Library

WELCOME

The library is central to supporting our children develop a life long love of reading at Bishop Gilpin. 

It is a bright, welcoming environment where children can relax with a book or magazine. It is also a place of safety and wellbeing. 

SEARCHING THE BG LIBRARY

Entering the BG School Library here will take you to the library dashboard, where there is lots of information about reading and books. Children do not have to log-in to search the BG library on-line but they will need to if they want to check their accounts. Please contact Mrs Le Marquand at library@bishopgilpin.org if you would like your child’s log-in details so they can check from home what they have on loan.

MERTON PUBLIC LIBRARIES

RESOURCES

The BG library has a varied and diverse selection of fiction, poetry and non-fiction books, as well as reference books, a few magazines, EAL books, picture books, neurodiverse books, PSHE books, and BG published books. Children can also attempt a few jigsaws or make their own paper books. E-books and audio books can be accessed via the public libraries (see above) as we no longer subscribe to an e-book platform.

CIRCULATION

The library management system we use in the library is called Accessit and children use the scanners to issue and return resources. Children from year 2 upwards can borrow 2 books for 2 weeks. Year 1 and Reception can only borrow one book for 2 weeks. Magazines can be borrowed for 1 week.

RETURNS

We do not fine for overdue or lost books but this should be expected in secondary school as most do, so it is a good idea to get children into the habit of returning their books on time, apart from the fact that other children may well be waiting for a certain book. There is a returns box at the top of the library stairs. If a child cannot find a book or think they may have lost it they should speak to Mrs Le Marquand who will mark it as missing and remove it from their account. More times than most these books turn up so if found it can be restored to the on line catalogue.

QUIZZES

Computers in the library have quizzes installed and these range from learning about how libraries work, to internet usage, information retrieval, books and authors, and every topic on the curriculum. 

LOCATION

The Library can be found in the KS1 part of the school between the year 1 and year 2 classrooms.

OPENING TIMES

The library is open every lunch time, from 12.30pm-1.25pm and each year group can visit twice a week. 

PUPIL LIBRARIANS

There is a pupil librarian programme at BG and children from year 4 are encouraged to apply to help run the library. Successful applicants have an informal interview and are asked to help out one lunch time a week. 

All children have the opportunity to suggest books for the library through the suggestion book box, and often suggest improvements, giving them ownership of their library.

STAFFING

The library is managed by Mrs Le Marquand, the School Librarian, and is supported by parent volunteers who sometimes supervise the children at lunchtimes, as well as the pupil librarians. Parent volunteers usually supervise in pairs so that they volunteer every other week. If you would like to volunteer at lunchtimes please get in touch with Mrs Le Marquand at the email below.

DONATIONS

We are always grateful to parents for their book donations but we do not have enough space to store loads of them, so it’s better if you wait to donate them to school fairs or take them to charity shops. 

For the BG school library we welcome fiction books, particularly those by new authors, and non-fiction books that are no more than five years old. We do not accept text books or revision books.

Alternatively, you may like to donate them to a wonderful charity called the Children’s Book Project which take donations for those schools and organisations that do not have any or enough.

QUERIES

For any reading or library technical queries, please email Mrs Le Marquand at the following email: library@bishopgilpin.org