tasks are always available for willing volunteers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Individual Study Area
What role does the library have in teaching and learning?
The specific teaching objectives of the Library are clearly guided by the IB Program in developing the IBO Learner Profile. That is, the students as learners are encouraged to become: inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, risk-takers, open-minded, caring, balanced and reflective. In particular the objective is to support the statement: We want our students to become Inquirers: ‘They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and shoe independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.’ From IBO Learner Profile Booklet 2006
How are reading skills and information literacy promoted?
Many initiatives are regular events throughout the school year:
- interactive displays for the Units of Inquiry
- author and illustrator displays
- new book arrivals stand
- provision of appropriate reading materials & book list recommendations
- internationally based literacy initiatives eg. World Book Day, Children's Book Award
Book Displays
Book Displays
Book Displays
The library builds upon researching information skills that the students already have. Students need to be able to research efficiently and Dubber (1995) points out that information skills are crucial for young people:
- To help to equip them for the changing information world of the classroom and beyond;
- To help them to become self-motivated independent learners with the confidence and skills to find out for themselves and to take ownership for their own work and learning.
Another library service that Chatsworth provides is being a point of access for students who need more information, which the library does not house. Please contact the Librarian for more details.
