At McGlashan we expect boys to read, read, read.   The library is central to teaching and learning at the college.


It is a place where boys are inspired to read widely and broaden their knowledge of the world around them. It is the learning hub of the school and the best place to read, study, collaborate, research and meet others. We strive to bring ‘the books to the boys’ by running reading events, and competitions and there is always something captivating on display to wow them. 

As a reflection of the special character of the College, the library provides facilities for pupils of all abilities and cultures, keeps pace with curriculum needs and trends in recreational reading for boys, and maintains a collection which is vibrant, enticing and progressive. We have the very latest books, magazines, DVD’s and audiobooks – all perfect for boys.  The library staff are friendly, helpful and wildly enthusiastic about books and literacy as the keys to achievement.

At the heart of the learning philosophy of the library we strive to provide: 

  • a stimulating, dynamic but settled learning environment which caters for independent and collaborative study.
  • programmes which endorse school-wide literacy and develop independent readers with the skills necessary to navigate the library with confidence.

Go to our library catalogue to see more of what we have on offer!


At John McGlashan College we offer a lot of different Library Programmes, here are some of them;

SHRIMP

The library provides ‘Summer Holiday Reading Mystery Packs’ for boys so that they can maintain their reading mileages over the summer. SHRIMP packs are extremely popular, contain about 30 books and are individually tailored to age, reading ability and interests. 

Peer Reading

Junior and senior boys read together in pairs and discuss their books with the aim of creating a shared enthusiasm for reading.

Reading Café

Boys bring their lunch to the library classroom and can read a book and make some new friends.

Student Librarians

Students gain their librarians’ badges by developing library skills and passing knowledge on to other library users. Student Librarians are part of the library team creating a better learning environment for all library users.

Sustained Silent Reading

The library sustains and supports SSR where boys and staff read for pleasure EVERY day as part of the college’s push to promote reading as a lifelong habit.

Here is a taste of what the boys say …

“Really good books JUST for boys.”
“You get to sit on the bean bags while you read – they’re really comfy. It’s heaven.”
“There’s a book on everything from Adolf Hitler to puberty.” 
“You can search for a book on the computer. You can get out DVDs, and you can find a book on almost any topic.”
“Our library is like any other library except that the books are actually interesting!”