Library
The Library exists to inspire and support the learning of the whole school community, across the curriculum and beyond. We believe that reading brings enjoyment, that it is the key skill for lifelong learning, and that it has the power to transform lives. The Library actively supports and promotes reading for pleasure and for information.
ACCESS THE LIBRARY ONLINE!
You can access our library catalogue online to view what's available, reserve and renew books. To login go to the link below, login at the top right by choosing "Login via SSO" and sign in with your school email address and password.
Click to access the school library
The Library
We provide a comfortable and welcoming space, a wide range of resources, as well as book groups and other activities to encourage students to develop a love of reading and to improve their reading abilities. We have dedicated staff to inspire and guide students on their journey to becoming skilled and confident readers.
Additionally, the Library runs two programmes that support literacy and reading across the school. Our daily Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) sessions provide students in Years 7 to 9, their teachers and all support staff with a dedicated 20-minute period in which to read. Students with reading difficulties are supported during DEAR. All Year 7 and 8 students also take part in the Accelerated Reader Programme, a personalised and monitored reading programme in which they read books of their choice and at their own level, then take online quizzes that check their understanding.
THE ACCELERATED READER PROGRAMME
We have over 10,000 resources in the library. These include fiction and non-fiction books, reference books, eBooks, newspapers and magazines.
A Place to Read and Explore
The Library occupies a central location within the school, and provides space for individuals, groups and whole classes.
Librarians – The original search engines
The Librarians are Dr Mount and Ms Potter, and are assisted by a team of student library monitors. There is always someone available to help with choosing a book, or with finding information in print or online.
Practical Information
The Library is open and staffed from 8am until 3pm, except when the Librarians are supporting learning elsewhere in the school. Students may use the Library before school, during break and lunch, and after school within these times.
All staff and students automatically become members of the Library from their first day at Upper Shirley High School.
Students can borrow up to three books for three weeks. There is no charge for borrowing books.
Users of the Library are asked to respect the space in which they are working, to be considerate to other users, to eat and drink elsewhere and to leave coats on the hooks outside.
Get in touch
If you would like to contact the librarian to request a book, or to submit a book review, please contact us below. If there is a book that you want to read, or that you think should be in the Library, you can request it for purchase.
We also welcome contact from parents. If you have any questions about the library, DEAR, or Accelerated Reader, or if you think that your child needs some encouragement to read, please get in touch.