Library
Miss Helen Belcher (Librarian)
The Library's main objective at DGGS is to maintain and develop a balanced range of resources to support teaching, learning and personal development. It also offers a fun and friendly learning environment (different to the more traditional classroom setting!) in order to widen knowledge and understanding, and help students to achieve their best.
As part of the school's Specialist Humanities Status a considerable investment has been made this year into a complete Library refurbishment. This transformation has resulted in much more than just new furniture and freshly painted walls. As well as a laptop trolley and wireless internet connection, the Library currently provides access to a diverse range of resources, such as journals, newspapers, online encyclopaedias, audio books, DVDs, educational board games and a stock of approximately 7,000 books! These resources are continuously reviewed and updated ensuring the Library is able to fully support the different curriculum areas within the school. This investment in the Library emphasises the school's commitment to providing a 21st Century resource that is integral to the school's outstanding achievements.
As well as providing access to a diverse range of resources, the Library is also responsible for instigating a number of exciting events and initiatives which occur throughout the school year. These include a reading passport scheme in KS3 which supports the English curriculum and promotes reading, Scholastic book fairs, book review competitions, quizzes and book swap shops. The Library also organises author visits and creative writing workshops for both KS3 and KS4 students which have proven to be extremely popular, increasing our students' love of reading and allowing them to develop their own writing skills.
New technologies have also played a role in the success of our school Library. In September 2007 the Library launched its own school blog Bookblast. This has now led to the launch of a sister site Bookblast Junior Readers which supports a collaborative online reading group between the girls and boys grammar schools, enabling students to share and communicate their views about different books. Furthermore, and rather excitingly, members of the student Librarian team have just launched the Library's own podcast show DGGSfm. This interactive show will take a leading role within the school in promoting the use of innovative technology to teach new skills and to help publicise the many wonderful things that happen at DGGS on a daily basis. In short DGGSfm will be an effective means of helping to support the many events, trips, visits, activities and opportunities made possible by the school's Specialist Humanities Status.
