New LRC

Our current LRC was set up as a “temporary structure” 28 years ago! It was VERY exciting to hear that funding from the Federal Government means we can now build a brand new 21st Century LRC! This is what our LRC looks like now from the outside.

This is the front of our current LRC

LRC front

 This is the back of our LRC

LRC back

SOIL TESTING

At the end of Term Two, 2009 some men came to test the soil. They had to drill a hole through the concrete so they could see what type of soil or rock was below.

Hole

 It was a very deep hole!

Hole 2

 

The LRC is on the move … August 10th – 14th, 2009

The first thing we had to do was remove all of the books off the shelves and place them in order on the floor so they could be carried down to the new hall.

Organising books

  Next Mrs Collins and I dismantled all of the book shelves and the boys from 6V helped to carry them down to the new hall where Mrs Collins and I put the shelves back together again. (Who said that librarians didn’t have muscles!!) The shelves were then waiting for all of the books to arrive.

Setting up the shelving

 On Wednesday and Thursday we were VERY lucky to have the help of 18 mums and 2 dads who moved all of the books and lots of things we have in the LRC. There was a well worn path down the steps and across Middle Yard between the old and the new LRC!!

By Friday the new hall had been transformed into our LRC again! Lots of students popped in for a look and were amazed at how much bigger and brighter the new home for our LRC looks!! We are looking forward to starting our Library lessons in our new LRC home…

All settled

 In all of the excitement of the move it is sad to see what is left of our old LRC. We have cut out a square of carpet to put on the floor of the new LRC. The books still remaining on the floor are Teacher Reference books that will be moved to the PLC when it is finished being refurbished in s few weeks. The old LRC will be demolished in the school holidays.

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Our old LRC now reminds me of the quote by Cicero

“A room without books is like a body without a soul”

 

Going Going…nearly gone

Today, October 2nd,2009 I went to see how the demolition work was progressing and this is what is left of our old LRC…It now has 360 degree views!!

A room with a view!

The safety fences were also put up today and this is the view we now have from the LRC. The trucks will be going right past our door!!

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Living in our Demolition Site

So far this term it has been very dusty and noisy at SMOT as the demolition team has removed the LRC, old hall, two classrooms and the Middle Yard toilets. It has been a fascinating process to watch how buildings are slowly and methodically dismantled and the building materials are sorted into piles that can be recycled or taken away in the skip as rubbish. I have a great “viewing platform” outside the LRC and Matthew W and Matthew H are there regularly keeping an eye on the workmen. The Grade 3 classrooms have a terrific “bird’s eye” view of the demolition and get regular waves from the truck driver!

As you can see from the photos…there’s not much left of the building now!

  Not much left!

This is from Top Yard…you can’t see the LRC anymore!

Going, going, gone...

  

A sad farewell…

I was devastated to hear that our beautiful tree in Middle Yard was going to be chopped down to make way for our new building!! I was really hoping that we could find a way to save it. Our beautiful deciduous tree has been in Middle Yard for over 40 years and we have all enjoyed watching the seasons change though its leaves. We watched its leaves turn a golden yellow in Autumn and cover the ground; basked in the Winter sun through its bare branches; looked closely to see on which branch the first green leaves would appear in Spring and in Summer we were so grateful for the shade it provided with its leafy boughs.

I love trees and think of them as Storykeepers. They see so much over the years and if they could talk they would have so many stories to tell. Imagine the stories our tree would tell about the SMOT students it has watched over the years as they made their way from Prep to Grade 6…

I’m sad that I don’t have a photo of our tree with its leaves to put here. Mrs Boland and I think our tree had become very sick and that is why it doesn’t have its leaves this year. I am going to be sad to return to school next week to see the place where our tree lived. Mrs Stewart has promised we will replace it with another established deciduous tree as soon as the building is completed. Then we can welcome another Storykeeper to SMOT to watch over us all …and the seasons once again will be joy to behold!

A sad goodbye...

TERM TWO – 2010 (Construction Time)

It has been a LONG time since I’ve written an update for our new LRC! That’s because nothing really happened over the Christmas holidays or for most of Term One. However, Term Two has seen lots of activity in Middle Yard. The new retaining wall has been built and now preparations for the slab are taking place. In fact one day this week I had a bobcat moving mountains of dirt outside the LRC’s front door and on the other side of the LRC there was a big crane working on the church roof!! Life is never boring in a construction zone…. but at least we know it’s another step closer to our new LRC!

 

TERM TWO – Friday, June 18th, 2010

What an exciting day! After many weeks of preparation by the builders the slab was FINALLY poured for our new building!! Now we have a much better idea of how big our new building is going to be.

 

The Second Slab – September School Holidays 2010

Thursday, November 25th, 2010

steel frame work

We now have the steel frame work in place and we can see the shape and size of our new building a lot more clearly! The carpenters are busy on the ground floor putting in the wall frames for the classrooms. Hopefully we will have our new roof before the end of term.

Last week of term 2010

On Tuesday we had to close Top Yard while the steel panels were delivered for the roof on a really big truck.

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The panels were 19 metres long and had to be lifted by a crane.

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On Friday, the last day of term, Mrs Collins and I had an early Christmas present with the opportunity to walk around the new LRC – it was very exciting!! Look at the great views we will have from the LRC. This is what I’ll be able to see from the Circulation Desk. The Fiction area will be along this wall of windows…

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The office doesn’t have a wall yet but this is where it will be…and it will have a sink!

The Multi Media Room is first and then the office

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 The Official Opening of our new LRC – Thursday, November 10th, 2011

After two years waiting for our new LRC to be built we have now moved into our new home. Our new BER building (including our LRC) was officially opened on November 10th.

It has definitely been worth the wait…

The LRC is the place to be on PhotoPeach

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96 thoughts on “New LRC

  1. Dear Miss Yeomans, I am looking forward to seeing the new LRC and I hope others will too. From Kezia

  2. Hey, Matthew here.

    I am very happy that we are getting a new LRC but the only bad thing is that we can’t use the library for a very long time!

    I hope that its built quickly!

    Matthew 5c

  3. Hi Miss Yeomans,

    I sure will miss the old LRC….. I will miss the comfort and all the fun memories.

    Demi 5c

  4. Hi Demi

    It’s great to hear you have enjoyed your time in our LRC.

    I am sad to be leaving our LRC…it has been my home at SMOT for seven and a half years. I have lots of great memories of books we’ve shared, authors and illustrators we’ve met, LRC activities we completed, displays we made and our Book Fairs that were SO crowded I was worried the LRC would topple over!!

    I’m sure we will create lots of wonderful new memories when we move into our new LRC…

    Miss Yeomans 🙂

  5. Hi Miss Yeomans,

    I will miss the old LRC. I am also happy about getting a new LRC. Hopefully the new LRC is built quickly because I don’t want to be waiting too long to borrow a book. I am enjoying the book I am reading.

    Taylor 2D

  6. Hey Miss Yeomans,
    I hope the new LRC will look spectacular but it’s a shame I won’t get to see it but I sure will come to the LRC warming!!!

  7. I can hardly believe the changes with the present LRC – especially since 1989 (20 years ago – what a long time!). The present LRC holds many treasures and memories for children, parents and staff both physical and literal – I’m sure that with much love of reading, books and children the new LRC will be a place to treasure also.

    Many best wishes for the time ahead!- Ruth

  8. Congratulations Miss Yeomans and Mrs Collins on a super human effort! Your pictures of the LRC transition really tells a story. May the students enjoy their temporary LRC until the new LRC of the future is built. Happy Learning.

    Jacqui – from Brisbane

  9. Hello Miss Yeomans,

    I will really miss the old library. I am very lucky to see the new library when I’m in Grade 6.

    Bye, Ellie

  10. Dear Miss Yeomans,
    I can’t believe how the old library looks. It is so lucky we are in the beautiful new library. Now we will have a very different view! All that gravel!
    See you soon,
    Ms. Tieppo

  11. Miss Yeomans you will be able to tell us about the building construction because you will get a great view of the trucks and of the workers building our new LRC. I love the footprints on the LRC doors. Thank you for working so hard over the holidays to make our Book Safari so interesting.

  12. Dear Miss Yeomans
    I wish we weren’t doing all this but the other hand yes because we are getting new things. What do you think? I also dont like it because we need to stay at one yard for the whole playtime.
    love Anna

  13. Hi Anna

    It is a bit hard getting used to all of the changes to the yard and having to do longer trips to get to places (We are doing lots of safaris now!). Sometimes we have to put up with some inconvenience so we can make things better.

    The teachers are trying to keep everyone safe on the yards and make sure everyone has enough space to play and the chance to go on an Adventure Playground. Once we get some warmer weather it might be nicer on Top Yard or Junior Adventure. Try to be positive because all of the new changes will be wonderful for SMOT!

    I have been trying hard to make sure people have ways to get to the LRC safely to borrow before and after school. I need to work out how Junior school students can have a chance to come to the LRC at lunchtime when I’m open. Do you have any suggestions?

    Miss Yeomans 🙂

  14. Thank you Miss Yeomans for the picture story of the demolition works. Like you I love trees especially deciduous trees. Your reference to the tree being our story keeper makes me reflect on all the children who have walked past that tree during their time at St Martin’s. Knowing that the tree is sick makes it a bit easier to let it go. I am going to make sure we get a deciduous tree that is able to grow in a confined space without any danger to the roots. It will be exciting going to a nursery and choosing our new tree. The workers told me that the demolition will be finished in a couple of weeks. The next step will be pouring the concrete footings. Once the footings are finished we can get an idea of how much space the new buildings will occupy. Then we can look for a place for our new deciduous tree!!!
    Mrs Stewart

  15. To Miss Yeomans,
    I am glad we are getting a new LRC. I also feel a bit sad that we have to demolish the old LRC.
    Oh well, all the best for using the new LRC when I’m in Grade 6.

    Jeremy A 4c

  16. Dear Miss Y
    I find it so hard that the tree is gone. It was one my memories of Miss Lesuer my Prep teacher in 2006. My only memory now is her apron
    From Adam T Grade 3BY

  17. Dear Miss Y
    I hope the we get the new LRC soon because I am looking foward to it. I am glad we are getting a new LRC but I do miss the old one. When I came back to School for term 4 I got the shock of my life when I saw the LRC half gone. The noise outside my classrom is terrible but it is all for the best
    From Adam T 3BY

  18. Dear Miss Yeomans,

    I’m happy in this LRC because my class is right next to it. I like it but I’m a bit sad about the old LRC but
    Im ok.

    from Natalie 2e

  19. Miss Yeomans,
    I am in awe of you and your assistant. What an incredible job you did moving that library. We have just moved, but had a company come in and help us. You are two amazing women. Your school is very lucky to have you. (and I think they know that, reading all of these wonderful comments from your students and staff!)

  20. Dear Miss Y,
    I am looking forward to the new LRC but it is also sad to see the old one getting demolished.
    I only have very faint memories of the LRC and now that it is gone I think of them more and more.
    I hope that I will have heaps of memories in the new LRC when I am in year 5 & 6!

    From Caitlin Z, 4C

  21. Dear Miss Yeomans,
    I’m sure everyone in the whole school is sad that the LRC is gone. But I think the new LRC is going to be bigger.
    From Connor Z

  22. Hello Miss Yeomans for my 2nd Reply,
    I will have many memories From our new LRC (I hope). I am making my own blog on my Mum’s Computer.
    From Connor Z

  23. Dear Miss Y,
    The L.R.C. has changed so much and I think it is going to be great!
    From Maddie

  24. Thanks Miss Yeomans for the video about the construction of the new retaining wall. With your blog we have the process in pictures and video. The music made me feel that it was a BIG and BUSY project and one that we all celebrated once it was completed.
    Mrs S

  25. It is so nice to see that new retaining wall. It is a sign of good things to come! The music on your video was well matched to the construction and the busy work at the moment.
    Thanks
    Ms Tieppo

  26. Hi Miss Yeomans,
    Great to see the retaining wall go up and hope the slab will be quicker. Students are lucky to have a beautiful big temporary room for the time being and that they don’t lose their time and space for enjoying books.

  27. Hi Miss Yeomans
    From our classroom it is very exciting to see all the holes and things happening. At the moment it all looks like a moonscape. We hardly notice the noise and just love looking out when the bobcat is racing around. I think I would like to drive a bobcat. It was great the way they poured the concrete for the new wall. I don’t think it will ever fall down. I wonder what will happen next?

  28. Dear Miss Y,
    It’s so sad to see that the old LRC has gone already.
    It will be nice to see the new LRC when it’s ready.
    I wonder when it will be ready? In our classroom we can see most of it and it is very very very exciting!
    Can’t wait!!!

    From Jordan C 3BP

  29. Great to see things happening. You’re ahead of our progress. We have yet to see a workman appear on site. Just a big hole still. Hope to see action in the next two weeks!

  30. Dear Miss Y,
    I never thought the day would come! Hopefully we will begin to see some building work now that the slab has been poured. It is looking good. The noise from the concrete trucks in our classroom on Friday, was worth it!

    From Ms. Tieppo

  31. Kim

    I was away for the exciting pouring of the cement but visiting and watching your slide show I feel as if ! were there and I didn’t miss any of the excitement.
    Ben fatto Signorina Yeomans

    Ciao

    Signora Conte

  32. Hi Miss Yeomans! How is the LRC going? At my new school we are working on our library 🙂 Oh and if the map that says who visited the website has one from Wisconsin, thats probably me.

    Caleigh

  33. Hi Miss Yeomans,

    The building is taking a long time !!!!!!!!!
    We hope it is finished in time for us to move into it next year when we are in Grade 6!!!!

    From Emma and Bridie 5s

  34. Pingback: An Early Christmas Present! | SMOT's LRC Blog

  35. Hello Miss Yeomans,

    Wow. The LRC has come a very long way. I remember when we were in the old one on top yard and then we have moved on to bottom yard and soon top yard again. It’s hard to keep up with!

    From Alex.

  36. Hey Miss Yeomans,
    The LRC is looking great!
    I can’t wait to see it complete!
    ITS GOING TO BE GREAT!

    Love From Hayley.

  37. Hi Miss Yeomans,

    It looks really good! We would love to visit when it is finished!

    Maddie

  38. Hello Maddie,

    How is high school going?
    You should come back here sometime and say hello!
    The new LRC is looking great…I am so sorry you missed out!

    Ruby F 6cz

    PS I got SRC captain. Hopefully I am as good a captain as you were! 🙂

  39. Hi Marc

    If you pop into the LRC before school one morning before school I will show you how I write things on our blog.

    Miss Y 🙂

  40. Hello there,
    We here in Brisbane are getting a new Library too. I love what you are doing and think I may start doing some blogging activities too.

  41. I love the way your library is coming together. You must be very excited about moving in soon. I would love for you to keep posting pictures.

    Have fun

    Jeremy 🙂

  42. Hi Jeremy

    Thanks for visiting our New LRC page.

    Yes, we are all very excited about moving into our new LRC soon!

    It’s a bit tricky at the moment because most of the work is internal and I can’t go on site! I know the windows are now in and they are doing the plastering.

    I’ll post some more pictures as soon as I’m allowed into the new LRC with my camera. So stay tuned…

    Miss Y 🙂

  43. Hey Miss Yeomans

    How’s life at the LRC? The new library looks great! I will have to come and visit when it is finished!!!

    From Andie (ex student) 🙂

  44. Hi Andie

    The windows are in and the plaster is nearly finished. I’ll be ordering the shelves in the holidays!

    It has been a very busy term in the LRC and next term will be even busier when we move!!

    I hope you have had a great first term in Year 7

    Miss Y 🙂

  45. Hi Miss Yeomans
    I am really starting to like the new LRC Miss Yeomans.
    What kind of coloured furniture are you thinking of putting in?
    Lily

  46. Hi Lily

    The new LRC is looking great from the outside…I think we all just want to move into it now!

    At the moment we have settled on using minty green, silver and a little bit of orange in our furniture colours for our new ottomans and cushions. We still have to decide on the colours of the tables and chairs. Our new shelving will be silver. Our Storytelling chair is going to be a big surprise!!

    Fingers crossed we will be able to move our books into the new LRC during the last week of term…

    Miss Y 🙂

  47. Hi everyone,

    The new library is so close and I can’t wait to get in there and read a new variety of books!

    Mia H 6cz

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