Library

Francis Holland library is a place of learning and leisure for the whole school, providing a wide range of resources to support and enrich the curriculum and students’ leisure interests.

The library has a diverse collection of over 11,000 books, DVDs, periodicals and journals which can be accessed via a library catalogue located on the school intranet. The library is well-equipped with several computers available for research purposes, as well as a printer and photocopier.

Students are provided with library inductions at the start of the academic year and are encouraged to take full advantage of our facilities. Our friendly librarian is always ready to offer any assistance or advice to help our students with their research, both as part of their academic studies and their wider interests. We also welcome suggestions for new books and resources which students would like to see in the library.

The library is open throughout the day and is a quiet and welcoming space for reflection and intellectual endeavour. Our librarian is available during school hours to assist with any information requests, book selection queries and guidance with private study.

Various book clubs and literary speakers ensure that reading is a key element of life at Francis Holland. Every year authors visit the school to speak with our students about their books and to inspire them to read not only their own works, but a wide range of literature.

Celebrating Reading

We don’t need an excuse to celebrate reading at Francis Holland, but it is always good to have one! Each year we mark World Book Day in March and Empathy Day in June with whole school activities, author visits, workshops and plenty of fun! In the Lower School, we also have a whole week of reading in January giving our students plenty of opportunities in the school year to read for pleasure.

Resources

The librarian works with the Heads of Department to ensure that high quality and up-to-date resources are available to support our students’ academic study. While students can take full advantage of an ever-growing range of online resources, they are encouraged to explore their subjects in more depth by reading from a range of academic texts.

New library books for all curriculum areas are purchased each year and Heads of Department review the stock with the librarian regularly.

Beyond The Classroom

Throughout the school year authors are invited to the school to discuss their latest novel. We are thrilled to have welcomed the author and illustrator Sally Gardner; author and journalist Rachel Campbell-Johnston; authors Holly Bourne, Joseph Eliott, Hayley Long, Jenny McLachlan and Lydia Syson over the last few years.

Book club meets weekly in the library where students come together to discuss their latest discoveries, compare thoughts on one particular title and play literary games like book charades.