Wow! What a roller coaster this term has been. Newbies, blind dates and setting up classrooms.

The 2024 school year started off with the usual whirl in the Library. We do love seeing all the new Y9 students come through for the first time and it’s my privilege to run a Library Orientation session with each Y9 class. Verdict for this year - great classes, great students – looking forward to seeing them progress through the school.

Valentine's Day has become quite a thing around BHS and the Library jumped right in this year with Blind Date with a Book. We figured who needs flowers or chocolates?  A book beats all!  Students were keen and on the day we had to scramble to round up some more dates before the end of lunchtime.  Several lucky winners were very happy with their prizes.

Can’t get enough of a good thing.  So, we did it all again for Easter.  Easter Surprise Blind Dates were also popular, as were the Easter egg and book prizes for another four winners.

Chess sets have always been well used at break times but this term I think the packs of UNO card game gave Chess a run for most popular. We introduced our box of board games part-way through the term and large groups of students enthusiastically grabbed the UNO cards each lunchtime. I’m amazed how competitive a game of UNO can get!

The Library’s adaptability was tested late in the term with the building situation, when 24 new class spaces needed to be set up quickly. Four of our Library areas are now timetabled classes and filled with Social Science classes through each day. In Term 2, more changes to the timetable will make easy student access to the Library more difficult. We’ll just have to be even more adaptable.  Maybe Library Staff can take the Library to the students!  Watch this space.

More changes afoot – my 10 year tenure as Library Manager ends on Friday, 12th April. It has been a fabulous place to work and, while looking forward to new projects and not so early mornings, I will miss much about the BHS Library, and especially the students and staff.

Have a great holiday everyone

Sally Stanley-Boden

Library Manager.