The Information Centre is an exciting facility that was opened in May 1998.

It serves as the heart of information provision for the College community and was designed and built with extensive consultation involving staff, student and parent bodies to ensure a centre capable of catering for the requirements of the new millennium were catered for.

It is provided for the benefit of all members of the community, from students in Year 7 through to Year 12 and all staff, indeed, a total of about 1200 eager users.

Being centrally located within the College, adjacent to the administrative area and on the main thoroughfare on the ground floor ensures easy access for users.

A very pleasant outlook through large picture windows takes in views of the well-kept College grounds and the parkland surrounding the adjacent Yarra River, all accompanied by the ever-present call of the bellbird.

Monday to Friday 8.00 AM to 3.45 PM

The Library is open before and after school, during recess and the second half of lunchtime.

As Melbourne Girls' College was established with a science and technology focus, the Information Centre has been and is continuing to be developed with this in mind.

Where it is seen as the most appropriate solution, information delivery relating to reference queries and the provision of periodical resources is being facilitated through subscriptions to on-line databases and indexing services.

Providing services in this form has the added advantage of enabling access throughout the College-wide network to these resources, and not restricting access to one physical location.

The Information Centre contains a wide variety of resources, with increasing emphasis being placed on electronic delivery of information. Resources include:

• Reference Books: a large hard-copy collection servicing all areas of the curriculum.

• Non-fiction books: approximately 25,000 items.

• Fiction books: an improving collection of around 8,000 items.

• Videos: a collection of several thousand titles.

• Encyclopedias: all major hard copy encyclopaedias.

• Internet: access from all work-stations in the library.

• Current day Newspapers.

• Back issues of newspapers: kept for twelve months to facilitate senior research.

• Magazines: a large research orientated collection with some recreational titles.

• CD-ROMs: all CD-Rom programs stored on the Library server enabling access through the College-wide network.

• On-line databases: subscriptions to such services as EBSCO Host ( World Magazine Bank), Echo Newspaper index and others.

Attractive and effective accommodation is provided in order to meet users’ needs. The major components are:

• Computer research area: a research area of 18 computers for students to research on the Internet, on-line databases and CD-Rom programs.

• Private study tables: seating for 40 students occupied mostly by senior students engaged in private study.

• Quiet reading area: an attractive area of easy chairs for quiet reading and discussion.

• International Studies Room: an adjacent area which houses the College International Studies Collection of objects presented by overseas visitors, and a collection of fiction books in various foreign languages spoken within the College community.

• VCE dedicated study area (in development).

Various programs encouraging effective library use and research skills and literature appreciation have been instituted or are being developed, including:

• A Comprehensive VCE study and research seminar presented to all VCE students.

• An extensive Information Skills program presented to all Year 7 and 8 students which extends through the whole year and is integrated with the computer studies subject.

• Reading appreciation classes for all levels when requested, with a planned reading program being phased in.

BiblioTECH

At Melbourne Girls' College we use the BiblioTECH computer catalogue system

All terminals in the Information Centre or many other terminals on the College-wide network can access the BiblioTECH Informtion Centre catalogue.