The Library

Our library provides a combination of old and new resources to help pupils develop an inquiring, open-minded, balanced and principled approach.

The main library (situated in Ashmore in the main school building) is available to the whole school to support departments and pupils in their research as well as reading for pleasure. It contains fiction and non-fiction across all subject areas and is a welcoming environment for those who wish to read and study quietly during assignment periods and work nights. The Chartered Librarian, Mrs Minter, manages the library and is able to assist with enquiries during the school day.

There are also a number of subject-specific libraries around the School. They are known as subject rooms or assignment areas and contain a selection of books, journals and newspapers relevant to the area of study. During the school day each of these is supervised by a member of teaching staff, who is on hand to answer any questions pupils may have.

Opening hours

The main library and the subject rooms are open throughout term time, including evenings and weekends. The library can be booked by teaching staff for classes during the day when the use of the facilities and access to the librarian is required. 

The librarian can usually be found in the main library between 9am-1pm and 2pm-5.30pm, Monday-Friday.

Borrowing books

The Access-It library management system is used for searching the catalogue and borrowing materials. Staff and pupils may borrow books for two weeks and items may be renewed using the Web OPACor Access-It App.

Departmental libraries

The subject rooms can be found in the main school building:

• Ashmore: School Library for young adult and general fiction, reference and non-fiction
• Cowley: English Literary Criticism, Plays and Theatre Studies
• Grosvenor: History
• Lulworth: Classics
• Poole: Geography
• Worbarrow/Tyneham: History of Art

There are also departmental collections in the following rooms:

• Modern Languages building
• Tom Wheare Music School
• Sanger Centre for Science and Mathematics (a separate collection in each of the subject areas, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics)

Electronic resources include:

• JSTOR Archive for journal articles
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• Digimap for digital Ordnance Survey maps
• Gale: Global Issues in Context and Science in Context
• EBSCO: Reference Centres
• Digital Theatre Plus for high-quality films of theatre productions
• MASSOLIT English Literature video lectures
• Drama Online for full text plays and biographies of playwrights

The Careers Office contains a collection of careers information including university and course prospectuses.

Media resources such as film, TV recordings and podcasts are accessible on BryPlayer via the school intranet.

Information literacy

The librarian works closely with the different academic departments to deliver customised information literacy and research skills lessons.

Pupils take part in library induction and refresher sessions at the beginning of each school year. The D year group (year 9) have the opportunity to read a range of award-winning fiction during an English lesson in the library each week.

Book awards are highlighted, such as the CILIP Carnegie Medal, YA Book Prize and the Man Booker Prize. We also celebrate World Book Day and invite authors to speak about their writing journey.