Carlmont High School’s library serves not only as a crucial resource for education but also as a place where students feel welcomed.
A traditional school library serves many purposes: it is a place where students can check out and return required novels or textbooks while also acting as a quiet area for students to do work or study. Carlmont’s library is no different, as it serves many functions in assisting students with their learning.
The library’s head librarian Alice Laine explains how the return policy works for texts that are required to be checked out by teachers.
“For the most part, teachers will collect books on behalf of the library, but students should check with their teachers about their return policies because they’ll give them the dates and the procedures,” Laine said.
Additionally, a common aspect of libraries is texts becoming damaged when they are checked out, and Carlmont’s library differentiates the price charges based on the severity of the damages.
“If the damage is liquid damage, unfortunately, that’s it for the book. We charge the full cost for liquid damage and other major damages. And then for minimum damages, like a little tear, we ask students to bring [the book] back and we don’t actually charge for that. That’s why we always encourage students, please just bring it back if you find anything,” Laine said.
After books are returned, parent volunteers look over the books to ensure there are no damages. Sherrie Smith, a parent volunteer, details her role at the library.
“I do all sorts of things, whether it’s greeting all the students in the morning, or making sure they’re checking in, and helping them check out a book or return a book. I also repair books, so when books come back with spills or torn pages, I help out with making sure the books are in the best repair possible,” Smith said.
Besides acting as the funnel for teaching material, the library is also a place where students can go during specific times during the day, such as during flex or lunch.
“The library does have a flex, it is limited in the amount of students, but they’re welcome to sign up for library flex if they need to talk with one of the staff about an issue,” Laine said.
The library is a welcome presence for students who want to get studying in before a test or catch up on any missing assignments, especially during lunch. Its tranquility allows students to escape the normal hustle and bustle of the school day.
“It is very beneficial to be able to come in and study or get homework done during lunch. The quietness here allows me to be more productive than I normally would be,” said Zach Chuang, a sophomore at Carlmont.
Overall, the library’s impact cannot be understated, as it is an inclusive environment and enables students to concentrate on their education.
“[Students] can come into the library and feel like it’s a place where they can just be themselves,” Smith said.
