The MSJH LIBRARY
The 2015-2016 school year started with a revamped and revised library. A new librarian, Mrs. Amanda McFarlane, was on board after Ms. Julie Veazie retired after the previous school year, and the library went over some major renovations during the summer.
Walls were (literally) torn down, and a library reading loft was added for the students to use and enjoy. Paint was added to the walls and shelves to brighten up the space and make it feel warm and inviting. Fiction books were weeded with the intention of updating the collection. Popular collections (like Graphic Novels, Short Stories, and Rebecca Caudill Nominees) were moved to the reading loft area for easy student access.
In the summer of 2017, more shelves were added to accommodate the growing collection. Shelves were added in both Fiction and Graphic Novels. Mrs. McFarlane continues to search for books that will be of high interest to the students. Students are also able to request books for purchase throughout the year and especially when the Scholastic Book Fair is here. Mrs. McFarlane does her best to purchase as many of these as possible with the library's budget and/or Scholastic Book Fair Bucks.
With the addition of a full time library assistant, Mrs. Hinebaugh, in December 2022, it was finally time to start the task of genrefying the library. This was started in January 2023. While Mrs. Hinebaugh assisted students with Chromebook needs and work on any book repairs and student requests during free periods, Mrs. McFarlane put genre stickers on every fiction book in the MSJH Library Collection. This process took almost the entire 2nd semester of 2023. This undertaking was something that students had been asking about for several years, and finally with two full time library workers, genrefying could occur! This system will help students find the books they crave quicker. And...the genre labels on each spine look pretty cool, too.
During the Summer of 2023, the library got a facelift: new carpet! The old, ripped, brown carpet was removed, and the janitor team worked tirelessly to move our shelves (and then move them back!) to install new, square, blue/grey carpet. This look livens up the library and makes it an even more welcoming, cozy space.
Our main intention with the MSJH Library is for it to be a destination location for the MSJH students. We want them to feel comfortable to relax, read, research, study, collaborate, and explore topics of interest here. This is a safe place for students to learn more about themselves and the world around them. Mrs. McFarlane LOVES working at MSJH and interacting with the students and staff everyday. Her two main goals are to help students maintain (or gain) their love of reading by having books of high interest on hand, and to collaborate with the MSJH staff to make learning and researching fun, innovative, and life-changing.
Walls were (literally) torn down, and a library reading loft was added for the students to use and enjoy. Paint was added to the walls and shelves to brighten up the space and make it feel warm and inviting. Fiction books were weeded with the intention of updating the collection. Popular collections (like Graphic Novels, Short Stories, and Rebecca Caudill Nominees) were moved to the reading loft area for easy student access.
In the summer of 2017, more shelves were added to accommodate the growing collection. Shelves were added in both Fiction and Graphic Novels. Mrs. McFarlane continues to search for books that will be of high interest to the students. Students are also able to request books for purchase throughout the year and especially when the Scholastic Book Fair is here. Mrs. McFarlane does her best to purchase as many of these as possible with the library's budget and/or Scholastic Book Fair Bucks.
With the addition of a full time library assistant, Mrs. Hinebaugh, in December 2022, it was finally time to start the task of genrefying the library. This was started in January 2023. While Mrs. Hinebaugh assisted students with Chromebook needs and work on any book repairs and student requests during free periods, Mrs. McFarlane put genre stickers on every fiction book in the MSJH Library Collection. This process took almost the entire 2nd semester of 2023. This undertaking was something that students had been asking about for several years, and finally with two full time library workers, genrefying could occur! This system will help students find the books they crave quicker. And...the genre labels on each spine look pretty cool, too.
During the Summer of 2023, the library got a facelift: new carpet! The old, ripped, brown carpet was removed, and the janitor team worked tirelessly to move our shelves (and then move them back!) to install new, square, blue/grey carpet. This look livens up the library and makes it an even more welcoming, cozy space.
Our main intention with the MSJH Library is for it to be a destination location for the MSJH students. We want them to feel comfortable to relax, read, research, study, collaborate, and explore topics of interest here. This is a safe place for students to learn more about themselves and the world around them. Mrs. McFarlane LOVES working at MSJH and interacting with the students and staff everyday. Her two main goals are to help students maintain (or gain) their love of reading by having books of high interest on hand, and to collaborate with the MSJH staff to make learning and researching fun, innovative, and life-changing.