Rare Species Update – The Librarian Adapts To Her New Natural Habitat

Today’s library. Close your eyes. What do you see?

Learning Commons? Low shelves? High shelves? Students talking and collaborating? A “SHHHHHH” sign posted prominently on the oak paneled wall? Research facilities? Today’s newspapers taped neatly onto wooden rods and placed on racks? Comfy, cozy places to curl up and read the new John Green? 3D printers? Smartly dressed women with buns, large framed reading glasses (complete with chain) and nude toned pantyhose? Books? Screens?

Hmmmm.

I have now been responsible for running our Upper School library for three years. As I am not a trained librarian (still haven’t figured out whether this is a pro or con), it has taken me some time to figure this one out. This is not for the lack of trying but you’ll see what I mean.

Our school library is beautiful. It is a large (by high school standards) very traditional space. Tall stacks. Beautiful oak panels and shelves. Ornate chandeliers. Tall wing back chairs. You get the picture. Old School. And, like most private schools steeped in 100+ years of tradition, there are alumni who want to keep it this way. So any attempts that I make to push the library forward into 2018 are met with furrowed brows of concern and condemnation, either that or the whimsical apathy of today’s teenager. I have often felt like I was standing in my Gr. 6 guidance class talking about win-win and lose-lose situations. This is definitely the latter.

But I persevered. I started small by adding in high-top seating that looked out over the reading garden. I added signs to help define spaces and provide purpose to the shelving. I then got a little more adventurous with book displays (can’t go too far here as there isn’t actually any physical space for it) and now (horror of horrors) a large screen television. Some people may think that this is not a big deal and I envy you. This has probably been the biggest statement as far as pushing the library forward and the most beneficial for our ever expanding student body as it creates another space for teaching and learning as well as an opportunity to broadcast events (elections, world events) live as they happen. All the while, I have continued to develop the collection both online and in print. Yes, print, too. Other than the mixed reviews, I still didn’t feel like I was getting much traction with all these changes to the library. I felt like ‘status quo’ was good enough for everyone so why bother changing? In June of this year, this was where I was at with the library.

So this summer, I took matters into my own hands and I read the book Bibliotech by John Palfrey. Despite its focus on the American public library, it gave voice to many of my struggles as a librarian in 2018. We put up with a lot of crap. “Books are dead.” “Who needs libraries anymore with the internet?” “I don’t need to know how to do research.” As a former Latin teacher, I am all too familiar with this line of dialogue. And frankly, I’m tired of it. Tired of trying to convince students (and teachers) of the value of research, books and libraries. Until I had read Bibliotech, I thought I was alone and thus I would remain.

But something happened this year. Still not sure exactly what, new students, new attitude? But I’m no longer alone. The books are being used and the students are engaging with the library again. The teachers are requesting times to bring their classes to the library so I can work with them on their research. They are using the databases (and finding what they need!). The students are interested in knowing how to do research. They are interested in finding ways to promote the use of the library. I nearly fell out of my chair the other day when a young man (not my usual clientele) came in and asked if I could help him find the Da Vinci Code. I tried my best to hide my excitement at the request and calmly directed him to the fiction section. I couldn’t contain myself when I suggested three other books he could read if he enjoyed this one. Victory. That’s a ‘W’ for the librarian.

So I’m riding this wave. When I interviewed teachers and students about the library to help inform this blog, I was pleasantly surprised by what I heard. The teachers were happy with the collection, loved the focus on getting Indigenous resources, and pleased with the online databases to support their curriculum. The students were wanting more fiction, wanting to know more about how the library worked, wanting more interaction, wanting more…me. This isn’t about stroking my ego but just a recognition that things are headed in the right direction.

So what’s next you ask?

The online resource page. I made changes to it when I first started to update it but now I am bolstered by my recent successes and it’s on! I want to blow up the page with two main goals:

1.divide it into resources specific to the grade level they serve and have three separate pages for PYP, MYP and DP.

2. Spice it up. It’s boring. Looking at it, sometimes I’m not surprised the students choose google (but please at least make it google scholar!).

So, that’s it. That’s why I’m here. That’s how I’m going to push the library forward. The nay sayers can snicker and google “How do I read a book?”. Librarians Unite!