Library Services

At Emmaus Christian College we encourage students to read and research through a well-equipped Library resource for all age groups. Lifelong learning begins with discovering the joy and value of reading, with curiosity and the discovery of new ideas through literature and a variety of information sources in a variety of formats.

Junior School classes are supported by Library staff in developing their skills in literacy and information literacy through a specific teaching time.

Middle School and Senior School students are able to connect with Library staff to assist them in finding resources for their learning as their teachers direct, or in their break times or Study lessons.

• Reserve books
• Check book availability
• View borrowing record
• View borrowing history
• Check due dates on borrowed books
  

Reading for Life

Reading is a critical skill, so we intentionally want to promote reading and encourage all our students to become involved in improving their engagement with reading for pleasure and for accessing information.

Information Literacy

In a world increasingly reliant on digital sources of information, digital literacy and discernment will be modelled and taught.

Access to resources

Our aim is to resource the school community with valuable learning resources, including textbooks. From the youngest of students and all the way to Year 12, Parents and the Teaching staff, we will aim to provide up-to-date and relevant material, both physical and digital, to meet a variety of interests and purposes.

Provide a ‘heart and home’ for the school community

Our aim is to provide a valuable safe haven and personal learning zone that can extend beyond lesson time, and to provide a welcoming place for all.

During the School day

The Library is open for borrowing from 8.45am every day of the school week.
Students have access to the Library during their Lunch break, but not at Recess time.
Closing time is at 4.30pm except for Tuesday when the Library will close for student access at 3.30pm.
A staff member is always supervising the Library during open hours.

Personal Study time

Middle and Senior students are welcome to use the Library space during their study lessons or after school for personal study. Junior School students must be accompanied by a parent/caregiver after school.

Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) provides appropriate after school care for Foundation to Year 7 students.

Online Access

The Library is accessible online after hours through the Library Portal.

Carolyn Hull, Teacher Librarian
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

Alicia Buxton, Teacher Librarian
Thursday and Friday

Jan Maschmedt, Library Assistant
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

A small Parent Library collection is available to parents, containing a range of parenting and general advice texts. Parents may borrow other books from the Library (excluding Teacher Reference material).

Junior School students are encouraged to borrow weekly. Borrowing limits increase with the age of the student, and all books have a minimum loan period of 2 weeks.

Text Books and Class Novels are generally borrowed for longer periods, either for a term or the duration of the school year.

Books should be returned in a timely manner, via the Class Library trolley or directly to the Help Desk in the Library. Students are able to check their Borrowing Record and Borrowing History, plus due dates for books, when they login to the Library Catalogue.

Books that are excessively overdue or lost, may create implications for further borrowing and incur fines to enable replacement. Text Books are to be returned at the end of the academic year. Not returning the issued book will automatically require recovery of payment to replace the book for the following year. Students are strongly advised not to share their copy of a textbook.

Book reservations may be made via the Library Catalogue (Login required.)

Our school promotes participation in the Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC). Junior School students will be supported in this activity, and Middle School and Senior School students are encouraged to participate, taking personal responsibility for managing their reading and the recording of the PRC Reading Record.

Information about the PRC and Reading Record sheets can be obtained from the Library or via the PRC website.

Books in our library come from a range of sources, and we endeavour to have classic, Christian and contemporary literature available for Junior School, Middle School, and Secondary students. Some adult literature is included in the Senior Secondary collection to enable Year 11 and 12 English students to read for their English studies.

We will make every effort to target books to the most appropriate age group and currently organise our fiction collection so that content will not be deemed too mature for the readers who have access to that collection.