For my school library visit, I went to the library at Henrico High School where I teach. I’ve been to the library many times but usually to do copying or attend meetings. This is the first time that I have considered its qualities as a library.
Digital access
There are several ways to access the school library: a learning management (schoology) course, Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) clever, the main website and a google site. Since you need to be an active HCPS student or staff member to access clever and the learning management system, I’ll talk about its web sites. The main website is a bitmoji classroom that you can access through the school’s website. There are links to access information and resources including the catalog, digital resources, clever, the sora library of e-books and audiobooks, the schoology course, teacher resources, and a link to local public library. From this page you can also access the library’s instagram and twitter. The ask a librarian link allows students to send an e-mail message to library staff directly. The google site gives basic information about the library but some of the information is out of date or the links don’t work. However, the google site includes resources for citation and a link to the Henrico High School literary magazine.
Collections
The library has about 12,000 print books and materials. As Rubin and Rubin note, the library provides “access to materials in all formats, including up-to-date, high-quality, varied literature to develop and strengthen a love of reading” ( Rubin & Rubin, p. 122). The fiction collection is organized by genre with clear signs and color coding for each type of literature. The non-fiction collection is organized by the dewey decimal system. Because each student has their own laptop, you don’t see computers for use in the library but there is a charging station/work table toward the front of the library. Of special interest, there is a graphic novel and manga collection, a board game collection, and a substantial LGBTQ collection that the librarian reports is the most popular.
Space
The library is located in the main office building. When you enter, there is the information/reference desk and in the front are printers/copiers and the computer work station. The back wall is a bank of windows that allows in natural light. There are a couple of comfortable seating areas for relaxing or social interaction. About half of the space is “structured to maximize flexibility and to promote active learning, connection, and interaction” (Rubin & Rubin, p. 121). The tables and chairs are on wheels and easily moved. On one side of the main space there is an interactive smartboard and on the opposite wall there is a bright link projector and whiteboard. The space can be divided to have two classes meeting simultaneously. The library also has a conference room for small meetings or workshops and space for student creativity or playing board games.
Since it is summer school, the library is open for limited hours and the librarian was performing other duties outside the library. There were two students of different ethnicities and a teacher brought in a group of students as I was leaving. The library door is open to all students and staff and the summer librarian was playing music in the background.
Reference
Rubin, R. E. & Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.
Sharnoff, K. (2022). HHS library [digital photograph]. CC-BY
It did feel like a welcoming space for the both students and staff! I liked the jazz music in the background as well, that reminded me of a coffee shop or something. I kind of wonder what the other duties were that the librarian had to do outside of the library and why the school didn’t think it was necessary for her to be in the library? It seems strange to have the library open with nobody to attend to it.
I’m glad you mentioned the ask the librarian feature. So, is that something students have access to all the time? Does it send as an email to that school’s librarian or is another method for communication used? It is a feature I have seen on all the public and LOC sites, and our school doesn’t have it and I was wondering if it was worth pursuing with my librarian.
It seems like your school tries very hard to reach the interest of the children. Interestingly, the librarian knows the popularity of certain genres, I wonder if this is from data of items checked out of in-house interest. At my library, if we see a person reading a book we try to check it as “in house” so we capture real interest. We do this by scanning the barcode but also from the book record.
This looks like a nice space! I appreciate that they’re open for summer school (but also glad that my own library was not, lol). I love the windows letting in natural light. A collection of 12,000 is pretty great for a high school–how many students attend?
This space seems very bright and open! I am noticing a classroom set up in the library – do you know what type of instruction this is primarily used for?
This is a nice, welcoming space with lots of light. I would want to hang out there. Nice to see an actual teenager utilizing the space too! They’re an elusive species in the library!