I chose Swans Creek Elementary as my school visit since I am currently working there, which gives me a special insight into how the school library is run. Located in Southbridge, Virginia, it is a diverse school with over 600 students that range from pre-K to 5^th grade. Their website, https://swanscreekes.pwcs.edu/home, shows a picture of the school and has tabs where the searcher can find school information, technology help, a school directory, and calendar. However, there is no information regarding the school library and its resources. The school directory has my name as the Library Media Assistant, but there is nothing else mentioned about what my job entails. This lack of representation speaks volumes to me about how the library is rated in importance to the rest of the school’s programs. We are often overlooked as a vital place to find information that would enhance the students’ education. Rubin and Rubin (2020) state that school libraries “serve as places where students learn how to be good citizens and accepting of others” (p. 156); however, if the Swans Creek Elementary is merely utilized as a place to check out books and not used for research or education, how can it achieve this goal?

When you arrive at the school building, you see two parking areas. One requires you to cross a driving lane to get to the sidewalks that reach the school. The other parking lot holds 12 spaces near the front door; this is where you will find the handicap spots. To the right of the front door is a small free library with donated books. It has recently been painted yellow, blue, and white to represent the school colors. As you enter the building, you will notice the library is located in the center of the foyer, with double doors welcoming you in. To the right of the doors is a wooden library cart that holds weeded books that are still in good condition. There is a sign telling students to take and keep the books.

When you enter the library, you first notice the amazing paintings donning the walls. Characters from numerous books have been painted on all four walls and the center column. To the right is a reading section where there are wooden chairs and loveseats with blue cushions; these are for the students to read their books after they have checked out. There is also a huge rug with colorful owls for children to sit on while the librarian reads to them from a rocking chair. The wall behind the reading area is where fiction books from many popular series are located. Since this is a high traffic area, I think it is not the smartest location for the chairs: when children are trying to read their books, they have numerous students distracting them by searching these shelves. However, there is not enough room in the library to move these seats to a more appropriate location.

In the middle of the room there are six desktop computers surrounding a colorful column with The Giving Tree character. These monitors are open to Destiny Discover, the library program used to locate materials in the library. Students do not need a password to utilize this program since the library staff have entered the required information needed to open and maintain the catalog before the classes come to the library. The program is simple, which allows for second through fifth graders to be able to utilize it. They can locate books by title, or they have the option to look up books by genre. Since there are only six computers for a class of 20 or more students, it is not unusual for lines to form.

The signage to determine the library sections is clearly displayed at the end of every row with arrows pointing to the appropriate side of the shelf. It starts with easy fiction on the left of the reading section, followed by fiction, which is located to the left of the computers. If you keep going, there is the graphic novels section; this collection is in great condition, if not small in size. Perpendicular to this are the non-fiction shelves, which is cattycorner to the easy non-fiction section. On the shelf facing away from the non-fiction is a rather small multicultural section. This collection is not labeled and has no signage. On every shelf in the library are dividers with the letters of the alphabet or the numbers from the Dewey Decimal System. They are large enough so that all the students can easily find what they want when searching with the call number.

Between the computers and both non-fiction sections is where the classroom learning takes place. There are twelve tables spaced evenly in front of a Promethean Board, although these tables and chairs are wooden and uncomfortable. They are over twenty years old, and the library is in need of new ones. The students do not like sitting in these chairs and are often falling out of them due to their instability. In the center of the tables are colorful caddies with crayons and pencils.

Next to the classroom area and across from the computers is the circulation desk. There are two chairs, one for the assistant to check out students and one for the teacher. On the desk is a rectangular basket that holds an array of colorful shelf markers. Next to the basket are two hand sanitizer bottles and a box of tissues. There is also a medium-sized trash can next to the desk to encourage students to keep their library clean before they leave with their books.

The library has had an interesting year concerning the staff. In October, the librarian quit and there was no one to teach classes for a few weeks. A long-term substitute was hired, and he worked in the library for several months. Once his time was up, administration brought in a retired librarian to teach students and weed the collection. She was able to stay for a month and was followed by another retired librarian who will stay through to the end of March. After she leaves, there will be no librarians for the rest of the school year. Throughout this time, I have maintained and run the library despite the circumstances. Circulation has never stopped; however, the curriculum has not been consistent. It is unfortunate that the students have not had a consistent librarian since “students will always need guides, mentors, and coaches to help them navigate projects, generate meaning, and develop lifelong learning habits” (Rubin & Rubin, 2020, p. 152).

Overall, I believe Swans Creek Elementary has a beautiful and inviting library; however, some of its collections seemed older and underrepresented. The school has a large multicultural population, yet the multicultural section was lacking and confusing, as there is no signage or dividers to help locate books in this area. Most of the multicultural collection is newer, but there are less than ten fiction books. There is a nice array of books on top of the shelf, but the students rarely visit this section. The library has a cozy atmosphere, but with the lack of a stable librarian, it seems that some things have fallen through the cracks.

References

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