Welcome to the Library

The Holdgate Library exists to support the school's curriculum and to encourage independent research, with open access and information on hand. It also aims to ensure young readers have access to a wide-ranging, challenging, inspiring and balanced supply of books and information - to both educate and entertain them, through the different factual and imaginative language forms that a variety of books can provide, via information and reference texts, fiction, drama, poetry etc. All these enable knowledge, understanding and constructive thought to be developed. The Library is an integral part of the school, encouraging resource based learning and self-supported study, as well as the simple pleasure of reading. It is a whole school resource, not attached to any particular department, but serving all staff and pupils. The Holdgate Library is intended to be a pleasant environment in which pupils feel welcome and encouraged to enjoy books, reading and gathering information.

What do we have?

At present the Library provides free access to the following:

FICTION LOAN COLLECTION
NON-FICTION LOAN COLLECTION
REFERENCE COLLECTION, CD-ROMS AND RESOURCE FILES
AUDIO-TAPE COLLECTION
VIDEO-TAPE COLLECTION
NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS
COMPUTERISED CIRCULATION SYSTEM
COMPUTERISED LIBRARY STOCK CATALOGUE
BOOK STORE FOR LESSER USED ITEMS
DEWEY DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM AND SUBJECT
INDEX
COMPUTER WORK STATIONS NETWORKED TO THE SCHOOL IT
SYSTEM (CURRENTLY 10 MACHINES)
FREE-STANDING COMPUTER TO RUN CD-ROMs AND WORD-
PROCESSING
2 PRINTERS (1 BLACK, 1 COLOUR)
DISPLAY AREAS
STUDY SPACE AND BROWSING AREAS
SILENT STUDY AREA
REFERENCE LIBRARY
TELEVISION WITH TELETEXT, VIDEO AND DVD PLAYER

Fiction/Non-fiction Collection
Presently approximately 10,250 items are available for loan. There are separate Fiction and Non-fiction areas, and a Sixth Form Fiction Collection. Attention is being given constantly to improving and updating stock. An average of 500 books per month have been issued during the last school year, with more books used in the library for reference and quiet reading, numbers of which are not recorded.

Reference Books
This separate collection consists of approximately 200 encyclopedia, dictionaries, guides, yearbooks, maps etc, over 20 CD-ROM discs, and several Resource Files on main topics of interest/study.

DVD/Audio/Video Tape Library
A growing collection of talking books, plays, poems and educational videos and DVD’s are available for loan, or to be listened to/watched in the library on the cassette player/t.v. video, or borrowed by Departments.
Newspapers and Magazines
A range of these are available for reading in the library to develop pupils interest in current affairs, supply up-to-date information and practice in reading foreign languages. The number of modern foreign language books and magazines subscribed to has increased further this year, and are located within the foreign language area of the Library, creating a ‘Modern Languages Reading Area’.

Computer Workstations
Computers, CD-Roms and printers are available for general use. These are in constant use during lunchtimes and regularly throughout the school day, used by all years and also by staff. Lesson periods are booked by small classes. All the computers have word processing packages and graphics, and have access to the internet.

Study Space
The main library seats 40, plus 12 at the computers, and is intended as a browsing/working area. It is kept reasonably quiet, but pupils are actively encouraged to come in and see what is on offer. A separate Fiction Library with low level seating and coffee-type tables can accommodate 8 readers, facilitating comfortable and bright reading space. It is intended to be a pleasant ‘place to be’. The separate Reference Library seats 8 for working and is kept as a silent study area, but may be transformed into a ‘cinema-style’ video viewing room when required. It is bookable for lesson periods, seating up to 15 for viewing. All rooms are attractively laid out, comfortable, well lit and kept orderly.

Library Catalogue and Circulation
The library stock is controlled by a computerised circulation system. All the stock has been entered, classified under the Dewey Decimal Classification System, and also keyworded for easy access. The pupils have access to a second computer point to do their own catalogue searches. All issues and returns are dealt with on the main library computer, which has a bar code scanner for speed and accuracy. A constantly revised subject index is provided, and all areas of the library are clearly sign-posted and labelled for ease of location.

The library is open throughout the school day for individual study, group class use and general browsing. The Librarian and her pupil assistants are always available to give advice and assist with enquiries and pupils can develop their reading by becoming involved in the Rainbow Readers Scheme.

Mrs J Darkins

Librarian

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