As part of our new blog series, Behind the Scenes, we have decided to interview Norwich School's Library Team from both the Lower School and the Senior School to get a sense of their role in the everyday working's of Norwich School, Deborah Goodwin, Mark Moore and Sally Morgan answers the following questions...

How long have you worked at Norwich School?

Mr Moore: I have worked at Norwich School in the role of Librarian for around 10 years.

Ms Goodwin: I started at Norwich School in September 2014. 

Mrs Morgan: This is the end of my 6th year at the Lower School. 

What attracted you to the role?

Mr Moore: I love reading and learning about new topics and this role gave me the opportunity to enthuse and encourage both pupils and other members of the school community to do the same. The variety of tasks and responsibilities related to the role was also attractive. 

Ms Goodwin: I had just finished my MSc in Librarianship and I liked the fact that the role incorporated teaching information literacy, promoting reading for pleasure, and supporting teachers. I thought that the variety of the role looked interesting and provided the chance to develop some new skills. 

Mrs Morgan: I have always been a reader and have a love of children’s literature, which has developed as my own children have grown up. I wanted to be able to make a difference and support pupils who find reading more challenging. 

How has the role of Librarian changed during your time at Norwich School?

Mr Moore: There has certainly been an increased demand to supply resources on a more diverse range of genres and topics. An understanding of the pros and cons of AI in research and how we can incorporate this into what we do as a department is also a current theme which has recently become relevant.

Ms Goodwin: Sadly, curriculum pressures have meant that we no longer teach information skills to the younger years, but I love getting involved with the 6th form Independent Project, seeing the fascinating topics that Lower 6 pupils choose to study and helping them to locate the relevant resources. 

Mrs Morgan: Reading Ambassadors now provide a pupil voice in the library. These are chosen each term from our Lower Two pupils upwards. Each class has a couple of ambassadors who provide a voice in the library, and also give me an insight into reading in the classroom, the stock in class libraries etc Ambassadors get to go to the bookshop once a term to choose new library stock.

There are now more author visits and themed days!

What does the day-to-day of a Librarian at Norwich School look like?

Mr Moore: It’s often extremely varied. One second we could be recommending fiction to a class of Lower 4 pupils and the next we could be helping a Lower 6 pupil create a bibliography for their Independent Project. Other tasks might include resolving IT issues, cataloguing new books, running reading groups and organising literary events, amongst many others.

Ms Goodwin: Busy! Some of it is cyclical, with an outreach book event each term, and pupil reading groups each week, but a lot of time is spent helping individual pupils with their enquiries, which can vary from finding foreign language newspapers, locating books about Dadaism, or helping a reader find their latest favourite book series. 

Mrs Morgan: Library sessions with Infant classes, Jackanory Club at lunchtime, pupils popping in at all times during the day to change or choose a new book, emptying the library returns box, with the help of the U3 library monitors, and returning books to shelves. (MM)

What's your favourite part of your role?

Mr Moore: The interaction with other members of the school community and having the opportunity to help and inspire pupils in terms of their reading and engagement with books and information sources.

Ms Goodwin: I still kick myself sometimes that my job actually involves talking to people about books!

Mrs Morgan: Many enjoyable parts include:

When a pupil comes into the library unsure of what to read, I am able to recommend a selection of books, one of which they take away. They then enjoy reading it so much that they rush into the library a few days later to get the next book in the series or something by the same author, as they’ve loved reading it.

Author talks – spreading the buzz of reading throughout the school. This year we have hosted Jess French, Ivan Bates and Annalise Gray, as well as having a book fair run by Norfolk Children’s Book Centre.

World Book Week – visits to local bookshop, dressing up on WBD, spreading the love of reading throughout the school.

Activities in School – book swaps, book fairies, themed weeks eg Non-Fiction November, Roald Dahl week etc.

Themed events – Harry Potter book night, Tiger Who Came to Tea party for Infants

Is there anything you're looking forward to? 

Mr Moore: I’m looking forward to planning for the 2024/25 academic year. We hope to bring in more inspirational authors and we already have some exciting events in the pipeline. 

Ms Goodwin: I’m always excited about the next book festival and who we might be able to book for it. We’ve had some amazing, inspirational speakers over the years, and I love finding new talent and introducing our pupils to new authors. 

Mrs Morgan: Further developing the profile of reading across the Lower School.

How else do you get involved with Norwich School life? 

Mr Moore: I’m also a 4th Form tutor and Geography teacher.

Ms Goodwin: In addition to my job in the library, I’m also (Joint) Head of Staff Health and Wellbeing, which is a wonderful addition to my role. I love being able to do what I can to help colleagues in their working lives.

Mrs Morgan: I am also a teacher in the Lower School for 50% of my time. This enables me to take part in the wider life of the school, and see pupils as learners as well as readers. I teach U3 English and Infant Outdoor Learning so this is a great mixture of lessons! 

How does the library team work?

Mr Moore: The library team’s ethos is very much centred around the sharing of ideas and perspectives. We work on projects and events together and the lower and senior school libraries are mutually supportive of each other. 

Ms Goodwin: As there are three of us and three libraries, physically we each spend most of our time in one particular library, but we share ideas, support each other with events - and often borrow books from each other! 

Mrs Morgan: Brilliantly! Regular meetings and we borrow books from each other frequently.