The Space & Physical Access

Larkspur Middle School sits on a busy road, Princess Anne Road and is nestled in between several strip malls on either side and residential areas in front and behind.  There is a nice pond with many birds in the area, including families of Canada geese, mallard ducks, and even American black vultures linger on the school rooftop.  Behind the school there are nice paths for walking in the shade among the trees.  The library sits at the center of the school on the second floor (accessible by stairs or elevator).  It was renovated in the last 10 years and has a very modern and open feel.  Tall bookshelves line the walls which are paired with four-foot tall bookshelves that allow an open and visible space among the stacks.  The purple paint throughout feels fresh, and a collage of brightly colored ceiling tiles that students created line part of the ceiling.  There are 4 small rooms within the library that can be used for private meetings, small groups, or testing.  One room is the office of the School Psychologist and the fish bowl room (glass wall facing library) is used by a Reading Specialist. 

People (Patrons & Staff)

There are three library staff that work directly in the library–two Library Media Specialists (LMS) and one Media Assistant (LMA).  One LMS has an education degree and a MLIS degree.  One LMS has a Master’s in Education and MLS but not ALA accredited.  The LMA is yours truly with an education degree and working towards an MLIS degree.  I am excited for my new role starting in August 2022.  The patrons we serve are middle school students (ages 11-14) and staff (teachers and administration).  The school enrollment is at 1,540 students and the population is diverse (white and black Americans make up the majority, with a significant ELL population varying from Central and South America, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia).  I think non-native English speakers feel more uncomfortable in the library as they are not as familiar with the set-up.  Fortunately I am bilingual (English/Spanish) and have been able to specifically help our native-Spanish speakers connect with resources and feel more welcome in the space.  We have a small population that is visually impaired and I feel the library is not set up well for them, as there are a lot of tripping hazards (free-standing displays, random chairs, and many tables).  There is a classroom right beside the library specifically for the visually impaired.  At times teachers will offer lessons in the library and have students practice navigating the space.  The library does accommodate students with disabilities and students in wheel-chairs.  I feel the space allows for easy movement with wheelchairs and access to the easy-reading collection.         

Digital Access

Wifi access is available throughout the library.  The student to tech ratio is 1:1 as each student has a personal chromebook.  Often students do not bring their personal chromebook to the library unless it is for a class.  When students walk through the double glass doors of the library, they are asked to sign in on a chromebook.  This Google form aids Library staff to track student activity, student needs and attendance.  Under my recommendation from last school year, our library received four additional chromebooks that we are going to set up as a research station this Fall.  This will allow students to search databases, ebooks, and the collection independently and will allow for teachable moments by library staff.  

Larkspur Middle School (LKMS) Library does not have a formal website.  The school has a website and on it under the Students tab, one can find a Library tab with the Library webpage.  Unfortunately, it is very outdated (2020/21 school year) and no updated hyperlinks are available.  It provides basic information such as hours, book checkout policy, and staff names (all outdated).  It also lists digital ebook resources and other databases, but none are hyperlinked.  Destiny is the school district library database which can be accessed through student chromebooks on Classlink.  The Launchpad within Classlink houses all the apps students and district employees can easily access with their username/password.  In many ways, a website is unimportant because students have access to a kid/user-friendly site.  For parents and outsiders, this would not be available.  

Staff view of Classlink – LaunchPad.  Note folders-eBooks, Reference Database (houses Follett Destiny where library collection can be found). 

Services & Intellectual Access

There are no special programs or services that I can see offered either by the webpage or when you are in the physical space.  I would like to see more services and programming offered, and have this more visible to our middle schoolers and staff.  Signage throughout the library is also minimal.  This next year there are plans to revamp programs and create more Makerspace areas for students to enjoy.  The LMA last year hosted a weekly story-hour for one special needs classroom.  Students listened to one or two stories and participated in a related activity afterwards usually involving coloring/drawing.  The LMS’s roles in a school library are to collaborate with teachers and help promote digital literacy and research skills. As Rubin and Rubin (2020) says, “the role of a school librarian in integrating technology into the learning environment” is crucial to connect to these digital modern times (p.125).  The entire library staff is very new and post-pandemic we are working at getting our bearings to refresh the library space and programming as a whole.       

Collections

The collection is obviously geared towards youth and is divided into two main sections with several additional “pop-out” shelves that house graphic novels, popular series, and mystery/scary stories.  When you enter the double doors, to the right is fiction novels alphabetized by author’s last name, and a section of picture books/easy reading levels.  To the left is nonfiction organized by the Dewey Decimal system.  If you continue past nonfiction, there is a display of counseling/self-help books, and Biographies stand alone in the far corner.  This next school year, some of this will be moved around as we have a new LMS entering the space.   

(Biographies, Counseling/self-help section moving backwards towards Nonfiction with moveable seating for easy student access.)

Weidner, E. (2022).  Biographies/nonfiction-Larkspur Library.  [photograph].  Retrieved from Personal Collection.  CC BY-NC

Other

Upon entering this space, this school library feels like it has potential.  There are two areas on opposite sides of the library that house new Sonic View boards and dinosaur laptops for modern presentations. Screencasting to the Sonic View boards are also available for those with their personal/staff laptops.  The various shaped tables on wheels and chairs can be set up in endless configurations to meet the needs of classes.  There is a 3-D printer and Schoology tutorials for those interested in creating a 3-D printed project.  There are several Makerspace areas (Lego Table, Cubelets table, board games area, button-creation center) for students to use with activity passes from their teacher.  “Makerspaces allow for students to explore, share, create, and solve problems together” (Rubin & Rubin, 2020, p.124). There is also a Calming Corner with drawing and coloring pages and a beanbag chair to relax.  The fluorescent lighting is at times harsh, and little natural light enters the space.  There are countless windows throughout that make the library feel open and welcoming.  I feel like I am at the command center or the brain of the school when I am in the library, as a lot can happen here. It is also a space for teachers to come and take a break, or for students to calm down from an over-stimulated classroom.       

Weidner, E. (2022).  The hub – Larkspur Library.  [photograph].  Retrieved from Personal Collection.  CC BY-NC

References 

Rubin, R. E., & Rubin, R. G.  (2020).  Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.).  ALA Neal-Schuman.

Weidner, E. (2022).  Biographies/nonfiction-Larkspur Library.  [photograph].  Retrieved from Personal Collection.  CC BY-NC

Weidner, E. (2022).  The hub – Larkspur Library.  [photograph].  Retrieved from Personal Collection.  CC BY-NC

Weidner, E. (2022).  Staff view of Classlink – LaunchPad.  [screenshot].  Retrieved 7/19/2022 from https://myapps.classlink.com/home  CC BY-NC 

Virginia Beach City Public Schools.  (n.d.).  Larkspur Middle.  Vbschools.com.  Retrieved July 

18, 2022, from https://larkspurms.vbschools.com/home

Virginia Beach City Public Schools.  (n.d.).  Library.  Vbschools.com.  Retrieved July 

18, 2022, from https://larkspurms.vbschools.com/students/library