The Eagle Grove Area School District is changing the rules of what happens in a library. Jeanette White, head school librarian, says gone are the days of being shushed and expected to sit quietly with their head in a book.
“We are making sure kids know that the library is so much more than just a place to read…it’s a place for collaboration, innovation, thinking, sharing, and creating a buzz of excitement,” she said.
As the world changes, she and her associates, Serenity Dobbs at Eagle Grove Elementary and Hailey Adams at the Eagle Grove High School, are making sure what the library offers, too, and that starts with more technology and more digital access. It also includes more Hispanic titles, a Makerspace, STEAM activities….and the list continues.
“We are trying to be future ready…making the library a place students can find what they love, and maybe even turn it into a future hobby or career…by pulling in non-fiction books tailored to their interests,” explained White. “Libraries in general are growing and changing so much.”
One of those changes White felt needed attention immediately was to upgrade both school libraries to meet the diverse population of students they have. At the elementary/middle school level (they are both located in one room) they have tripled the Spanish book section. In fact, they just acquired the “Little House in the Big Woods” series and the “Magic Tree House” series in Spanish. White has noticed that since upgrading the number of Spanish books, that some students will work together to read the same book – one in English and one in Spanish. It’s collaboration at its finest.
White has also expanded the chapter books section at the elementary/middle school library. To go along with these reading additions, they also upgraded their catalog system to a cloud-based program. This allows students to check from their Chromebooks if books are available at the school library, and if so, reserve them. Families and students can also check what books they have checked out and if there are any late or lost fees. You can find this at EGES.goalexandria.com.
In the four years since taking over the school librarian position, White said she has really seen an increase in the popularity of digital books in the community, so she figured why not make them available for students as well, broadening their choices way beyond what they actually have for physical books in the library. The program Mackinvia allows students the opportunity to check out these digital books that downloads right onto their computer so they don’t need internet access to read it.
But like White points out, there is so much more to do in a library these days than just read. The elementary/middle school library has been expanded over the past several months to include STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) activities. There are currently seven stations that include: Origami, a Funphix type building/construction set; Tumble Tracks which helps with the understanding of physics by using magnets to make a marble fall down a white board, a Sphero which helps kids learn computer coding through fun controlling a robot, Marble maze which helps promote logical thinking, Dominoes and legos to encourage creativity.
“Come together and work it out is what libraries are all about,” White said.
That motto includes the library working together with the teachers in the classroom. The fourth graders are doing a research project this winter, so White and Dobbs have been helping students learn to look for and find information in the library. The second grade does an animal section, so they have been trying to stock more animal books.
Much of the funding for these upgrades and improvements come from the Scholastic Book Sale. They hold two a year. Last spring’s event was cancelled due to the outbreak of COVID. This fall, the Book Fair is happening now through Nov. 17 , but only students and staff are allowed inside the library to look at them. However, parents can order them online as well at scholastic.com/fair. All orders mean a book for your child at home, and more improvements at your library in school. It’s like getting two rewards for the price of one. White and Dobbs are hoping you will check it out and order a Christmas gift or two. Books are delivered directly to your house.
White notes that none of these upgrades and improvements could be done without the input of Dobbs, who is on her third year at the library.
“She is a shining star as an associate. She goes beyond decorating and caring for the libraries. Serenity understands and builds relationships with all the students,” she said. “She also does a really good job of organizing the library by age appropriateness and makes sure the fronts of the books all face out to be eye-catching.”
Be sure to watch next week’s Eagle to see how things are changing at the EGHS library as well.
