We're Back!

It's so good to be back in the library. It was incredibly quiet without any students around and only a skeleton staff on the campus during Level 3 restrictions. However, it was a great feeling to be back in the shelves again, organising the items we had been working on over lockdown, and having access to our book collections once more. It is a pretty cool and unique thing when your school principal deems the library staff 'essential services' and calls you back in to the workplace. 

Book Parcels 

Our plan was to get books out to our school community families who were still in lockdown at home - using our own library version of 'click and collect'. I remembered an idea I had used when making up Christmas holiday reading parcels and quickly made up an online sign-up form that was sent home to all families. After overcoming a slight techno hitch (note to self: always check the links before sending off the email!) students of all ages started signing up with great enthusiasm. It was so much fun hand-selecting recommended reading for the parcels going home. Sixty eight parcels were sent out over the two week period we ran this promotion. The quirky questions and feedback that returned to us, encouraged our efforts and made the project very rewarding. 

                                            

eBooks and eAudio

Our eBook platform was set up just a couple of weeks before we all went into lockdown. Usually educating students about how and where to access such online collections takes quite a bit of promotion. However, the unique conditions imposed by lockdown saw students and parents discovering the delights of eBook and eAudio without any advance explanation! 

The borrowing stats on both the primary and college eBook platforms have been extraordinary. Twice during the first months we hit our maximum number of loans when students borrowed over 350 books per month! Since returning to school in level 2 the stats have of course dropped, but remain steady.

I could not have dreamed of a more incredible uptake of these wonderful collections. Download the ePlatform app and start browsing the collections  found there. 

Download the ePlatform App for easy access to the Pinehurst Primary & Pinehurst College ePlatforms!

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