Library Design Award

The Elms Junior School was a Finalist in the 2011 Library Design Award.

Library Team:
• Annike Dase (Head of Library Services)
• Mirelle Hyde (Senior Library Assistant)
• Keith Morrow (Headteacher)

Citation of the Judging Panel

The Elms Junior School

Located in beautiful grounds of Nottinghamshire, The Elms Junior School is a thriving school for around 350 girls and boys, aged 3 to 11. First class teaching, excellent pastoral care and outstanding extra-curricular provision ensure that they meet parents’ highest expectations of a quality education for their child.

The emphasis at The Elms is not just on academic standards. Their philosophy, centred on educating the whole child, nurtures all aspects of their character alongside their academic progress. Their focus is very much on the individual child, recognising specific talents and interests. At The Elms they seek to develop mature and thoughtful children well versed in the habits of good manners, who display care and consideration for others and their environment.

Annike Dase, the librarian, said: “At the time of the proposal for a new library for the senior school, I voiced the view that waiting until year 7 to introduce students to using libraries was too late”. Her vision of a comprehensive library service for all ages is at the core of the development of both schools’ libraries.

Mrs Dase was offered a minimal sum with instructions to shop at a well known Scandinavian retailer! Instead, she sought advice from specialist library suppliers. The quality of the furnishings was so important to her that she made it her spending priority and asked the parents to help to fund the book stock development.

The furnishings are of a very high quality, with a good mix of study furniture and display. Laid out in a curvilinear configuration with an apex style display for a more informal feel. A thought through selection of furnishings easily identifies the use of the space. From study furniture to bean bags, reading nooks to shelving, the layout of the library along with the use of colours and materials makes this space a very comfortable one to be in.

Mrs Dase quotes: “The aim was to provide a calm, neutral background that could cope with the variety of strong accent colours used in the library’s constantly changing wall displays”.

Finally, the Headmaster, Mr Morrow, quotes: “The difference between a ‘library’ and a ‘room full of books’ was the presence of a librarian.”