SCEGGS Darlinghurst School Library

SCEGGS Darlinghurst was the first of the K-12 schools that I visited as part of my Sydney Study Visit. The presentation was an excellent overview of a traditional lending and research school library.

We started off in the Fiction or wider reading section of the library. A light filled room with lots of resources and comfortable beanbags or chairs.

Beanbags had a corner where they
could be placed at the end of a session.

They had implemented initiatives such as 10x10 reading challenge, spine poetry, speed dating books and reaching challenges for each of the year levels.

The library was on multi-levels

Emphasis on ensuring that the catalogue worked efficiently by constantly reviewing accuracy of MARC records (rather than producing pathfinders or subject guides). I felt that there is merit in this approach.

They used DBC for video content delivery. They converted over from Clickview and found it a costly exercise given that you don't actually possess the video's on Clickview.

There has been a rationalisation of online databases due to budget, eBook fiction through Overdrive and audiobooks through Bolinda.

The Head of Library emphasises the importance of building relationships with teaching teams by attending faculty meetings and networking at recess and lunchtimes.

Information Literacy support is ad-hoc through the History/Humanities faculty.

Example of some of the merchandising
that the Junior Library had

There was lots of evidence of in-house signage and merchandising the library collection to make the environment user-friendly. There was a strong focus on the students as the client.