Granby High School was closed to the public but, luckily, I have someone on the inside who snuck me some pictures and info. Like all great bloggers (and especially the not great ones) , I cannot reveal my sources.
Granby High School was built in 1939 and is a beloved Norfolk Institution, housing the system’s prestigious I.B. program. According to the library’s website, the school’s literary magazine is called The Cupola, a clear reference to one of the building’s original structures.
The library is staffed by 3 people, two certified teachers and a media assistant. Surprisingly, no one has an MLS.
The library uses the Dewey Decimal cataloging system. It offers a large collection of digital materials, available to all Norfolk Public Schools students which, despite being a parent of one for seven years, I did not know but will be taking advantage of! The library website offers tips and tricks for how and when to cite and encourages students to seek additional help “IRL” if necessary.
Generous collection of magazines
The information on the website indicates this is a library working to prepare its students for the information-based challenges they will face in the future.
References:
Rubin, R. E. and Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.
I first became acquainted with this library twelve years ago when my son was in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at CHKD next door. When you’re in the PICU for nearly four months, you wander. You can’t go too far but you can’t stay in the hospital all the time either. So, in the dead of winter, usually in the middle of the night, I would stand outside this library and stare up at it and wonder if somewhere in there was the answer that was going to bring my kid home. I even tried the door a few times but it was always locked. Maybe it was a metaphor. Or maybe, as I discovered on a recent visit, only one set of the doors is actually unlocked. Once my son was transferred to Boston Children’s Hospital I would do the same thing at Harvard Medical School next door. Talk about aww (Ettarh 2018). And so began my love/hate relationship with the medical resource libraries.
Much less scary in the daylight
This library is “open to the public” but not in a “the public actually knows” sort of way. After trying five sets of doors that were all locked, I was met by an EVMS student who’d forgotten her badge and knew enough to knock on the door and ask the guard for admission. I would not have done that on my own and, probably, neither would the average person. The guard let us in and we showed ID and signed in. Again, not very “public” in my opinion.
This library is so quiet it’s like the air itself has been removed from the building. The first floor has a reference desk, a few study areas and a Lay Health Medical collection, and I can’t help but wondering does the “Lay” mean Layman, as in not a doctor? On the first floor you’ll also find a vast array of strange and terrifying rusty medical tools as well as student dissertations and theses.
Obligatory scary old medical/torture devicesThere’s a lot of journals hiding in there!
The collaboration spaces are phenomonal and I saw a couple of groups working in them. The collection of journals and periodicals is incredible. There are so many they use a special system to open and close the stacks. The Library of Congress classification system is used here and the vast majority of the collection is medical (No Lianne Moriarty books here, folks!). I spent the majority of my time here on the third floor, and somehow accidentally on purpose ended up in pediatric cardiology journals, got lost, got sad, and left. This is not a comfortable, welcoming, or hang out type of environment but I guess it helps people learn how to use those creepy instruments on the first floor.
How lucky am I to live here in Norfolk, Virginia and be able to visit the beautiful Perry Library at on the main ODU campus? Honestly, walking up to this grand building stirred a lot of feelings in me I-that library awe that Ettarh (2018) referred to in our first readings for LIBS 608. There is a beauty and quiet stillness in the library, the smell of old books coupled with a desire to know at least a little about what’s in each one, and oooh a coffee shop!
The Perry Library is a well-planned combination of chill, comfortable study space with plenty of room for collaboration. There are multiple meeting rooms and private study rooms, comfortable seating, friendly staff and LOTS of computers for student use-including a whole area dedicated to Macs.
Ample collaboration spaces2nd floor study area
The library’s hours are extremely generous-they’re open 24 hours a day during the Spring and Fall semesters! The library is open to the public though you need to be a student to borrow materials. I was somewhat surprised to find a very large collection of children’s literature. There is also a special collection archive dedicated to preserving historic materials about the University as well as Norfolk and Hampton Roads history.
Go Monarchs (to the library!)This lady lives in the Periodicals
The building is at once sleek, modern collaboration space and traditional academic library (complete with old book smell) thanks to the recent renovations that built onto the existing structure rather than demolishing the original building. Librarians are readily available both in person or via instant chat and you can make an in-depth research appointment with a librarian dedicated to your specific subject as well. The library is cataloged using the Library of Congress classification system. It boasts a vast collection of scholarly journals, many available both digitally and in print as well as some “easy reading” should you have the time. It is connected to the Student Success Center and, with its ample computers, collection, and 24 hour access, clearly aims to be an integral part of that success.
The original Mary D. Pretlow Library was built in 1961 and is named after the pioneering libarian pictures below. Mary D. Pretlow said, “The idea of a public library is to put books in walking distance of every person.” (Norfolk Public Library 2022). You can read all about the history of Miss Pretlow and her work with the Norfolk Public Library here: https://www.norfolkpubliclibrary.org/about-npl/hours-locations/mary-d-pretlow-anchor-branch/mary-d-pretlow. In 2007, this version of the Mary D. Pretlow Library opened and it has been loved, revered, used, and (at times) abused ever since.
The Space
This is the most beautiful, welcoming library I’ve ever experienced. It is truly a place like no other and it’s a gift to the the Ocean View community and the families that have made it a destination library. There are 4 distinct spaces: The Ocean View Station Museum, The main (or grown up as I used to call it) floor, the KidZone, and the brand-new, not-yet-open-to-the-public Marstonn Maker Studio, housed in the former teen zone.
Norfolk Public Library is a certified Family Place Library, which means each library has a space dedicated to play, a Family Resource Center near that play space where parents can find books on pregnancy, parenting, and everything in between, and special programs to develop social, emotional, and early literacy skills in babies and toddlers.
The books here are cataloged using the Dewey decimal system. Pretlow is one of 4 anchor branches in the Norfolk Public Library system, which is currently comprised of 4 anchors and 8 smaller, neighborhood branches. Patrons can check-out, return, place holds and use equipment at any of the anchors or branches. They also have access to electronic books, movies, TV shows, and magazines via Overdrive, Hoopla, or Libby, all free with your library card. A card is free to any Virginia resident although you must live and/or work in the city of Norfolk to access E- resources for free, or pay a small fee yearly. Norfolk Public Library also offers free access to many online databases including Gale, Infotrac, and Ancestry. NPL is also home to a large collection of local historical documents and relics, housed in the Sargeant Memorial Collection of Local History and Genealogy.
When Pretlow first opened it was open 7 days a week and until 9 pm Monday-Thursday. Norfolk Public Libraries were completely shut down from March until June, 2020 and have slowly re-opened. This summer marks the return to in-person programming in the library. As a system, the library is now open 6 days per week, with plans to expand hours in the Fall of 2022.
The Playscape for children 0-3Jellyfish lights on the children’s floorThe things you learn through playMemorabilia from Maury High School This clown has inspired nightmares for nearly 100 years first at the Ocean View Amusement Park and today in the Ocean View Station Museum at Pretlow.The lady, the legend, the librarian, Mary D. PretlowThe sound studio at the Marston Maker Space
More of the new Randi Marston Peterson Studio (not yet open)
Here’s the latest on the Maker Space:
Patrons that visit the Randi Marston Peterson Studio @ Pretlow will have access to a wide range of high-quality resources designed to inspire creativity and learning from childhood exploration through professional quality production assisted by a knowledgeable staff The studio’s modular design will allow the space to be reshaped to meet the demands of the space’s many potential user groups from individuals to classes and clubs. -Melanie Greene, Manager Pretlow Library (2022)
References:
Rubin, R. E. and Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.
Throughout the MLIS Program, you may be required or choose to create blog entries. These may be part of assignments or they may include your own professional reflections. This blog is an opportunity for you to reflect on your work.
The entries for your blog when you open the ePortfolio template are “Uncategorized.” You may need or want to adjust these settings at a later date. You should delete this ‘post’ when you are ready to begin and/or publicize your blog.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Accept
