Schools Library and Resource Service - Print version

Our services and resources

Please read our response to the updated DfE Reading Framework 2023 [https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65830c10ed3c34000d3bfcad/The_reading_framework.pdf] highlighting how Coventry SLS can help your school to implement the guidance

• Link to online article (text only) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/schools-library-resource-service/coventry-schools-library-resource-service-supports-school-implementing-dfe-reading-framework-2023/1]

• Link to PDF of article [https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65830c10ed3c34000d3bfcad/The_reading_framework.pdf]

By using the Schools Library and Resource Service you can:

• save time and money
• promote reading for pleasure especially our fabulous annual Coventry Inspiration Book Awards [/bookawards] voted locally by schools 
• respond quickly to curriculum demands
• develop your pupils' information literacy skills
• improve the quality of your school's resources

Our services

• advice and guidance
• termly project loans to support topic teaching in the classroom
• annual loans to supplement library and classroom collections
• artefact loans to help bring the curriculum to life with 'hands-on' experiences
• up-to-date book recommendations and reviews to keep staff in touch with publishing trends
• support for Primary and KS3 literacy improvement strategies
• school library computerisation
• training opportunities for teachers and librarians
• library maintenance

Opening times

• Monday to Thursday: 9am to 5pm
• Friday: 9am to 4.30pm 

Sessions outside these hours are available by prior arrangement.

The Schools Library and Resource Service is open during school holidays - please email sls@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:sls@coventry.gov.uk] for details.

Subscription package

The Subscription package includes:

• Two books per capita Annual Loan [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/118/schools_library_and_resource_service/9] or 200 items, whichever is the greater (to qualify for the minimum loan a school must use their whole school number on roll). Full exchange once per year, partial exchange by arrangement.
• Termly Project boxes [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/118/schools_library_and_resource_service/6] – containing 30 items (books and other resources) chosen by our specialist librarians in response to your request. The amount of projects is dependent on the number of pupils bought in for starting from 4 (for small schools) up to 28 for schools with more than 551 pupils
• Unlimited Artefact loans [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/118/schools_library_and_resource_service/7] – An extensive range of artefact collections which support a wide range of National Curriculum and Creative curriculum topics as well as an expanding collection of story sacks for EYFS and KS1
• 1 hour advisory visit from our School Support Librarian 

Alternatively you can have the Subscription Plus package for Primaries which is everything included in the standard subscription laid out above, plus:

• SLS to manage the whole annual loan exchange for you, with specialist education librarians to select your loan and catalogue them for you on to your library computer system. This can be a very cost-effective solution compared to releasing school staff from their other duties.
• Subscription to our Reading Update Service to keep your staff up-to-date with the latest books
• 2 sets of the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/140/coventry_inspiration_book_awards/2599/coventry_inspiration_book_awards_2019/1]

Or the Subscription Plus for Secondaries which is everything included in the standard subscription laid out above, plus:

• SLS to manage the whole annual loan exchange for you, with specialist education librarians to select your loan and catalogue them for you onto your library computer system. This can be a very cost-effective solution compared to releasing school staff from their other duties.
• Subscription to our Reading Update Service to keep your staff up-to-date with the latest books
• Subscription to our Secondary Librarian Forum meetings 

If you are purchasing the Secondary Subscription Plus for more than 800 pupils you will also get: 

• 25 new books delivered at the beginning of each term selected by our specialist librarians from the Reading Update lists (from the end of the previous term) to add to your school library. 
• 3 sets of Coventry Inspiration Book Awards [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/140/coventry_inspiration_book_awards/2599/coventry_inspiration_book_awards_2019/1] shortlists 

Introductory package

Coventry SLS offers a wide range of loan services as well as support for reading for pleasure and reading development.

If your school hasn’t subscribed to the School Library Service in recent years, we would like to offer you a chance to try what we offer and see how it can enhance the teaching and learning in your schools.

With the introductory offer what we would like to do is give schools a chance to try our 3 most popular resource loans which make up our standard subscription package. An SLS subscription is our most popular package and offers schools the best value for money. A standard subscription includes termly project collections and artefact collections to enhance curriculum learning in the classroom as well as an annual loan which can be used to keep your school library or classroom book corners up-to-date, relevant, exciting and inviting. The subscription package is based on a price per pupil and will give you more resources for your school the more pupils you buy in for.

With the introductory offer we are going to give you a ‘taster’ of these 3 services so that you can try them out for yourself in school to see how they work for your teachers and students. What we are offering for your first year is a chance to pay a set cost of only £850 and in return get the following

• 5 termly project boxes [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/118/schools_library_and_resource_service/6] – containing 30 items (books and other resources) chosen by our specialist librarians in response to your request.
• Unlimited artefact loans [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/118/schools_library_and_resource_service/7] – An extensive range of artefact collections that support a wide range of National Curriculum and Creative curriculum topics as well as an expanding collection of story sacks for EYFS and KS1.
• Fiction collection –  A selection of 100 high-quality fiction books which you can put in your school library or in your classroom book corners. The books we choose are carefully selected to reflect a range of styles, abilities, and the diversity of school communities and to provide a collection that will enhance reader engagement.  

The total cost of having all of these services through our Pay as You Go option would be £1385 so the special introductory offer price saves the school £535

If you were to purchase all of the resources you are getting on loan from us it would cost you approximately £3200 so this is great value for money and an easy way to see how the SLS service works for your school. If you would like to continue using the SLS services after the end of the introductory year then we will be happy to meet with you to discuss what we can do to give you the best value for money and provide your school with the resources it needs to support reading for enjoyment and teaching and learning in the classroom. To help you further if you wanted to continue with an SLS subscription the following year we will offer you a 10% discount on your total cost.

Reading for pleasure

Please read our response to the updated DfE Reading Framework 2023 [https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65830c10ed3c34000d3bfcad/The_reading_framework.pdf] highlighting how Coventry SLS can help your school to implement the guidance on Reading for Pleasure

• Link to online article (text only) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/schools-library-resource-service/coventry-schools-library-resource-service-supports-school-implementing-dfe-reading-framework-2023/1]

• Link to PDF of article [https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65830c10ed3c34000d3bfcad/The_reading_framework.pdf]

Multiple studies suggest that enjoyment is associated with higher reading performance. The recent 2021 PIRLS data for England showed that the pupils who said they liked reading the most scored, on average, 34 points more than those who said they did not like reading. In effect, pupils who are reading regularly for enjoyment give themselves unofficial reading lessons, supporting their reading comprehension. From the new Reading Framework (DFE, July 2023)

To support schools in encouraging pupils to read for enjoyment we offer a service that is ideal for schools that want to buy books for their school library rather than having loans but will equally complement schools who already have a subscription with SLS as this would be in addition to the resources you already receive.

To support reading development we have recently updated the Reading at home document [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/7615/resources-to-support-reading-at-home] we originally created during the lockdown. It provides information about free internet resources that can be used by parents to bolster reading and literacy learning. 

Reading for pleasure package

This is a great way to keep your library collection up to date with a regular addition of new titles and all the information you need should you want to invest in purchasing additional books for your school. It includes:

• 25 books delivered at the beginning of each term selected by our specialist librarians from the Reading Update lists (from the end of the previous term) to add to your school library to keep your fiction collection up to date, relevant and diverse. The books selected will reflect a range of reading abilities and tastes and offer your students a wider choice of reading for pleasure material than just the standard best-seller books and celebrity authors.

The cost to the school is £660 per annum and for this, the school saves nearly a hundred pounds on the cost of the elements if bought individually as well as having the expert guidance of our specialist education librarians choosing the books for you.

If you feel your school library could do with more of an overhaul then please have a look at our Library Refresh Packages [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/118/schools_library_and_resource_service/10] which takes all the hassle out of revamping your library offer!

Project loans

Project loans bought separately from the Subscription package are valid for two years. Project loans purchased as part of the Subscription package are valid for one year. 

Project loans are designed to support teaching and learning within the classroom.

A Project consists of a collection of 30 items and is loaned to the school for one term. Projects are compiled by SLS Librarians to meet the specific requirements of individual teachers (bespoke collections), but can also be selected by teachers themselves. A standard Project will include any combination of fiction/non-fiction books and other resources (including ‘big books’, picture packs/posters, teacher resources and multimedia items as available or appropriate). Schools can order mixed collections covering several topics and/or age levels.

All stock will be delivered and collected by SLS. Individual items from a collection may be exchanged within the loan period by visiting the SLS showroom.

This service also includes: 

• 1 hour advisory visit per annum.
• Access to free telephone and email advice.

How to order

Book your projects online today [https://myaccount.coventry.gov.uk/service/Coventry_Schools_Library_and_Resource_Service___Project_loan_request]

Artefact loans

This service is included in the Subscription and Subscription Plus packages but can also be bought separately. The service includes all delivery and collections of the items.  

The Artefact Loan service is designed to provide a cost-effective and efficient way for schools to enhance pupils' learning experiences with 'hands-on' experiences with a wide range of artefacts, which are often very expensive to purchase especially when they are only needed for short periods.

Purchase of this service is for the whole school and allows all teaching staff to borrow up to 4 items (or collections) at a time for a period of 3 weeks.

Find out more about what we offer

• History artefacts [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/2754/history_artefacts] - including:

  Stone/Iron Age, Aztecs/Mayans, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Anglo Saxons, Viking at Home, Viking Warrior Chief, Viking Raider,  Peasants, Princes and Pestilence, Tudors, Knights and Castles, The Great Fire of London, Victorians, Seaside in the Past, World Wars, 1950's Toys, Pirates 

• Geography artefacts [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/2911/geography_artefacts] - including:

  Africa, China, Road Trip USA, Hola Mexico, Life in the Freezer, Chocolate, Seaside,  Rainforests,  Volcanos,  Dol-Y-Moch Bag 

• Science artefacts [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/2944/science_artefacts/1] - including:

  Digging Up The Past, Dinosaurs, Lifecycles, Minibeasts, Funny Bones, Light and Shadow, Forces and Magnets, Healthy Lifestyles.

• Design and Technology artefacts [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/2945/design_and_technology_artefacts/1] - including:

  Alessi, Mechanical Toys, Masks, Joining Materials 

• Religious Education artefacts [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/2547/religious_education_artefacts/1] - including:

  Buddhism artefacts, Christianity artefacts, Hinduism artefacts, Islam artefacts, Judaism artefacts, Sikhism artefacts

• Story Sacks [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/118/schools_library_and_resource_service/8] - including:

  Story Sacks and Story Sacks Plus, Number Sacks, Finding Out Sacks, Poetry and Rhyme sacks

Items available to support teaching and learning in the classroom include extensive collections of artefacts to support all aspects of the curriculum. A wide range of other teaching equipment such as incubators, planetariums, compasses, rock samples, anatomical models and the Dol-y-Moch bag.

For more information about the types of resources available please view our full artefacts catalogue [/downloads/download/3485/sls_artefacts].

How to order

Artefacts online order form [https://myaccount.coventry.gov.uk/service/Coventry_Schools_Library_and_Resource_Service___artefact_reservation]

Story sacks

We offer Story Sacks as part of our artefact loan service. This service is also included in all subscription packages. The loan period is three weeks, each member of teaching staff can borrow four Artefacts/Story Sacks at a time and it is unlimited how many collections can be borrowed throughout the year. 

Our Story Sacks fall into five different categories:

• Story Sacks Plus [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/2946/story_sack_loans/2]
• Story Sacks [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/2946/story_sack_loans/3]
• Number Sacks [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/2946/story_sack_loans/4]
• Poetry and Rhyme Sacks [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/2946/story_sack_loans/6]
• Finding Out Sacks [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/229/schools_library_and_resource_service/2946/story_sack_loans/5]

To explore the collections available please view our Story Sacks catalogue [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/4672/story_sacks_catalogue]

Annual loans

This service enables schools to access the top-quality printed resources available from SLS at a level specific to their resource needs which will enable them to meet the CILIP recommended stock levels of 13 books per pupil.

What does the Annual Loan Service include?

• Annual Loan per item for 1 year. Full exchange once per year; partial or interim exchanges by arrangement.
• 1 hour advisory visit per annum.
• Access to free telephone and email advice.

Included in the Annual Loan can be:

• Guided Reading sets
• Non-fiction and fiction (including specific authors and genres)
• Audio Books (including on preloaded MP3 players)
• Big Books

All loan stock will be initially delivered and collected by SLS.

Individual items from a collection may be exchanged within the loan period by visiting the SLS showroom.

Schools buying the Subscription Package can lease additional Annual Loan items to extend the collection of two items per capita they already receive.

School Library development and maintenance

Library refresh package

Does your school library need an overhaul, a makeover, a reboot? Then this package is for you.

For a set cost that you can fix in your budget we will provide the following:

• Librarian (and library assistant) in school for two days to weed library stock, tidy shelves (put in order), change of layout to make best use of space, furniture and display areas.
• £1000 RRP's worth of new books added to your library, chosen by SLS librarians based on their review of the current stock in the library after the weed.

 All of this for only £1500. The school saves £900 on the RRP cost of all the elements included and can be sure that at the end of the process they will have a library that will not only look good but will also be providing more up-to-date, relevant and diverse books for all of your students to enjoy.

Upgrade to the Gold Package and you will receive:

• an additional £250 worth of books
• All new stock is labelled and catalogued before being sent to the school to be shelved so that no further staff time is required.  

The cost to the school for this package is £2000 per annum and the school saves £1045 on the RRP cost of all the elements included and can be sure that at the end of the process they will have a library that will not only look good but will also be providing more up to date, relevant and diverse books for all of your students to enjoy and the new library will be ready to use without having to find additional staff time.

When purchasing either of the Library Refresh Packages (Silver and Gold) you can also choose to purchase the book add-on.

For every £500 added the school will receive books worth £600 RRP (factoring in the additional costs of protective jackets and selection time) on the silver package and just over £500 worth on the gold package (factoring in the additional costs of protective jackets, labelling, selection time and cataloguing). This gives you the flexibility to increase the spend where budget is available to provide more books for the school library beyond the amount given in either of the Library Refresh Packages allowing SLS to tailor the packages to suit your own school budget. 

What other services we can offer

We can offer advice on policy and development planning, library stock development and maintenance, effective use of the school library to support information skills development and reading for pleasure, design of school library areas and library organisation and development.

School library computerisation service

A school library ideally should have a computerised library management system (LMS) networked throughout the school. This supports teachers to model independent learning skills, provides management of resources in the classroom and in the library, as well as providing supporting data for Ofsted Reports.

At Coventry SLS we can support schools to ask the right questions in choosing a LMS and provide details of current systems.  

We can catalogue resources onto your system, input pupil and staff details and provide training for school staff on all aspects of the package.

Coventry SLS are certified trainers for Libresoft as well as being experienced trainers and cataloguers for the various MLS systems: Eclipse; Junior Librarian and Reading Cloud. 

Library maintenance service

The library maintenance service provides Schools Library and Resource Service library assistants, fully trained in the practical aspects of library work, to tidy the library, undertake repairs, label and colour code resources. Please contact the Schools Library and Resource Service for an initial discussion of the type of support you require.

Training and support

What do we offer?

• In-service training courses that deal with a range of library related issues. These can be school based or centrally organised.
• Reading Updates that provide termly briefings on the best newly published resources together with current awareness information on all matters connected to reading for pleasure.
• Regular Forums for Secondary school staff responsible for the school library to share good practice, training and information on new initiatives.
• Discounted training for school networks/clusters.

SLS training sessions available for 2024-25

Spring term

Visual Literacy – The power of pictures
Wednesday 6 March at 1.00pm-3.30pm

Unlike written language pictures cross cultural and language barriers and can convey complex ideas. In the digital world today’s children are growing up in the use of visual media is all pervasive and it is vital that we equip them with the skills to be able to understand and utilise this visual world. This course will help you to understand more about visual literacy and the meanings behind pictures and illustrations. It will also include practical tips and ideas to give your pupils greater visual literacy skills and find ways to enhance learning and reading for enjoyment through the power of pictures.

Reading for Pleasure and the new DfE Reading Framework
Tuesday 19 March at 9.30am - 12.00pm

The updated DfE Reading Framework recognises fully the importance and wide-ranging benefits of reading for pleasure. This training course will consider the benefits of reading for pleasure discussed in the Reading Framework and will outline a variety of approaches that can be used to get students to enjoy reading as well as how to engage your more reluctant readers.

Suitable for Primary and Secondary school staff

Summer Term

Fake news! - Information literacy skills, research skills and critical thinking
Tuesday 23 April at 1.00pm - 3.30pm

With social media becoming the predominant format used by young people to find out about current affairs it has never been more important to equip them with the right information literacy skills. This course will cover how to find, verify and critically appraise online information. It will also offer ways to teach these skills to students so that they are better prepared to navigate the online world.

Suitable for Primary and Secondary school staff/

Running the School Library
Wednesday 12 June at 9.30am -12.00pm

This course is designed to help staff with responsibility for the library to learn how to do so effectively. Make your library a positive asset to the school and maximise the learning opportunities that a well-run library can offer. The session will cover a range of practical skills as well as looking at some of the activities and library lessons that can be used with pupils. It aims to provide the participants with the knowledge required to develop information skills as well as reading for pleasure.

Suitable for Primary and Secondary school staff.

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If you are already an SLS customer the cost of the training courses is £50 per person. For schools that are not SLS customers the cost is £65 per person.

To book a place on any of these training courses email sls@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:sls@coventry.gov.uk] with your details and the course you wish to attend.

Examples of INSET Courses SLS can deliver:

Reading Showcase

SLS will highlight the best new books to use in your classroom and to support a wide range of students in reading for pleasure. This can be tailored to target specific groups, key stages or cover the whole school. It is a great way to update teacher's book knowledge by giving them a chance to see and hear about the best new and diverse books available which is a key part of the new Reading Framework guidance.

Greenaway Shadowing and Visual Literacy

A look at how quality picture books can impact teaching, learning and developing literacy skills. This course will inspire and fully prepare you for the “shadowing” process with practical ideas to take back to school. Suitable for both Primary and Secondary school staff.

Reading for Pleasure

Encouraging children to read for pleasure is an important part of any literacy strategy. This course will outline a variety of approaches that can be used to get everyone in school reading. Learn how to make reading fun and enjoyable for everyone and engage your reluctant readers using the latest technology. It also covers practical advice on running reading clubs, Chatterbooks groups and whole school reading events. Suitable for both Primary and Secondary school staff.

Further information about training or library support

For more information on training or library support, please contact SLS on 024 7697 5485 or email sls@coventry.gov.uk with the subject "Training course enquiry" [mailto:sls@coventry.gov.uk?subject=Training%20course%20enquiry]

Online request forms

To order your SLS loans please fill in the appropriate online form:

• Project request form [/slsprojectloan]
• Project renewal form [/projectloanrenewalform]
• Artefact reservation form [/slsresourcereservation]

Libresoft library management software

SLS recommend that you look at the different library software packages available to schools before making the decision as to which one is going to be best for your school. If you would like to have a list of the different library management systems used by schools then please contact SLS and we will be happy to email it out to you. 

Libresoft Library Software [http://libresoft.co.uk/] is one of the options available to schools who want to computerise their library or move to a different software solution from the one they currently use. If you decide to purchase Libresoft then Coventry SLS are a certified training partner and can facilitate all the training and support you need to get your library up and running. For more information or to arrange a demo of the Libresoft software please contact SLS.

Representative Reading Spine

[https://primaryenglished.co.uk/]The Representative Reading Spine is a spine of books designed to support inclusion, diversity and reading for pleasure in Primary Schools. Devised and created by experts from Coventry Schools Library Service and Primary English, it’s a reading spine that inspires, connects and engages children through high-quality texts from contemporary authors and illustrators.

What is included in the Representative Reading Spine packs?

Each book is accompanied by a range of reading activities. These focus on making links between the book and the children’s existing knowledge; identifying themes; exploring emotional literacy and expressing opinions about what is read. Extensive prompts are provided to support discussion about the books, there are visual literacy cues to help children dig deeper into their understanding of the text and questions to help teachers explore the books. There are also expertly curated lists of additional texts, which include book band and Lexile levels. These are organised by theme, topic, author and illustrator to help teachers extend and expand upon the reading spine itself.

Where can I get the Representative Reading Spine?

There are two main ways to access the Representative Reading Spine:

1. Order the resources together with copies of the book/s (at a discounted price) directly from SLS. The prices for the different options are below. Contact SLS [mailto:sls@coventry.gov.uk?subject=Reading%20Spine%20enquiry] for more information or to order your sets. If you would like to save time and money and be able to get straight on with teaching then we recommend the ‘Ready to go’ pack which gives you copies of all of the books (12 titles) plus all of the teaching resources for £100.
2. Purchase any of the packs:
   • 1 copy of the book plus teaching resources for £9 each (specify title required)
   • Large school value set (includes 3 copies of every book plus teaching resources) for £230
   • 1 spine book plus teaching resources and 6 wider reading books £50 each
   • Set of spine books  (all 12 titles) plus 72 wider reading books (6 for each spine book) and all the teaching resources for £600

The other way is to download the planning and support materials alone from the resources area on the Primary English website [https://primaryenglished.co.uk/resources/reading].

With the books being chosen to reflect the realities of contemporary childhoods, we feel confident in saying that our Reading Spine will help you build a community of readers who are passionate about books and reading.