As librarians, we want nothing more than to have students walk within the space and feel safe. Getting them to voluntarily choose to enter the library is the first step and (quite honestly) the biggest hurdle. From there, we can get books into their hands–we have our ways, am I right? Creating a space that students want to be a part of is done intentionally. I may not have had all of the coursework under my belt on day one, but I knew that creating an environment that students felt seen, heard and respected was the gateway to getting books in their hands. I mean who is going to voluntarily travel to the library to get a book from a curmudgeon (even if the cardigan is on point)? Not middle school me and definitely not my current students. Kids are astute. They know when the adults in their lives are genuine. As librarians, we are working behind the scenes with intentional design to ensure students have access to books, are represented in the collection, and are empowered to make choices that suit their interests. The end result? Books in hands.

 

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Access

We work diligently as librarians to curate a collection for our students, but that means nothing if our students do not have access to the collection. The digital collection is accessible 24/7 with schools that have adopted 1:1 models and allow devices to go home. But what about during the school day? We need to advocate that libraries with open circulation daily is in the best interest of our students. This flexible schedule model is student centered and can be utilized to best support teachers and students throughout the school year. Many of our students come to us with monetary and transportation barriers that prevent them from gaining access to books elsewhere. That’s why it’s so important to ensure their access to the school library is unobstructed. Through open and equitable access, we are communicating that the library space is a student space. It was curated and designed with them in mind.

 

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Visibility

We all gravitate towards the path of least resistance, but perhaps no one more so than a student. I am not exaggerating when I say I lit up my book return slot with flashing LED lights to guide my students to the destination after they continually walked into the library like a deer in headlights clutching their (probably overdue) book. So, in the same fashion, when we think about visibility of books within our collection, we need to think big. If I have more than one copy of a title, I place it in as many genres as I can within my genrefied library. That helps the students that come in to browse have a higher likelihood of seeing and selecting the book. Also, in my space, I try to display as many covers as possible. When looking at a spine, we only see words. When looking at a cover, we can more easily make connections with the book, see the characters and their stories represented at a glance, and ultimately make a decision based on our first impression. I want all of my students to see themselves in the books that make up our collection. Not once or twice, but across genres and throughout the collection and all year long. Moreover, as much as they see themselves, I want them to see others, too. We can best do this as we intentionally curate the collection to reflect our school demographics and diversity, but then again when we make decisions on how the books will be placed within the library. Show the covers and create displays that encourage exploration.

 

This same thought process translates online within the Follett Destiny app. We can utilize ribbons and collections to feature newly added titles as covers. We can curate collections that support units within the curriculum, themes, or months dedicated to groups of people. Making titles visible online and in person increases engagement and exploration.

 

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Choice

Who wants to be told what to read? Not me (and I can assure you not the majority of students that I have worked with over the past 20 years). Choice begets agency and agency empowers students. Accordingly, when students have agency in reading, they are empowered to select a book that is interesting to them. We want students to connect with reading so that they become readers for life. This is why the format, topic, genre, or length should not be dictated by educators. Let’s leave that in the classroom. When reading parameters are placed upon students within the library, the entry points for creating intrinsically motivated readers become limited. Librarians can offer browsable read alike displays for titles, subjects, and authors as well to support student choice. My students like to recommend books to others through displays and personal reviews. When students are offered choice, reading moves away from compliance and towards commitment.

 

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Engagement

If we want students to engage, we need to make it user friendly. Take out the obstacles. Follett Destiny Discover supports student engagement by using a single searchable catalog for print and digital materials–one search shows them everything our collection has for that query. We all know students want nothing more than to talk with their friends. Let’s tap into this motivation, but make it bookish. Follett Engage helps students engage through unified book clubs. These book clubs help students build connection, community, and excitement around reading. Students can create or join established book clubs, set goals, see personalized recommendations, and earn badges. Book clubs encourage student driven discourse around the books they choose. But most importantly, they allow students to see themselves as part of the reading culture–another important piece for the development of a lifelong reader.

 

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Driving Excitement

As educators and librarians, we have the important task of creating the environment and conditions that will nurture the development of lifelong readers. We have to tap into what makes our students tick and cultivate excitement that will sustain for longer than we are with them. This is our impact. We don’t know what our impact will be until the students we come into contact with grow and become who they are because of the experiences they had along the way–library included.

 

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We have the ability to create a space where students feel safe, seen, and loved. They are able to choose books based on their interests where they see their stories and feel affirmed. What is more motivating than that? We also have an important job to provide stories that showcase characters unlike the reader. In doing so, we are bridging gaps and building empathy. The inclusive and accepting culture that we intentionally create will provide the conditions conducive to building genuine relationships with others and with books. When we work together with a student centered, unified vision and are supported by the seamless tools to support that vision, engagement and excitement becomes embedded in the environment itself and a culture of reading is ultimately fostered.

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Jen Miller

Teacher Librarian | Literacy Advocate

With more than 20 years of experience as both a classroom teacher and teacher librarian, she understands how organized, accessible library systems help students build lifelong literacy skills.

As an active advocate for school libraries, Jen brings a practitioner’s lens to how library tools support daily workflows, collection management, and meaningful connections between students, books, and learning communities.