The Shaw Library
In the spring of 2016, Shawnigan cut the ribbon on the final phase of the Centennial Capital Project – one of the most significant developments in the School’s history. At its heart stands the Jim ’77 (Lonsdale’s) and Kathryn Shaw Library, named in honour of the donors’ generosity. The building is a striking fir timber-frame space with soaring ceilings, warmed by matching fir bookcases, tables, and window seats. A second-floor mezzanine wraps around the interior and is furnished with inviting seating.
Alumni who attended Shawnigan between 1966 and 2016 will remember the former library in the Big School room, now the site of Mitchell Hall. Named the Walter C. Koerner Library after its donor, it marked a major advancement at the time, doubling the size of the original library – then a modest room of less than 600 square feet in the Main Building – and introducing a modern cataloguing system.
Today, the Jim and Kathryn Shaw Library sits parallel to the north side of the Main Building and can be accessed from Mitchell Hall, the courtyards, and an upper-level walkway from the Main Building.
Artwork from the Shaw family collections enhances the space, alongside sculptural pieces including a full-sized bronze bear, an original cedar-strip canoe, and a Canadian flag that once flew on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The collection includes more than 13,000 print volumes, as well as 5,000 audio and digital publications. Students use the library throughout the day and evening for independent study and collaborative work in purpose-built alcoves.
Several distinct spaces support a wide range of uses. The Board Room overlooks Lake Omar and Lonsdale’s and Strathcona Houses, while the Robertson Reading Room serves as both a gathering and study space. Dedicated teaching and immersion rooms support inquiry-based learning, and the upper-level Hori Brothers English Language Centre – donated by the parents of five sons who attended the School – provides specialized support.
Altogether, the Jim and Kathryn Shaw Library is a beautiful, inspiring space – one that invites curiosity, collaboration, and reflection, and is cherished by all who use it.
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
Today, the Jim and Kathryn Shaw Library sits parallel to the north side of the Main Building and can be accessed from Mitchell Hall, the courtyards, and an upper-level walkway from the Main Building.
Artwork from the Shaw family collections enhances the space, alongside sculptural pieces including a full-sized bronze bear, an original cedar-strip canoe, and a Canadian flag that once flew on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The collection includes more than 13,000 print volumes, as well as 5,000 audio and digital publications. Students use the library throughout the day and evening for independent study and collaborative work in purpose-built alcoves.
Several distinct spaces support a wide range of uses. The Board Room overlooks Lake Omar and Lonsdale’s and Strathcona Houses, while the Robertson Reading Room serves as both a gathering and study space. Dedicated teaching and immersion rooms support inquiry-based learning, and the upper-level Hori Brothers English Language Centre – donated by the parents of five sons who attended the School – provides specialized support.
Altogether, the Jim and Kathryn Shaw Library is a beautiful, inspiring space – one that invites curiosity, collaboration, and reflection, and is cherished by all who use it.
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
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