Br Rahill Library ______________________________Page

Br Rahill Library

Br Rahill Library Reading Room

This year we were given the opportunity to expand the Br Rahill Library by removing a wall and moving into the adjoining classroom. Our vision was to display our fiction collections in a more inviting and engaging way, and to create a comfortable reading area for silent or quiet reading where students are surrounded by books. The outcome is the Reading Room, a very desirable addition to the library. It is a peaceful, quiet and inviting break-out space that is very popular with students during break times, and with Year 7 and 8 English classes. Moving the fiction collections into the new Reading Room enabled us to redevelop the main library area, and to repurpose and rearrange spaces. With the removal of the old shelving we have opened up a view of the beautiful Chapel and the front of the school, and the library classroom has been relocated into this space. Remote learning presented new challenges this year. The aim of the library team during this time was to maintain services, and activities such as Book Week, as much as possible. We continued to develop and promote the eResources on the library homepage and the LibGuides. Students were encouraged to access the eBook and eAudiobook collections, ClickView, subject guides, databases and online encyclopedias. When everyone is on site it is fantastic to have the students enjoying the library and the new Reading Room surrounded by books, spending time reading, studying and sharing learning.

Reading challenge: Read 20 in 2020

Students and teachers rose to the challenge to Read 20 books in 2020. The challenge involved reading from twenty different categories, including fantasy, historical fiction, mystery and suspense, a biography, a graphic novel or Manga, a classic, a taste of sport, and more. Completed Read 20 challenge entries were awarded a book voucher or a canteen voucher.

Lunchtime Club News 2020 Books and Movies

Two students from the Books and Movies club submitted poetry to the young adult digital magazine SpineOut. Congratulations to Jimmy Dewar, Year 8, and Kade Hyde, Year 7, for having their poetry and photos published in the September / October 2020 edition.

Creative IT

Students enjoyed Makey Makey kits, Lego Mindstorms, and a competition to make a computer game using Scratch inspired by the Book Week theme Curious Minds. Congratulations to Christopher Rose, Year 8, for his winning entry.

Book Week: Curious Minds

Book Week was celebrated remotely with competitions and activities that focused on the theme of Curious Minds. Events included a writing competition, a competition to match the staff member to their curious book, a curious trivia quiz, a curious ClickView playlist, curious reading lists of eBooks and eAudiobooks, and a design a bookmark activity. Congratulations to the following winners of the Book Week competitions, and well done to all who participated. Winners received a book voucher prize.

Curious Minds Writing Competition:

Mt Sion: Matthew Tripodi Waterford: Daniel Di Santo and Kade Hyde

Curious Minds Trivia Quiz:

Jimmy Dewar and Michael Ahearn

Match the staff member to their curious book:

Lachlan Schoemaker

The Library team: Ms Whiteside, Mr Guy, Mrs King, Mrs Stapleton and Mrs Wills

Book Week writing competition winning entry - The Quest, by Matthew Tripodi

Throughout History Many mysteries Which were torn asunder From the rains that fell To the sounds of the bells Forever we wonder From the moment we speak It is knowledge we seek Curiosity the name of the game For every suggestion For every question The hunger remains all the same The hunger for truth The reason we sleuth To have unturned every stone For the betterment of mankind The secrets we find In depths of the great unknown Eternal is the chase Through every place From preschool through to college Ever is the thirst To be the first To discover the hidden knowledge Throughout history All these mysteries Give us purpose in life to solve So forever we will Search for new skills Because only through them we evolve

Year 8 in the Reading Room Year 8 in the Reading Room View of the Chapel from View of the Chapel from the Library Classroom