Snapshot of a School Library During COVID-19 #22

Lynn Revai, Academic Head of Library at Oakhill College, NSW, shares the how the library supported their school community during COVID-19 restrictions.

What has been the focus for your school library/role during the COVID-19 Crisis?

It is available physically and remotely.

What major tasks have you achieved?

Learning space for our essential services students. A safe place. Remote access to resources. Teaching library lessons via Teams. Click and collect of resources. Growth of eBook collection. Readers group and Writers group continued via Teams. Our whole school Read to Succeed training program was launched. Case management of Library regulars divided up among library staff to check in with weekly about their wellbeing during lockdown. Up-skilling staff in using Clickview for Interactive libraries. Using Library subject guides online for the Learning design.

What has been the result for staff and/or students?

Library is a focal point of the school during lockdown.

What reactions did you get from students/teachers/school leaders/parents to what the library staff were doing?

Many students at school were alone and away from their peers. We averaged 20 students each day. The Teacher Librarian was in attendance along with 1 member of the College Executive. The library was a safe haven where we all 'lived' during this time. At lunchtime we all left the library and went for a walk to the school farm where there was lots of fun bonding harvesting the beans.

The Library provided emotional support and kept calm and carried on.

If you would like to let us know what your school library is doing during COVID-19, you can let us know here.