AUTHOR Robert Harris visited a school to mark the unveiling of a multi-million-pound library.

Mr Harris visited The School of St Helen & St Katharine in Abingdon and gave a lecture to mark the opening on Wednesday.

The three-storey building – built thanks to a £6m donation from the son of a former teacher – features a new 120-seat lecture theatre, two IT suites, an archive room, careers library and 22,000 books and other items.

Mr Harris, who wrote international bestsellers Fatherland and Pompeii and has a daughter at the school, said: “I think the building is absolutely stunning and one of the most attractive libraries I think I’ve seen.

“It’s beautifully designed and has a wonderful atmosphere.

“It really helps move the school into a different league.”

The building has been named the Jean Duffield Library, after a former history teacher and governor, who served at the school for more than 40 years.

It was funded by her son, John, who lives in Marcham.

The library had been open for a month before its official unveiling and in that time loans doubled on the same period last year.

Librarian Donna Pocock Bell said: “It gives the girls a fantastic and inspiring working environment.

“Because the library is much bigger than the old one we can display all the items we had in storage and the children have more space to work or read for pleasure.

“Since we’ve opened, a lot more girls have wanted to use the library.”

During the ceremony, pupils tucked into a special cake and each of the school’s 630 girls were given a specially baked cupcake.

Pupil Chloe Taylor, 12, from Abingdon, said: “The new library is great because there are so many books. I love to read – I will definitely be coming to the library more often.”

Eliza England, nine, from Wantage, added: “The library is a lot more exciting. I particularly like the fiction section.”

Mrs Duffield’s granddaughter, Arabella, cut a ribbon at the official opening.

Local children’s authors and illustrators David Melling and Mary Hooper also visited the pupils to talk about their work.

Mr Melling, from Abingdon, said: “The building is stunning.”