Our pupils do amazing things every single day, but behind those achievements are all the hardworking staff here at Merchant Taylors’ School.
In Staff Spotlight, we look to explore the diverse backgrounds and skills of the people who make Merchant Taylors’ a great place to be. This week we hear from Rachel Harrison, Assistant Librarian.
When did you join Merchant Taylors’?
I joined Merchant Taylors’ in October 2024, having previously worked as a University Academic Liaison Librarian.
Tell us about your role. What excites you about it? How did you get into it?
What I love about my role is its variety. Librarianship is often associated solely with books, but in reality, it combines instruction, organisation, research, problem-solving and working with people. One moment I might be teaching pupils how to evaluate sources and conduct effective research; the next I could be leading a fun book club activity or helping someone find their next great read.
I also enjoy the fact that I am constantly learning myself. Pupils and staff often ask for help with subjects I know little about, and every enquiry opens the door to a new area of knowledge. I find great satisfaction in tracking down information and helping people find the answers they need. The rapid development of AI and digital technologies also means there are always new concepts to explore, and I enjoy helping pupils think critically about the information they encounter and the skills they need to navigate an increasingly complex information landscape.
Above all, I enjoy the curiosity of Merchant Taylors’ pupils. Whether they are exploring a topic that has captured their imagination, asking an unexpected question, or discovering a new author for the first time, their enthusiasm makes every day different and keeps the role endlessly interesting.
I came into librarianship through a fantastic trainee scheme that gave me the opportunity to work in a wide range of library settings, including prisons, schools, colleges, public libraries and bibliographic support services. Following this, I was sponsored to complete my postgraduate library qualification.
Looking back, though, my interest in libraries began much earlier. Some of my happiest childhood memories are of meeting my mum at our local public library after school, and I even used to play ‘libraries’ at home. Perhaps, with hindsight, the signs were there all along!
What are you most proud of outside of work?
Outside work, I am proud of having maintained a lifelong love of reading. Books have been a constant throughout my life and, despite the many distractions of modern life, I have always continued to make time for reading. Through books, I have encountered new ideas, cultures and perspectives, and a love of reading has helped shape many of my friendships and family relationships. Reading has enriched my life in countless ways.
What did you study at University/ A Level?
I studied English Literature, Geography and History at A Level followed by an undergraduate degree in Humanities and a post-graduate qualification in Librarianship.
What is one thing you think everyone should try?
Read books that challenge the way you see the world. Two books I would particularly recommend are Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave and Anthony Ray Hinton’s memoir The Sun Does Shine. Although very different, both are extraordinary accounts of injustice, resilience and the strength of the human spirit.
They reflect one of my favourite themes in literature, triumph over adversity, but more importantly they highlight one of the greatest gifts of reading: the opportunity to broaden our understanding of other people and the world we share. As James Baldwin observed in Giovanni’s Room, “You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read.” Books help us recognise both our differences and our common humanity, and these two remarkable works do exactly that.
