Locations and Opening Hours | Using the Library | Searching for Resources | News

 

Locations and Opening Hours

The library has two sites, a library for the whole school in the West Wing and a library exclusively for the use of the Sixth Form at the Sixth Form Centre.

The main school library is open daily from 9.15am – 5pm.  It is closed during Rec every Wednesday.

The Sixth Form library is open daily from 8.15am.  It closes at 4.30pm on Monday, 5pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and 3.30pm on Friday.

 

Using the Library

Help and Support

There are lots of ways to find help in the library.  There are a range of guides available which may answer some questions.  These are a great place to start, as most common queries can be answered here.

If a pupil needs more help or would rather talk to someone about a query then they can ask one of the specially trained librarians or Mrs Hodgson.  Alternatively, questions and suggestions can be emailed to library@aggs.bfet.uk

Books and Resources

The Library has over 20,000 resources across the two sites.  Pupils may borrow up to 4 resources for two weeks at a time.  Books are loaned for a two week period and DVDs for one week.   Sixth Form may borrow books for an extended period if required. 

Pupils are responsible for renewing and returning their books on time.  Books can be returned to any site, regardless of the site they were borrowed from.

Occasionally a teacher may request that a text in high demand is given a shorter loan period.  In any case, the librarians will let pupils know when resources are due to be returned.  Some items, such as dictionaries and periodicals, are for use only in the library and may not be borrowed.   These are marked Reference Only.

Study Space

The main school library is open plan and is a place for quiet study, reading and focussed relaxation.  In order for the library to provide an environment which will suit the many and varied tasks pupils and staff are working on during the school day, co-operation is required and pupils are asked to be respectful of the needs of others using the library at all times. 

Quiet Study (keep noise to a minimum) during lessons and Homework Club.

Social Study (talking allowed) during Rec and lunchtimes.

Silent Study during lessons when the space is shared between English library lessons and Sixth Form use.

The Sixth Form Library operates a Quiet Study (keep noise to a minimum) Policy at all times.

Library ICT Services

Both libraries have access to networked PCs, colour printers and photocopiers.  In addition the main school library has android tablets which can be used for internet research in the library or in class.  Kindles can also be borrowed for use in the library.

Training and Skills Support

Pupils will be shown how to use the library and its resources effectively during library lessons in Years 7 and 8.  Basic research skills will also be taught as part of these lessons. 

Activities

There are a range of activities available in the library which pupils are welcome to use during Rec, lunchtime and free periods.

Homework Club offers pupils a quiet environment in which to complete their work at the end of the school day.  Pupils will also have access to ICT, books, newspapers and periodicals to help them study.

TED Talks are shown in the Glass Box every Day 2 lunchtime.

The Key Stage 3 Reading Group meets in the Glass Box the last Day 10 of every half term.

 

Searching for Resources

Britannica is a fact-checked online encyclopaedia with hundreds of thousands of articles, biographies, videos and images. All the information you find here will be current, accurate and reliable. Use this source as a starting point for your research before you search the Internet.

The Reading Cloud contains details of all the books, CDs, DVDs and talking books we have in the Main School and Sixth Form Libraries.

The JSTOR Secondary Schools Collection is a package of over 2,800 archival journals and four primary source collections.

 

News

Summer Reading Challenge

Reading regularly and reading for pleasure has a huge impact on your wellbeing and academic attainment. Try to read every day of the summer holidays if you can and join in our Summer Reading Challenge – 20 for 2020. The challenge is to read or listen to something in each of the twenty categories listed in… Read more »

 

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