Penrith Selective High School logo

Penrith Selective High School

Penrith Selective High School

Altiora Peto - Striving for the highest

Telephone02 4721 0529

Emailpenrith-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Library

Overview

Our library is the hub of the school community and as such is extensively utilised.

Students enjoy our wonderful learning environment. There are two large areas for classes and also a computer lab with 30 computers. 6 other computers are in the main body of the Library. Lounge areas and soft chairs provide comfortable places to read or study. Study nooks along the perimeter walls are a quiet haven for those who need deeper concentration. Two study rooms provide the perfect place for group work, group study, debate preparation, and staff programming/marking. These rooms also convert to a small cinema for 20 with a 163cm screen. A Senior Study area is available for students in Years 11 and 12 undertaking private study and Distance Education courses. The Senior Study is upstairs with its own closed reserve of 200 current textbooks and study guides as well as four more computers. The Library is heavily used before school, at recess, and at lunch. We are also open at the end of the day for 10 minutes of student borrowing. We average 700 visits a day and nearly 500 loans a week. 

Our library provides services that support the learning and teaching of all members of the school.

The focus of the library is:

  • To enable students to become effective users of information and ideas
  • To facilitate the acquisition of information skills that form the basis of lifelong learning
  • To empower students to become independent lifelong learners
  • To foster self-esteem and creativity in a positive and supportive environment
  • To promote an enjoyment of literature through reading widely and critically
  • To provide a congenial and modern physical environment for staff and students

 

Hours of opening

The library is open from 8:30am to 3:40pm. Students are encouraged to make good use of the library's facilities and to respect the rights of others.

Library collection

An extensive collection of resources, including ebooks and audio books, is provided for students and staff. Resources are purchased primarily to support the curricular needs of the school. Students and staff are encouraged to request items for purchase. Students have generous borrowing allowances to facilitate wide reading and research requirements. There are 22,000 resources in our collection including a magnificent fiction collection and a growing targeted graphic novel collection.

Other facilities

Printing hardware and information technology are provided to access resources both within and outside the school. Networked computers provide internet access, electronic encyclopedia and databases. Assistance is always available for users. Multimedia computers, digital cameras, and desktop publishing software are available for various media projects. Textbooks are loaned and returned via the Library.