NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY The Hub of the School
The library has resumed its rightful position in the centre of the universe. Okay, I exaggerate – the school. We now have wonderful views out of both sides of the building. On one side we see the quad and our beautiful historic buildings and, out the other side, we get to see Upper through the windows of the Chapman Room at the bottom of the newly completed Miles Warren building. It feels like it has always been this way. Boys have to pass our doors to get to almost all of the classrooms – a reminder, too, that libraries are at the very centre of learning and information. There is a worldwide debate about the role of libraries in the 21st Century and a corresponding worry over what many perceive as a decline in reading. Is it? Or has reading just changed? There is certainly a study in there for someone. Not me, as the College library is as busy as it has always been. It is true that we do not issue as many books as we did several years ago. This is for two reasons. The first is eBooks, the second is because NCEA English
internals changed. And maybe this was a good thing, because it would be true to say that nobody enjoys a book that they are forced to read. In fact, “Students are four times more likely to read something recommended to them by a peer than by a teacher.’’ (MORI poll, 2003) I was chatting to a group of Year 10 history students and I asked one of them what he liked about the library. “Right now, it is the photocopier (grins at me), but, really, it’s warm, I love the history, the architecture and the comfy chairs. It is cosy…” Harrison Voice (Year 10) The College library, then, is not only a repository of books. It is a community space, that offers warmth, comfort and also a sense of the history of the school. Surely it does not get much better than this? I often joke that I just have to get them through the door and then the battle is won. Many leave with a book in their hands or having read and used a book while here. This is because the library
team work tirelessly at promoting books, buying new titles, and creating displays that entice boys to read and in turn complementing
the curriculum. We also talk about books to boys. A lot!
Last year I had the bright idea of turning the library into a bookshop. Linley and Lyn, far from thinking me mad, were as excited as me by the idea. And so began the very long process of genrefying the library. Basically, we had to decide what genres we thought the majority of our books would fall under and where the boys would go to look for certain books. We interviewed boys and eventually developed our categories. It then took the rest of the year to decide book by book which genre it fell under, re-label it, re-classify it in the computer, and then re-shelve it in its new position. As a result, our fiction collection has been totally revamped. It suits boys. Now all they have to do is think, “I enjoyed that book. It was fantasy, I’ll just read another fantasy.” This year I decided that it was time to remove the biographies from their relevant subjects and ignore the Dewey decimal system and stick them all together. It makes sense. We have some wonderful books that get swallowed up in a sea of book spines - never to read and enjoyed. Next I have a mind to remove all the travel writing. My philosophy is based around the idea that the books need to jump out and grab you. College boys are busy, I am sure that one day they will have time to book browse, but for now they need to grab and run. To assume libraries are just about reading is to underestimate
Christ’s College Canterbury
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