Serena Platt, Editor-in-Chief
@splattcourant
Over the course of the summer and into the new school year, the librarians have been busy making significant changes to the library. Among these changes include rearranging the study sections, modifying the book identification system, and expanding the MakerSpace.
For Librarian Michelle Luhtala, who helped lead the library remodeling, organizing the books by genre–as opposed to by author–was the most exciting change. “Over the summer, we moved every book in our collection, which is about 25,000 books. Genrefication is really, I think, the most transformative change to our reading program,” she said.
The librarians also created two new side spaces in the library designed for group conversations. “I realized this is such a great place to do nonfiction groups,” Ms. Luhtala said. “It’s all about workflow and students gravitating to the space that fits their needs. Choosing your spot is really important.”
The librarians were inspired to make these improvements after they received a letter from senior Ellerie Tauber who was looking for effective study spaces. “I decided to speak up about the library because I thought that it was important for the high school to accommodate all of the different preferences that students have when it comes to studying.”
Since the remodeling, Ellerie has been pleased with the results. “Because the quiet section is now by the windows, I think the environment is a lot more energetic and favorable for studying,” she said. “Now that everything is sectioned off into its own compartments, I’ve found that it’s so much easier to get my work done in the library.”
Another modification to the resources available in the library is the expansion of the MakerSpace. According to Director of Digital Learning Matthew Salvestrini, this change is part of a larger project geared towards student creativity. “We have a district-wide initiative on innovation, and we’ve asked ourselves how we can use the MakerSpace as a lab of learning to provide students opportunities for innovation here at the high school and across the district,” he said.
Mr. Salvestrini is focused on providing spaces for students to use their creativity. “There’s a lot of space that’s designed to provide students with the ability to get their ideas out,” he said. “Two students in the same class may use a space differently based on how they want to solve the problems they’re being presented with.”
Director of Innovation Melinda Meyer attributes the expansion of the MakerSpace to what would better align with student needs. “Watching how students use the space drives the changes that take place,” she said. “Sometimes when you’re thinking and prototyping, you’re going in between spaces, and when we watched students, we realized they were flowing in between different areas.”
Ms. Meyer is excited about an addition to the MakerSpace that will be dedicated towards robotics and circuitry. “We are creating a fabrication space that will have 3-D printers and more high-end tools,” she said. “Seeing the generations coming through and using more versatile tools is very exciting.”
The remodeling and advancement of the library is all part of a broader mission dedicated to opening up more options to students. “The library is at the heart of student learning and the student experience here,” Ms. Luhtala said. “It’s a place where we continually evolve to meet student needs.”
