Tag Archives: Holocaust Memorial Day

What We’re Reading @Holyrood

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This month in the Library, our young people highlighted two special events: – Holocaust Memorial Day, and World Hijab Day.

Our S3 Duke of Edinburgh Volunteers made a book display for Holocaust Memorial Day.

Readers from S1 & S2 classes chatted about what they’ve been reading, and here are their recommendations :

S1-S3 pupils’ booklist

 

 

 

We discussed the importance of books and films, as there are now very few remaining survivors of the Holocaust, making it more important than ever that their voices be honoured and saved for future generations.

 

 

On 1st February we celebrated World Hijab Day. Our book display included authors and book characters who proudly wear the hijab, including Ayaan Mohamud, A.M. Dassu, Tahereh Maafi, Hiba Noor Khan, & S. K. Ali.

Our Rights Respecting Schools pupils did a tannoy announcement, and explained all about the origins of World Hijab Day, founded by Nazma Khan. While making our book display, we chatted about Olympic fencer  Ibtihaj Muhammad (who has written several books), and ballet dancer Stephanie Kurlow. We all want to see more library books showing better representation of hijab wearing, so we did some research on this, and  have ordered some exciting new titles.

The lovely artwork is by Evelina and Brenna in S5.

 

 

Reading for pleasure

Lorraine, at her Waterstone’s book launch

I went to the book launch of ‘The Island Swimmers’, and met Lorraine Kelly at Waterstones bookshop. It was lovely to meet a TV personality who is such a passionate supporter of books and reading. Can’t wait to read this, as I’ve been to Orkney , where the book is set, many times, and it’s a place that I love (although I’ve never been wild swimming!).

 

Coming soon….

‘Reading Schools’ gifts from Scottish Book Trust

We have lots to look forward to in March including World Book Day, lots of reading, a good bit of book partying from our young people & staff, and more great work from our Reading Schools leadership group. Happy reading!

January in St Paul’s

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Happy New Year and welcome to the first blog post of 2024 🥳

New Furniture 🛋️

This month the library received some new furniture, kindly donated by Silverburn Shopping Centre. We now have two lovely new seated areas that can be used for private study, quiet reading or small group work.

Reading Schools 📚

Our senior Reading Ambassadors have been working with the Rights Respecting Schools group to create a display around the theme of Identity tying in with Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January.

Newsletter 📜

The library newsletter is being sent out to all staff and parents this week. It’s full of recommendations, library news and activities.

 

 

Go to this Sway

 

Reading Highlights at Holyrood

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We hope you enjoy our reading highlights from December/ January. Huge thank you to our visitors, and also to the wonderful Library Helpers and young people for taking part!

Miss Brown’s S2 enjoyed a drawing workshop with Neil Slorance. We were inspired to hear about Neil’s early comics, love of drawing, travelogues and astronomy, and the brilliant graphic novels ‘Dungeon Fun’, and Doctor Who. We learned how to draw  faces, adding features to create expressions, and even had a shot at drawing our own comic strips, collaboratively with classmates.

This event was funded by the School Library Improvement Fund.

   

Also in January, we welcomed author Manjeet Mann, Clare from Refuweegee, and Fraser, Thomas and Clara from the Scottish Book Trust. This event was part of a Scottish Friendly Book Tour. This workshop was amazing! We heard about Manjeet’s journey as a writer, enjoyed readings from her verse novels ‘Run Rebel’, and ‘The Crossing’, tried some free-writing exercises, shared our work to the audience, had a Q. & A. So much great feedback :

“I loved the part when we had activities to do with a famous author. It inspired me to be more imaginative and to write more”   Haya (S2)

“S2  are currently looking at equality and empowerment, and this event helped to bring what we had been talking about in class to life. The pupil interaction (writing task) was brilliant. All round super event!” Mrs Ford, PT Pupil Voice

Also impressive was the care and effort  put in by all young people and staff to provide a warm welcome. An outstanding day, happy memories were made, and pupils left inspired!

In December, we had visits from Ailbhe and Martha, from Glasgow Zine Library. We loved making our own zines at these fun workshops.  GZL is an amazing local resource, and we are very grateful to Ailbhe for setting up links with us and working with our wonderful Equalities Alliance and Anti-Racist groups.

 

Also in December, over 200 S1 pupils completed the Glasgow Libraries Christmas Reading Challenge and received these lovely certificates. Well done everyone.

Our pupil helpers have been busy creating displays. Here is a selection:

World Hijab Day

Holocaust Memorial Day

Burns Day Poetry

The Reading Schools Committee is back in action. We enjoyed a Christmas party, put together a list of favourite books to read for Christmas and we’re now getting to grips with the YAldi shortlist. YAldi – Glasgow School Libraries’ Book Award – is a new event in the reading calendar, organised by Ms DeLeavey and Ms Sferrazzo 😊. We are looking forward to interviewing Ann Sei Lin via e-mail (what an amazing opportunity)! and voting for our favourite book in April.

Ann Sei Lin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Reviews Ending on a high note, our keen readers are always happy to share their book reviews. We hope that these will help you find a book that you will love. Happy Reading !

The Night Circus by Erin Morgensten “I really loved this book. It’s the definition of a fantasy book. It’s so magical and really transports you to another world. Definitely my favourite book.” Isha, S4

 

 

 

 

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell “Beautifully written and full of historical detail. Deeply moving; I would recommend this book” Ms Blackburn

Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 in Bannerman and Smithycroft

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Holocaust Memorial Day is on January 27th. This date marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, in 1945. 

To mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2023, a display has been made in both schools with plenty of factual information, as well as stories, in order to remember the 6 million innocent Jewish people who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during World War II. We also remember those who survived to live with these horrible memories – and bravely share them.

Some pupils in Bannerman were keen to keep working on Holocaust Education.

Please read real-life testimony from the people who lived those times. Here are some recommendations:

  • If This is a Man by Primo Levi;
  • Lily’s Promise by Lily Ebert and Dov Forman (you can borrow the audiobook on Libby – ask your librarian for help with login);
  • Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frenkl (you can borrow this as an eBook on Libby);
  • The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank;
  • Questions I Am Asked About the Holocaust by Hédi Fried (you can borrow this as an eBook on Libby);
  • After the War by Tom Palmer (heavily informed by real stories);
  • Maus by Art Spiegelman.

On the Libby app you can find reading lists of eBooks and audiobooks you can borrow for free with your Glasgow Libraries membership. Here they are:

Holocaust Memorial Day at Notre Dame High School

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27 January marks Holocaust Memorial Day, commemorating the six million Jews — and millions of other marginalised people, whether LGBTQ+, disabled, Romani, or otherwise considered “lesser”  — killed by the Nazis in the course of the Holocaust. Holocaust Memorial Day also serves to highlight the victims of more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, reminding us that the lessons of the past are no guarantee of future safety.

If you would like to learn more about the Holocaust, the Library now has a display with various fiction and non-fiction books covering the topic. This will remain in place until Monday, 6 February. S1/2 pupils will also be called to an assembly on the afternoon of 27 January, to attend a service of remembrance for victims of the Holocaust.

Photo of a library display featuring non-fiction books about the Holocaust.

Additionally, you can access a number of resources & activities online:

Bliadhna Mhath Ùr!

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Welcome back to the Glasgow Gaelic School blog!

2022 will hopefully bring us an array of exciting events and updates to the library. We have been working with the Art department in adding a bit of colour and beauty to the library and have decided to use the space to showcase some pupil artwork. As you can see below, there are some excellent examples here:

We have also been working with the pupil-led school magazine, who have their weekly meeting in the library on Thursdays. There are lots of great things coming out of it and the young people are doing a great job of contributing and organising. If you are interested, please get in touch with me on gw19mcgregormark@glow.ea.glasgow.sch.uk and I will p ass this onto the magazine’s editor, Sophie (S6). Also, look out for the library segment for more updates and reading recommendations!

January 27th also marks Holocaust Memorial Day. A day on which we draw attention to and raise awareness of the Holocaust and all genocides across the world. We have set up a display of related books (below) which we will leave up for the next few weeks. Also, check out the Glasgow School Librarian eMag for further reading!

Next month will be LGBT History Month and we hope to bring you further news, recommendations and happenings in the library. See you then!