Library

The impressive and well-stocked Library in Queen’s Wing offers pupils at Queen Elizabeth’s convenient access to a wide range of reference and reading material.

It provides a tranquil haven from the bustle of everyday activity and houses a stock of over 15,500 items including online resources – comprising of traditional books, daily newspapers, magazines, academic journals, audiobooks and other much needed reading material. We wish to encompass all areas of information use and retrieval, including electronic, whilst at the same time maintaining the tradition of the printed word; very much the best of both worlds. QEGS Library uses the Dewey Decimal system.

The Library also offers access to the internet for pupils and students wishing to expand their research. The Library is open from 8.30 until 16:45, which includes the after school Homework Club. Pupils and students are encouraged to use the Library before school and at lunchtime for extra help in selecting co-curricular reading.

The Library catalogue can be accessed across the school and beyond, including from home via an internet connection, click here to access Eclipse.net. The free app imls for Eclipse.net is also available to download to mobile and tablet devices. This access allows pupils and students to add book reviews, check their own Library accounts and make reservations.

The Library has an essential role to play in supporting pupils and students learning and their development as independent learners. Information Literacy is taught by the Librarian to all Year 7, 8 & 9 pupils during timetabled Library lessons. Other departments are encouraged to book the Library for research – the Library is used extensively throughout the day. The Library also strives to develop a love of reading, reading for pleasure – to this end we use Accelerated Reader as our reading programme which covers both fiction and non-fiction titles.

An induction period is set aside for Year 12 where all students are introduced to the Library and its resources. All students in Year 12 & 13 are strongly encouraged to use the Library during their free periods and are also encouraged to read for pleasure. The Library holds an excellent stock of Classics/Literature and other reading material suitable for AS/A level studies. Many of our resources have been recommended by Heads of Departments which encourages students to read widely around their chosen studied subjects.

Authors and speakers are regularly invited into school to help generate a real sense of excitement of literature and learning. The Library celebrates key events, such as National Storytelling Week, Book Week, World Book Day, Carnegie Medal Book Award and National Poetry Day. There are also many Library clubs to join including the Carnegie Club, our popular Bookmark Club for those who love to create and craft, and our old time favourite, Telling Tales (storytelling sessions). The Library is particularly popular during lunch and break times.

A team of Year 8 pupils follow the Pupil Librarian Training Programme (endorsed by the School Library Association) and assist the Librarian daily at lunchtimes. A Pupil Librarian of the year award is presented annually at Prize Giving.

Mrs VB Dewhurst
Head of Library