Library

Welcome to the College Library and Resource Centre

Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 8.00 am - 4.00 pm

Search and Reserve Books from the School Library Catalogue

All pupils and staff are automatically members of the College Library. Your Cashless Catering Card is also your library card and can be used to borrow books. There is no charge for borrowing from the library, unless you lose or damage a book.

In the Library you will find:

Books

Our fiction is mostly arranged by genre (story type). Within these categories they are in alphabetical order. We have novels, short stories, graphic novels, manga and some illustrated books.
Our non-fiction is arranged on the shelf by number using the Dewey Decimal System. You can use the decoder chart to help you find the book you require or ask the librarian for help.

Most of our books can be borrowed, but we have a selection of non-fiction, dictionaries and magazines which stay in the Library for reading at break and lunch time; these are for reference only, not borrowing.

Online Resources

We have subscriptions to online newspapers, magazines and academic periodicals, and these can be accessed via our CATalogue page. See the Portals link at the top of this page, join the CATalogue, click the three lines in the top left and look for “Library Public”. You can also access the library catalogue from home to see which books we have in stock. To log-in to the Library catalogue you will need the barcode number from your Cashless Catering Card.

Computers:

There are 30 computers networked and linked to the Internet, which you are able to use at break, lunch time and after school. Students also have access to a printer, scanner and photocopier for their schoolwork. There are a further 10 computers in the Sixth Form section of the Library.

iPads cannot be used in the library except during lessons (with teacher’s permission) and after school. Pupils should not have anything saved on an iPad that is not accessible via the cloud from a networked PC.

Before school, break, lunchtime and after school:

The Library is open at these times for general use. You can come in to use computers (not iPads), do research for homework or read quietly. You may also borrow and return books during these times. Please note that all years have a social area and the Library should not be used as a meeting area. The Library code of conduct applies at all times.

Borrowing from the Library:

Most of the books are available for borrowing. Two fiction books and one non-fiction book may be borrowed at a time, for three weeks. Please return all items promptly. Items may be renewed providing they have not been reserved by another student. If a book that you would like to read is out on loan you can reserve it by looking at the library catalogue online at home or school (login with your cashless catering card number), or you can ask the librarian to reserve it for you. You can then borrow the book as soon as it has been returned.

If you lose or damage a book, you may be asked to contribute towards the cost of replacing it. Please come and speak to a librarian about this, we understand accidents happen.

Please note we have a security system so all books must be checked in and out of the library either at the desk or using the self- checkout unit.

Events in the Library:

The Librarians run book groups for students after school, and these will sometimes focus on e.g. the Carnegie Prize shortlist, or Graphic novels. All students are welcome, including Sixth Form students who may wish to help and support. 

We hold curriculum-based competitions and national charity events throughout the year, recognising World Book Day, Children in Need and several more.

In 2023 we welcomed Carnegie nominated author Julian Sedgwick (Tsunami Girl), Helen Moss ('Adventure Island' series), performance poet Ash Dickinson, and author and screenwriter Andy Briggs.

We hope to invite Julian Sedgwick and Ash Dickinson back in 2024, and more!

Leadership and Volunteering:
There are opportunities to volunteer in the Library to support the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. We welcome applications to become a Library volunteer and offer a wide range of tasks to help students gain valuable experience for extra-curricular school achievements.

Book Donations

The College Library welcomes book donations. We are always very grateful for items that are published in the last 5 years as we try to keep our stock current and relevant for our students. Any books which are unsuitable for school use will be passed on to charity bookshops.

We keep a wishlist on an Amazon account which is publicly viewable. While we do our purchasing from a variety of sources it serves as a useful tool to note suggestions from staff and students. Anyone who wishes to make a gift donation to the library can see which books we currently need here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/XOLFYV9X7FHE?ref_=wl_share

If you choose to donate please include a gift-note so that we can thank you on a bookplate inside the front cover.

We are also extending our selection of foreign language fiction to help support the curriculum and pupils who have English as an additional language and we would really appreciate a boost to this collection if you are able to help.

 
Stationery
The Library runs a small stationery shop for staff and students. Stationery is available every day - before school, at break, lunchtimes and after school. We can only accept payment by cash as we do not have the facility to take money from Cashless Catering Cards. We carry all the usual essentials, including the calculator recommended by the Maths department, and clear plastic pencil cases as required for exams.

Comberton Public Library:

Comberton Public Library is situated at the front of the College and is part of Cambridgeshire Libraries and Information Service.

We encourage all students to get free membership of Cambridgeshire Public Libraries, especially Sixth-Form students, as they have a wealth of free online resources. We are happy to advise students about gaining membership.

Ms Spargo, Mrs Palmer and Mrs Evanson
Librarians

COM-Librarians@combertonvc.org