Innovative approach by The Queen’s Library helps boys through a difficult chapter

Innovative approach by The Queen’s Library helps boys through a difficult chapter

Although day-to-day use of The Queen’s Library is currently restricted to the Sixth Form ‘bubble’, other QE boys are not missing out, thanks to an innovative ‘Click & Collect’ service.

All younger boys – from Years 7 to 11 – can easily access the reading material they want by first making a reservation on the School’s eQE online platform, and then coming along in their year group’s time slot to pick up their books. This is done from a designated area just outside the Library. They can use the same time slot to return books, which are then quarantined in a sealed container.

The service is proving popular, with the number of book loans – not including e-books, which are available on another platform – already well into four figures.

Head of Library Services Surya Bowyer said that introducing the Click & Collect service had necessitated some big changes in the Library, but he added: ““All in all, The Queen’s Library may have fewer people physically in it at the moment, but that’s not stopping us from continuing to provide resources to the whole School.

“It is great to be able to provide boys with access to the physical books again. And it is encouraging to see so many boys taking out books, even though the borrowing process is a bit more complicated this year.

“The new arrangements have also only further underlined the importance of online resources, and have motivated us to begin offering e-books as well as physical books. Through a separate new platform, we allow boys to ‘borrow’ e-books in a similar way to physical books, and to read them across their devices without losing their place.

“However, whereas some are happy with e-books, others seem to  prefer physical books. It is good to be able to provide both!” Mr Bowyer said.

The Click & Collect service encompasses not only books, but also magazines and publications such as comics, manga and graphic novels. To ensure the new arrangements remain safe, the librarian and boys are all required to wear masks, with hand sanitiser in frequent use.

Earlier this term, the Library also deployed technology to introduce the new Year 7 boys to its services, with Mr Bowyer producing a video to show the range of resources available.