The Gwynne Library

The Library is a major centre for study and resources, located in the heart of the College buildings. At its core, the library aims to stimulate curiosity and encourage a love of learning across all years.

The Library also provides critical support for independent learning and helps to promote academic attainment, whilst maximising the effectiveness of students’ and teachers’ work through the provision and management of resources. Current techniques for effective study and learning are taught. It is well equipped to teach Information Literacy and to promote independent learning.

About the Library

With over 19,000 resources on its computerised catalogue across all campuses and 23 fully networked workstations, it is staffed by two professional Librarians. The Librarians are supported by a Library Supervisor and Student Library Assistants provide help on a daily basis; each one committing to working regularly in the Library for one year. Duke of Edinburgh's Award students can work their placement year with us; and the College gap students are timetabled to assist throughout the year. These students liaise between Houses and the Library and learn the importance of consistent commitment and responsibility. The boys may wear a special tie and the girls a lapel badge.

The College encourages students of all ages to use the Library as a perfect place in which to spend study periods, as the quiet working atmosphere inspires diligent and purposeful independent learning.  A Seminar Room can be booked in advance by staff or students for collaborative study or if staff wish to speak to a group of students. This ensures the Library remains silent, which is what the students find most helpful. There is an informal seating area where daily newspapers and magazines may be read in comfort.

Library opening times

The Library opens at the beginning of the school day and remains available for students until the end of Evening School at 9.00pm each weekday. Over the weekend the Library is open on Saturday all morning and on Sunday from 4.00pm to 6.00pm. During exam times the Sunday session is extended.

Stock

The Library stocks a wide range of books and eBooks, magazines and periodicals (including online) and DVDs and CDs for study and recreational reading or viewing. Via the College VLE, students can enter our eLibrary where there are millions of online books, journals and additional academic material to consult. We subscribe to many eBook platforms including Dawsonera, JSTOR and Questia School, giving all pupils access to endless useful articles.

Any student or member of staff may request any available book or eBook for academic study or leisure reading. In addition to a constant rolling programme of stock revision carried out by the professional Librarians, this dialogue ensures that Library stock remains fresh and of interest to the whole school community.

We encourage all students to become familiar with the catalogue as it is vital for effective locating of resources. Using this tool students can search for items, identify where they are in the library and reserve them if they wish. The catalogue includes our eBooks and links to VLeBooks, our eBook platform, where the eBook can be read online. All students, within a short time of their arrival, receive library induction where they learn how to most effectively use the Library.

Reading Lists and Guides

The Library publishes guides for students to help them and to inform them about the services we provide. In addition, we create displays reflecting relevant students’ interests. These often include guidance for university applications, popular authors, examples of excellent work done during lessons and interesting bits of College history.

We also provide booklists on demand covering any subjects or authors; these are also published on the VLE for all students to access.

"The Library not only has a huge variety of resources, but it also makes them very accessible to students."

"The Library keeps students really up to date with regular magazines and newspapers on subjects so diverse as politics, engineering and Italian."

"One of the best things about the Library is that it is so flexible, catering for the needs of each individual student. If there is a particular book you want, all you have to do is ask and it will be ordered in for you!"

Lancing College students