The ERHS Library Transformation

All photos by Claire Duarte

The library is our school’s hidden gem, from its lovely community to the lively displays that make it thrive. It’s been renovated these last two years for the first time since COVID, and a lot has changed. Over the past two years, with the enthusiasm and dedication of library practice students and service-as-action students, it is now becoming a space designed with teens for teens, where everyone can belong. This school year, 2025/2026, has brought in a myriad of new names, decorations, and student opportunities to shape/cultivate this micro-ecosystem.

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The Drop

When you enter the library, the first thing you see is The Drop. It’s a space dedicated to building a culture of connection by bridging what's happening in the library with what’s happening in the school community. It was designed last year by a library practice student, Liyah Wright (12th grade), who noted that there were just too many things on Schoology to the point where she would default to not reading any messages - even the important ones. So, she set up an 11-panel felt board where students can drop off flyers for things happening on campus and in our world that they want to share. Additionally, she included a place to share trinkets with other students similar to little free libraries – but not just for books! The idea was that people could drop off art projects like rock decorations, knit/crochet plushies, friendship bracelets, zentangles, and other diy trinkets, and anyone could browse the selection of gadgets and take whatever they want. Now, Ms. Olsen invites anyone to contribute, saying that now that we have the place, the library needs students to make it thrive by sharing with others. (And it’s a great opportunity for service-as-action!)

Choose You Zone-In Area

There’s research that shows that when people, not just teenagers, engage in hands-on crafty activities, their minds can begin to regulate. So, this year, library practice students mapped out the Choose You Zone-In Area, where you can get supplies from the LP workshop (keep reading to find out more about that!) and make whatever you want out of a myriad of materials; my personal favorite is the yarn (as someone who likes to crochet). What’s great about the Choose You Zone-In Area is that you have full creative freedom over what you make! This year Ms. Olsen is implementing an “adopt-a-shelf” program, where anyone can design their own section of the shelf to a craft of your choosing; for example, if you really like crochet, you could design a crochet shelf! (Although that idea’s already in progress.) So, as it says on the sign, whether you want to renew, refresh, or recharge, the Choose You Zone-In Area is for you!

The Den³

Do you ever need a place to do your work without distractions? Well, the Den³ (name still in progress) is the place for you! Having three different purposes, the Den³ is a marvelous spot in the library. The first one, as its name suggests, offers a completely silent room where students can work without noise distractions. When I walked past the room to conduct my interview with Ms. Olsen, I saw two seniors who were “locked in on the math IA” and “needed a distraction…” well, too bad! Because there is no talking here! The second purpose of the Den³ is its green screen; Ms. Olsen encourages students to reserve space in the Den³ for filming videos/podcasts anytime of the day, from before school or lunch, to after school or during class (with teacher permission, of course). And finally, the Den³ is also an instructional space for teachers. As many of you probably know, the library is a space for a lot of different classes to have lessons, mainly for subjects like English (with the developing peer literacy program), ethnic studies, and CP and DP classes. With its growing popularity, the Den³ provides a great space for people to gather and be productive during class. In the future, Ms. Olsen plans to add a counter with 6 bar stools and a C-shaped mini desk for each of the chairs.

LP Work-in-Progress Workshop

Right behind the front desk, next to the entrance of the library, sits the LP Workshop, where the slogan is “help us, help you.” This is the library’s beating heart, where all the supplies are kept that make the library remain running and beautiful. Any projects in the library originate from this room; so, if someone wants to knit in the library, you could tell someone working in the library (like a peer librarian or library practice student), and they’d come into the LP Workshop and give you materials for that knitting project.

The Build Lab

Currently, on the side of the library next to Ms. Olsen’s office and the Den³, lies a huge room filled with boxes. While COVID created some challenges for all of us, it also provided opportunities for the library. Because of the research around the power of reading for adolescents, the state provided funding to help rebuild school libraries. This meant out with the old and in with the new! So, over the 2024/2025 school year, Ms. Olsen set out to restore the library to its former glory. This involved packing up all the unsorted books, which were all moved into the Build Lab. However, now that the majority of the library is cleaned out, those boxes of books are starting to be emptied and the items in the boxes go to events like the book fair or are sold/donated to people who want them. The goal for this room is to serve as a giant work room with tons of materials available for classes and community service. With the right money and teacher consultation, Ms. Olsen dreams of the room being filled with tools such as sewing machines, Cricut machines, a cardboard cutter, a giant poster printer, and so much more. The Build Lab will become a functioning workspace for any student or teacher who uses it, but in order for it to become maximally functional, the library needs the students’ help to design it. The students should be the ones who decide what it needs, since they are the ones who will be using it most. If you want to be part of the conversations, stop by the library to share your thoughts or wait for the surveys coming this fall!

The Hollow

As many of you may remember, the PSW (Ms. Cassandra) office was in the library last year. However, if you’ve ever met with Ms. Olsen for your extended essay or personal project, you’d know that it’s now been renovated and transformed into The Hollow: Ms. Olsen’s new office! As the name suggests, The Hollow is the innermost space of the library. Just as hollows in trees are essential to an ecosystem, her office is the home of the librarian behind the magic of the library. She uses this space to meet with students about developing project ideas, particularly service-as-action, the 10th grade personal project, service projects, the DP extended essay, the CP reflective project, and even non-academic creative projects! Even though it’s in a seemingly off-to-the-side location, The Hollow is surrounded by windows so Ms. Olsen can still see if anyone needs her (or if people are using their calculators during class time).

The library is a place on campus that’s a place for students to have a voice for what they believe in. Whether it’s making displays for service-as-action or just working on that one puzzle that’s been unsolved for months, the library fosters such a wonderful environment that you won’t find anywhere else. What matters to you matters to the library.