Cotham School Library, Bristol

After attending a career’s event at UWE in November I arranged a visit to Cotham School Library in Bristol with their Librarian. I’ve always been interested in school librarianship but the idea of lone working frankly scares the bejesus out of me (self confidence thing - I'm working on it though). Much like public librarianship I think there are hidden depths to the variety and scope of school librarianship that people don’t realise. This was affirmed after spending the morning in the library. The librarian works in a small team with two other library assistants on part time contracts but the running and maintenance of the library and the stock are ultimately her responsibility. Along with this there is also the need to liaise with teaching staff and the chance to teach information literacy sessions and other library sessions in the library and out in the school.

On the Cotham School website it says "The Library aims to be a whole school resource, providing materials for all aspects of school work as well as for the development of personal interest and recreational reading." The collection is very impressive and in my opinion lives up to it's aims. It also includes a staff collection with the latest development textbooks and a small adult fiction selection. The main library is a main floor and a mezzanine. The latter is a quiet sixth form study area which has a mezzanine collection of post 16 fiction along with a bank of computers and tables. This was very well used in the morning that I was there as it was exam time and free lessons can be spent here. The main floor has a bank of twenty computers, a large non-fiction collection and fiction collection including graphic novels. I was impressed by the range of the collection – the fiction collection runs from the predictable Jacqueline Wilson, Robert Muchamore but also has George RR Martin’s Game of Thrones and Philippa Gregory novels. I asked the librarian about the mix of junior, YA and adult fiction and there are age guidelines on the inside cover of the older spectrum. All issues and returns are run through the counter which means that staff can supervise what is issued. It was also interesting to note that the librarian doesn't use just one supplier and actually has reps come in to see her on a regular basis.

At break time the library becomes a hive of activity. Although there is a strict silence rule enforced there is a general hum of productivity with students using online facilities, printing homework or just sitting down to read for 10 minutes in between classes. Teaching staff are also timetabled on to supervise in the library during breaks and at lunch and there is a strong sense of discipline. The library is open both before and after school and student's are given every opportunity to use the facilities in the library during opening hours.

I know that one of the harder issues in school librarianship like academic librarianship is gaining the support and respect of the teaching faculty and making sure that the library’s voice and message is getting through to students. There is no better way of doing this than advocating your worth and value to staff. The librarian admitted she is very lucky in that she has a lot of support from both the head and deputy head of the school and weekly staff briefings are actually held in the library making it a vocal point of the school. There is still an issue though which to those outside the profession may not seem a big deal but to those who do the differentiation between librarians and library assistants is significant. Selling the value to libraries and their staff to teaching staff and parents is almost as important as selling it to the students themselves but it can be an uphill struggle. Workshops have been held with parents of year 7 students to support reading for pleasure and dealing with book recommendations but with mixed results.

Being here for just a few hours dispelled a few myths for me. It also taught me that maybe I could do this some day. It is a role with many different threads, it requires creativity and the lateral thinking and I truly believe school librarians in general must be some of the hardest working in the profession. I am not ignorant to the troubles this sector is having at the moment and the idea that schools, especially secondary schools could lose this invaluable resource is maddening and worrying in equal measure. 

A Day in Exeter...

This week I took part in a trip to the Devon and Exeter Institution and Exeter Cathedral Library and Archive organised by SWRLS and CILIPSW.

In a row of houses that make up Cathedral Close, sits a small white unassuming building, previously the home of the Courtenay family, the Earls of Devon... but behind those doors is a beautiful collection spanning two hundred years of arts, sciences and humanities and articles of local importance. The library was established in 1813 by local gentry of Exeter who began the collection with £4000 of books – a significant sum at this time in history. The Institution is everything that you’d expect from an old, established library. There are two main rooms to the library which are walled floor to ceiling with leather bound tomes. This is a library from another time, the card catalogues are still well used and many members came in during the morning to read the daily paper whilst sitting in the comfort of a cosy armchair. You could very easily have believed yourself in an Austen novel... maybe walking the library of Mansfield Park or Pemberley.

The chief librarian, Roger Brien, spent some time talking to us about the history of the building from its establishment as a library to the present day and it’s now charity status. He also spent some time sharing anecdotes of some of the Institution’s librarians and more interesting benefactors.

After a brilliant lunch we strolled around the cathedral gardens to the new home of the Exeter Cathedral Library and Archive where Librarian Peter Thomas and Archivist Ellie Jones showed us some of their precious collection. This collection includes records and artefacts from as early back as 800 AD including the Exeter Book, which is part of the Domesday records.  The Library holds items from the cathedral’s history and collections of interest from patrons and benefactors of the cathedral which include an extensive collection of medical books from as far back as the Tudor period.

It was a very interesting day and an eye opener to the world of special libraries. As a public librarian it isn’t very often that I get to see older collections and I can’t imagine getting much work done if I worked in either of these locations. A recurring theme in both locations was making the issue of making the public aware of the collections held in these places. As a public librarian we are also having this problem of preaching to the converted. With social media so prevalent you would think it would be easier to publicise services but how do you reach those groups who could benefit from your resources and help?

I would like to thank Clive and Lynne for organising the day and if you are intrigued by what you’ve read here there is another visit planned for the 6^th February so keep an eye out on the message boards.