The Ethel Walker School
Library
Collaboration, research, and discovery
The Constance Lavino Bell ’48 Library is a central hub of reading, research, social, and cultural events on campus.
Here, the campus community will convene for a quiet study space, small group work or class to build research and literacy skills. On weekends, the Bell Library is the site for coffee houses, game nights, and other social activities with students from Walker’s and other consortium school members.
A love of reading and lifelong learning are instilled in our students as they are nurtured to grow into being more engaged readers, critical thinkers, and responsible citizens. The Bell Library serves as a center for intellectual exploration by providing tools and training for students to acquire research skills needed to prepare original works for publication.
The Library offers a diverse digital and print collection, ebooks, a sophisticated suite of research databases, including JSTOR and Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, and other online resources for students to use both on and off campus.
Library faculty and staff are available to support the complex research needs of our students through one-on-one support, workshops, and classes. Library staff members collaborate with teaching faculty to weave the building of information literacy skill directly into the curriculum. Through this collaboration, students learn the skills they need to prepare them for college and beyond.
At a Glance
- Diverse collection of over 25,000 fiction and nonfiction books
- 21 databases
- 25 additional resources
- Research and Library Skills Seminar
- Three classrooms
- Group study areas
- Archival room
- Tutoring Center for peers and hired professionals
- Individual study rooms and comfortable nooks to curl up and read
Students and faculty, access the Bell Library Canvas site here.
Library Features and Spaces
Who is Constance Lavino Bell '48?
Connie has a long family history with Walker’s; the daughter of Edwin M. Lavino and Constance Muller Hunter, she graduated in ’48. Her daughters, Constance Bell Moser ’72 and Deborah Bell Spoehel ’75, are also Walker’s alumnae. Her granddaughter Ellie Bell graduated in 2012, and her granddaughter Elizabeth Spoehel graduated in 2014. Her son, Stuart Bell, is a former Chair of the Walker’s Board of Trustees. Connie and her late husband, Jim, have been strong Walker’s supporters through the years. In 1987, Connie and Jim gave a leadership gift for restricted endowment to the 75th Anniversary Campaign. Walker’s library was named for the Bells in recognition of this gift. Connie’s commitment to Walker’s is exceptional; she returns to events on campus and understands that an investment in Walker’s is not only the right thing to do, but is a way to support future generations of talented young women.
“My time at Walker’s was the best of my life besides my marriage! I am glad my girls and granddaughters have had the experience I had. Walker’s prepares young women for the future!”
—Constance Lavino Bell ’48, P’72, ’75, GP’12, ’14
Meet the Library Staff
Leila Cancellieri
Librarian
Leila joined Walker’s in 2018 on a part-time basis from Manchester Public Library where she worked as a Sunday librarian and was formerly a librarian in the children’s area. Leila holds a master’s degree in Library Science from Southern Connecticut State University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Connecticut.
Read Full Profile
Nishette Isaac
Dean of Students
Nishette joined The Ethel Walker School in 2016 from the Collegiate School in New York, where she served as the school’s librarian for three years. She went on to serve as Walker’s Director of Digital and Library Services and Assistant Dean of Students before assuming her current role as Dean of Students.
While Nishette began her career as a librarian with the New York City Department of Education and at several independent schools in New York City, her work has evolved into student life leadership. As Dean of Students, she provides a supportive, safe, and enriching environment that fosters growth, development, and accountability in the student experience. Nishette sets the tone for a student-centered experience, demonstrates a strong commitment to a diverse student body, and plays a vital role in promoting and upholding the mission and values of the school.
She earned her B.A. in anthropology from Hofstra University, her M.S. in teaching from Fordham University, and her M.L.S. from Pratt Institute. Born in Saint Lucia, Nishette moved to the United States at the age of 10. She serves on the Board for Horizons at The Ethel Walker School, is a member of The Deans’ Roundtable, and is an active member of the Shelflives Book Club.
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Kim Harris-Thacker P'24, '27
Faculty and Archivist
Kim Harris-Thacker P’24, ’27, is The Ethel Walker School’s archivist, as well as a faculty member in the history and English departments. She is a well-published magazine writer and essayist with a keen interest in history and community, and in connecting the past and the present through the medium of story. Born and raised in Wyoming, Kim has retained a love of the outdoors, which she shares with her husband, Walker’s Upper School English teacher Dr. David Thacker, and their two daughters, Molly and Liesel, who are current and former Walker’s students.
Calling Future
New Girls!
Our Priority application Deadline
is January 15
Our application deadline is coming up soon — submit yours now. We can’t wait to learn more about you!
