Category Archives: St Mungo’s Academy

The Library Young Team- Libraries LYT up lives!

St Mungo’s Academy library is a part of a wider library project called “The Library Young Team- Libraries LYT up lives!”

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This project runs concurrently in 10 secondary school libraries across Glasgow and Renfrewshire, with each school hosting 3 author sessions for S3-5 pupils. These sessions emphasize the advantages of reading, inspire teenagers to find connections between their experiences and the books they read, and assist them in navigating their thoughts, emotions, and feelings. The author sessions will delve into themes that resonate with their daily lives, ensuring relevance and engagement.

The three authors, Graeme Armstrong, Brian Conaghan, and Alan Bissett, serve as positive male reading role models. Their books delve into gang culture, covering topics such as reputation, respect, and retaliation. The sessions will focus on harm reduction by exploring the reasons why young people join gangs, including the desire for acceptance, protection, a sense of identity, and feelings of belonging.

St. Mungo’s Library had the privilege of hosting Brian Conaghan on the 21st of February. His work primarily focuses on the lives and relationships of working-class teens, as well as characters who exist on the margins of society. During his presentation, he inspired our S4 pupils by sharing his journey of overcoming challenges with words and reading to achieve success as a writer, despite facing adversity along the way.

The session sparked a curiosity in our youth- two of them were inspired to borrow his book!

We are looking forward to the upcoming visits from the two other writers and we hope that they will generate equal, if not greater, enthusiasm towards reading and literacy.

This Project is supported by the Scottish Government School Library Improvement Fund.

New year, new books!

The year 2024 started off with an amazing surprise – the arrival of a fresh new stock!

The library assistants were thrilled to take charge of unboxing and ensuring that all titles were accounted for. They were already busy planning the future display.

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In this delivery, some books were requested by pupils and they finally arrived! The joy on their faces when I told them the long-awaited book is finally here!

What a fantastic way to start off the year!

Christmas guessing challenge @St Mungo’s library🎄✨ 📚🎉

Hey everyone! 🌟 Get ready for an incredible Christmas guessing challenge happening right now in the library!

Our fantastic teachers have joined in on the festive fun by sending me pictures of themselves immersed in the magic of reading. 📖✨ Now, it’s YOUR turn to shine! Can you guess which teacher is behind the book and unravel the mystery of the enchanting stories they’re exploring?

And here’s the best part – if you crack the code and guess everything correctly, you’re in for a delightful Christmas surprise! 🎁🌈

So, are you ready to dive into this festive adventure and show off your guessing skills? 🎅🤔 Don’t miss out on the chance to win a wee Christmas gift! 🎄🎁💫 Get excited, spread the word, and let the guessing games begin! 🚀💖

Pupils turning the St Mungo’s library into a Christmas wonderland!

Since the 1st of December, the library helpers have been absolutely rocking it! They’ve put in so much effort and creativity to transform their school library into a magical Christmas wonderland. It’s absolutely enchanting for everyone who steps foot inside!

They have created two incredible book trees, with one offering a “surprise books” available for borrowing.

Designing window displays and decorations was an absolute blast for them!

You can practically feel the flickering warmth of the fireplace, while marvelling at the vibrant Christmas stockings lovingly coloured by talented pupils:

Check out this snowmen! It’s so cool that they don‘t have to worry about melting.

We believe that the “gift of reading lasts forever,” ….

so I have been encouraging pupils to ask Santa for any books they would like to see in the library. Hoping that Rudolph will take the library “wish list” directly to him!

Last writer visit of the year at St Mungo’s library

Absolutely thrilled to wrap up the 2023 writer visit by welcoming the talented Maisie Chan to our school library!

During her visit at St Mungo’s library, she passionately discussed how deeply intertwined her stories are with her own life experiences. Not only that, but she also generously shared insights about her fascinating profession.

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In her awe-inspiring novels, she fearlessly takes on the important and timely topics of othering, microaggressions, and racism.

Her novels serve as a rallying cry for empathy, understanding, and unity in a world that desperately needs it.

November: Book week Scotland celebration at St Mungo’s library

We had an incredible time in our school library during Book Week Scotland last November! The week was jam-packed with thrilling activities that got the pupils buzzing with excitement.

Our talented library helpers put together a fantastic display showcasing this year’s theme: Advendure. The display takes readers on exciting journeys across different countries and fictional universes. It captivated the imaginations of visitors and inspired them to embark on their own literary adventures.

The S1 classes had a blast with the “Wally scavenger hunt” right in the library. With curiosity buzzing in the air, students eagerly searched high and low, putting their observation skills to the test. The thrill of finding Wally hiding among the shelves and uncovering hidden treasures sparked pure joy and excitement. It was a truly unforgettable experience that left everyone buzzing with enthusiasm.

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But wait, there’s more! We hosted a sensational book giveaway all week long, and guess what? The books were absolutely free! That’s right, you read it correctly – FREE books for everyone to grab and devour! Pupils really went all out and cleared the table completely!

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It was such a delight to witness so many books finding new homes.

This year’s Book Week Scotland was an absolute blast! Cheers to all those pupils who wholeheartedly embraced this celebration in so many wonderful ways. May their passion for reading continue to grow as they embark on countless literary adventures ahead!

 

On a cold Monday morning, the serene atmosphere of the library was abruptly shattered when a diligent cleaner made a horrifying discovery – the lifeless body of the esteemed librarian.

Murder mystery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, a team of talented and committed young detectives has taken charge, leaving no pages unturned as they meticulously investigate every clue at their disposal.

Their unwavering resolve is to unravel this chilling mystery and bring the truth to light.

 

 

Rest assured, justice will prevail in this perplexing case!

St Mungo’s library (finally) re-opened!

Good news! The school library has now reopened and is once again accessible to our pupils after a major refurbishment.

At lunchtime, pupils have the chance to engage in various activities like reading/ borrowing books, playing board games, doing origami, doodling or become a library helpers. These activities not only promote creativity but also contribute to the development of memory, logic, reasoning skills, and expand knowledge.

In our school library, friendships are formed, ideas are shared, and the overall school community thrives.

Additionally, your children have the opportunity to participate in a variety of library clubs, allowing them to explore different interests and engage in enriching activities.

On Tuesdays, the lunchtime activities at school are devoted to an interesting and beneficial session called “Storytelling for Wellbeing”. During this time, pupils engage in the creative process of crafting stories using various mediums like story cubes, music, and images. These stimulating tools help inspire their imaginations and enhance their storytelling skills while promoting overall well-being.

Wednesday after school is the perfect time for young manga/anime enthusiasts to gather and indulge in their shared passion. These clubs are highly sought-after and offer exciting activities like manga quizzes that challenge students’ knowledge. Apart from the quizzes, these clubs also provide an opportunity to explore and immerse themselves in Japanese culture, allowing them to deepen their understanding and appreciation of this unique art form.

Every Thursday, the “Worldwide Diversity Club” organises a lunch exclusively for its members. During this time, members have the opportunity to share and celebrate cultural diversity through presentations, crafts, and engaging exchanges. It is an inclusive and enriching experience that allows individuals from different backgrounds to come together and appreciate various cultures.

Finally, after school on Fridays, many students engage in the exciting world of role- playing games. These games allow them to step into the shoes of adventurers, encountering fictional situations where they must make decisions and face the consequences. It’s a fun and creative way for pupils to immerse themselves in storytelling and problem-solving.

The library is absolutely bursting with life once again!

Tapping into your MacGyver inner spirit!

It has been a whole year since I have been waiting for fancy new shelves and snazzy library reception desk.

Instead of waiting around, I took charge and decided to embrace my inner MacGyver and get creative! Transform boxes into display units, pupils tables into an impromptu library reception desk & proud makeshift shelves.

With a little ingenuity, I discovered I could turn ordinary boxes into eye-catching display units, repurposed pupil tables to create a temporary library reception desk, and proudly use makeshift shelves. My creativity will shine through as I make the most of what I have while waiting for our fancy new furnishings.

Remember, sometimes the most innovative solutions come from thinking outside the box!

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