As a key part of student life at CCHS, we take pride in keeping our library both relevant and appealing to our students in this increasingly digital age. We stock an extensive range of both fiction and non-fiction books, keeping track of current reading trends to ensure we meet the needs of our borrowers. There are links to electronic versions of the classic books as well as many academically reliable websites and handpicked resources available in our catalogue. All staff and students are welcome to suggest books, both fiction and non-fiction, and we will where appropriately add as many as possible to the catalogue.
The library catalogue, Oliver can be accessed remotely, allowing students to reserve and search for what they need on-site or on-the-go. They can also search for items and manage their accounts using our Library Link App – search for the logo on your phone. We encourage students to add book reviews to the interactive catalogue to assist other students with their insights.
We have a stock of eBooks through the Wheelers eBook platform which allows students to download electronic books onto their computers, laptops, phones or tablets. These can be easily accessed from the Oliver catalogue; all of the titles have been added to the system for ease of browsing.
The library is essential to our Sixth Form students, who benefit from the policy of silence during lesson times for study and to complete assignments with access to computers and relevant resources. They are able to access journals and articles through JSTOR as well as physical non-fiction resources, and the staff run an annual lecture to advise on best practices for referencing and bibliographies.
There are plenty of opportunities for students to get involved with the library at CCHS – we have good attendance at our book group and offer Community project or D of E volunteering opportunities for those looking to attain their Bronze or Silver Award. We celebrate World Book Day every year with an author visit, participate in the Juniper and Carnegie Book Award shadowing, and run charity activities for the students.
We were delighted to move into our new Library in October 2021.
We have a flexible space with comfortable booth seating as well as study desks, there are dedicated study rooms for Sixth Form use, areas for larger subject displays and a new section of legacy books that will be enjoyed for years to come. We have kept a bank of desktop computers for student use and now also have a stock of Chromebooks for use in the library. The tables can be rearranged to accommodate library lessons, open evenings or presentations and talks, such as author visits on World Book Day.
We have established a social media presence through Twitter and Instagram, and post regular updates showing displays and photos of events that we have run in the Library.
We have also created a podcast, released once a month, discussing subjects and themes around books and reading.
Follow us on social media:
Instagram @libraryladies_chelmsford
Twitter @cchs_library1
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