Lab’s robust library program is designed to nurture children's love of literature and their enthusiasm for investigating the existing body of knowledge on any subject of interest.

The library program builds skills incrementally over the years, giving students the ability to independently use and enjoy library resources beginning from their time in Nursery 3 all the way up through Grade 12. Knowledge and skills gained through the program help to form a strong foundation for lifelong learning. 

Professor Zena Sutherland was among the world’s most influential and prolific scholars of young people’s literature. 

The legacy of Zena Sutherland is commemorated annually at the Zena Sutherland Lecture, held jointly between the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools and Chicago Public Library, as well as the Zena Sutherland Awards for Excellence in Children's Literature, one of the few child-selected book awards in the United States, which has gained an international reputation.

Learn about the 2026 Sutherland Lecture and Sutherland Awards for Excellence in Literature

The U-High Writer’s Center supports Lab’s mission to promote in all students “an enduring spirit of scholarship, curiosity, creativity, and confidence.” 

The Writer’s Center is guided by a philosophy that understands writing as a process rather than a means to an end. Therefore, instead of “fixing” student writing or working toward a specific grade or outcome, the Writer’s Center invites students to think out loud, try new approaches, and evaluate and reflect on their writing–ultimately equipping students with skills and strategies that will serve their writing and thinking going forward. This student-centered approach means that students set the agenda for meetings and retain authority and authorship over their writing.