Library & Media Centre
Library and Media Centre
The Primary and Secondary libraries are open to students, staff and parents throughout the school day to borrow books and resources, work on projects, carry out research or enjoy a favourite book or magazine.
The libraries provide a supportive, stimulating environment and promote lifelong learning and reading for pleasure.
I loved making faces to act out the story, and also seeing what other faces my friends made. It made me laugh! We had so much fun – we didn't want the workshop to be over! G3 students attending a storytelling workshop in the Primary Library with Niall de Burca, Master Storyteller, November 2017
The ICS libraries provide a broad range of resources to meet the varied needs of our international school community. These include the following:
- a wide variety of books, magazines, audio, DVDs and online resources that support the Primary, Middle and Diploma programmes;
- a growing collection of fiction and non-fiction books in mother-tongue languages other than English;
- internet access and a growing online collection of age-appropriate eBooks, magazines, and databases such as World Book Encyclopedia Online and Webpath Express; and,
- events such as book clubs, a summer reading programme, author visits and the inter-school reading contest Battle of the Books.
Our library website gives you information on upcoming events, reading suggestions and curriculum help. It also offers access to the library catalogue.
The Primary and Secondary libraries are open to the ICS community throughout the school day from 08:00 until 16:30. Resources can be borrowed for two weeks at a time. The number of resources that can be borrowed at one time varies:
- Kindergarten 2 to Grade 1: 3 resources
- Grades 2–10: 5 resources
- Grades 11–12: 8 resources
- Families: 10 resources (in addition to those borrowed by their children)
Extra resources can be borrowed and due dates extended when the students have particular research projects or during holiday breaks.
The main Secondary library contains cameras and AV equipment that may be borrowed. Laptop computers are also available for library use. The DSC library caters mainly to the High School community. The collection includes resources for history, economics, languages, literature and Theory of Knowledge, as well as some books on research and career choices. Students can also borrow a laptop to take to class and borrow AV equipment for school work.
Many library resources can be accessed from home. There are eBooks, magazines and several reference databases for research use. These databases have been carefully chosen for their differentiated curriculum content. Students can access the library catalogue from home by going to the library website and using their school login and password. Once logged-in, students can check their library account and see all the library resources – including educational websites – that are age-appropriate. The passwords can be found in the student’s diary. eBooks can be read on any device and details of how to download the app is on the library website.
Parents are always welcome to visit and borrow books. They may set up family accounts to access the many physical and online resources we offer. The main Secondary library contains a separate fiction section for adults and older students. If you would like more information, please contact the library staff: library@icsz.ch.