Here goes ...

Thank you for visiting me at my Library Ledge.  I run the school library at a local authority comprehensive school for 11 - 16s, with 1200 pupils.  I've never blogged before and am hoping this new venture will open up opportunities to share ideas and best practice with other School Librarians and those working with children and young people in this age group.  For me, it's all about trying to encourage the children to know their way round the ledge because, once they know the ledge, guess what, they're on their way to knowledge.  And that's what will help them out there in the big wide world.

So, to start with, how to entice those nervous new little Year 7s to set foot 'on the Ledge' when they join us in September?  I certainly don't want them to view my Ledge as a 'Road Closed', so I create a 'Diversion'.  As they come in, they're greeted by several rather silly photos of me 'enjoying' books in 'appropriate' locations.  It can be anything from a photo of me with a copy of a Harry Potter book in front of Banburgh Castle (standing in for Hogwarts) in Northumberland to a photo of me with Siobhan Dowd's The London Eye Mystery in front of said London Eye.  They're quite fun to do on my travels but having a husband who's a keen and accomplished amateur photographer certainly helps!  Having them displayed along the wall creates an ideal conversation opener with nervous newcomers to the Ledge as we can discuss where the photos were taken, why they're appropriate backdrops to the books I'm 'enjoying', which then leads subtly on to talking about the books themselves and books in general (sneaky, huh?).  Examples to follow!

Well, that's all for now.  I'm starting to get the hang of this so more from me and my Ledge soon.