When I worked as a school librarian from 2008-2020, I always opened the library before school so that students can access the space and resources we have. When I started this new position in August of 2025, I decided to continue this practice of opening the library before school each day.
Creating a Morning Sanctuary
The response was immediate. Within two weeks, word had spread, and we reached "capacity" by 7:40 AM most mornings. While having to cap numbers due to seating is a challenge, it is a "good problem" to have—it proves the demand for a safe, engaging morning space.
To maintain a balance of productivity and fun, I curated a variety of "Morning Stations":
Literacy: Independent reading and book discovery.
Gaming: Strategic classics like Chess and Uno.
Digital Learning: Educational gaming via Nitro Type, Gimkit, and Blooket.
Makerspace: Hands-on building kits and puzzles.
The Strategy: To manage hall traffic, I require students to stay until the first bell. This time allows me to "work the crowd" while a student worker assists at the circulation desk. By moving through the room and engaging in informal conversations, I build the relationships that prevent behavior issues before they start.
When I get tired, I often wonder why I open early when it isn’t required. Then I see the 'regulars'—a core community of around 30-40 students who have found their safe space. They aren't just visitors; they are the heart of our library culture. This is why I keep coming to school early to open.
RTI Programming: From Remediation to Enrichment
Our school’s RTI (Response to Intervention) program meets weekly for 35 minutes. While core teachers focus on remediation, I saw a golden opportunity to transform the library into a hub for enrichment programming.
Fall Semester Highlights
September
How to Create a Book Trailer/ Book Review for Extra Points: I showed students tips for making video book reviews/ book trailers for extra points.
AI for School Use: We looked at ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and NotebookLM. I showed students how I use these tools as an educator. We discussed ethical vs unethical student uses of AI.
October
Show Your Talent: This was the breakthrough session. I had connected with several students that were passionate about different skills they had. I invited them to share during this RTI session. I had students at tables to show guests how to draw, make origami projects, crochet, and how to solve a Rubik's Cube in around 45 seconds. Look at the video below. The engagement was very encouraging.
The Elephant Sanctuary: This session was dedicated to connecting with the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. I have connected with them many times for engaging instruction about the many elephants they have onsite (complete with webcams the presenter will use to show the elephants live).
Haunted Hotels in Arkansas: I invited Mrs. Amy Milliken of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program to come share about the haunted histories of Arkansas Hotels (like the Arlington and the Crescent Hotel). This one was a packed session with a few teachers attending!
Taste the Fear: I set up tables with Horror, Mystery, and
scary Graphic Novels. I also had two students read scary stories to those in
attendance (complete with the library lights turned off except for a lamp near
the reader). This session was a great success!
November
Makerspace and Gaming Mania: I had students rotate every 10 minutes at each station. We had Chess, Uno, Jenga, and building kits for students to try out.
Show Your Talent: After the first success of the student-led Show Your Talent session in October, the kids wanted to have another go. For this session, we had student-led drawing, crochet, a Thanksgiving craft, and a table where students could learn beginning Spanish (with short phrases).
Malvern Daily Record News: I wrote a blog article about this session. Mrs. Heather Bennett Ritter from our local newspaper, the Malvern Daily Record visited. She shared about the rich history of the newspaper. In addition, she brought historical newspapers for students to examine and more. One student's photo was published on the first page of the next day's paper! Be sure to read about it here.
December
Holiday Show Your Talent: Students kept asking for more "share your talent" sessions. We decided to do this one with a holiday theme. We had student-led drawing, crochet, chess basics, a Christmas ornament project, and an origami Christmas tree. The kids did it all, and I merely supported them. It was a great success!
Holiday Music Share Your Talent: Since I was a public school band director for many years (and I still serve as a band director for the Arkansas Army National Guard), my heart is still close to music. For this session I teamed up with the MMS Band Director, Mr. Jace Green. He and I played some jazz tunes for the kids, we had some of his students perform small ensemble music, a female student performed a praise dance, and a male student helped lead a Christmas sing-a-long. I created a short video clip of all the different performances and put it on the school social media page. It received hundreds and hundreds of views! We held the session in the band room so we could accommodate more students.
Conclusion: The Student-Led Future
The most powerful takeaway from this semester is the shift toward student leadership. My favorite sessions—the "Share Your Talent" series—were those where I stepped back and let the students lead.
By opening our doors early and providing diverse RTI programming, the library has become more than a room full of books; it is more at the center of the school culture. I am encouraged by the collaboration I see every day and eager to see how this community grows in the new year.
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