Exhibition cases for the special collections
Rare Book Room
Flexible learning spaces for both group work and quiet study
Approximately 22,000 books encompassing all subjects
Reading introduces pupils to new ideas and experiences that can be life-affirming and life-changing.
The open shelves of The Cripps Library spark excitement for the serendipity of discovery, while the scale and variety of our collection supports the research that is required for our pupils to complete their academic projects and essays.
The book collection is the core of any library. In addition to the book, newspaper and magazine collections, the Library provides a range of online subscriptions, such as the digital academic journal library JSTOR, to ensure that our pupils have access to the best and latest resources.
The Rare Book Room contains the School’s special collections, including a 15th century Book of Hours and many significant 16th and 17th century books. Other collections include first editions by the Northamptonshire poet, John Clare, private press books, and books by and about John Piper.
We use many of our rare books to introduce pupils across the age range to the history of the early printed book, as sources that illustrate changing political and intellectual trends, and as opportunities for special study relevant to a variety of subjects.
The Cripps Library has benefited from the generosity of three generations of the Cripps family, beginning in 1963 when a donation from Oundle parent Mr C H Cripps established the library in a new extension to the Cloisters.
In 1987, the old gymnasium, built in 1934, was converted into a much larger new library with a second storey mezzanine, and in 2011 the Cripps Library was completely refurbished under the direction of Luke Hughes and Co who worked to provide a modern, bright space infused with respect for quality and tradition. Two separate rooms accommodate whole class teaching and display cases house the School’s valuable collection of Greek pots and archaeological finds.
