GLENMUIR High School last Monday officially opened the doors to its state-of-the-art library and resource centre.

The facility, which began in June 2007, is to benefit the school’s population of 2,100, as well as residents of neighbouring communities in the May Pen area. It boasts new rooms for reading, data processing, e-learning, audiovisual lessons and a computer lab. It will also accommodate the school’s book rental programme.

“For far too long Glenmuir High School, with its distinguished record of achievement, existed on archaic facilities in some areas and that the staff had not been properly catered for within the context of this school despite their work and effort,” said school principal, Clement Radcliffe. “It was during 2002 and 2003 that the school engaged itself in the task of formulating areas of development to be initiated as part of the 45th anniversary of the school. From this initiation, the dream of having a facility of this nature became a reality.”

In thanking all the partners involved, Radcliffe added: “This project is intended to provide facilities which the school needs at this time in our history… It will be the focus through which the school will radiate through the wider community.”

The NCB Foundation, one of the corporate donors who came on board at the initial stages of the project, was pleased to have supported the initiative. “I am very confident that this library will serve as an instrument of further transformation in the development of this great institution. I am sure it will facilitate learning and development among the students,” said Patrick Hylton, group managing director at the National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited and past student of Glenmuir High School.

The facility, which cost $35 million, was made possible through the contributions of other entities, such as the Digicel Foundation, the Alcoa Foundation, Glenmuir High School Parent/Teachers’ Association, Juici Patties and the Chase Fund.