LYNNWOOD — Heather Pickar, library media specialist at College Place Elementary, isn’t used to seeing students lined up outside the library, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to rush through the doors to check out books.
But with the addition of almost 600 books to the library, it’s something she will have to get used to.
Pickar applied for a Lynnwood Rotary Club grant last spring as a representative of College Place, and her application was selected by a committee to receive $10,500 to assist in updating College Place’s out-of-date library materials. In addition, Rotary decided to continue providing funds and assistance to the school’s library when possible.
Over the summer, Pickar worked with College Place staff members to put together a list of books needed to improve academics. The books arrived in September, and after an open house with Rotarians and school and district staff members on Sept. 30, the books were ready to be checked out – and Pickar was greeted by many enthusiastic young readers.
The shelves and tabletops in the cozy library were overflowing with the new books at last week’s ceremony. Book topics ranged from ethnic cookbooks to art and from Native Americans to professions within the community. Most of the books are non-fiction, but some fiction about other cultures was also purchased.
The goal, Pickar said, was to expand the school’s library to better provide materials aligning with the school and district’s curriculum.
“We wanted to build our academics,” Pickar said.
While some books on College Place’s shelves are still useful, others are out of date. These new books give teachers peace of mind and more confidence that their students’ sources will be up to date, Pickar said.
Not only that, but older books often lack visually stimulating pages that help maintain students’ attention.
“These books are enticing, and the kids want to read them,” Pickar said.
Typically, school libraries “weed” through their collections on a regular basis. But when Pickar arrived at College Place three years ago, she realized more work needed to be done than just weeding out inaccurate books. Two companies analyzed the school’s collection and decided that it would cost $50,000 to rejuvenate the library, she said.
The Rotary grant is Pickar’s first step toward updating the library.
College Place families statistically have the lowest income, making it the school with the highest need in the district, Pickar said.
College Place principal Sue Venable said the new books will benefit the students and families.
“This puts books in the hands of kids that wouldn’t normally have them,” Venable said.
There are 26 different languages spoken by students at the school, so Pickar and the staff at College Place decided the library materials should match the student body’s diversity.
Thus, the school purchased many books relating to different world cultures, so kids can learn about their fellow students’ backgrounds.
Lynnwood Rotary saw the opportunity to provide grant funds to College Place as one that matched many of the interests of Rotarians, who raise funds year-round for community projects and organizations, said Rotarian Sue Anderson, who helped organize this project.
Rotary International emphasizes children, literacy and diversity, which combine elements of College Place’s project, Anderson said.
Lynnwood Rotary President Steven Sterner said it was rewarding to see the excited faces of teachers at College Place.
Pickar and the teachers and students indeed are showing their enthusiasm. In fact, Pickar said, it was a bit overwhelming at times to see the changes taking place in the library. When she began at College Place, the budgeted amount for new materials for the library was $500. Spending almost $10,500 took a lot of organization and thought on Pickar’s part, she said.
The amount of money given for each grant varies depending on the need, but College Place library’s need and focus matched so well with Rotary’s, that the group was given a more substantial amount of money, Anderson said.
“When you’re doling out money, a dollar here, a dollar there is great, but it’s nice to make a big impact,” Sterner said.
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