By Katherine Han
Sometimes the best thing in the world can be curling up on a beanbag in the library with a good book. However, it’s kind of hard to make that happen if the books are 10 years old. The library can be a very important resource to a student. However, many schools’ libraries are outdated and don’t prove to be much of a help to students.
I have attended multiple different schools in the past, and most of the school libraries were filled with outdated books.Having a close by library with books that they like and are familiar with will promote reading. New and “trending” books can encourage more reading. Students would much rather read recent books that are within their interest zones. The current books in my school library are nearly 10 years old. The students don’t know much about the authors and probably can’t connect with what is going on in the books because of the time periods in which the books takes place. The old books also won’t be able to pull student attention. For example, a book which was randomly pulled from the library, On the Beach, was published in 1982. That’s 33 years ago! With new books, students would be more inclined to check them out to read. Once students start checking out more books from the library, they may habitually check out more books in the future.
Another important aspect of a library is having a cozy atmosphere. Students often are more productive when they are in a comfortable position. Beanbags and a large rug can instantly give you a more cozy atmosphere where students could work or just read a book. The library has an ideal environment for people to work in. Some people may work better sitting upright in a chair. Others may enjoy curling up on a rug and work better that way. Students would feel more “at home” in a cozier atmosphere where they would feel more free to think.
Many students also go to the library so they can get some homework done. Nowadays, many schools use online portals to post homework, and lots of homework needs to be completely on computers. Students don’t often bring their computers to school with them so a library with computers would be the perfect place for them. Whether it be tablets or computers, technology in libraries that students can use to complete homework could prove to be very helpful and efficient.
Libraries are very important resources to students. To me, libraries are sanctuaries.
