Collection Development: Arthropods Around Beacon Academy

As I was out of campus last week, I did not receive the books that one of our students donated to the library. Good thing my staff was present to acknowledge and to be at the donor's ceremony. Such an event is special and is honored in the community. Having written a book is a milestone and there are good reasons to celebrate it.

Arthropods Around Beacon Academy by Lyndon Yap

Through books, one's thinking is made visible. And by one I mean a collective, a group, a team who collaborated in making it. The library as its recipient or place for curation increases its worth and preserves the creators' knowledge and skill. In a library, the authors and his or her partners find an audience who engages with them. In the process, the cycle of creation continues and more knowledge is added up to the existing status quo.

Arthropods Around Beacon Academy is written by Lyndon Yap, grade 12, nature enthusiast and photographer. The three volume series began as a passion project which Lyndon started in grade 10. Through the Personal Project, he was guided and mentored by his supervisor in creating a field guide as requirement for the completion of his Middle Years Program certificate. He was really dedicated on the book project and because he was doing a project of interest, he was able to finish it in time - something many young researchers are challenged to do.

 He continued on. Documenting. Recording. Taking pictures of the insects, reptiles and birds he sees around school. He did research as well and even interviewed an Ichthyologist to determine the validity of his own studies. Last year, he finished volume 2 and this year, volume 3 of the series.

Now, the library is a proud owner of his Personal Project and Creativity Action and Service outputs. The library is indeed a growing organism!