Curl Curl North Public School Library
Our Goal
At Curl Curl North Public School we aim to foster a lifelong love of reading. We encourage wide reading across genres, both fiction and non fiction. Being a successful and enthusiastic reader prepares children for a lifetime of reading for pleasure and a lifetime of learning.
Our Library System
Our library system is called Oliver and is available to students via their student portal by clicking on the School Library link. Once on Oliver, students might prefer to click on Orbit in the top right hand corner as it is more child friendly. From this page, children can search for and reserve books they might like to borrow.
World Book Online
We subscribe to World Book Online (WBO.) Children can access WBO at home from Oliver via their student portal. The package our school has purchased includes:
World Book Student – an online encyclopaedia for children in years 4 – 6.
World book Kids – an online encyclopaedia for students in years 1 – 4
Early World of Learning – activities for children in kindergarten and year 1.
Science Power – online tutorials for children in years 4 – 6.
eBooks – all your favourite world book print material is also found here in eBook format. Most titles are non fiction.
Wheelers eBook Platform
We subscribe to Wheelers eBooks. Children can access eBooks at home from Oliver via their student portal. The eBooks are borrowed and returned online. Books can be borrowed for 2 weeks and the eBook collection from Wheelers is predominantly fiction. Parents may prefer to download the app onto their device.
Borrowing
All children visit the school library once a week for borrowing, engagement with quality texts and research. Children are allowed to borrow two books per week. They are required to have a library bag to put the books in to transport them home.
Premier’s Reading Challenge
Our school participates in the Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC). Children in Kindy to year 2 are required to read 30 books on the K-2 booklist and children in years 3 – 6 are required to read 20 books from their respective booklists. Each year we ask parents of children in K-2 to enter the books their children read online on the PRC website. Children in years 3 – 6 do their own online data entry at school. More information is found on the PRC website.
The PRC offers a comprehensive booklist which includes many quality picture books. We encourage even older students to read these quality texts for the PRC and also for parents to read them with their children. The rich dialogue that ensues from reading quality texts helps to develop and expand children’s vocabulary and deepens comprehension.
Street Library
Our street library is located at the main entrance on Playfair Road. This library is stocked with children’s books for the families in our community. There is no cost. When your child sees a book they like, they simply take it home and read it. When they have finished reading the book please remind them to put it back in the street library. If they want to keep it, that is fine too but please can you put another book in the street library in its place.
Library Staff
Our library is staffed by a qualified and full time Teacher Librarian, Lisa Turner; a librarian who works 2 days per week, Vicki O’Brien; and School Administration Officers, Dom Willis and Lee Wye who also work part time in the library.
Opening Times
The library is open at second half lunch from Monday to Thursday.
Volunteers
Each year we ask for parent volunteers from our school community to help us with book covering. Please call us if you can help in this way. We provide the training you will need. If you prefer a different job, we welcome parents who would like to help us with shelving.
Lost Books
When books are lost please help your child to look for the book. It is our experience that books usually do turn up after a thorough search by mum or dad. If the book cannot be located or is damaged we will send an invoice.
Book Week
Children’s Book Week falls in August each year and our school usually holds an event to celebrate. Last year it was our absolute privilege to host children’s laureate Leigh Hobbs who was a firm favourite with the children. We have also celebrated with Book Character Parades and a Book Tasting. Keep an eye on the weekly newsletters to find out how we will celebrate this year. The theme for Book Week this year is ‘Reading is my Secret Power.’
National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS)
NSS is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association. Every year a picture book, by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. NSS is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy. The book this year is Alpacas with Maracas by Matt Cosgrove.
Christmas Food Drive
We hold this charity event in November each year. Children are asked to bring in a non-perishable item of food or a new and unwrapped children’s toy. The goods are placed under the Christmas tree in the library and collected by Anglicare. The goods are then distributed to families in need in Sydney. In past years, the response from the families in our school community has been truly overwhelming.