October features National Book Month which was established in 2003 to focus on the importance of reading, writing and literature. National Book Month also celebrates the country’s best books by awarding National Book Awards. Categories for the award include Young People’s Fiction, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry and Translated Fiction. This year’s nominations have already been announced and the awards will be presented in early November.

Coinciding with this, is Libraries Week so this seemed like an ideal moment to bring you a feature on our library, the hub of learning in the heart of our school. We recently met with Ms Skipper, College Librarian to learn about what to expect this year and discovered that our library offers more than a place to read books!

The Campbell College library is an inclusive and safe space in school that welcomes all pupils across the school. It doesn’t matter whether you are in a sports team, a top English student or a reluctant reader, the door is open to everyone. Pupils will find a range of diverse stories that allows pupils to see themselves, as well as explore the lives and situations of characters who are very different to them. This is important as it contributes to building empathy and educates pupils on issues and cultures around the world.

Developing Reading Skills

Our shelves contain great fiction books and texts to support the curriculum, but also a host of other material too, allowing our pupils to widen their knowledge to support, for example, university applications or to discover and develop a new hobby. Displays of books rotate, exploring diverse topics and genres throughout the school year. We try to keep our stock fresh and provide books that are appealing, by asking our students for their recommendations.

The library is eager to promote all reading. Pupils who are not keen readers will find a broad choice of accessible options to enjoy including graphic novels, magazines and audiobooks. Establishing the habit of reading is important as this will stimulate interest further down the line to read more extensively on a subject. In this way, their interests will be piqued and the desire to read will increase.

The library also provides IT support, with help on hand to assist pupils with structured writing, preparing projects or accessing systems such as Firefly or Unifrog. The library has a bank of desktop computers for pupils’ use and a printer.

Key Stage 3 students have a scheduled library visit for free reading every two weeks with their English teacher. The library led a successful book group for Key stage 3 readers before the pandemic and will return this year. The book group allows a different approach from reading a book in class, taking away the pressure of deep analysis of the text. Meeting over lunch with a sandwich, this more relaxed setting provides a different approach to learning, the forum to share ideas and to discover the views of peers.

Parents’ Book Club

Book clubs aren’t just for the pupils! For all our parents who are passionate readers or want to connect with other parents, Ms Skipper and Mrs Coetzee run a Parents’ Book Club. The club meets 3 evenings per year and meets in our library. If you are interested in joining our club, head over to the Groups & Clubs page on the Community Hub to register.

Transition skills for 6th Form students

The library has created a programme of classes for sixth formers, in conjunction with the careers department which will be scheduled in January 2023. These classes provide pupils with an understanding of the skills they need to successfully transition to the next phase of their education and focus on areas such as the steps needed to begin a research project, finding supportive sources, note-taking techniques, paraphrasing, referencing, and plagiarism avoidance. These sessions have also looked at how to evaluate both print and online sources for credibility and usefulness, which in the era of widespread mis- and disinformation is a more useful broad skill for life, better enabling students to make informed decisions and choices in life.

Pastoral Support

The pastoral activities that take place within school libraries are often overlooked. As noted above, the library is more than a place to read, it’s a community that fosters relationship building and discovery with like-minded peers. Open at break times and during the lunch period as well as after classes, it is available throughout the school day. After the disruption caused by the pandemic, this softer, welcoming environment, offers some release and escapism from the demands of the school day.

Extra-curricular experiences all help to develop important social and communication skills in pupils and support their mental health and wellbeing while doing so. The library at Campbell has a thriving Chess Club and a range of board games for students to enjoy together.

Let's hear directly from Ms Skipper and Year 8 pupils Toby and Matthew:

In a room that is associated with quiet study, you will frequently hear a healthy noise level and observe joyful camaraderie in Campbell’s library!