Response to Melissa from the National Library

Melissa’s letter to the National Library and her comments:

Dear Melissa,

Thank-you for your recent query regarding the Services to Schools transformation programme and its impacts on home educators.

Yes, the National Library is transforming its services to schools. This is in response to library and education directions and involves implementing services with an increased emphasis on the priority areas of reading engagement, digital literacy and modern library learning environments. The changes are designed to make the best use of National Library expertise and value; reflect the factors research has proven to have the highest impact on student learning in the priority areas; and to take advantage of current education sector opportunities. The changes will also provide a sustainable path into the future for our services to schools.

From term three 2015 there will be changes to the National Library curriculum topic loan service. A new print based reading engagement service will be introduced, replacing the current print curriculum topic service. The emphasis of the reading engagement service will be on supporting students to read for pleasure, as a foundation for learning achievement. The content of loans will be quality fiction and high interest non- fiction resources to support reading for pleasure.

Enhanced curriculum topic support will be available online via the Services to Schools website, with tools and curated content to support the delivery of the curriculum.

The reading engagement lending service and enhanced curriculum topic online service will both be available to home educators from term three 2015.

For terms one and two you will be able to get a curriculum topic loan as usual. You will need to put in your request for this before 13 March 2015. You need to put in one request to cover both terms, and you will receive the usual number of allocated books.

We will provide you with specifics on the new reading engagement loan offer for home educators in the coming months. We are working with the Ministry of Education and home educator associations to support you through the transition.

You can find more general information about the Services to Schools transformation programme on the frequently asked questions page of the Services to Schools website.

We do appreciate your comments and support for the services offered by the National Library of New Zealand.

Again, thank-you for taking the time to communicate with us.

Yours faithfully

Geraldine Howell