When the clock strikes 3 p.m. on a typical school day, librarians at the Carlmont and Belmont libraries prepare themselves for the crowds of students about to enter through their doors.
Students go to the Carlmont and Belmont libraries for various reasons, from waiting to get picked up by a parent to wanting a nice place to work. Both libraries are close to Carlmont High School, with the Carlmont Library located inside the school grounds and the Belmont Library a short walk away. Their proximity makes them convenient choices for students looking for a place to study or just wait.
“The Carlmont Library is a nice, quiet place to study and work on homework,” said Catherine Wang, a junior at Carlmont.
Students who go to the Carlmont Library say it is a valuable space because of its cozy environment, which is heated in the winter and has tidy desks and chairs for them to work in. The library also has textbooks and reading materials for students, enhancing their experience there.
“The Carlmont Library is dedicated to Carlmont students. We keep up with what textbooks are needed for the classes offered here and try to make sure we have a copy for students to use after school,” said Alice Laine, the Carlmont Library’s head librarian.
Moreover, the Carlmont Library hosts a peer tutoring program. Directed by Wang, the program has a group of student volunteers tutor their peers on a variety of different subjects after school. The location of the library also benefits the program.
“The library is in a central location that is easy for students to find,” Wang said.
This is important for the peer tutoring program’s success, as it is meant to be easier and more comfortable for students than asking a teacher.
Similarly, the Belmont Library, located just down Alameda de Las Pulgas, also attracts many students after school.
“I go to the Belmont Library because I have friends that also go there, and I stay there before robotics work sessions,” said Nicholas Oey, a junior at Carlmont.
The amenities the Belmont Library provides allow students to get work done effectively. Like the Carlmont Library, it has textbooks available for students to use.
“The Belmont Library has a lot of Carlmont textbooks, and it has an internet connection, so it’s very conducive to getting work done,” Oey said.
However, compared to the Belmont Library, the Carlmont Library possesses many additional advantages. One of these is that the Carlmont Library is meant only for students at Carlmont, whereas the Belmont Library serves the entire community. This specialization plays a factor in the quieter ambiance of the library that students appreciate.
“The Carlmont Library is a lot less noisy than the Belmont Library,” Wang said.
Despite the resources and environment the Carlmont Library possesses, it does not service everyone who could benefit from it because of a lack of information surrounding it.
“I don’t know the Carlmont Library’s after-school hours,” Oey said.
Students who go to the Belmont Library also sometimes stay for long periods as they wait for their respective activities to start, which is a service the Carlmont Library cannot provide due to its earlier closing time.
However, despite these drawbacks, the Carlmont Library still serves as a valuable resource to students. Every day after school until 4:45 p.m., except Friday, the Carlmont Library has peer tutors and school teachers who are there to support students and answer any questions they may have.
All in all, the Carlmont and Belmont libraries have proven to be invaluable resources for many students after school each day.
