Opening hours and Afterschool care
Opening hours – daytime
Both Libraries are currently subject to varying hours and procedures during the day due to Covid restrictions. However, students and staff are always able to reserve and borrow books and access online resources through our online library catalogue, ‘click and collect’ service, and are able to contact the dedicated library team via email, phone and Teams if they have queries, specific requests or need help finding or selecting books. Books can be returned at designated drop off points, or to the library during afterschool care – after which books will be quarantined for a set period.
Afterschool Care 4.05pm – 6.00pm
Both Libraries at Monmouth School for Girls and Monmouth School for Boys are open to students from 4.05pm – 6.00pm, Monday to Friday, term time only, for homework / afterschool care. The sessions are supervised by staff and students are required to sign in and out.
Due to current Covid restrictions, each Year Group has a designated ‘bubble area’ within the library. Social distancing / mask rules are followed and strict cleaning / sanitising measures are practised. An air purifier has also been installed within both libraries.
Meet the Library Team and contact the Libraries
Oodles of online resources
Finding, accessing and discerning the best quality information and research for study is frequently a challenge in today’s world of instant digital information.
In addition to the thousands of physical books available to borrow from the libraries – and in order to ensure both pupils and staff are able to enjoy the best and most up-to-date resources, academic opinions and comment on subjects or events in the news, The Library Team has developed Oodles – an online virtual library of research resources for students and staff to use.
Oodles offers pupils instant access to the latest journals, articles, periodicals and academic publications from home, the boarding houses – or wherever they complete research or homework – as well as within the Libraries themselves. This includes resources such as JSTOR, the Gale in Context database, The Day, Issues Online and Essential Articles databases, Encyclopaedia Britannica and much more. Access is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by logging onto the School Firefly intranet.
Computers
Both Libraries house between 12 and 18 computers on each site for use by staff and students, although use is currently restricted due to Covid regulations. Students are able to use their own laptops and devices within the Libraries for study and research purposes, and can use the schools’ Wi-Fi systems and printers with their devices.
Research skills and Digital Literacy programmes
Commencing in Year 7, students in both Monmouth School for Boys and Monmouth School for Girls embark on timetabled lessons with trained research professionals to introduce the concept of independent research. Tutorials aim to inspire confidence in the use of a range of media and to discern the best quality of information, whether it is found in books, magazines or online.
The Libraries offer support and guidance to all students with their studies and research. This includes working with academic departments to create and deliver tailored research tips, advice and tutorials for specific subjects, coursework and lessons.
Individual or group refresher sessions are always available to students upon request too.
Reading Awards Scheme
Monmouth School for Boys and Monmouth School for Girls offer unique reading schemes for students to enjoy.
The awards have been specially designed by staff to ensure pupils not only have fun, but also discover a life-long love of reading and a thirst for knowledge.
Reading has been proven to improve academic success, as well as honing a host of skills for life, including empathy, resilience, focus, self-confidence, imagination, decision-making skills, improved vocabulary and more.
Each Award has been constructed to help students achieve these goals whilst reading as widely as possible. Pupils also enjoy choice and freedom about what they read and have the chance to cultivate favourite genres and interests, whilst also encouraging them to challenge and surprise themselves.
Plus, pupils have the chance to gain an exclusive badge for each Award achieved.
Author visits, clubs and events
The Libraries offer a welcoming and friendly setting for break and lunch times, and so is always a popular venue to host a range of regular school clubs and meetings – from reading groups and language cafes to debating and philosophy groups.
Introducing pupils to the authors who write the books they enjoy is a great way to inspire and nurture a love of reading. Authors are booked on a regular basis for both schools – with online author visits now being looked at during current times, to ensure pupils are still able to enjoy meeting authors.
Quizzes, Literature Festivals, charity bake and book sales have all been enjoyed in both the libraries and public venues around Monmouth, with more events being planned for the near future.
