A combination of children not treating the books properly and the books not being well made has been identified by some secondary school librarians as the major reasons why most schools are unable to efficiently administer the textbook loan scheme.
Yesterday, Catherine Mitchell of Parkinson Memorial School, Junior Boxill of the Lester Vaughan School, Cheryl Trotman of Deighton Griffith School and Margaret Aimey of Queen’s College explained that when the scheme started the books would last approximately eight to ten years, but they now had to squeeze three to four years out of the books.
Mitchell, who said the major problem with their books was in the junior school where children were returning them in very bad condition, pointed out that the books needed to be changed often.
“The books are being made substandard so they do not last . . . . It is either soft paperback or flimsy covers,” Mitchell said. (LK)
