When I think back to what I loved about my public library, I remember that it was a place I could go where the librarians knew who I was, the books were kept current and new ones were constantly coming in, and there were big comfy chairs where I could sit and read in and no one said anything if I stayed all afternoon.
As a new librarian, I want to create a similar space for the students in the school where my library will be. I plan to create a space that is welcoming to all students and a place where they can come and feel comfortable spending time there. The place should be open and inviting for all students of varying interests and reading levels.
The most important focus for me in my library would be to create a library culture. This means getting to know my students and their interests personally and working hard to let them know that this is a space I want them to inhabit and feel comfortable in. A place where, like the teen in my profile above, would want to come and hang out for a long time.
I would start planning by speaking with the former school librarian and teachers in my school district. I would get a feel for what was working in the library and what wasn’t and what the students at the school are like. I’d also speak in depth with the teachers to find out what their expectations of the library are. I feel like I have an advantage, because I will be coming into the job with 12+ years of high school teaching experience. I know what it’s like in the classroom, and I would plan to work with the teachers to create lessons, specific areas, and resources that will help them with their curriculum. After speaking with the adults, I would put out a survey to parents and students to assess what they want out of the library. This will help me both create an area and select materials that meet all the needs of the learners that will use my library.
I also think that the public library is an important asset and plan to contact the teen librarian(s) there and see how we can work together. I always thought it was somewhat silly that cities often have two great libraries for teens (public and school), yet the two don’t work together. I plan to work with the teen librarian to share resources and plan events that will get teens involved in both of our facilities.
To help create a library culture, I plan to have students be involved in the daily running of the library and selection of resources. I believe by getting the students involved, you can help make the space feel more like something that belongs to them. I would do this by creating a Library Council, a group of students who help make the library their own. I envision having these students provide their input, help select books, help decorate the library the way they want to, fundraising, and plan events that involve other students. While I would be the one in charge, I want to give the students some freedom to work with me to develop a space that is welcoming and useful to them. I envision a student like the one in my teen profile wanting to connect with this group and possibly finding a space for herself among the Library Council. This would give the students a sense of worth and a place where they can feel like they belong.
Some of my top needs as I attempt to create my ideal library would be to make sure that I have the support of the administration and other teachers. The administration plays a role in controlling my budget and the teachers can see real benefits if they are willing to work together with me when planning some lessons (which is not always an easy feat, you often need to convince teachers of your relevance the importance of your role). I will have to work within my budget and figure out ways to get creative, if I don’t have a strong budget. I also need the interests of the students, because if they aren’t excited about coming to the library and being a part of the planning stages, then the work I have done won’t be important. I also think another need is to create a diverse library with books and resources that cater to all students. Your library should be a “one size fits all” place, but rather, it should have books from all different reading levels and genres and contain furniture and configurations to help support all types of learning (individual reading, group work, partner work, lectures…). Students should be able to come to the library and have all of their needs met. Part of ensuring this is that step I mentioned where you involved the administration, community, teachers and students. You need to figure out what their needs are and then come up with ways to meet them.
Teens often don’t feel like they fit in, don’t like school or feel as if their parents don’t understand them. I believe by creating an environment that welcomes teens, you can create a space where they do feel welcome. It’s also very important to make sure that the books that you have in your library are new and varied. Some students may want to reach for a fantasy as a means of escape, others may want non-fiction to research their potential futures, while others crave books that have characters who are like them and remind them that they are not the only ones who may be going through a certain event. I want to create an area where the teen in my imagined scenario could escape to, but once she gets there, she no longer feels as if she is seeking an escape by rather, coming to a place where she can be herself and not have to worry about what anyone else thinks.