First days

I have cleaned and cleaned, and I am still nowhere near done. I am beginning to review resources, weeding, and developing ideas to get more teachers and students into the library. The few days I have been in to watch the kids rotate through, no one ever makes it to non-fiction. The English teachers are the only ones I have seen in the space so far, and they want their students to read fiction. Honors students are not brought in to choose books. They typically stick to the classics and don't have enough time to step outside that box.

Challenge number one is that it has snowed so much that we haven't had school for more than a few days. Challenge two: I am new, and teachers aren't used to coming in or collaborating. Challenge three is that the library is set up more for adults than students. Challenge four, the prevailing idea has been that students don't read anyway, so spending money on new books is a waste. Challenge five, and maybe the one that will be the hardest to overcome, is that I lack patience, and I want to impact things quickly despite the time it will take to change things the way I want to.

So, one step at a time. I will keep cleaning and weeding. Normally, weeding is not where I would start, but when I pull off a book from the shelf, and it is so old it crumbles in my hand, I figure that part of the library has been neglected. I am going through the shelves, ensuring everything is in order, and the books are not pushed back to the wall. I have set up a table for book displays and fixed a bulletin board.

Signage is next up on my list, and genrefication is coming. I need to see what I have first and start setting up labels for the spins to make the process easier. I also have to figure out how to order supplies and books. Social media could help get kids in the room. I am building lessons to help get teachers in too. Progress takes time.

(Found the idea on Pinterest. Working on February!)