Villanova Library Services: Parents

Activities

The library opens each day at 7.30am and closes each day at 5.30. We are also open each break. We provide spaces for silent individual study, collaborative work and silent reading. The library has numerous board games and other activities for your son to enjoy. We have two photocopiers for their use. These should be accessed by them before/after school or during break time. 

Reading

It is no surprise that the evidence overwhelmingly confirms that students who read for enjoyment perform better academically than those who do not. However, we enjoy numerous other benefits when we choose to read for enjoyment. The Villanova College Reading Program promotes reading for enjoyment and specifically targets our Years 5, 6 and 7 students. Parents play an enormous role in promoting this pastime. This is the link to our Reading Program details. Please join us and supporting your son in becoming a reader.

Information Literacy

The library collaborates closely with Curriculum Area Leaders and classroom teachers to deliver a series of lessons targeting specific information literacy skills that students require to become effective users of information. Information literacy, especially in an increasingly digital world, is foundational to the skills of 21st century learning, which underpin the Australian Curriculum. These skills stay with us well into our adult lives because they allow us to critically evaluate the information we encounter.  In today's world, more than ever, these skills are vital for your sons. As these lessons are delivered, you will be contacted with the details so that you too can support your son in developing these skills from home. All our presentations are supported by resources on the Library's iCentre.

LibGuides

LibGuides are Library Guides put together by the library to support students with the study of a particular unit. These guides provide students with a myriad of assistance, ranging from: the construction of their references, search tips, tutorials on the use of databases and more. The guides also provide students with a springboard into their research. Sources have been carefully selected to help students with their search for information. Click on the following links to navigate to these example guides: Place and Liveability (Year 7 Geography), Prophets, Covenants and Social Justice (Year 8 RE), World War 1 (Year 9 History), Biotechnology (Year 10 Biology), Hamlet (Year 12 English). Guides have also been instructed to help your sons develop their research skills. Click on these links to navigate to these example guides: Note-taking, Referencing, Inquiry Skills, Search Engines (including how to search Google and Google Scholar effectively) and more.

Databases

Villanova College subscribes to an extensive mix of databases. Students are encouraged to use these databases to access quality scholarly works for their research and study needs. As parents, you are welcome to also access our databases. These paid subscriptions require usernames and passwords to gain access, these are available via Parent Lounge. Follow this link to access our full list of databases. 

Library Books

Over 3,000 library books are turned over each month. Students are given three weeks to read most resources (magazines and graphic novels are borrowed for one week). Our fiction collection is divided into three collections: Senior, Young Adult (YA) and General. Seniors are welcome to borrow from each collection, Years 7, 8 and 9 students can borrow freely from our General and Young Adult sections. Years 5 and 6 students can borrow from our General collection. If a Junior or Middle School student wishes to borrow from our YA or Senior collection respectively then we require written parental permission. Students are encouraged to navigate our Library Catalogue system: Infiniti. Students can reserve books they wish to read, keep lists of books, manage their loans, use Syndetics (embedded in Infiniti) to find their next book.

Physical Textbooks

The library issues approximately 4,000 physical textbooks to students each year. These books belong to the College but used by the students. Once students receive their books, they should immediately return the books if they are damaged in any way. Another book will be issued to the student. 

Box of Books

Students across Years 7-12, have access to digital copies of most of their textbooks. These digital textbooks sit on the Box of Books platform. The platform provides access to your son's digital texts as well as the digital resources for each textbook. Click here for more information on how to support your son in using his digital texts.