2016-2017 A Year in Review

What an amazing year! 

The wheels are already turning for 2017-2018!

Wednesday Innovation Network (WIN)

It’s the first ever Wednesday Innovation Network (WIN) and we are super excited to host.  What is WIN?  Think “Start-Up” meets 1Million Cups – students from LPS, elementary through high school, get to present their ideas and projects to a panel of business partners and educators for feedback and suggestions. To participate students must apply, resulting in an amazingly competitive pool of candidates bringing projects that are the result of months of work and dedication.  The projects being pitched in the inaugural WIN event are from elementary students…

• Comfort for Cancer – stuffed animals with recorded messages for  children in long-term hospital care;
• Calls for Assistance – assisted technology for the blind;
• Mechanical Hand – offers a way for a person to lift objects or communicate;
• Interactive Art – art you can play. 

Not only were these projects AMAZINGLY innovative, but the student presenters were articulate and poised.  I think it’s safe to say that everyone in attendance was in awe!  A shout out goes to our business community and district leadership – your time, planning, support and enthusiasm are appreciated. 

Comfort for Cancer

Calls for Assistance

Mechanical Hand

Interactive Art

Too Many Books! What?

“The biggest problem in our library is that there are too many books!”

– Michael, high school junior.

After the sting wore off, honestly, I’d say that single statement has brought about more reflection, conversation, and call to change than any other.  No, we didn’t toss out our books, but we have reexamined our collection and reevaluated the way we utilize space. 

With our student advisory team (Michael included) and the support of our library leadership and amazing administrators, we researched, surveyed, went on field trips, consulted experts, wrote grants and dared to dream. 

Our results?

• After extensive, purposeful weeding, a collection that is way more relevant.
• A “satellite” location for our infrequently used – yet still important – nonfiction collection. (Don’t worry, it’s safely tucked away in our school basement – secure and quickly retrieved upon request.)
• A genrefied fiction section that honors the book store format and browsing style our students requested. 
•  More wide-open, zoned spaces that accommodate all – cave, water cooler, campfire, and mountain top spaces – individuals, small collaborative groups, and whole classes!
• The Nest – our school’s coffee shop that has been relocated to the LMC. 

I won’t lie, this reorganization was labor intensive and time consuming, but totally worth it.   Student and staff reactions to the improved layout have been overwhelmingly positive – whew!  Now, on to the next phase of our library transformation…