By KATH GANNAWAY
IF THERE is one thing Upper Yarra Secondary College librarian Heather Pennington loves almost as much as books, it’s shelves to put them on.
And, thanks to Eastern Regional Library, she has a room full of shelving that she says will transform the school library.
The school and the library are working more closely than ever before, with students utilising online resources at the library which are not accessible at the school.
When she found out about a proposed refurbishment of the Yarra Junction Library, Heather was quick to grab an opportunity to update the school library.
“It was a chance to get rid of all the old shelving and reconfigure the library with free-standing units.
“We were told if we could collect and store it, we could have it,” she said.
Eastern Regional Libraries EO, Joseph Cullen, said the arrangement was a great add-on to the existing and growing collaboration between the school and ERL.
“We have people who can’t access that library shelves in a way school kids can and we will now have more shelves at an appropriate level,” he said.
A new fit-out for the library was not on the radar for the school, and principal Scott Tully said they just would not have been able to do it without the ERL gift.
Four teachers and a troop of students were able to collect the shelves and next year students will have a new look library.
