ASJA Girls’ College Tunapuna ensures that there are adequate opportunities for students to excel in academics as well as co-curricular activities. One way this is facilitated is through our School Library Media Centre (SLMC). The National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) is the administrator of libraries throughout Trinidad and Tobago. They provide professional staff for our SLMC.  Our School Library Media Centre is equipped with a variety of educational and leisure materials in different formats such as books, magazines and e-resources e.g. DVDs. Services offered include photocopying, use of computers (including internet access), printing and of course, book loans. As a media centre the facility is complemented by an Audio Visual Room furnished with tablet chairs and relevant electronic devices to enhance the learning experience.

Highlights

In 2012 the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) launched a competition for School Library Media Centre (SLMC) of the Year entitled “Proud to Read T&T”. The result of this competition was released on March 14^th 2014. ASJA Girls’ College, Tunapuna’s SLMC was part of this contest and placed 2^nd out of 112 schools which participated. This competition yielded an internal annual Library Challenge award at our school library. The first recipient of this award was the Zafirah House, our first winners.

Notice for Form 1 students:

Welcome! We look forward to meeting you in our online classes. Also please remember to join our Edmodo class!

Please note ALL Form 1 students are encouraged to register with the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS).

Library Service Hours

 v  The School Library Media Center serves to meet the needs of its patrons (staff and Students) from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

[Unless otherwise stipulated]

 v  Services at the School Library Media Center will be closed to students during the school vacation period(s).

v  Staff and students will be informed in advance should the need to suspend library services arise.

Library Etiquette

v  Library patrons are expected to be quiet at all time. Failure to do so after two verbal warnings will result in the student being asked to leave the library.

v  Students are expected to leave all bags on the shelf provided at the entrance of the Library.

v  Library staff will not be held accountable for any loss of patrons’ personal items.

v  No food or drinks are allowed in the Schools Library and Media Center.

v  The rearranging of library furniture and equipment by patrons is not permitted.

v  Books are not to be left lying around. They are to be returned to the library staff or the book trolley. Students are not allowed to rearrange books or reshelf them after use.

v   The Library staff is authorized to enforce the school’s code of conduct.

Failure to comply with the procedures and regulations of the School Library and Media Center may result in the suspension of all Library privileges.

Circulation

v  Patrons must register with the School Library Media Center in order to borrow material(s).

v  Materials to be borrowed must be brought to the circulation desk and presented to the library personnel on duty for it to be checked out. Patrons will be required to state their name.

v  Patrons are allowed to borrow two books at a time for a maximum period of two weeks. Staff may borrow a maximum of four books.

v  Patrons can request a book to be put on hold. This request is valid for a maximum of four working days.

v  Loans are closed three weeks prior to the end of the school term. Special consideration will be given to Staff.

v  The School Library and Media Center has compiled a collection of books that is designed specifically for staff and is located at the back of the circulation desk.

v  Members of staff may borrow non-circulation material: reference books, magazines and periodicals, DVDs, video etc for overnight use.

v  Overdue fines must be paid before any item can be borrowed.

Renewal

v  In order for an extension to be granted the item must be presented to the library personnel on duty on or before the due date. A maximum of two weeks extension may be granted if the material is not requested by another patron.

v  Material in heavy demand will not be renewed.

Returns

v  Items to be returned are presented to the library personnel on duty on or before the due date.

Overdue Fines

v  The automated system calculates overdue fines at twenty five cents per day.

v  Patrons will not be allowed to borrow once they have outstanding fines.

v  Payment of overdue fines will be recorded in a log book.

Damaged/Lost Material

v  The borrower must replace materials damaged beyond repair whilst in their possession via any of the following options:

1)      Replacement of the resource.

2)      Replacement cost of the resource.

3)      Substitute with another resource.

Photocopying

v  All copies will be made by Library Staff ONLY.

v  A twenty-five cent fee ($0.25) is charged per side of a sheet of paper this payable to the staff at the School Library and Media Center.

v  The ten percent copyright law will be upheld at the School Library and Media Center.

v  All copies must be paid for in advance (Pay First System)

v  Students are not allowed to copy notes from their peers’ notebooks unless approved by the subject or form teacher.

v  All articles to be copied must be relevant to the school’s curriculum/subject area being studied. Any article deemed inappropriate and not in accordance school activities will not be copied.

v  Copies will be done upon request except for large quantities which will require a waiting period. The length of the waiting period will be dependent on the number of copies to be done.

Computer Use

v  Patrons must request permission from the Library Staff to use the computers.

v  Patrons are required to detail in a log book their: name, class, subject, purpose and time.

v  Computer use must be relevant to the curriculum and school activities.

v  Use of the computers is on a first come first serve basis. Special consideration is given as necessary e.g. for students doing School Based Assessments or special projects as identified by teachers.

v  Computer access is limited to 15 minutes time slots. Special consideration is given as necessary

v  Patrons wishing to use a removable drive must submit the drive to the Staff at the School library and Media Centre for a virus scan to be performed.

v  The internet is for research purposes only. As a result, social networking sites, checking e-mail, playing games and other forms of entertainment are prohibited.

v   Patrons are not allowed to add/remove software and /or hardware.

v  Patrons are not permitted to save files and documents on the hard drive.

v  Patrons are expected to report all problems encountered while using the computers to the Library Staff.

Printing

v  Patrons must notify SLMC staff before documents are sent to the printer. Staff will visit the patron and send the document to print if deemed suitable.

v  All articles to be printed must be relevant to the school’s curriculum/subject area(s) being studied. Any article deemed inappropriate will not be printed.

v  All prints cost one dollar ($1.00), regardless of the dimension of the text or image

v  Coloured prints cost a maximum of five dollars ($5.00) per page but prices may be lower depending on the amount of coloured content.

Library Prefects

The SLMC also provides opportunities for students to become library prefects. Students are chosen annually from Forms Two and Three. Selection is based on the same criteria employed by the school in choosing school prefects however; a library prefect must also be an exemplary library citizen. This means the student must be a regular patron who demonstrates interest in library operations and activities as well as display willingness to assist library staff when needed.

Through this experience our prefects are moulded into more responsible and committed individuals. They are trained in basic customer service and acquire skills such as data entry, record-keeping and time management. While the students achieve a degree of personal development, they also contribute to the overall efficiency of library services.

LINKS

NALIS (National Library and Information System T&T)

http://www.nalis.gov.tt/

The Educational Library Services Division Free CSEC Resources
https://www.nalis.gov.tt/NALIS-Blog

The Educational Library Services Division (Facebook Page) Library Resources
https://www.facebook.com/NALISELSDTT/

The Tunapuna Public Library (Storytelling, crafts, links to resources etc.)

https://www.facebook.com/NALISTunapunaTT