Love Your Library
Mr Alex Hanssen

Love Your Library
Mr Alex Hanssen
The Laurence Library is excited to share the final results of the first phase of the Interhouse Readers’ Royale for 2026. After ten weeks of borrowing, reading, and building points for their Houses, the winning House is Gandhi, who surged ahead with 11,102 points. Next up was Mandela on 8,401 points, followed by Lincoln with 7,108 points and Cowan with 5,426 points. A huge congratulations to all students who contributed to the competition, whether they borrowed one book or kept their reading streak going across the full ten weeks.


For each House, the top readers will now be invited to represent them in the second phase of IHRR: a quiz containing questions from the books borrowed throughout the competition. This will take place during House Week next week, with participants earning valuable House Points for their House.
There have also been some lovely updates around the library. Eva has submitted some additions for the recently added Library Prefect board, showcasing a selection of her favourite books for students looking for their next read. Languages Week also brought some extra energy into the space, with activities including origami and a rock-paper-scissors competition in Mandarin and Japanese.
Finally, our newest display celebrates recent additions to the Manga collection, lining up perfectly with Languages Week this week. Alongside the books is a visual guide explaining how to read Manga and recognise some of the storytelling techniques often used throughout the style. It is a great starting point for new readers, while also offering a few interesting details for those already familiar with Manga. You are encouraged to stop by, have a browse, and see what makes this collection so distinctive.
Mr Alex Hanssen
Head of Library, Technologies and Research Services