For many pupils, the Library is the centre of the school: a place to read, study and relax, surrounded by 20,000 books. The Library sits in a suite of nine historic rooms in Ashburnham House, overlooking Ashburnham Garden, Westminster Abbey, and Little Dean’s Yard. Pupils use the Library for work, rest, reflection, and quiet socialising outside their timetabled activities.
The Library supports and enhances the curriculum, and promotes independent learning, reading for pleasure, critical thinking, and information literacy, as an element of the school’s commitment to a liberal education. Resources are selected to meet these goals, and requests for new items are encouraged. The Library’s team comprises two professional librarians, one experienced senior library assistant, and one graduate trainee librarian.
The Library is open 8.30am to 9.00pm during the school week and 8.30am to 1.15pm on Saturdays. It is staffed by three professional librarians and one experienced senior library assistant. Alongside books, the Library provides access to DVDs, games, and computers. With online access available from home, the Westminster community can access journals, databases, and over 25 online subscription services. The Sora platform provides a wide range of ebooks and audiobooks for use on personal devices.
