"It was good to walk into a library again; it smelled like home." Elizabeth Kostova, The Historian
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| Photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels |
The library is my home, a place of magic as a child and a place of solace as an adult. Libraries should be welcome spaces to all, to encourage curiosity and to allow access to knowledge for all. A school library in particular should be a haven for students while also supporting the educational mission of the school.
My favorite of Ranganathan’s laws is “every reader his/her book”. While school librarians play many roles they must first create a space and a collection that allows access to every student in their school. Whether it is building a diverse collection, adding books in native languages, building a graphic novel collection, or ensuring physical access to shelves the library must reflect the community it serves. Above all else the students must view the library as a safe space and feel that the collection also reflects who they are and what they are interested in.
While the foundation of librarianship is the promotion of literacy and access to knowledge it is important that school libraries expand beyond books. Maker spaces are key to giving students access to technologies and the knowledge of how to use them. Digital literacy also needs to be a focus of libraries, to ensure that students can navigate the quickly changing and overwhelming access to information. Different formats of books, like audiobooks and eBooks, can also help promote literacy even if the material is not in a traditional book form.
Finally, librarians need to act as extensions of the classroom and support teachers in guiding their students in their education. Librarians need an understanding of the state standards and school mission, to collaborate with faculty to ensure students are being supported not just in their individual interests but also in their larger education.
The library must be a home for the students, teachers, staff, and community. It must embrace a love of learning, adapt to new technologies, and encourage literacy. Above all else the school library should remain a place of magic, to get lost in a story, and to allow all users access to knowledge.