Libraries
The libraries are to be seen as a welcoming place for exploration and discovery rather than as an intimidating archive. Exposing children to quality literature leads them out into the world of others and makes them better able to understand themselves. We aim to promote in the boys an abiding desire to read and be interested in what others have to say.
Cranmore has recently expanded its library provision by creating two new purpose-built libraries – one for Seniors, one for Juniors – just beyond the reception area in the Canon Freed Building. These have placed books and learning at the heart of the school.
Junior Library
The Junior Library provides 2000+ fiction and non-fiction books for boys, from Lower Prep (Reception) to Ones (Year 3), in a bright room with a cosy reading area. Boys are accompanied on their visits in order that they may begin to develop effective library skills.
Senior Library
The Senior library fiction stock of 6000+ books is extensive and runs from Barrington Stoke readers to great classics of English literature as well as contemporary prize-winning fiction. Reading books are chosen with the interests of boys in mind. They are colour-banded for four age groups and arranged alphabetically.
Non-fiction and reference books are arranged in a simplified Dewey system and are chosen to support subject studies. The boys also have supervised access to 4 library computers for broadband Internet research. Every class in the senior school has at least one library lesson each week. The library is also open at lunchtimes.
Senior late class is held each evening in the Senior library so that boys have supervised access to the Internet and to books and other resources for their studies. Book fairs and author visits are also part of the library programme.
