The Library at Abingdon School is an integral part of a boy’s life from when he joins the School to when he leaves. Here, he will find a wide collection of resources with qualified staff to meet his developing academic requirements along with the materials he needs for his general learning and for his leisure and recreational interests. He will be encouraged to take full advantage of the resources selected to stretch him, to fire his imagination and to develop his own strategies for independent learning.
The Grundy Library (also known as Upper Library both for its position and for resourcing the Upper School) is housed in the original Victorian schoolroom, one of the oldest parts of the School and provides an environment conducive to silent, private study amongst appropriate resources.
The Hooke Library (also known as Lower Library) is connected by a spiral staircase from the Upper Library and is dedicated to use by Lower & Middle School boys. It serves a multitude of purposes by providing a cluster of networked computers, an extensive range of fiction and non-fiction and a wide assortment of magazines and newspapers and it is a source of instruction, information and, we hope, inspiration.
Teaching
All new boys are given an induction to the Library within their first week and issued with their library card.
Lower School have a close association with the Library, particularly in the first term of their first year when they will receive instruction in the use of the library and how to find information and will be encouraged to make good use of the splendid up-to-date fiction selection. Thereafter, they visit the library regularly with individual subject teachers to put their new found knowledge and skills into practice in small projects and homework tasks.
In Middle School, the library is used for teaching information skills as part of the study skills programme and the boys are encouraged to use the library both independently and as part of class instruction.
Upper School have an introductory session to the Library as new sixth formers and are encouraged to make good use of the resources in private study.
The Library also runs a service activity for boys interested in serving as librarians (see Other Half)