This year things have been so up and down, stop and start, back to front ... from our usual, hectic February to full lock-down by the end of March and then back to 'normal' now has been a big swing around.
The week before lockdown our students and staff obviously expected to be moving home for an extended time. By the Monday announcement our shelves were looking far less full than usual. Checking the issues for that time, I see more than double the normal number of books were issued in the 18 days prior to lockdown than the same period last year! (Mind you, I think a lot of them went home in multiple bags with Mrs Boardman and myself!) Ka mau te wehi! Awesome!
However, libraries are more than just the building and the books stuck inside. Students were able to keep finding resources, contacting librarians and borrowing ebooks throughout lockdown via the Library website – and the website and eplatform statistics showed many did just that. Well done everybody.
Coming back to school this term was a bit weird. It was great to see everyone again and to start getting back into routines but it did feel rather strange. Or maybe, it was just the over-riding aroma of hand sanitisers in the air! The Library is a bit of a large person-mixing bowl in the middle of the school, so we were a little concerned about letting everybody back in and there was restricted entry during Alert Level 2. We were so impressed with the students and how seamlessly they adjusted to the new ways of doing things – lining up to sign into the Library, using hand sanitiser, having to sit at least 1m from each other. For the first three weeks of term the library was a much quieter place than usual – less people because of physical distancing, and students only able to come in with their class teachers or to study.
Level 1 over the last two weeks has brought our daily foot-count back close to normal. Students are coming in to play chess, relax with their friends, chat and enjoy the warmth as well as study. We’re back to our normal buzz!
As we move into holiday time, I've been looking at the books read so far this year and new books to read. Here's a few lists.
Go onto the Library website to search for books. Borrow ebooks or eAudiobooks from Wheelers ePlatform. Log in with your student number and password.