Our Library
“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”
Albert Einstein
Our beautiful Library takes centre stage in the heart of the Academy, open to all students throughout the day as a space to read, work, access IT, browse and borrow books and engage with our fabulous Librarian Ms Lock. Our Lord Harris Reading Room provides a comfortable, tranquil space for students who wish to focus on their reading.
The Library
Our Library is located in the centre of the building, just off the main atrium and is
accessible to students throughout the day. The Library houses our wide and growing collection of texts, and includes:
- Library reception, manned either by our Librarian or student Librarians, from where students can borrow and return books
- The Library displays, sharing up to date reading recommendations, Library competitions, and more
- Seating and tables at which to read or study
- A suite of computers at which students can complete homework tasks or other study
The Library is open to students at all times outside of lessons:
| Before School | 8.00am – 8.25am (8.15am – 8.25am on Mondays) |
| Break | 10.10am - 10.35am |
| Lunch | 12.45pm – 1.30pm |
| After School: | 3.15pm – 4.20pm |
The Lord Harris Reading Room (LHRR)
For students seeking a comfortable, tranquil and relaxing space in which they can read uninterrupted, attached to the Library is our Lord Harris Reading Room. This facility was officially opened by Lord Harris of Peckham in May 2022. The LHRR houses additional texts, three computers for silent research and a plethora of comfy seating. The LHRR is a silent space, monitored closely by our Student Librarians and Prefects.
Our Collection
Our Library collection is arranged A-Z by the author's last name if Fiction or by Dewey number if non- fiction.
Books are categorised into:
- Fiction/Young Adult Fiction /LGBTQ+
- Speed Reads – Shorter fiction
- Classic and Challenging Fiction
- Poetry
- Graphic Novels & Manga
- Non–Fiction
- New Books
The Librarian also maintains a rolling set of 'featured books' shelves, containing curated sets of books as part of specific themes, competitions or celebrations.
Borrowing Books
The rules for borrowing books are:
- You can borrow up to three books at a time
- You can borrow Fiction and Non- Fiction for two weeks
- You can borrow Manga & Graphic Novels for one week
- Loans can be extended by request.
The Library Catalogue
The Library Catalogue can be accessed via the Student portal (link), accessible to all students using their Office365 (@hfed.net) logins.
Students can also access the Catalogue by clicking the image below:
The Catalogue allows students to search through our collection, access detailed information on our texts, receive recommendations based on their interests and reserve books. Students an also view their borrowing history to help them track their reading over time.
Students are also encouraged to submit book reviews to our Librarian. Reviewers will be rewarded with Merits!
Our Librarian
Our wonderful Librarian at HASU is Miss Lock. Having worked with books for 15 years, at Waterstones, Foyles, a small independent bookshop and a previous school library, Miss Lock is a fantastically knowledgeable resource for our students. She promises to Lock students in as readers for life, and guarantees that she can find any student, even those who claim they ‘don’t like reading’, a book they’ll love.
Library Social Media and Competitions
The HASU Library Twitter account can be found here. Through this account, the Library team share all kinds of updates and news.
At least each term, and as part of whole school celebrations and events, the Library organises and runs a wide range of competitions, aimed at encouraging a love of reading across the school and celebrating readers. Competitions are shared widely on the Library’s Twitter account.
Some past competitions can be seen below.
Library Lessons
At Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 and 9) regular Library lessons ensure that all students feel comfortable within the Library and have access to its many resources. These lessons also give students an opportunity to borrow a new book should they have not done so recently, or ask Miss Lock for her expert advice. These sessions are run jointly between the English team and our Librarian.
For all students, their first Library lesson is a full induction into the Library, introducing them to the expectations, offer and catalogue, and giving them an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the collection.
For more information about the Academy’s Literacy provision, please see our Literacy page (here) and Literacy Policy which can be found in the Teaching & learning policies area.
