The Maher Library
Our school library has recently been updated and we now have over 2000 fiction and reference books in stock. The library is open several lunch times per week and students can borrow books using our online cataloguing system from either an English teacher or member of the Literacy committee. Our aim in the library is to promote a lifelong love of reading amongst our students, irrespective of their ability.
Our Policy for book selection:
The library aims to provide a wide range of fiction texts for students; books that will educate and entertain the readers and books that view the world from many different perspectives through the medium of fiction, poetry, drama and reference books.
The library caters for the teen to young adult category who pass through enormous changes both physical, intellectual and emotional in the years that they attend second-level school. We strive to support these changes and to cater to the tastes and needs of our students. We also endeavor to provide a balanced collection with differing perspectives and information to help students towards an understanding of a diversity of cultures and lifestyles.
It is important that students and young people are encouraged to read as regularly and widely, and with as few restrictions, as possible. It is impossible for teachers or librarians to know exactly the correct book for each reader or to know the precise time for book and reader to be brought together. Parents are advised to discuss books and literature, and actively encourage reading with their children during their time in St. Raphaelas.
Our Collection
The library provides a wide selection of modern English language fiction, both of a literary and of a more popular nature.
Fiction of a more light-weight nature is also included to encourage reluctant readers to make a start at reading, and also, to provide entertainment and relaxation.
Selection is based on the following criteria:
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- Reviews in newspapers and journals.
- Local library suggestions
- Recommendations from book shops and other libraries.
- Suggestions from the literacy committee, English teachers, pupils and staff.
- Diverse reading tastes and abilities are catered for in the collection.
- The collection is balanced between books for the various age groups
- High quality, appeal and appropriateness
- Ensuring that cultural diversity is represented and reflected.
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The library sections and genres are labelled and you will also find useful reviews and suggestions which should help you choose your books.
You can find our entire catalogue online by following this link: Our Online Library Catalogue
Library Loan Policy
Standard loans – 14 days – Up to 3 books may be borrowed at one time for a period of 2 weeks. It is possible to renew your books in the meantime, but they must be renewed in the library by the librarian or literacy committee member. Student must use the Library stamp in their journal to mark the day that the books are due to be returned.
You can check out our library catalogue by following the links: http://www.librarything.com/allyourcovers.php
Accelerated Reader Programme
All first and second year students use the Accelerated Reader programme to promote a life-long love of reader and to develop key literacy skills. Accelerated Reader motivates students to read more through engaging quizzes, goal setting, and personalised recommendations. As students increase their reading volume, they develop greater reading stamina, word recognition, and language comprehension skills.
Here is a link to a video we created for the English Department for our virtual Open Evening; it still gives a great flavour for the love of reading that we share here in St. Raphaela's: Virtual Open Evening video 2020
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