My 1970 Library... And Why I Need it to Change

My library was built before I was born, and although some things have changed, more seems to just be the same. It's only my second year, and last year was so much about finding out what kind of librarian I wanted to be, cleaning out the hoards of "stuff" left, and oh yeah, in January I found out I was pregnant (surprise!). So last year felt more like my first year of teaching. This year, although I was out for eight weeks of maternity leave, I feel like I am truly getting my bearings. And, as I do, I am realizing just how outdated the space is. 

Last year I weeded the crap out of the library. If I saw an outdated book I got it off the shelf. Any yellow pages or torn up book was gone. I pulled out the picture books and put them in their own section, and I added an entire section on young adult books that my eighth graders went nuts for (obviously I am careful about what I choose for my middle school audience). I just wanted as much new fiction as I could get my hands on and because I was still getting to know the middle school curriculum I wasn't as good on what to buy when it came to nonfiction. If I would have had my way, I would have done away with the reference section entirely, integrating it into the nonfiction section. Instead, the reference books that used to never be circulated were given a one day checkout. 

I wanted to collaborate with everyone and anyone, but I couldn't really get anyone in to talk to me. I became a yes man. "Oh, you need fifty books on World War II pulled by next hour... You got it!" "What, there aren't computer labs open for your classes, well I have ten working netbooks you could come down here and use." "You want to bring your class down to check out books... Well, we have two classes in here now, but wait fifteen minutes and you got it." I literally did anything and everything I could to make the library a happy place. I started a book club with pizza. I made breakfast for the staff. I probably did a lot of things that all librarians do to get people in their library, and some days it made me happy, other days it made me crabby, but most of all, I felt like I was making a change in the school even if it was a small one.

This year, I still do those things, but I am a little smarter about it. I stopped creating a schedule for the English teachers to follow (and sometimes forgot), and allowed them to sign up for times that fit best for them. I also started handing out reminders that included what I could possibly do for them. And for as many changes as the library has gone through, I am not satisfied. Our shelves are still the original 1970 shelves, our tables are wobbly and about to fall over (I honestly think that they are probably a hazard, but I don't think the district would give me a budget for all new furniture), we still have a computer lab in the library that is super distracting and makes it almost impossible to teach a class if the lab is full, and our lights don't turn off the way I would want them to. I would literally change the entire set-up if I could.

I've decided to attempt to make a few immediate changes. I bought Ipads for teacher checkout. I just got them in and they are A-Mazing. I'm currently trying to figure out my budget because I would really like to buy some I-O Smith Posts and surrounding tables, because currently we only have outlets along our walls I want a portable SMART board because I currently don't have one I can use. The SMART board I do have is in the lab within the library and is often used by classes.  I'm also making a proposal about how to enclose that dumb computer lab that we desperately need, but has to have its own place.

I also just read an article in LMC about a Library Science class that some high schools have. To quote Liz Lemon, "I want to go to there." How do I get in on that? Sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy store, and other times I feel as though my ice cream has just fallen on the ground. I have so much to do, and I’m never sure what order I should do them. I will figure it out and get the ball rolling on what needs to be done.