Reading: Leveled Up
“I like to think of the school library as the center of activity in the school,” explains Elementary librarian Jill Hanson. “It's open for kids to use anytime they want it, not just for checking out books.” Our libraries provide students with a quiet space to learn, work, read and connect. This summer, Paideia updated the libraries in the Elementary and High School and created a brand new library in the Junior High, thanks to support from the Paideia Fund.
As our campus and the needs of students change, our spaces adapt to accommodate them. When the Junior High moved across Ponce de Leon in 2023, students’ access to the library changed. Retired High School and Junior High librarian Anna Watkins created a traveling library that came to campus, offering a selection of books, though not as extensive as the High School’s collection. Establishing a dedicated library space in the Junior High was a top priority for Junior High Principal Jennifer Cox and Junior High Assistant Principal Eddy Hernandez. "You want to see kids connect around stories they're excited about," says Jennifer.
With the help of new High School and Junior High librarian Kristi Hovington, the downstairs Junior High conference room has been converted into the brand new Junior High library. A focal point of the Junior High library is a vibrant new mural by local artist Peter Ferrari, which portrays iconic imagery from across Paideia’s campus, including a tribute to founding Head of School Paul Bianchi. New soft seating, including bean bags, makes the space a cozy place to curl up with a book or hang out with friends. “The kids have responded really positively to it,” Kristi remarks. “Students come in during lunch and they all want the bean bags. It's really nice to see them taking ownership of the space.”
The space features multiple bookshelves with titles pulled from the High School library, as well as hundreds of new books purchased specifically for Junior High students. The collection was intentionally curated to provide a diverse range of stories, while also considering what students want to read, such as popular manga and graphic novels. “During Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) time, which our Junior High students enjoy three times each week, students can come in and select a book or learn how to find the books that they like,” says Kristi. The addition provides students with a greater selection than they previously had in their classroom libraries.
In the Elementary and High School, accessibility is less about physically having books, but displaying them in a way that makes it easy for students to find titles that interest them. New kid-friendly picture book shelves allow our youngest students to pull out shelf drawers and browse the collection. “I've seen children checking out books that I never see kids check out,” notes Jill. “They're digging in and finding things that they wouldn't ordinarily be able to find.”
Similarly, the High School reorganized its collection alphabetically and by genre, making it easier for students to identify books they may like. Kristi opted to use cover spacing at least once on every row of the bookcases. “I would say 80% of the checkouts that we've had so far this year have been books that were cover-facing,” she observes.
While learning how to use the library, how to research and how to access Sora for ebooks and audio books is a valuable aspect of the library curriculum, Jill and Kristi understand that the library is meant for so much more. It’s a space for connection. Collaborative spaces in each library provide students with a place to hang out or work on projects together. In the High School, students use this space to puzzle or play board games. “We have high school students in here at all times of the day,” mentions Kristi. “Other faculty have told me that it’s a lot busier at lunch and break times, and we see them gravitating towards the new furniture in these collaborative spaces.”
While the new furniture and many of the new books for these spaces come from the operating budget, which receives funds from the Paideia Fund, the libraries also rely on book donations during Grandparents and Special Friends’ Day to stock their shelves with a variety of new titles. This year, the Elementary library will be hosting its Grandparents and Special Friends’ Book Sale. Junior High and High School grandparents and special friends are invited to purchase books from the Junior High and High School wishlists.
Jill and Kristi look forward to welcoming all our visitors to these new and improved spaces and to share the magic of Paideia’s libraries. For them, the best part of these spaces is seeing them being used and enjoyed. “I just want students to love and to cherish the space, and to create really beautiful memories,” shares Kristi. “Whether it's in the spaces themselves, or from a book that they're taking home with them, I hope it invites them to think a little deeper about life and a little deeper about themselves.”
If you’re interested in visiting Paideia’s libraries, view the campus map. To support the Paideia Fund and more projects like this one, click here.