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Library Mission Statement
The library is central in providing a stimulating learning environment that supports the Melbourne HS school vision and aims to produce an information empowered and literature enriched school community of independent lifelong learners.
The purpose of the library is to:
• Implement, enrich and support the learning and teaching program of the school by collaborating with teachers to plan, produce and teach curriculum units which encourage students to develop their independent learning skills
• Nurture, inspire and stimulate the vital importance of reading for pleasure and information
• Manage an extensive and relevant collection of curriculum resources to support the learning, co-curricula and recreational needs of the school community
• Provide a welcoming, flexible learning environment for the school community in which students can learn individually, in small groups and as a whole class
- Director of Information Services : Dianne Ruffles
- Teacher Librarians : Marie Buckland, Fiona Starford, Merren Ward & Barbara McColl
- Library Technicians : Agnes O'Connor, Jenny Krasnowski
The library is open daily from 8.00 am to 4.00pm. The library is closed during period 3 every Monday to enable library staff to meet.
- The library borrowing desk : 153
- The library office : Dianne Ruffles, Fiona Starford, Marie Buckland : 112
- The library workroom : Merren Ward, Agnes O'Connor, Jenny Krasnowski, Paul Wright : 133
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Resource based learning - The teacher-librarians are available to discuss and assist in planning resource based units of work. Their particular focus is in integrating the skills of information literacy into these units as well as making sure appropriate materials are available. Teacher-librarians are also available to teach these skills with you,if require. Reasonable notice is required and the more the teacher-librarian is part of the planning process the better we can serve you.
Bibliographies - The library staff can prepare print bibliographies or Web pages highlighting materials in the collection and useful Internet sites on subjects you specify. Please give at least 1 week's notice. Journal articles Files of journal and magazine articles on specific topics can be prepared from the library's collections. Articles can also be obtained from the State library's collection [at a cost] or from a School library network to which we belong. Please give at least 1 week's notice. The Global Learning Centre This space is equipped with fourteen computers as well as data projection equipment and an additional computer for display purposes. Best use of the facility is made by working in consultation with a teacher-librarian who has experience with the available resources, both print and electronic. Bookings should be made with the teacher-librarian who is to work with you and your class.
Wider reading - This is usually related to English classes, and is an introduction to fiction and non-fiction. It is expected that it will be done with the help of a teacher librarian and should be booked at least 24 hours ahead.
Research projects - The initial booking should be made in person and a copy of the project / assignment given to the teacher-librarian who will be on duty when the class comes in. Subsequent bookings related to the same project may be made by phone. A teacher-librarian will be happy to talk to the class about the research process if this is required. Bibliographies and instruction in the various electronic information sources can also be provided if reasonable notice is given.
Please Note:
- The library is not open Period 3 on Mondays.
The Global Learning Centre is not available as a substitute teaching space.
Students in senior classes are expected to have a library pass (just as year 9 and 10 students do). A maximum of 4 students can be accepted from any one class. This includes year 12 classes whether or not they have their normal class teacher.
- Preference will be given to classes whose research units have been planned in consultation with a teacher-librarian.
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The Library Catalogue - All items purchased by the MHS library are indexed on the library's catalogue, this includes materials housed in the library from books and maps to video cameras, CD Roms and DVDs as well as materials housed in various faculty offices. The library catalogue is available on the network through the school Intranet. Guidelines This is an electronic index to magazines. It is updated monthly. Two years plus the current year are integrated with the library catalogue. Earlier indexes are available in the library. Other networked resources - SAGE is an on-line data base produced by CSIRO. It indexes Science and Geography journals to most of which the library subscribes. The Encyclopedia Britannica is available on-line. The McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, the Australian Yearbook, Media Scan and the Age Newspaper for 2000-2004 are also available via the network. Because these resources are primarily for students they are maintained on the curriculum side of the network and require some intial set-up on your local staff computer to be accessible from the administration side.
Online information sources - The library subscribes to EbscoHost, which is an electronic on-line index to magazines and includes a wide variety of full-text. Access requires a password which can be obtained from the library. The Age School's Archive can also be accessed on-line which provides access to the full-text of the newspaper for the last three months. Other electronic resources These include a range of CD Rom resources available for borrowing.
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Ordering resources - All curriculum resources both print and non-print are ordered through the library. Faculty coordinators have budgeted for these and the money is transferred to the library account. Teachers should check with Subject Coordinators before requesting any items. Magazine subscriptions should be referred to Agnes O'Connor. All other resource purchases should be referred to Dianne Ruffles. If material is required urgently or for some specific purpose, such as Class Sets or Teacher Reference it is helpful to let library staff know this at the time of ordering. Wider reading classes English teachers wishing to have new fiction and other recreational reading introduced to their classes may book with Dianne Ruffles, Marie Buckland, Fiona Starford and Merren Ward.
Audio Visual resources - The library has facilities to enable television programs to be taped off-air. Jenny Krasnowski should be approached for this service. It is necessary to give at least 4 hours notice and preferably 24 hours. In order to comply with copyright regulations videos must be housed at the school and preferably in the library where they will be catalogued. Exceptions are news and current affairs programs which will not be retained longer than 14 days. Faculties should provide new good quality video tapes for taping. PLEASE NOTE it is illegal to copy commercially produced video tapes and library staff will on no account do this.
Notebook computers & Data projectors - Notebook computers and data projectors are available to use within the school. Booking is essential [extension 112]. This is particularly appropriate to use in class rooms for presentations by either staff or students. The notebooks are able to access the school network.
Photocopying - The library photocopiers all operate using a card system. Faculties may wish to organise a card to be held in the library (or by specified individuals) for occasional use within the library. The library has no facilities for making copies using a pin number.
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Borrowing Staff may borrow the resources they need for teaching for the length of the school year. Customarily items are due towards the end of November whenever they are borrowed. It is expected that staff will return these items at the end of the year even if they wish to have them reissued immediately. Videos, DVDs, magazines and recreational materials have more limited borrowing periods. Library passes - Teachers may permit up to 4 students to visit the library during class time. Students will not be admitted without a signed library pass stating the purpose and duration of their visit. If the library is full the students may be sent back to class.
The Global Learning Centre Teachers must accompany their class to the library if they are booked in to the Global Learning Centre. Students are expected to wait outside the library for the arrival of their teacher who will be responsible for them during the period.
Further information and a Library Plan can be found here.
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