The importance of reading cannot be overstated. Reading develops the mind, imagination, creative potentials, improves spelling and expands the vocabulary.
At Union we have always believed that a good reading habit is a vital skill that all learners should possess and that it should be given rapt attention. This is true more so today than ever before with the imminent danger of losing reading habits in the era of information and communication technologies, where the use of social media sites is the order of the day.
Union’s school library plays a pivotal role in creating a reading culture and supporting reading engagement throughout the school. Union’s well stocked library is open to learners every day, with Grade 5 to 10 learners having weekly library periods. Award-winning titles for the library are sourced by way of the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) book lists and ALA (American Library Association) Young Adult Best Fiction lists.
Here are some of the latest award-winning additions to the library’s collection:
- Ruta Sepetys: Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Grey
- Becky Albertalli: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda; The Upside of Unrequited; What If It’s Us.
- Kirstin Hannah: Firefly Lane; Nightingale
- R.J. Palacio: Wonder
- John Green: The Fault In Our Stars
- Nicola Yoon: The sun is also a star
- Gayle Forman: I have lost my way; If I Stay; Just one day; Just one Year; Where she went.
- Jennifer L. Armentrout: If there’s no tomorrow
- Hargrave, Kiran Millwood: The Girl of ink & stars; The island at the end of everything
- Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison: Never Evers
- Lisa Heathfield: Paper Butterflies
- Emery Lord: When we Collided
- Isabelle Broom: My Map of You; Then. Now. Always
- Chris Ryan: Complete Danny Black series
- Jeff Zetner: Goodbye Days; The Serpent King
- Jessica Khoury: The Forbidden Wish
- Celeste Ng: Little fires everywhere
- Jandy Nelson: I’ll give you the sun; The sky is everywhere
- Alan Landau: The Langbourne series
New books are ordered every term and are sourced from online stores such as Readers Warehouse and Loot. Every new book is carefully reviewed to determine the appropriate age group for that specific title. The library stock is divided into four sections: Young adult, Teenage, Junior as well as a Quick Read section to encourage the not-so-eager readers to crack open a book. The collection is diligently controlled and managed by a team of library monitors and assistants. To complement the library’s services, Union also offers learners a fully-equipped media centre with state of the art facilities for technology-based experience and learning enhancements. Here, learners can use modern computer equipment, as well as the free Internet provided to them – under supervision – to conduct their research during school time as well as in the afternoons.
The Cami Maths programme is also available on the network to assist learners with their maths revision.