Libraries

There are three libraries at Friends', in Morris - Friends' Primary Years, High School and Clemes, each staffed by teacher-librarians and library technicians and supported by a team of computer technicians. The Commercial Road campus houses the School archives, also staffed by a teacher-librarian.

Although physically separate, the libraries are linked electronically through a web-based catalogue which also provides a gateway or portal to on-line encyclopaedias and databases containing thousands of full-text materials, including magazines and newspapers. The libraries provide easy access to copyrighted information not available on the internet, and offer a pathway to selected educational web-sites.

All students from Year 5 have access to the library portal from their laptop. Wireless technology means that this is available to staff and students in almost every part of the school. However, we believe it is important to balance all this with a strong and up to date book collection, (numbering around 58,000 items) to support the curriculum and stimulate learning. Love of literature is embedded in the School culture and reading for pleasure is encouraged, with students borrowing from the age of three up to Year 12. The wider school community is also encouraged to borrow and a parenting collection is specifically set up for this purpose.

Information literacy is a high priority, and the teacher-librarians work in collaboration with classroom and subject teachers to bring about positive research outcomes for students.

The libraries manage a range of digital equipment for use in class and provide support and training for staff and students.