School library month

Claire Doll
MSMU Class of 2024

(4/2025) April is "School Library Month", recognizing school librarians and media specialists in this beautiful first full month of spring. Started in 1985 by the American Association of School Librarians, April is when "school librarians are encouraged to host activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school libraries play in transforming learning" (ala.org). And while school librarians should be celebrated every month of the year and every day of the week, this special month means several lessons and activities dedicated to the importance of our school libraries.

Some of my earliest school memories include going to the library once a week in elementary school. While I liked music and art classes, my absolute favorite period was spent roaming the bookshelves, finding the perfect picture book or chapter book to take home. I remember being read to and falling in love with the way books would come to life. My school librarian sitting in her rocking chair, gently swaying back and forth, and twenty-something kindergarteners awaiting her every word. The flip of a page, words dancing against pictures.

My librarian even had a stuffed animal unicorn and monkey that carried a journal. Each weekend, a student was chosen to take one of the stuffed animals home and document his or her experience. Every single student begged to take the toys and journal home, to intently spend his or her weekend well and write all about it. I was one of these students, and one year, I got to take the unicorn home for the entire summer. It was my greatest honor, and a fabulous summer.

My love of writing, in fact, grew immensely in that school library. At age six, I was already writing books—construction paper stapled together with drawings and stories inside. After showing one of my books to my school librarian, she urged me to share it with the class. She showed me how to copyright by book—by drawing a "C" in a circle and adding the date—so it was official, it was mine. I then read it to my class, and my librarian even gifted me an "Author Award." My book stayed in the school library for anyone to read, and I wrote more. Other students wrote more. It was my absolute favorite thing to do—go to the school library once a week, listen to stories from my classmates, and search for books. I don’t know where I would be without it.

Throughout middle and high school, I would visit my school library to not only search for books, but also do homework and work on projects. It was a space of safety, where I could edit my school literary magazine, or write an essay, or even each lunch with friends. And at my college library at the Mount, Phillips Library, there was never a shortage of books to read or spaces to study. I always ran into friends at my college library, and I have probably spent hundreds of hours reading and writing, surrounded by good people and good books. I also am a regular at the local public library, and I always have books checked out, or on hold, or requested. To me, the idea of taking a book home and knowing that the same pages have been read and enjoyed by others is super cool. My favorite part—besides actually reading the book—is returning it to the library, knowing that it will be circulated around the community, held in the hands of other readers who have the same taste in novels as me. In a way, it creates a bond, a bond between the community and a bond between avid readers. Reading offers you an opportunity to step into a whole new world, to leave reality for a bit and enter the world of your imagination. Returning the book, however, brings you back to reality in the best way; it allows you to share this opportunity with those around you and let them fall into the worlds depicted on the pages of each novel you read.

Fast forward to now! As a lifelong library lover, being an educator feels like a full circle moment. As an ELA teacher, not a month goes by without spending a couple classes in the school library. To start off the new year, my students went "Speed Dating with Books"—a lesson designed to promote independent book selection. Each table in the library represented a different genre. The romance table had romance books, and science fiction table had books on space and robots and the future. Students spent around five minutes at each table, choosing a book from the genre selection and analyzing its title, cover, synopsis, and first page. They carried a worksheet with them where they could rate the books based on their first impression—would they decide to read the book, or would they shelve it? The lesson lasted until students spent time at each table, dabbling in the genres. Then, at the end of class, students could check out their preferred books, discuss options with the media specialist, or search for other books in the library.

This lesson was meant to prepare students for book reports. Students would read their library books, write a summary, create a review, and present their findings to the class. A month after the speed dating lesson, we spent an entire week in the library to work on presentations. Students had the option of creating a poster, slideshow, book trailer, or podcast to share with the class. The reports were a resounding success, and my students admitted to enjoying the project and wanting to read more! Spending an entire week in the library was also a great change of scenery for my students. Our school library is big, with lots of different spaces for students to work, read, and collaborate. Sometimes, I will take my students to the school library just so we can spread out and enjoy the space.

This School Library Month, I plan to celebrate our media specialist and library space in any way possible. From reading informational texts about school libraries and researching the history of School Library Month to writing thank-you cards to our media specialist, and even giving my students time to just read independently. It is important to teach students about their libraries, from its history and books to how they can be involved.

To learn more about School Library Month, or to advocate for school libraries nationwide, visit the American Library Association (ala.org). This April, take a moment to visit your public library and search for the perfect spring book!

Read other articles by Claire Doll