Langer Library turns 50

JAN LEWIS | Senior Librarian Langer Library

This year, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Langer Library, officially opened by Mr K Cairns, Minister for Housing, on 26 March 1972 when the College's population was approximately 600 students.

Known officially as the Karl Langer Memorial Library, it is named after Dr Karl Langer, the Austrian-born and Queenslandbased architect and town planner, for his significant contribution to the architectural design of the St Peters Indooroopilly campus, the most notable of which is the Chapel.

The location of the Chapel and Langer Library, facing each other across the College’s Campus Heart is no coincidence. Part of Dr Langer’s masterplan for the Campus Heart and reflecting a classical Greek influence with a place of worship at one end and a place of learning at the other, these two buildings represent the most essential elements of St Peters Lutheran College – learning and faith.

The library building itself has been an amazingly adaptable structure with its open plan design and prominent location. At the time of its opening, a unique collection of resources was established which has since been developed to support over 1,500 students in Years 7 to 12. The library also provides support to students in the Upper and Lower Primary Years and the Springfield campus, as well as to teaching and administration staff, and parents. It has also played a key role with libraries of other Brisbane secondary schools with network meetings, Teacher Librarian professional development, reading competitions and sharing of resources.

The facility has seen a few changes over the years, especially physically. It is no longer the old standard of tall book stacks, silent with ‘shushing’ staff. Today, Langer Library is a vibrant and welcoming space with services and resources to cover the current Australian, QCAA and International Baccalaureate curricula. It is a wonderous hive of activity six days a week, open for extended hours to support boarders and day scholars – some days open well before school starts, until 8.30pm at night. On Sundays you will find boarders there for afternoon study.

Technology has always played a vital role at the library. On opening in 1972, the Langer Library housed progressive technologies, equipment and resources including audiotape players and recorders, U-matic and then VHS videotapes, filmstrips and 16mm films loaned from the Department of Education’s film library. Library staff were thrilled to be supplied with a memory typewriter producing catalogue cards for the 90-drawercard catalogue system. These were all technological wonders in the 70s and 80s. In 1984 St Peters was one of the first schools to operate a Video Commander distribution system which was based in the library and enabled a collection of over 14,000 videos to be distributed to classrooms across the upper campus. By 2001 the library had 4,700 class bookings for video playbacks. This grew to over 19 VCRs to over 83 classrooms and eight student TV monitors in the library. In 1991 we introduced the automated library catalogue – we had five computers in the library. The library’s book stock was completely online by 1993 and 1996 saw the introduction of the internet and a CDROM network. In 1998 the library commenced online database and encyclopaedia access and oversaw the College intranet. In 2003, the Masterfile system (CMS) held curriculum information and courses and we grew to 29 computers in the library.

Today, we continue to work with multiple databases, eBook platforms, Learning Management Systems, and our own Langer Library internet pages. Students are encouraged to develop research and reading skills in a variety of resource formats including print, eBook, audiobooks, and electronic formats. Many students still prefer to read print fiction. Electronic resources appear in the library’s online catalogue with eBooks and databases available 24/7.

One of the library's major focus areas is literacy and reading. Various research studies have shown a strong correlation between reading and academic achievement. The library actively promotes the value of ‘reading for pleasure’ and its influence on a child’s learning –particularly in developing vocabulary, spelling, and even maths skills. At the Langer Library, we play a crucial role in encouraging reading beyond the Primary Years. This involves not just providing the resources but incorporating new ways to develop literacy. It is vital to get the right book or research item into a student’s hand or onto their laptop. In coordination with the English Department, we run fortnightly BookSurf lessons for Years 7- 9 where we promote literature and encourage a love of reading.

Literacy support is provided with Year Level programs, discussions, promotional displays such as books adapted to films, classics, graphic novels, easy readers, dyslexic formats, holiday borrowing, ‘shelf talkers’, student book reviews by English classes, read aloud sessions and more. Student discussion and recommendations are also seen as an important encouragement for students to pick up, borrow and read a book and recommend it to others.

The Langer Library is renowned for its unique annual displays. They are large, vivid, and creative and inspire students and teachers on their entry into the library to engage in the activities. Each year we hold numerous events including the Junior High Literature Event, author visits, InterSchool Readers’ Cup Competition, and Children’s Book Week with its displays and competitions which runs for a month! We were the first school to commence a yearly publisher’s display where teachers look at textbooks for the forthcoming year. We have added book fairs to this event and students are welcomed to select books for the library to purchase.

Another important focus for the Langer Library is information literacy development and enhancing research skills throughout the many curriculum areas incorporating Dimensions of Learning. We continue to promote, develop, and revise the Langer Library’s webpages, Assignment Pathfinders, Firefly items etc. We strive to provide quality resources and have seen substantial increases in the number of classes researching and in book loans. We frequently have weeks where class bookings are over 90 classes in per week. Our Langer Library webpages and assignment pathfinders receive tens of thousands of hits per year. The Langer Library is a pivotal focus of the College; it successfully promotes students’ development as life-long learners with a love of reading.

The current high usage by the students and staff demonstrates its success in our objectives. It is a vital facility that has enjoyed the support of the College Council, the Heads of College, staff, students, and the community.