Welcome to Eckstein Middle School Library! It is a big, beautiful space full of natural light and is host to hundreds of books of all genres. Included in this large library are two big learning areas with desks and large screens for visual aids and a nice-sized makers space.
During my first few weeks in this library, I have become acquainted with re-shelving materials, cataloging new books (by their distinction in book type and genre) as well as simple tasks such as book holds, Follet-Destiny library check out/check in system, and how to create a cover for hard-backed books. The Follet computer system is the main collection and vendor organization for the school library (which most K-12 library systems in schools use). The most task-worthy job I started in my first two weeks is to overhaul the organization and utilization of the existing makers space. The challenge is, one librarian has too much to do on a daily basis and the makers space has gone by the wayside, which as a consequence, is not being utilized by students. There are so many different materials in boxes and they are strategically placed on shelves. The first line of business is to visualize an organization system that will be easy to keep on top of and maintenance could be minimal. The second line of business is to order drawer-organizers for materials for students to access easily and then begin to move materials around, creating a system that is both aesthetically appealing and sustainable in organization. During this process, which will take a good chunk of my time over the next 8 weeks, I will also be developing a makers space framework for how the space is used, how to get students interested in using it, and how to get student library ambassadors to take care of the space and maintain it.
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