The Teaching Collection

The Teaching Collection includes books, schemes and artefact kits for use in a variety of educational settings. If you want inspiration and practical ideas for teaching, learning and home educating, this is the place to look.

 

         

Browsing and searching in the Teaching Collection

You will find the collection on level 1 of The Hive, at the Studio end of the children’s library. Resources are organised into several areas:

• Textbooks and fiction books (001-999)
• Reading Scheme books available to loan in small sets (428.6 at the end of the book run)
• Kits in crates and bags (001-999 and fully labelled on the outside of the box or bag)
• Big books in the unit next to the junior non-fiction collection for the Children's Library
• Picturebooks are stored mainly in the honeycomb-shaped yellow book boxes. A large letter on the front covers denotes the first letter of the author's surname. These are movable, so have a seat and explore. 

All are welcome to browse and search the Teaching Collection catalogue. Click inside the search box (top centre) and tap the return key for a list of all items in the collection, or search by keyword. You can filter your search by material type (book, crate, bag), format, genre or language. Browsing the collection in person is also encouraged.

University library members can also log in to their account and reserve items using the Teaching Collection version of the catalogue. Public library members can use the catalogue to search and browse but to manage your library account, renew and reserve, please use The Hive's library catalogue or the WCC library catalogue to search across all library locations.

      

 

Borrowing from the Teaching Collection

The collection is intended to inspire and support anyone who is involved with the teaching and learning of children. All resources in the Teaching Collection are available to borrow by any member of the library, university and public. All items are available to borrow on a 3-week loan basis. We do not supply class sets or loan resources on a long-term basis. You can find out more about what and how you can borrow from The Hive and Worcestershire Libraries on our borrowing services page.

Please be aware that replacement charges apply to long overdue University items on all library accounts.

1. Find: use the Teaching Collection catalogue to search by keyword or title. You can use the filters on the left of your results to find certain types of resources; 'material type' is a good indicator of where you will find that resource (a book on the shelves or a kit in a crate or bag). Click the title of any item for more details. If the item is available, note down the shelf number and find it in the Teaching Collection, and please ask any member of Hive staff if you need assistance.
2. Check: Before borrowing, check the contents of kits or bags using the contents list found inside the resource. If anything is missing or damaged, please let a member of staff know. You may still be able to borrow the item, but when it is returned, we might consider repairing or replacing the resource.
3. Borrow: please speak to a member of Hive staff if it is too large to fit in the self-service machines.
4. Return: Before you return the resource, check the contents, and bring it to a member of staff for return. It is really important to let us know of any missing or damaged items at this point, so we can decide if the item should be put back on the shelves, repaired or replaced. If you have any concerns, please email us. We welcome your co-operation to look after and maintain the collection.

Reserving items in the Teaching Collection

Can I reserve items in the Teaching Collection? Yes, both UW and public library members can reserve items in the Teaching collection, whether they are on loan or available on the shelf.

Can I reserve items for collection at any WCC library? No, Teaching Collection items, just like University High Demand (2-week loan) items, must be collected from The Hive. 

University library members can log in to their account and reserve items using the Teaching Collection version of the catalogue. Public library members can use the catalogue to search and browse but to manage your library account, renew and reserve, please use The Hive's library catalogue.

The Children's Library

While you are visiting, don’t forget to explore the children’s library. Here you will find picture books, early readers, children’s non-fiction, dual language books and dyslexia-friendly texts. There are some amazing spaces for children of all ages to explore, including the picturebook box tunnels and seating, the colourful nooks in the wall, the story pit and the wet/dry area. Children and families events often take place in these spaces, including regular sessions such as Lego Club, Bounce and Rhyme, Rat-a-Tat Tales and Wacky Wednesday! Themed treasure hunts and a sustainability trail are also available - just ask Hive staff for more details. 

 

Themed booklists and inspiration for teaching

Here are some excellent links to themed booklists to inspire your learning and activities with children:

• CLPE Booklists covering topics such as autism awareness, kindness, Black history, environment, refugee and migrant experience, and a range of authors.
• Bishop Grosseteste Library themed booklists including climate change, and equality, diversity and inclusion.
• The Education subject guide section 'Inspiration' has more suggested links to book review sites.

Suggest a resource

We welcome your suggestions for specific resources or topics to include in the Teaching Collection. For additional inspiration, please browse this collection of websites for suppliers and providers of educational resources.

Fill in our suggestion form