Library

Welcome to St Catherine’s Senior School Library where ‘reading for pleasure’ and independent learning through purposeful private study are simultaneously encouraged by the large number of books available for loan and reference use.  There is also a collection of hard-copy magazines, as well as online Library resources available to students through our online Library system, ‘Oliver’.  The librarian is always happy to receive book recommendations and reservation requests, and provide support in finding information.  

Highlights in the Library calendar include ‘Book Week’, celebrating literature in all its diverse forms throughout the school, and the Librarians’ Literary lectures, a joint venture with the prep. School promoting books and authors to the pupils, thereby extending their ‘reading for pleasure’ choices.

The Library is open 7 days a week and staffed by the Senior School Librarian from 8:30-5.30pm Monday -Friday.    Pupils can borrow up to six books for 3 weeks. The Library is available to Day Girls after school for homework.

Do come and visit the library to see the resources available to the pupils whilst at St Catherine’s.

Our suggested reading lists for current parents can be found here.  

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. 
The Library aims to support the whole St. Catherine’s School community by providing a space that is inclusive and in which all feel valued and respected.   Collection development aims to create a diverse collection across both fiction and non-fiction, ensuring pupils feel that themselves, their lives, and the lives of those in the wider world around them are reflected in their reading.  Pupils are also reminded of the power of reading in supporting empathy, understanding and respect, through Library collections, displays and events.  We welcome suggestions for new books and feedback on our current collection from our community.  

Book Week March 2024

We celebrated Book Week in the Senior School this year with the theme “Reading inspires me ..”.  Teachers shared books they found inspiring, and World Book Day brought fun and laughter as girls were inspired to dress as their favourite characters from fiction.

Ali Sparkes 
September 2025

‘Books and libraries really do change lives’

We were delighted to welcome Ali Sparkes, author of 63 books including The Shapeshifter series, Frozen in Time, and her newest release 100 Summers to our annual Librarians’ Literary Lecture.

Upper 2 (Year 5), Lower 3 (Year 6), and Senior School girls enjoyed an inspiring talk by Ali who took us “back in time” with her whirly-whirly machine being a fun optical illusion that shrunk her head! She shared stories from her childhood in the 1970s, when she didn’t enjoy school or reading until she discovered Enid Blyton’s Five Go to Smuggler’s Top at the library. That book sparked her love for reading which she describes as her “trapdoor(s)” into different worlds,  an escape she still cherishes today.

Ali captivated everyone with her energetic storytelling and offered the girls advice for aspiring writers “Don’t do it for fame or money, it’s hard work, but if you love writing, you can’t help but do it.”

• Jo Cotterill - September 2024
• Onjali Q.Raúf - June 2024
• Ross Welford - September 2023
• Anthony McGowan - March 2023
• Karl Nova - September 2022 
• Robin Stevens - October 2019
• Geraldine McCaughrean - June 2019
• Linda Newbery - January 2019
• Katherine Woodfine - June 2018
• Jo Cotterill - September 2017
• Elen Caldecott - September 2016
• Frances Hardinge - January 2016
• Lauren St John - June 2015
• Julia Golding - September 2014