Interview with a High School Librarian Engage

    I work in an elementary library, so the idea of what a high school librarian does is completely foreign to me. After getting to spend a day at a local high school of around 2,100 students, I was able to glean a bit more about what high school librarians do. They house grades 9th-12th. It was a great honor to get to speak with Ann Edwards, who is one of two librarians at a high school near my elementary school. Mrs. Edwards is a former high school teacher with over 40 years in the education field. She left teaching and became a librarian after she first retired, and has been working as a librarian for over 5 years. Ann loves working in the library and has done a lot to encourage high schoolers to use the library. I asked Mrs. Edwards several questions about how she, in particular, uses the AASL standards on engagement to encourage high schoolers to use the library through how they set up the library, handling privacy issues, maintaining integrity when patrons use the public printers and copiers, and how they encourage students coming into the library.  

    The questions I discussed with Mrs. Edwards are: What have y'all done to encourage high schoolers to use the library to engage with others? How do y'all handle students with technology issues in order to maintain their privacy, like passwords? What do y'all do to assist students with copyright laws? How do you encourage students to use the resources in the library for the use of gaining information?

    We discussed how they have set up the space so there are tables that are in groups of four. Mrs. Edwards stated that they have tables set up in rows for students who wish to work a bit more independently. They have set up a coffee and hot chocolate station where students can buy coffee and sit in the library. They have a room where students have access to supplies if they are working on a group project.

    In regards to the School Librarian should do with the Engagement topic, they make sure that students do not share Chromebooks and keep careful track if students report their device is missing. Students who have forgotten passwords have to go through them. Then, the librarians contact the IT department to help reset passwords. This is especially important as the freshmen have to create their own password for accessing Classlink and their school email. Students tend forget what their password often. 

    As the students used the printer and copier frequently, we discussed how they maintain copyright laws. Mrs. Edwards states that they have the copyright laws posted above the copier and printer. 

While trying to encourage students to engage with materials in the library, they have set up several themed displays. Mrs. Edwards states that since COVID, they have not seen as many students coming into the library and using the materials. 

Reflection

    When I stepped through the doors of the high school library, I had no idea what to expect. I was surprised by how often students were using the printers and copy machines. The librarians charge a minimal amount for students to print. They do make sure that students are completely signed off after using the printer. There were a lot of freshmen who had to come see the librarians due to forgetting their email passwords. 

    I loved their idea of having a coffee and hot chocolate station, which brought in more students into the library. It may not quite work in an elementary school library, but it would be cool to have something like that for the teachers in the library. 

    I was reminded that it was important to follow and instruct on copyright laws. We do not have students using the copy machine or printing documents, but we do have teachers who do that. It would be good to remind them of the laws at the start of each school year.