Anonymous wrote:Thumbs up for MS library. Spacious, bright and mostly important for ours, stocked full of new books. Visits after eating lunch.

+1 Our DS uses the school library to find books that he can't get off the shelves in our local MCPL.

Ultimately, I think what the kids need are more after-school activities, and the media center is a great place to coordinate and meet, for some of that, as too often the gym or APR are rented out to third-parties. We often use the space for staff meetings and more, so . . .

Anonymous wrote:I think in a high school or middle school space there may be some study areas or quiet areas, but there might be other spaces that are more for conversation or collaboration

It’s hard to say. The middle schools I’ve seen have most of their spaces locked up. At Farquhar the students were allowed to congregate in the media center and eat lunch, but that was short-lived, as they didn’t always clean up, and it encouraged certain little friends into the space. Beyond that, there is always the ongoing issues of vaping, making out, and more, in any quiet areas, and there is only so much you can supervise.

Anonymous wrote:How would you (or your child) rate child's school library? Do your children use the library at school aside from the 1-2x/week visit with their class in ES? How about MS? And in HS?

My kids all did the student advisory board for their libraries so they were big users for pleasure reading.

In middle school, they had specific projects that required using media center materials. By HS, they needed to go outside of the school’s collection.

Anonymous wrote:Mostly it is the media specialist or assistant.

In most schools the assistant is pulled to cover recess or lunch, so they aren’t always in the media center to help out during those time periods. And the media specialist is often busy with their own plans, whether it be lunch, or classes, or support. However, I have seen in one or two locations where they allow up to ten students to quietly play in the makerspace area, which is nice to see. But that is not always available as a viable option, if only because there’s no space for such activities.

Anonymous wrote:Public libraries that we visit are still quiet as it used to be. Not outdated to think libraries should be quiet. The rooms are designed for those needing even more quiet, work on group projects, collaborate. Our kid met science partner to work on experiment & prepare presentation in quiet study room. But I do not think MCPS libraries have quiet study rooms.

I think in a high school or middle school space there may be some study areas or quiet areas, but there might be other spaces that are more for conversation or collaboration

Anonymous wrote:The biggest problem with letting students into the media center during lunch is that someone has to supervise them, and there are no extra people available to do that. It’s just not feasible.

Mostly it is the media specialist or assistant.

The biggest problem with letting students into the media center during lunch is that someone has to supervise them, and there are no extra people available to do that. It’s just not feasible.

Libraries were actually rebranded media centers in the late 1980s to reflect the major impact of technology. The reason I know this is because a lot of schools built during that time period still have LMC wall plates. And with chromebooks, 3d printers, self-checkout stations, and online resources, it’s increasingly relevant.

I don’t know why they insist on calling mcps libraries “media centers” just like the constant rebranding of the ELL every couple years it seems.

Anyways, mcps MS and HS libraries are great. I wish they’d allow ES students who don’t want to participate in the unruly and largely unsupervised recess to spend their time in the library.

Anonymous wrote:I’m unclear how one can compare a public library to a school library, but putting that to the side, most times I go to the public library there are events and gatherings being held in rooms separate from the main shelves, never mind the childrens’ activities, which can get pretty loud, too.

It wouldn’t be practical, at all, to have study rooms in elementary schools in this district, I imagine, with class capacity issues, and with every room, storage closet, and more being slowly (or quickly) taken away. If you want to study, quietly, you can do that at home, if anything.

Who is comparing? This topic is about mcps school libraries.

MCPS libraries are generally not quiet anymore. Who cares?

I’m unclear how one can compare a public library to a school library, but putting that to the side, most times I go to the public library there are events and gatherings being held in rooms separate from the main shelves, never mind the childrens’ activities, which can get pretty loud, too.

It wouldn’t be practical, at all, to have study rooms in elementary schools in this district, I imagine, with class capacity issues, and with every room, storage closet, and more being slowly (or quickly) taken away. If you want to study, quietly, you can do that at home, if anything.

Public libraries that we visit are still quiet as it used to be. Not outdated to think libraries should be quiet. The rooms are designed for those needing even more quiet, work on group projects, collaborate. Our kid met science partner to work on experiment & prepare presentation in quiet study room. But I do not think MCPS libraries have quiet study rooms.

Anonymous wrote:As a substitute I actually bring a microphone and speaker to my media specialist jobs and make it part of the lesson plan, both to amplify and as an interactive tool with the class. (Last week I selected a few students to help read out around a picture book and it was very popular. Fifty minutes went by fast!) But beyond that, the idea that media centers should be quiet is a bit out-dated, especially with the introduction of technology. You can have 3d printers, morning shows, and more going on in that room, or nearby. I'd be a little worried if it was dead silent. :p

+1. Kids talk and giggle. I speak in my normal voice to the media specialist. Even the public library is not quiet anymore. They created quiet rooms/study rooms/ and small books for people who want client.