The trainees recently had the pleasure of visiting Homerton College Library, situated slightly further away from the city centre on Hills Road. On first appearance it has been noted that the interior of the library resembles something like a cruise ship, with an open-plan structure that contributes to a light and spacious atmosphere ideal for studying.

Due to its origins as a Teacher Training College, and its ongoing affiliation with the Faculty of Education, Homerton’s library is perhaps most well-known for its impressive collection of children’s literature, comprising around 10,000 children’s books, 3,000 rare books and 6,000 children’s annuals. On the trainees’ visit we were shown a few highlights from the library’s Special Collections, including a nineteenth-century ‘Speaking Book’, early editions of Alice in Wonderland, and a picture book featuring flying plane-babies. The library also holds a Multimedia Collection, which includes borrowable CDs, DVDs, and printed music.

The library currently houses a display focusing on depictions of dragons in children’s literature, in part to accompany the recent Philippa Pearce lecture given by Cressida Cowell, author of the How to Train Your Dragon series. The exhibition is interactive, with students invited to contribute a paper scale to a model dragon, although it should be noted that no live flames are involved in the display. Undoubtedly it is this culture of literary playfulness, along with especially friendly staff, which makes Homerton College Library such a welcoming and enriching study environment.