Turning the page: Grant helps rebuild school library after unprecedented challenges

The library at Monarch High School suffered a pair of misfortunes: the Marshall Fire and the COVID-19 pandemic, which left it in poor condition. Thanks to a $3,000 Academic Opportunity Fund grant and a lot of love and attention from Teacher Librarian Katherine Croasdale, the library and the students who rely on it are thriving.

“Kids were ignoring the books, many of which had not been cracked open in years. I wanted to create a space that made them excited about reading, especially the reluctant readers.”

Katherine Croasdale, Teacher Librarian at Monarch High School

During the pandemic, the Monarch High School library sat unused. Books sat dusty and uncatalogued and, perhaps more importantly, went out of date. Things got worse when the Marshall Fire struck—the Monarch community was disproportionally affected, and many books that students checked out were lost in the fire. In total, 800 books were missing.

As schools resumed in-person learning, Croasdale set to work fixing the library, where she found books haphazardly shelved and out of date. While Croasdale worked to weed out old and unused materials, she developed a vision of creating a library that was a valuable resource for teachers and an inspiring space for students. 

Photo: Before (left) and after (right) of the graphic novels section of the library.

“The books were just crammed onto shelves, which doesn’t work for the eyes,” said Croasdale. “Kids were ignoring the books, many of which had not been cracked open in years. I wanted to create a space that made them excited about reading, especially the reluctant readers.”

Croasdale’s vision required funding, so in 2022 she applied for and received an Academic Opportunity Fund grant from Impact on Education. The grant program provides educators and schools with the resources to bridge opportunity gaps and create a level playing field for all students. Impact on Education prioritizes grant requests that expand access to resources, opportunities, and support for students from marginalized and underserved communities.

A comeback story

With the funds, Croasdale first set out to replace the missing books, focusing on award-winning books and books that represented the diversity of the students at Monarch High School. “We contacted many student groups, such as the Asian-American Club, the Indian American Club, the Black Student Union, and HERstory, to find out what materials represent their culture in a positive light,” shared Croasdale.

“We ordered their recommended materials and displayed them in the front of the library to show these students they are welcome in our space.”  Some of the books Monarch added included, Frizzy by Claribel Ortega, A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow, We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Wild Fox of Yemen by Threa Almontaser.

Croasdale is building a cultural and social hub at Monarch High School, where students can escape into a book and experience peace found only at a library.

Photo: Books recommended by student groups at Monarch High School.

Croasdale also redesigned the library shelving to be more exciting and inviting by creating dynamic shelving displays. Each shelf has a fabric background and ribbons to add color, call-outs on popular books, negative space, front-facing books, and groupings by author, similar to what you might see in a bookstore.

The improvements are working—students are browsing more in the library, and the book check-out rate has increased by 200%. Croasdale has also noticed a shift in reading patterns, with students showing more interest in a broader range of books and genres.

Perhaps the best update of all, students can now request books, and thanks to the grant, Croasdale can usually purchase them immediately, something she says helps encourage reading. “Students will come to me and say, ‘I really would like this book,’ and I can tell them, ‘You’ll have it in a few days,'” Croasdale said. “They’re usually so surprised and happy and often come in for more books. I see a difference in reading patterns when kids can read whatever they want.”

When so many schools and parents struggle with getting students’ attention and limiting smartphone use, Croasdale is building a cultural and social hub at Monarch High School, where students can escape into a book and experience peace found only at a library. “Receiving this grant was like having Christmas every day,” she said. “I get to make kids so happy and put books into their hands. I am so grateful.”

BEFORE YOU GO

Impact on Education is an independent non-profit supporting the Boulder Valley School District. We depend on the generosity of our community to put our mission into action.

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