Digital Access
I was unable to physically visit a public school, so I decided to digitally tour and research Newburg Middle School in Louisville, Kentucky. Although the school has its own main page on the Jefferson County Schools website, (https://www.jefferson.kyschools.us/schools/profiles/newburg), librarian Mrs. Shannon Wilson also created a LibGuide for the school’s library (https://jcpsky.libguides.com/newburgmiddlelibrary). The LibGuide is very easy to navigate, with helpful tabs across the top of the page. The LibGuide is meant for students, teachers, and other adults. There is an “Annual Reports” tab that shows data about elements of library use for parents, teachers, and other adults to use. For the students, there is information about “Online Books,” “Summer Reading,” “Verizon Lab,” and more. The library catalog is also linked to the LibGuide.
The main page includes links to the school’s Twitter account and YouTube videos. Videos about the library’s innovation lab are posted on the main page. There are links to library games about internet safety, plagiarism, and shelving books. The librarian, Mrs. Wilson, includes her information. You can call her through the school, email her, or set up an appointment.
While this website is generally very student-friendly, it has no disability accommodations. Students with visual impairments, difficulty reading English, or dyslexia may find the website difficult to use.
Figure 1. Screenshot of the welcome page of Newburg Middle School’s LibGuide.
Wilson, S. (2022, May 24). Newburg Library: Welcome. Jefferson County Public Schools. https://jcpsky.libguides.com/newburgmiddlelibrary
The Space and Physical Access
Newburg Middle School is a charter school in a very diverse area of Louisville. In order to access the Newburg Middle School library, I watched videos from the school’s and district’s YouTube accounts.
The library is an interesting mix of cozy and futuristic. When you enter the library, the circulation desk is to the left. To the right, there is a display of new titles and two catalog search-specific computers. There are multiple circular four person tables for studying and group projects. There are also shorter tables with comfy seating. At the back of the library, there are bright blue restaurant-style booths.
The shelves are all 3-5 shelves tall, so they are fairly easy to access for most middle school students. There is also plenty of room for students with mobility aids to access the books. The library has a computer lab area within the stacks (Newburg Middle library, 2016).
In 2021, Newburg Middle School’s library was updated with an Innovative Learning Lab, sponsored by Verizon (Jefferson County Public Schools, 2021). The lab takes up most of the right side of the library. It feels a little intimidating, simply because it is so modern looking. It has bright colored walls and tables filled with new technology. However, it looks like the students have staff support when it comes to learning about their new lab.
Services and Intellectual Access
The library contains a lot of signage. There are signs guiding students to the front desk and the book drop and labeling fiction and nonfiction sections. The school uses the Dewey Decimal System and tries to break it down into pieces that the students can absorb. There are signs on the aisles explaining which Dewey Decimal numbers are down each aisle. There are also posters about various books taped on the ends of aisles and on the walls.
The library catalog is accessible on the two catalog-specific computers. I find it very exciting that the library acknowledges its search system as an OPAC and teaches the students about Online Public Access Catalogs, as this was definitely not something I knew about in middle school (Newburg Middle library, 2016)
Figure 2. Screenshot of a banner over the library catalog computers advertising the catalog as an OPAC.
Newburg Middle library. (2016, August 3). Library virtual tour [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4nakgwJRrE
The Innovative Learning Lab makerspace is the star of the library when it comes to programming. The lab offers 3D printing, virtual reality that students can program themselves, cameras, computers, iPads, and digitally controlled cars. Staff guide students at first, and then they students have time to themselves to learn while they play. William Pierce, an administrator of Jefferson County Public Schools, says, “The idea of the lab overall is to create an immersive experience that sets up students with the technology necessary for tomorrow’s world” (Jefferson County Public Schools, 2021). Rubin and Rubin (2020) says that library spaces evolve, often to include makerspaces, “to inspire, to facilitate learning, to advance knowledge, and to strengthen the community” (p. 308). I am curious to know if this makerspace has accommodations for students with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, as it is not clear from the videos.
Figure 3. Screenshot of computers and 3D printers in the Innovative Learning Lab.
Jefferson County Public Schools. (2021, August 27). Newburg Middle School – Verizon Innovative Learning [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Zco2MpeUg&t=8s
People (Patrons and Staff)
The library is specifically designed to serve the students of the middle school. The Jefferson County Public Schools system has a decent amount of racial and ethnic diversity in enrollment. 40% of students are white, 37% are Black or African American, 13% are Hispanic/Latinx, 5% are two or more races, and 5% are Asian or Asian Pacific Islander. 9% are in English learning programs (U.S. News & World Report, n.d.).
The number of library staff is unclear. There is at least one librarian, Mrs. Wilson, and a library assistant (newburgmiddlelibrary, 2021). Because I have not been to the library, I cannot comment on student interactions, but based on her LibGuide and library videos, Mrs. Wilson seems to care very deeply about her students.
Collections
Outside of the Innovative Learning Lab, the library has several other collections. The fiction, nonfiction, and biographies are on labeled shelves, and the books are organized by the Dewey Decimal System. The library also has a collection of audiobooks. Students can read magazines from the collection as long as they stay in the library.
Other
When I chose to look at this library, I had no idea how much I would learn about tech-based makerspaces. This visit definitely made me feel a bit old, as this is very different from my middle school library. The old-school part of me is a little overwhelmed by all the technology. When it comes to diversity, I don’t know if I can truly comment on it since I have never been to the library, but in all videos and online materials, the students I see are diverse racially and ethnically.
This visit made me curious about what school libraries are like today. I would be interested to see a few more and find out what other kinds of makerspaces are in school libraries.
References
Jefferson County Public Schools. (2021, August 27). Newburg Middle School – Verizon Innovative Learning [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Zco2MpeUg&t=8s
Newburg Middle library. (2016, August 3). Library virtual tour [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4nakgwJRrE
newburgmiddlelibrary. [@newburgmiddlelibrary]. (2021, October 6). Red ribbon jersey day and my library assistant and I wore the same jersey! [Image attached]. [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/newburglibrary/status/1453144148324851714/photo/1
Rubin, R. E., & Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.
U.S. News and World Report. (n.d.). Jefferson County Public Schools. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/kentucky/districts/jefferson-county-103897
Wilson, S. (2022, May 24). Newburg Library: Welcome. Jefferson County Public Schools. https://jcpsky.libguides.com/newburgmiddlelibrary
This is the first school library post I have seen that has a great website. This helps give some insight on what a school library website should look like.
I was intrigued by the innovative lab and makerspace. It is so imperative to prepare our children for the future. A shift to all technology to challenge students critical thinking is important and I loved reading and seeing this space in your post. Thanks you for sharing!
Wow- I can’t believe how much you were able to access online. I feel like the school library sites in my district are pretty locked down- and standard. You were so fortunate to think about YouTube to access information. I also feel overwhelmed with the amount of technology in school libraries. I don’t see it as much in elementary schools… I guess the maker space technology will be the new normal for the next generation! Thanks for all your work in sharing this innovative space.
I also did a middle school and it had a great website packed with resources too. But yours was really fun! I love, love, love the shelving game on the library website. And the virtual tour of the Innovative Lab. But the thing I am most amazed by… the outdoor classroom with the drone course! The maker space was a huge part of the school I visited too. I’d honestly never seen so much space devoted to makers. I like that you chose a school outside of Virginia. It is interesting to see the similarities and the differences.
I played the shelving game, too! I was intrigued. I really love that LibGuide. I chose the school based on the video tours, before I realized where it was. It was interesting to look at this library in another state, and at this school system that is able to provide so much for their students!
I can’t believe you were able to learn all that online! That’s a ton of information. Our school library website had very little information. Using games to teach internet safety and plagiarism is such a great idea. When I did my librarian interview, she told me that those are topics that she feels are very important but often feels rushed through when covering them. The games would definitely support whatever lesson she taught in the library.
I am impressed with how much you got from looking online, but I think this school prides itself on all it has to offer for it’s students. I know the technology can be overwhelming, but I do think it is a big part of this generation of students. It’s nice to see they have the 3D printer and virtual reality available as both are great for computational thinking skills.