10 Replies to “Third Library Visit: School Library Mary Morris Watt Library”
Tiffany,
How cool is it that the Watt Library is named after someone in your family?! That is really something to be proud of!
I found myself checking out several of the links you mentioned in your post. I was hoping to get a great book recommendation from the Book Seer, but the site didn’t seem to be working when I tried it out. I’ll be sure to visit again another time. I love the Mirrors and Windows collections for students and families to take a closer look at. What a wonderful way to help readers find a book that they might not pick up on their own!
I do find it neat that the library is named for my cousin. I actually wish I’d known her! I think she was a fascinating woman. My aunt had some things from her from when she retired at the Richmond Times Dispatch. I was very thrilled to see the Mirrors and Windows article referenced and the diversity reading. I thought it was such a great way to get people reading things they might not normally read.
I enjoyed reading about the Watt Library. I check out the website and they do offer some cool links that I haven’t seen on other school library sites before. Because it is a private school library, I imagine they have more freedom to design their own website. I also liked reading that the librarian “genrified” the fiction collection. I have seen that in other school libraries and have found it to be very helpful to students.
Hi Jennifer. They did have some very cool links. I had never heard the term genrified before so thought it was neat she used it. I do think as a private school they probably have a little more leeway on the website and in the catalog.
I like that you chose a private school to highlight, as I think it offers a different perspective and possibilities. I really like that this library seems to be openly embracing diversity and real-world issues. I also love that there is a student made video! It’s a great way to involve students.
I think it’s great that even though this school serves students of all grade levels, there are different libraries that can focus on grade-appropriate collections. I also like the dot system in place in this library to help students visually identify books that are more appropriate for their age range. It’s a great way to organize the collection.
I thought it would be interesting to branch out to a private school library. I have been acquainted with public school libraries. This was something different. I was so excited when I saw the Mirrors and Windows collection as we had just read that in this class. I do think they are embracing diversity. I do hope to one day tour the library.
What a lovely school library! I love the circular seating area with the wingback chair. That looks like such a cozy space to do a story time session or for students to hang out and read or study. Although primary colors lend themselves to be a little bit more elementary in their aesthetic, I think that this is actually a benefit for older students. As I have done library skills lessons with high schoolers this year, I consistently heard from reluctant readers that the last time they enjoyed reading “was in elementary school.” Perhaps having the opportunity to stay engaged with the whimsy and wonder of their elementary learning days will continue to keep them interested in the library!
The “I Spy” display is incredibly clever. I wonder if there is some type of key that students use to engage with the board?
Overall, I was encouraged to see how modern this library looked. I remember attending two different private schools when I was in elementary and middle school, and each of them had very outdated libraries, which in retrospect I would attribute to funding issues. It seems that a library that is accessible and engaging for students is a value that Collegiate School holds.
It was a really lovely library. It is not terribly old, which I think has given it some beauty, and I know from looking around, they have already gotten new furniture once since the library was built. That is sad that the last time some of your students enjoyed reading was elementary school. Let’s hope the whimsy does help these students stay engaged. I do not know about any key but it is possible.
Tiffany, what a fun connection you have to this library. I was surprised by how many students attend this school because I came from a K-12 school with maybe 200 people. My first thought was that the library must be great to accommodate such a large number of students in the lower school. I love that you completed the quiz listed on their website, what a fun activity! I am impressed that the furniture and shelving are geared towards the age group that it serves. It seems that they really had their user base in mind when they designed the library as well as came up with the cataloging and organization system for their books.
You did attend a small school! My public school had about 100 in its graduating class. I think my daughters both had about 400 in their school alone in Henrico. I really do want to visit this library in person one day. I love the brightness and the look of the library. And the website was very well done.
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Tiffany,
How cool is it that the Watt Library is named after someone in your family?! That is really something to be proud of!
I found myself checking out several of the links you mentioned in your post. I was hoping to get a great book recommendation from the Book Seer, but the site didn’t seem to be working when I tried it out. I’ll be sure to visit again another time. I love the Mirrors and Windows collections for students and families to take a closer look at. What a wonderful way to help readers find a book that they might not pick up on their own!
I do find it neat that the library is named for my cousin. I actually wish I’d known her! I think she was a fascinating woman. My aunt had some things from her from when she retired at the Richmond Times Dispatch. I was very thrilled to see the Mirrors and Windows article referenced and the diversity reading. I thought it was such a great way to get people reading things they might not normally read.
I enjoyed reading about the Watt Library. I check out the website and they do offer some cool links that I haven’t seen on other school library sites before. Because it is a private school library, I imagine they have more freedom to design their own website. I also liked reading that the librarian “genrified” the fiction collection. I have seen that in other school libraries and have found it to be very helpful to students.
Hi Jennifer. They did have some very cool links. I had never heard the term genrified before so thought it was neat she used it. I do think as a private school they probably have a little more leeway on the website and in the catalog.
I like that you chose a private school to highlight, as I think it offers a different perspective and possibilities. I really like that this library seems to be openly embracing diversity and real-world issues. I also love that there is a student made video! It’s a great way to involve students.
I think it’s great that even though this school serves students of all grade levels, there are different libraries that can focus on grade-appropriate collections. I also like the dot system in place in this library to help students visually identify books that are more appropriate for their age range. It’s a great way to organize the collection.
I thought it would be interesting to branch out to a private school library. I have been acquainted with public school libraries. This was something different. I was so excited when I saw the Mirrors and Windows collection as we had just read that in this class. I do think they are embracing diversity. I do hope to one day tour the library.
Tiffany,
What a lovely school library! I love the circular seating area with the wingback chair. That looks like such a cozy space to do a story time session or for students to hang out and read or study. Although primary colors lend themselves to be a little bit more elementary in their aesthetic, I think that this is actually a benefit for older students. As I have done library skills lessons with high schoolers this year, I consistently heard from reluctant readers that the last time they enjoyed reading “was in elementary school.” Perhaps having the opportunity to stay engaged with the whimsy and wonder of their elementary learning days will continue to keep them interested in the library!
The “I Spy” display is incredibly clever. I wonder if there is some type of key that students use to engage with the board?
Overall, I was encouraged to see how modern this library looked. I remember attending two different private schools when I was in elementary and middle school, and each of them had very outdated libraries, which in retrospect I would attribute to funding issues. It seems that a library that is accessible and engaging for students is a value that Collegiate School holds.
-Allison
It was a really lovely library. It is not terribly old, which I think has given it some beauty, and I know from looking around, they have already gotten new furniture once since the library was built. That is sad that the last time some of your students enjoyed reading was elementary school. Let’s hope the whimsy does help these students stay engaged. I do not know about any key but it is possible.
Tiffany, what a fun connection you have to this library. I was surprised by how many students attend this school because I came from a K-12 school with maybe 200 people. My first thought was that the library must be great to accommodate such a large number of students in the lower school. I love that you completed the quiz listed on their website, what a fun activity! I am impressed that the furniture and shelving are geared towards the age group that it serves. It seems that they really had their user base in mind when they designed the library as well as came up with the cataloging and organization system for their books.
You did attend a small school! My public school had about 100 in its graduating class. I think my daughters both had about 400 in their school alone in Henrico. I really do want to visit this library in person one day. I love the brightness and the look of the library. And the website was very well done.