Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services

Category: Subscription Services

  • Deliveries and Collections

    Deliveries and Collections

    Order for September

    Enjoy the holiday and let us sort out your books for you!

    www.towerhamlets-sls.org.uk/request

    COLLECTIONS

    Enf of term collection dates

    Our end of term collections have been completed.

    If you missed your day you can:

    • Bring crates to the library over the holiday
    • Let us know how many crates/ boxes are at the school office and we’ll collect them in September

    • We’ll make 1 visit at the end of term to your school.
    • All items must be ready on this day from 8:30am
    • Drivers will NOT visit classrooms. Please have everything ready at the pickup point
    • Please be considerate and remember that failing to return items on loan means that another teacher won’t have them on time when they need them next term

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    Requesting collections

    During Term time

    Either call, email or request a collection in your new request form. Please remember:

    • Allow up to 5 working days for our driver to be able to schedule a visit. At times of peak demand we get a lot of requests for collections and deliveries.
    • Please ensure that your crates are ready! If we arrive and we can’t find anything it may take time to fit in a repeat visit – also it’s very expensive for us to send a driver!
    • Let us know the number of crates that our driver should expect.
    • If you know that other staff also need crates collecting, try to arrange for all crates to be ready at the same time – repeat visits can cause delays.

    At half term

    • Resources do not need to be returned at half term

    Our summer holiday collections:

    If you missed your date

    • Drop any items off at the Schools Library Services (check our opening hours)
    • contact us and let us know how many boxes are ready for us and we will visit as soon as we are able to in the new term. Please be aware that we will be prioritising deliveries during this time.
    • Your next request may be delayed if you have too many overdue items.
    • We will let the school know which day our driver will be calling
    • Make sure that your resources are ready the evening before the collection day as we cannot guarantee a second visit if you miss the collection slot
    • Please ensure that resources are correctly and tidily packed
      • Please don’t place heavy books on top of fragile items
      • Please return artefacts sets complete and in the original boxes
      • Artefacts and costumes are expensive and in high demand. Returning them on time and complete means that all teachers can benefit from these resources
    • Resources must be left in the designated collection point in your school. Our driver will not have time to visit classrooms

    Schools’ own resources

    Teachers often return their school’s own resources to us in error. We will do our best to return these to you in crates labelled as ‘School’s Own’.

    DELIVERIES

    Keep an eye out for your delivery!

    • If your delivery has not been received within 7 working days of the request being sent OR the first day of term (if you sent your request during or before the holiday), contact us so that we can resolve any problems
    • Our driver will drop off all resources to the school reception or other area designated by your school. If a delivery cannot be found, please check with your school office/ site management. All deliveries will be signed for by a member of staff at your school
    • Big books, posters, costumes and some artefacts will be delivered in bags and boxes. Please look out for poster rolls, boxes and bags as well as crates. All delivered items will be labelled with the teacher’s name
    • Your delivery may be delayed if you have outstanding items on your ticket. If this is the case then we will attempt to contact you first by the email address provided and then by calling the school.

    We’ve had several incidents when new crates have been delivered and not taken from the school reception by teachers. These have then been sent back by the school to the library service and the resources put back into stock!

  • About the service

    About the service

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    “I am always extremely happy with the selection of books I receive from the Library Service.  The children love them and they are always of a high quality.  This is a very valued service and I am always grateful that I am able to use it.    The staff at the library are always incredibly helpful and efficient.  They work very hard and do an excellent job

    Our aims

    Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service is a traded service within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and provides learning resources, librarians and library-related advice and support to  schools in London and the South East.

    We aim to:

    • To provide a wide range of high quality learning resources (for early years, primary, secondary and sixth form) that reflect our multicultural and diverse community in a balanced and accurate way, as an efficient, cost-effective way for schools to resource the curriculum and promote reading for pleasure
    • To support schools in their aim to have excellent school libraries by providing professional advice and training on the management and organisation of learning resources and by supplying the services of a professional librarian to manage the school library on a regular basis
    • To enrich the curriculum through global learning and pupil participation, helping young people make the connection between the local and the global

    Our offer to you

    Our resources collection

    • Borrow books, artefacts, costumes and more for primary, secondary and special schools as well as early years settings and other organisations. Each library user may borrow up to 70 items  for the whole term – delivered to your school and collected.
    • Our request for resources service. Tell us what you need and our expert librarians will select resources for delivery
    • Average value of 70 items borrowed per term for a year equates to £2100 for each borrower. A substantial saving for your school budget
    • Resources to enrich and raise attainment. Including support for Philosophy for Children (P4C), British values and The Global Dimension.
    • Resources to promote race, religious, ethnic, gender, disability, LGBT, age and class equality

    Advisory services

    “The work of a School Librarian has the potential to make a huge contribution to the school in ways that I had not realised until we found ours.  Her work has impacted directly on the children; their involvement and enthusiasm for reading as well as our participation in enrichment activities and the maintenance of the reading environment.”
    Headteacher, Primary School in Tower Hamlets

    We offer a comprehensive advisory service for all of your school library needs. Let us set up and help maintain an inspiring library that is the heart of your school.

    • A professional librarian working in your school!
    • School library staffing and training
    • Reading promotion
    • Library refurbishment and design
    • Buying the right books
    • Stock Audit
    • Impartial library software support
    • Literacy resources including Accelerated Reader, CLPE book bands (Which Book and Why) or Catch-Up reading schemes.
    • Digital and information skills including recognising fake news, net savviness and independent learning
    • Much more!

    Our events

    • An exciting calendar of events to inspire pupils for early years, primary, secondary and special schools.
    • Includes poetry slams, creative writing, author visits and our book award
    • Raise pupil confidence and attainment

    Our team

    Head of Service
    Gillian Harris MBE
    Library Staff
    Kalsuma Bibi, Nuruzzaman Chowdhury, Sylvia Cummins, Shajan Hekim, Mohammad Shahjahan, Jacob Turner
    Global Learning London (formerly HEC Global Learning Centre)
    Alia Alzougbi, Triny Diaz, Fatema Zehra
    Asma Ali, Laura Bennett, Shajan Hekim, Mary Igoe, Vikki Lowther, Janet Noble
    Deliveries
    Maggie Walker

    How to subscribe or buy a service

    Any school or organisation within Tower Hamlets, or within any local authority which does not already provide a schools library service, may subscribe to Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service or buy an advisory visit

    • Tower Hamlets schools subscribe via SLA online.
    • all other schools and settings, please either complete the form below, or telephone the library on 020 7364 6428

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    *amount based on a school with 20 staff borrowing

    See Also:

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  • Subscription options

    Any school or organisation within Tower Hamlets, or within a local authority which does not provide a schools library service, may subscribe to Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service.

    • Tower Hamlets (local authority) schools subscribe via SLA online.
    • all other schools and settings, please either complete the form below, or telephone the library on 020 7364 6428

    Our subscription services can be bought as a package or bespoke.

    Primary Schools

    Whole-school package

    Our most comprehensive and best-value package for primary schools.

    Per-pupil price

    • Access to our amazing library!
    • A 80-item library card for all teaching staff. Each 80-item library card will allow the holder to borrow between £2600 and £3000 worth of resources per year
    • A 500-book whole-school ticket for your school library. These books are on permanent loan to your school. Worth at least £4000 for your library.
    • Request service (online ordering plus unlimited van delivery and collection)
    • The Tower Hamlets Book Award
    • Huge discounts for all of our other paid events
    • A free advisory visit each term
    • Unlimited free telephone/ online help for your school librarian
    • Discounted in-school help with your library
    • Annual book lists and posters
    • Much more!

    Individual library cards

    For taster and introductory memberships, small organisations and where a whole-school membership might not be an option

    Mininimum buy-in of 3 library cards for newly-joining schools with 6 or more classes

    Per-card price

    • Each 80-item library card will allow the holder to borrow between £2600 and £3000 worth of resources per year
    • Request service (online ordering plus van delivery and collection (one delivery and collection visit per term)
    • The Tower Hamlets Book Award and discounts for other events
    • Discounted in-school help with your library

    Secondary Schools

    Bespoke packages

    Choose from our range of services to secondary schools.

    Each item is individually priced. Discounts applied for multiple purchases.

    • Individual 70-item library cards for teaching staff. Use these for books or artefacts and costumes for the art and drama departments!
    • eResource : The Day online newspaper (discounted subscription)
    • The KS3 Poetry Slam
    • The Tower Hamlets Creative Writing Competition
    • The Tower Hamlets Book Award
    • Bring a class to our World Book Day event
    • Author visits
    • Access to our eBooks platform
    • SLA membership
    • Be part of the Tower Hamlets Librarians network
    • THe List : Posters for our annual Teen and YA booklist
    • A 500-book whole-school ticket for your school library. These books are on permanent loan to your school. Worth at least £4000 for your library.
    • A free advisory visit each term
    • Unlimited free telephone/ online help for your school librarian
    • Discounted in-school help with your library

    • Request for Resources Service

      Request for Resources Service

      About the Request Service
      Although we recommend that all of our borrowers visit the library, we understand that this is not always possible. Instead our librarians will compile a selection of books and other items based on what you have asked for. We have in-depth knowledge of the National Curriculum, IPC, and creative curriculums, and all requests are bespoke rather than uniform ‘topic boxes’. We use data gathered from requests to inform our buying policy.
      The request service is available as an optional service to all Tower Hamlets schools (as the Gold package) and is automatically part of any non-Tower Hamlets school package.
      Benefits of the Request Service
      • Saves teachers’ time
      • Schools with the request service statistically receive the best value-for-money from their subscriptions
      Process of the request
      1. Complete a request form online or at any time during the year.
      2. The request is logged. If there is no room on your ticket we will contact you to ask you to return any outstanding items.
      3. If there is space on your ticket, a librarian will compile your request.
      4. Your resources will be delivered within 7 working days of receipt of the request or the first day of the new term if received during or just before a school holiday.

      • You can specify on your form if you need crates to be picked up. If you do this, we will contact you to confirm whether we can send our driver. Although we will do our best to visit as soon as possible, please allow 5 working days for us to fit you in, especially during busy periods such as before half-term.
      • Please do not email request forms or write a topic list in an email. Use the online form to ensure that he have all the information to process your order.
      • Please note that some parts of the online form require an answer and will not be sent to us incomplete. We take no responsibility for requests that are not received for this reason.
      • All information provided will be kept confidential and not be shared with any other organisation.
      • Emails provided will be used to contact you about your request, upcoming collection dates and Schools Library Service training and events that are part of your subscription.
      FAQ on our deliveries and collections service
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