A Teacher’s Guide to Libraries

 

Welcome to East Lothian! We look forward to working with you in the near future.  This is a short guide to the range of services and facilities East Lothian Libraries can offer you, and a brief description of how we might work together.

What we can do for you

 

Free library membership

Membership of the Library Service is free, just pop into your nearest library with proof that you work or live in East Lothian and join up!

Your local library

You can select from a wide range of books, of course, as well as newspapers, magazines, music on CD, talking books, language courses and DVDs.  Check the on-line catalogue from home, at work or in the library.

http://www.libcat.eastlothian.gov.uk/TalisPrism/

People’s Network

All libraries in East Lothian offer free access to the Internet and Microsoft Office software.

 

Online information resources

Library membership provides you with free access to a wide range of authoritative information subscription services, paid for by the Library Service, and accessible from home, your school and in the library:

Encyclopaedia Britannica –

Members of East Lothian Libraries now have free access to three online versions of Encyclopaedia Britannica:

  • Encyclopaedia Britannica Full Library Edition.
  • Britannica Online Student is aimed at students aged 12-18.
  • Britannica Online Junior is aimed at pupils aged 5-11

Please note that access to Britannica Online within Schools, Universities, Corporate/Government Organizations, by users who may be members of the Public Library, is NOT COVERED under the Library license agreement

KnowUK – access to over 100 reference publications

NewsUK – access to a wide range of daily and weekly newspapers.

SCRAN  – East Lothian Libraries have a full subscription and this vast online collection of digital images and other material of historical and cultural significance is now available at any PC in your local library.

Schools Library Service

Every term, the Schools Library Service provides materials to support your projects in the primary school classroom.  Contact Susan for more information (tel. 01620 828213).

Class visits

Bring your class to the local library.  You might wish to arrange regular visits with your class.  That way they’ll:

  • get to know the staff;
  • learn how to make best use of library resources to find information;
  • carry out investigations for class project work; and
  • enjoy the sheer pleasure of books and reading.

Other Services for Children and Young People

  • Study support: each year the library service organises a range of activities such as book groups, crafts
  • Review site: we have set up a reading blog for East Lothian. Login details for students still needs to be arranged but you can get a preview at:

https://www.edubuzz.org/read4u/

  • Summer Reading Challenge and related programme of activities
  • Reading groups: we are members of the Chatterbooks network
  • Writers’ group
  • Authors’ events
  • Craft activities, storytelling etc…

How we can work together

 

Encouraging literacy and the reading habit

There are real opportunities for local libraries and teachers to work together to promote books and reading among school students.  We would like to talk to you about:

  • visits to your class by a librarian to help you develop and promote information literacy;
  • setting up homework clubs in libraries;
  • setting up after school clubs in libraries;
  • setting up games clubs in libraries;
  • creating more children’s reading groups in libraries to cater for a wide reading and age range;
  • ensuring that every class visits their local library at least once each term;
  • including story and craft sessions as part of class visits to the library; and
  • making homework packs available in your local library based on your current project.

Don’t forget to inform your local library of your projects or big events – there might possibilities of collaboration, organising displays of pupils’ work, related projects, themed craft events or storytelling…  

Please contact us:

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