ENVIRONMENT

COMPONENT A

The library staff creates a flexible and adaptable space that

meets the needs of the school community.

Vision for Library Design

One of the biggest projects I've taken on as a member of the CVHS Library Team was redesigning the floor plan of our space. In the 2023-2024 school year, the library wasn't used to its full potential and I was frustrated by how chopped up the space was. Tall (and mostly empty) shelves took up huge parts of the library and it made for poor visibility in the library. There were tall tables mixed in with short tables, long airport-style rows of couches, and the books were not organized intuitively by genre. When Gretchen expressed interest in rearranging, I drafted blueprints to make our library more comfortable, welcoming, and functional.

I worked with our custodial staff to locate free library shelving from other schools and have them delivered to our library. I'm proud that we were able to redesign our space without spending any money.

The CVHS library went from a cavernous room with tall shelves and uninviting seating (top left photo) to a space that fosters true collaboration and community (bottom left photo). Students are able to sit and work independently or in a group. Teachers use the space to grade alone and work with Gretchen or other teachers to plan. Our library is used for chess club, book clubs, faculty meetings, tutoring, and student work throughout the day.

I'm so proud of the way our library looks!

Flexible Space

All of our new shelves are on caster wheels, making it easy for us to move them around to shift the space. When we acquired the shelves we were offered the opportunity to remove the wheels, but I advocated to leave them on so that we could move them around the library as needed. And we have indeed been able to move them when we needed to, to accommodate different events and displays! A Additionally, many of our tables are on wheels and our red couches are modular

Last year, we conducted a survey for all students asking about what kind of seating they wanted to see in the library and overwhelming, students said that they wanted the option to sit either by themselves, or in small groups. 49% of students indicated that the small red couches were what they preferred to sit on, and the red couches are our most modular seating, so when redesigning the library space, we were intentional about putting together smaller seating areas with those couches.

We also considered specific individual student feedback including one student who suggested that we, "arrange seating to be more like private and comfortable. I understand that many people with social anxiety have issues sitting in an area where they feel like they are being watched." Other student feedback included students who wanted "more seating options/study areas" and a student who said, "I enjoy sitting around the perimeter of the library so I would say a suggestion is maybe having a few more seating actions around the perimeter if possible?" We took all of these suggestions into consideration when updating the space and students have told us how much more they enjoy the library seating now! I've started making some of our smaller displays on small book carts which can easily be moved around the library based on space constraints.

Our library is open before and after school (from 7:00-3:30) and throughout the day. Lots of students use our space independently during their off hours, lunch, and while they wait for rides to and from school. We also host classes frequently for printing, book talks, club meetings and book clubs, and the occasional faculty meeting.

Sharing Our Library Space

Library Reservations

I manage the reservations for use of our space. During the day, classes can reserve space and time to print and after hours we share our space with the community for parent meetings, chess club, etc. I communicate expectations with our community and manage the Google Calendar. Teachers and outside community members get a set of expectations for using our space to make sure that everyone has a good experience in the library.

Class Visits

I designed table tents to help us reserve tables for us to put out when we have classes scheduled to visit the library. Students have learned to find other seats in the library when the table tents are out. It's a great way for us to manage the busy class reservation schedule in the library.

Book Clubs

Part of our library is a flexible space for book clubs. We host a few clubs throughout the month. This part of the library is cozy and lets students sit together to chat about literature. It's right inside the doors of the library, so it's not uncommon for a teacher or administrator to pop in and join the book club discussion.

COMPONENT B

The library staff creates a library space with decor, furniture and materials that are irresistible, foster curiosity, and reflect students' needs and interests.

Additional criteria: shelves with ample "breathing room;" out-facing books and eye-catching displays; comfortable seating conductive to different types of learning; natural light (when possible); zones for quiet study and collaborative learning.

Genre Displays

Throughout the library, we try to have built-in display space in each section. This helps to visually break up the dense shelves and helps us continue to display newer, engaging titles. These display shelves are at eye-level and make it easy for students to spot a book.

Genre Signs

One of my first projects at CV was redesigning the genre signs throughout the library. Before, they were 90s-style with too much clip art and distracting fonts. I wanted our genre signs to be clean and easy to read. I ordered picture frames to give them a uniformed look and made sure that the font was easy to read from various distances. I paired the genre sign color with the genre sticker for that section (Sci Fi genre stickers on books are green, so I made the signs green).

Rotating Displays

In addition to our ongoing "New Book" displays, we have at least one rotating display in the library each month. Students tend to check out books from our displays becuase they're visually appealing and engaging. I thoughtfully select books that are written by and include characters from a variety of different backgrounds, and I always include a few Spanish language copies on each display.

We designed our new library layout to include extra room for permanent and moveable displays. We build some of our smaller displays on moveable carts, while we have other displays that take up space on shelves and on our "coffee table" three-tiered display. Out-facing books are spread throughout our entire library to encourage students to pick up a new book.

Years ago, I heard John Green speak about writing. He said "Imagine that you're walking alone and you fall into a deep hole in the ground. You're yelling for help, and then finally I come along. I jump into the hole with you, and you say 'what are you doing?!' and I say, 'I'm meeting you where you are--now we can figure out how to get out together. I believe this is what a good book does. It meets you where you are." This quote guides my work in the library. I want students to find books that meet them where they are and I love creating displays that make that happen!

In our library survey in 2024, we asked students "Please let us know if you have any suggestions to improve your library experience. This can include book recommendations or expansions to our collections, seating options, additional tech resources, display ideas, sheet music, or other special requests for consideration." Many students left comments about fun, engaging displays. Their feedback included comments like:

It would be awesome to see more fun book themed displays, like blind date with a book, they are super fun and definitely motivate me to read!
This isn’t really a suggestion but I love the blind date with a books, so more interactive displays like that.
Keep doing the blind book stuff its super cool :)

I have referenced this survey feedback as I plan displays and try to provide interactive activities each month for students.

Taylor Swift Eras Display

This is the display that I'm most proud of! I picked books inspired by each of Taylor Swift's albums and included a lyric from each of the albums. This display was super popular with our students, especially as the Eras Tour came to an end this year. I love finding ways to engage with students' current interests with pop culture and current events.

Blind Date With a Book

Last Valentine's Day, I created a "Blind Date with a Book" display. Students loved the visual intrigue of this display. We wrapped books and I wrote a vague synopsis of the plot. "Dogs + Fake Dating + Catfishing" or "A small town with big secrets." Students only knew the genre and the number of pages. We couldn't keep these books on the shelf!

Reimagined Classics

Recently, we've purchased some retellings of classics like Demon Copperhead (David Copperfield) and James (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn). I decided to pair some of the new books with their older, less appealing classics to help students access some older stories. The display was time-consuming to make but really aesthetically-pleasing.

Olympic Reads

In August 2024, I had our library team complete an "Olympic Reads" display where we each posted our Gold, Silver, and Bronze reads from the year. Kids want to see their lives but also our world represented in the library. This was a fun way to combine our collective excitement for the Olympics with reading!

Colleen Hoover Alternatives

I believe that the library should meet kids where they are. A lot of our students ask for books by Colleen Hoover but we don't own them because they don't meet our purchasing criteria. Instead, I tried to find other books that could capture their attention like Hoover's books, based on content and writing style. I set up this display and students immediately checked out some of the titles.

Genre Favorites

This year, we've had an onoging "Genre Favorites" display to help students with their Genre Passport journey (you can read more about that on my Engagement page later). I try to select some of our most engaging and accessible titles from each genre. I have to replenish these stacks frequently because kids reach for them and check them out.

Promoting Literacy through Visuals

Author Display

I collaborate with our other assistant, Gillian, to create author features in our library. Each month we display an author's books together (from across the genres). Gillian researches and writes up the document and then I design the display. It's a great way for students to see the writing of authors who exist across the genres.

Teacher Feature

We want to model reading for our students. Each month, I reach out to a member of our faculty and ask them about their reading habits and their favorite books. We post their answers, a picture of them, and a copy of their favorite book. Students (and other teachers) love to see what their teachers are reading.

Librarian Team

Reading Goal

I wanted our students and teachers to see how many books our library team reads. For 2025, I created a large reading tracker where we can visually keep track of how many books we read this year. For each book we finish, we write the author and title on a paper book spine and tape it to our reading chart. It's been a fun way to share our reading goal:

250 books in 2025!

Book Recommendations

I wanted to buy an old-fashioned gumball machine where students can pay $1.00 for a piece of candy and a book recommendation. We keep quarters for students who want a recommendation and don't have any coins. It's eye-catching and a fun way for students to engage with our library.

Class Required Reads

Last fall, Gretchen and I were surprised by how many students came in to check out books for class but they didn't know the title they needed. We decided to keep an ongoing display of what different classes are reading (with a sticker for each teacher/grade). It's a place for students to reference the titles they need but is also a great way to communicate to the greater community about what our students are reading in class.

Little Free Library

We repurposed this old carousel and made a Little Free Library for students. They bring in and pick up books and we're always surprised at how great the titles are. The library does not provide any of the books but it's been a fun way for students to exchange books that they've purchased. Before breaks, sometimes we'll give the carousel a refresh and put out books for students to take home over long breaks.

COMPONENT C

The library staff collaborates with the school community to create a safe, inclusive and welcoming library environment that meets the needs of all users and reflects students' identities, languages, and lived experiences.

Inclusive Purchasing & Displays

We have been fortunate enough to have a sizable budget this school year to buy new books, and inclusive purchasing is at the center of all of our decisions. I attended an optional session at the DLMC last year on inclusive purchasing, and continue to use it as a guideline when choosing new books. I use Goodreads reviews, School Library Journal, and reviews on BookTok to find new and inclusive books that would be both relevant and interesting to our students. I also personally try to read diversely in my own life (and I read about a hundred books per year every year) which helps me know which books might appeal to our students.

When creating displays, I try to be mindful of the authors and types of characters that are featured in the books; I ask myself, are at least half of these books by authors of color, or featuring POC main characters, have LGBTQ+ representation, take place In countries other than the US, etc. Because we have built up our Spanish language section so much this year, I also make sure when creating displays that we display the book in both English and Spanish.

Promoting Spanish Literature District-Wide

In the 2024-2025 school year, Gillian, Gretchen and I applied for a $5,000 grant to build up our Spanish language section. In the last 12 months, we've increased our Spanish collection significantly and moved it to a central location of our library shelving. We have many students who read in Spanish and it's been fun to provide new titles in this section.

We wanted to send a sample display to some of the other high schools where they could help us promote our Spanish section and engage readers across the district. (We have put a lot of time and money into cultivating this section and want other students to benefit from the robust set of titles.) We reached out to the other high school library teams and created pop-up Spanish displays for them to use in their spaces.

I asked some of our TAs (who are native Spanish speakers) to collaborate with me on creating signage and fun bookmarks in Spanish to travel alongside a sampling of our Spanish books. The bookmarks said things like, "Si te gusto este libro, lee algunos de estos! Aca puedes encontrar nuestros libros en espanol!" (along with a QR code to our entire Spanish collection in Destiny. We also found a themed Spanish word search to include as an activity!

Some of the books we shared with other schools were checked out. We got great feedback from the other librarians. They said things like "This is so much work you've done for us, and we really appreciate you!" and "Thank you for this display package! I'm happy that some of them went out!" We hope to continue promoting this section in innovative ways.

Student Book Reviews

We realized this year that unless a student returns a book directly to us at circulation or we happen to see them returning a book, we often don't have the opportunity to ask them about what they thought of their book. So I designed this bookmark that we put inside every book that we check out so that students can give their honest feedback on their books! We ask that they fill out the bookmark and then leave it in their book when they return it.

This has been a great way to receive feedback from students, and I think often students feel more comfortable giving their honest review of a book when they don't have to do it face to face. We've also now received so many bookmark reviews that we've been able to make a display of books based on student feedback! We display the book, what star rating the previous student gave it, and any additional review or thoughts they had about. Students have really enjoyed that display and hearing from their peers about what they're reading!

Positive Feedback from Community

We have received so much positive feedback about the environment that we have created. A few teachers like to regularly bring their classes to the library for work time, research projects, or book talks because they love how welcoming and inviting the library feels.

Recently, the entire library staff was recognized by the all-boys student choir at a choir concert. At the concert, they brought us up on stage and talked about how we have made the library a place where students want to be and where everyone is friendly and welcoming. (You can see their thank you card and a picture of us receiving our card at the concert.)

The library has also become a place for faculty meetings and, when necessarily, for grief support when our school goes through the loss of a community member. Recently, we lost a faculty member and the library was available for the district grief counseling team. While this isn't how we imagine our library serving the community, it's rewarding to know that we have created a physical space and a culture of acceptance and comfort for all different types of situations. In the Weekly Update, we were recognized by a school leader who wrote "To our Library staff: thank you for sharing your space with us. And what a space it is. Warm. Inviting. You have create a safe haven for every staff member and student. It is a place where people want to be, and you are people we all look forward to seeing every day. Thank you for your peace."

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