Summer 'Holiday'

Ah, summer holidays. I love them. Don't you?

I'm a full-time, whole-year school librarian so, yes, I am still working away long after the corridors have ceased to ring with the squeals of joy that announce the start of the annual summer getaway (and that's just the teachers!).

Most people (neighbours, family, colleagues etc) assume that I, like the teaching staff, get the summer off (I know, I know - teaching staff DO often come into school in the hols to prep for the next year). When I tell them that this is not the case I always get asked the same thing...'well, what do you do for 6 weeks when there's nobody else in school?'

First up, there are other people in school! The school business manager, data manager, finance officer and office staff all work for good periods of time in the holiday making sure that things are up-to-speed in advance of the forthcoming new school year. I also musn't forget our ICT team, who work tirelessly over the summer to make sure that systems are updated, new ICT is installed and broken ICT is fixed/cleaned.

Our premises, caretaking and cleaning staff are also all in all summer. Polishing, waxing, cleaning, painting, repairing, scheduling and supervising health and safety, smoke alarm, electrical appliance, alarm and fire extinuisher compliance tests,  and my personal favourite, removing chewing gum from the under side of classroom benches/tables (ewww!). Seriously, I'm exhausted thinking about how much they get through!

Schools don't stop over the summer holiday. - far from it - they take a deep breath and get stuck into making sure that the environment for teaching and learning will be as good as it can be for the next year.

Anyway, I digress. The question was what do I, as school librarian, do over the summer? Well, let's see. First up I have a jolly good sort out and de-clutter (it's amazing how much clutter is created over the course of a school year!). Of everything! My store cupboard is blitzed - anything superfluous to requirements is binned or offered out to staff in case it could be reused by others. Filing trays and draws are 'cleansed' - out-of-date information is shredded/recycled/binned. Library shelves are cleaned (by me), put back into order and stock is checked. Anything that is in poor condition or is out-of-date is removed from the library management system.

I then move on to the displays. Everything comes off the walls, all display boards are cleared and then re-backed.  I then collate information, student work, create posters, select books etc for new displays - these could be curriculum linked or event specific. One of my display walls this year is being used to showcase some of the work done my students in our library's after school art and craft club. Another will have an anti-bullying theme and another will promote the Booked Up scheme (free books for incoming year 7s). I will also use the grilles in the ceiling to create a 'International Talk Like a Pirate Day' display (Sept 19th for those of you who would like to participate!). This does take a fair bit of time. (I do change displays during the year, but the summer is the ONLY time that I get the opportunity to take everything down and start from scratch again, if you like.)

OK, after clearing out and getting the room looking pretty again then what? Well, then I work with my Extended Services colleagues -hi Lindsey and Mel :) - to organise a number of events/activities for kids and their families which take place during the summer. This does vary a bit but this summer we will be:

• hosting a Teddy Bear's Picnic (yes, we will be going on a bear hunt!), 
• supporting a family learning ICT course by running activities for children while their parents are studying (all activities will have a Gingerbread Man theme)
• running a 3 day summer school for incoming year 7s (ice breaker activities, orienteering/map challenges, crafty stuff and a treasure hunt - eek, we need to sort out the clues!).

OK, so what else? Well, I check the library's development plan against the school's raising achievement plan and add to/amend as necessary. I make sure that induction leaflets/tasks are ready for all new year 7s and new staff. I put together recommended reading lists that are uploaded on to our school's VLE, displayed in the library and given our to tutors (staff awareness of children's literature will be covered another time!). I put together forward plans of library events/activities for the next school term.

...in other words, I get lots done in the summer holiday!

Lastly, and most importantly I mustn't forget chip day. One lunch time over the holiday all full time/whole year staff get together in the main staff room for fish and chips. If we're really lucky someone also brings cake.

Ah, summer holidays. I love them. Don't you?

PS: I do also take a couple of weeks off - so it's not all work, work, work!