Program
Library
The library, dedicated to the school’s founder, John C. Jenkins, has been described as the heart of the school. It fosters a life-long love of reading and learning for the entire community.
Our extensive collection includes the classics of children’s literature as well as recently published fiction and nonfiction books. It contains over 18,000 volumes, magazines, digital books, and electronic databases. The library provides students with a quiet place in which to read and reflect. It is also a lively center of research and exploration. Junior School boys choose books in the relaxed atmosphere of their own reading room. Older boys study at large tables or in individual carrels.
Participation in programs such as the Kronengold Visiting Author series, the Book Fair, and the Used Book Sale encourages boys to read as much as possible. Chromebooks allow older boys to engage in research and explore their interests on a variety of platforms.
Parents are encouraged to borrow books and to take advantage of all the library resources. The library website provides the gateway for students, faculty, and parents to the library’s many databases, educational websites, and digital research resources. All parents have access to our collection of eBooks and audiobooks on Sora. Audiobooks provide a unique way for families to enjoy books together. Please reach out to the librarians with any questions or for assistance.
Participation in programs such as the Kronengold Visiting Author series, the Book Fair, and the Used Book Sale encourages boys to read as much as possible. Chromebooks allow older boys to engage in research and explore their interests on a variety of platforms.
Parents are encouraged to borrow books and to take advantage of all the library resources. The library website provides the gateway for students, faculty, and parents to the library’s many databases, educational websites, and digital research resources. All parents have access to our collection of eBooks and audiobooks on Sora. Audiobooks provide a unique way for families to enjoy books together. Please reach out to the librarians with any questions or for assistance.
Library Hours
Mornings:
7:30 a.m. - 8:20 a.m.
Boys in Grade II and above may visit the library without a parent or caregiver in the mornings before going to their first class. Kindergarten and Grade I students must be accompanied by an adult.
Afternoons:
3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m., Monday - Thursday
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., Friday
In the afternoons, boys in Grade IV and above may work in the library independently. Junior School boys may come to the library after school as long as they are accompanied by an adult.
7:30 a.m. - 8:20 a.m.
Boys in Grade II and above may visit the library without a parent or caregiver in the mornings before going to their first class. Kindergarten and Grade I students must be accompanied by an adult.
Afternoons:
3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m., Monday - Thursday
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., Friday
In the afternoons, boys in Grade IV and above may work in the library independently. Junior School boys may come to the library after school as long as they are accompanied by an adult.
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Library Website
Visit this page for the library catalog, Sora digital books, our databases, and reading lists.
Librarians
Kate Cannon, Junior School Librarian
kcannon@stbernards.org
212-289-2878 x346
Alexis Moses, Library Assistant
amoses@stbernards.org
RESOURCES
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READING LISTS
The St. Bernard’s Reading List is a selection of fiction and nonfiction titles that the school recommends. All of these titles are available in the school library. In addition, audio books of many titles are available on St. Bernard’s SORA app. -
LIBRARY WEBSITE
Click here to visit the page with useful information for parents.
Community Book
Over the summer, faculty and all boys in grades V–IX read The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz. The book was a hit with all ages.
A few weeks into the school year, we held a special assembly dedicated to the book, featuring lessons on various aspects of the story: quicksand, illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages, and the French cheese époisses, which Madame de Haugoubart shared with boys onstage. From the looks on their faces, the reviews were mixed.
Lively group discussions around the school followed the assembly. This is the ninth year that St. Bernard’s has read a book together as a community, and once again a good book proved a great way for boys and teachers to connect across grades.
New Arrivals
— Russell Pennoyer '65
Oscar Wilde, the great playwright, once wrote, "Nothing that is worth knowing can be taught." Obviously, he didn’t have the benefit of a St. Bernard’s education. I, on the other hand, did, and when asked about my own schooling, I often find myself wanting to answer, “I graduated from Choate, Harvard, and Columbia Law School, but I was educated at St. Bernard’s.”
