The C.A.I. Library

Teacher in Charge of the Library:      Mr. J.J. McCully
School Librarian:                                    Mrs. B. Davey

The Coleraine Academical Institution Library aims to underpin the education pupils receive at this school and to encourage them to view this valuable resource in a positive light during their time here. The library provides materials for pupils and staff suitable for the encouragement of independent learning in order to assist delivery of the curriculum for each subject offered while also providing enjoyment through reading. The library makes available an area for browsing, research and reading for pleasure, with the aim of affording the opportunity to develop a love of books.

The Library presents an attractive working environment and is accessible to all pupils and staff, including the disabled. The physical environment of the library is designed to create the right atmosphere so as to encourage boys towards positive study. There is both formal seating (tables and chairs) and informal seating. In addition there are seven computer workstations. Audio-visual equipment is also provided for use within the library.

The library opens at various times throughout the school day.

At present the library opens:
Monday – Friday 09.15 – 12.45 and 13.45 – 16.15

The library is open for the issue and return of books to all year groups during the designated hours. The school librarian is available to help and advise the pupils as they search for both literature and information books and to supervise the use of the Internet. Books are issued to the pupils using the ALICE automated library system.

General class admission is organised around a class booking system by which any teacher can utilise their class time in the library by booking its use in advance.

The pupils have access to the ALICE catalogue via two designated computers. The ALICE catalogue is also accessible at any of the other computer workstations throughout the school which are connected to the C2K system.

All classes in Years 8, 9 and 10 are timetabled with a guaranteed library period as part of their English classes each fortnight.

The stock is organized using the Dewey Decimal Classification System. The non-fiction books are located on the main stacks and each book has been given an appropriate Dewey number and subject area. All fiction titles are in a separate section. Reference books are coded with a red ‘R’. These books are to be used in the library.

Each member of this library, both pupils and staff, is registered as a user on the ALICE system and may borrow books by producing at the Issue Desk the book they want together with their own individually bar coded library card.

Pupils may borrow a maximum of 1 fiction book and 2 non-fiction books at any one time on their card for a period of 14 days before they have to be returned or renewed.

A fine system does not operate at present for overdue books.

The Teacher in Charge of the Library currently delivers a library skills induction programme to all Year 8 pupils during the first few weeks of the Autumn Term. This is designed to equip pupils with the skills they require in order to make full and complete use of all library resources.

This Library is designed to facilitate the provision of information within an environment that will allow all those who wish to use it to do so free from noise, distraction or interference. The following Library Rules are set out so as to protect all members who use it from those who would decide to interrupt the flow of information and services. Anyone who engages in such activity will be dealt with promptly and may have all privileges withdrawn until further notice.