SCIS Data case study: Chris Archbold, Riccarton Primary School, NZ

‘SCIS makes a consistent catalogue. If all the primary schools around New Zealand are using SCIS, they are all getting the same information. This means that students can move from school to school and know that they are still going to get good, consistent search results.’

School: Riccarton Primary School
Type: Government school for years 1–8
Enrolment: 284
Cataloguing subscription: SCIS Data
Library management system: Edge Learning
Size of collection: 4,200

Chris Archbold opens her library each morning at 8.30 am to an enthusiastic crowd of library-goers, and she relishes in the buzz created by students. Chris is the library manager at Riccarton Primary School in Christchurch, in New Zealand’s South Island.

This buzz is the telltale sign of a school community enthusiastic about their library. ‘We are buzzing here in the morning and again at lunch times,’ Chris says. ‘Some kids are having chat sessions, some kids are borrowing books, and some kids are reading books. To be able to sit at the OPAC and find what they are looking for is really important, so to have the best possible search options is fantastic.’

Chris has been using SCIS for her library cataloguing for more than 10 years, which helps her save time and make library resources discoverable to Riccarton Primary School’s enthusiastic staff and students. Students are able to access the catalogue containing more than 4,000 titles from the library and all classrooms within the school. With the help of SCIS Data, students can easily search for relevant titles before locating them in the library.

Enhancing resource discoverability

As the library manager, Chris’s role is vast and varied. ‘I am in charge of keeping the library in order, purchasing new books, repairing old books, and circulating and displaying books — you name it, I do it!’ Chris sees the library as a place to ‘encourage reading and to be available for students who want to read. Having a librarian means that they can have that support’.

Chris is passionate about the role of high quality, consistent catalogue records in allowing students to find what they are looking for. ‘It’s absolutely essential for students to be able to find and locate any of the resources that they need, whether it be websites or books,’ Chris explains.

Chris understands that SCIS’s high quality records are crucial for the discoverability of her library resources. ‘It makes a consistent catalogue,’ she says. ‘If all the primary schools around New Zealand are using SCIS, they are all getting the same information. This means that students can move from school to school and know that they are still going to get good, consistent search results.’

Chris uses z-cataloguing, which means that she can search and download SCIS records without leaving her library management system, MUSAC. ‘I can’t imagine using any program other than SCIS. I know that the national library offers a free service, but I find SCIS covers more of what I need, so I’ve stuck with it,’ Chris says. ‘It’s great. It’s been the best thing.’

Catalogue records suited to schools

Prior to using SCIS, Chris used Numerical and Alphabetical Subject Headings for Primary Schools. She then briefly moved to Te Patakataka. ‘From there, I went on to SCIS. I have to say, SCIS was like a dream come true. It is just so fast!’ she exclaims.

‘SCIS is relevant to our school community, which is very multicultural. Most of our students can access information they are searching for because of the wide coverage of subject headings that are used,’ Chris continues. SCIS has subject headings suitable for use by students, making it a user-friendly option that matches terminology used in schools.

In addition to managing the Riccarton Primary School library, Chris also teaches students with special needs. As the library manager, Chris is perfectly suited to helping young students become confident readers. Chris particularly enjoys sharing books from the Rainbow Reading program with students who struggle to read. Rainbow Reading is an audio-facilitated reading program that supplies books with activity sheets and interactive pens. When pressed to dots on the page, the pens read sentences aloud so that students can follow along.

Chris is clearly committed to ensuring the students at Riccarton Primary School have access to books that support student learning and enhances their literacy skills. SCIS Data means that those resources are quickly catalogued and made available to students looking for the next title to delight, inspire, or inform them.

Chris’s verdict

For schools not yet using SCIS, Chris recommends to ‘use it, try it, and see what you think!’ Her enthusiasm for SCIS is evident as she continues: ‘I just love the whole program, and particularly love the fact that it’s got so many subject headings. It is fantastic.’

For a free trial of SCIS, please complete our trial registration form. Experience SCIS Data for yourself, commitment-free.

These interview extracts have been lightly edited and reordered where necessary to improve readability and clarity.

Published by

Nicole

Nicole is the Communications & Projects Coordinator at SCIS. She is the editor of Connections, and is interested in advocating for school libraries everywhere.

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