Students at Promontory Heights Community School started enjoying a new-look library this week.
New shelves, new furniture, more usable space and five brand-new Macbook Air laptops are highlights of the renovation, which was initiated by librarian/teacher Matthew Mueller.
“We had many metal wire book racks that were extremely old and wearing out,” he said. “We got rid of those and put in a nice big double-sided wooden bookcase. We added two new portable shelving carts, which essentially double up our picture-book storage. We added a brand new carpet, twice the size of the last one with room for everyone to sit on. We got some cool beanbag chairs and we got some new wave tables to replace the old hexagon ones.”
Built into the project is a new home for graphic novels, which have exploded in popularity since the introduction of Dave Pilkey’s Dog Man series.
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“We actually have dedicated Dave Pilkey and Diary of a Wimpy Kid sections,” Mueller said. “There’s room for comics and manga and all that fun stuff. Graphic novels hook reluctant readers and get them interested in reading, and it’s something that wasn’t on the radar at all when this library was first built.”
Mueller would know. He’s a former Grade 6 student from the earliest days of the school, back in 2001.
The renovated library looks and feels less busy than it did before. It’s open and functional, despite having more reading material than ever before.
Over one year, Mueller and the school community raised over $16,000 through events like the annual Read-a-Thon, Schoolastic Book Fairs and other efforts. After receiving a detailed 10-page proposal from Mueller, the Promontory PAC (parent advisory committee) came through with $6,433.
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“We have a great dedicated PAC that constantly tries to improve the school in any way that they can, and they saw value investing back into the library because they support literacy in our community,” Mueller said. “They view the library as the heart of the school and a place that has a huge impact on every student.
“We also have super supportive and caring administration who’ve allowed the library to grow to the point where we needed this renovation, because we were running out of room for books.”
The new Macbook Airs are a welcome addition.
Mueller said students couldn’t even log onto the internet on the old computers which were “sitting there gathering dust.”
“Our students now have access to Mac-exclusive educational apps, and it’s important they have access to current technology,” he said. “Going from iMacs to Macbooks lets us add more flexibility and space to the floor-plan, and with a lot of our new shelves and tables movable, we have the ability to arrange the library any way we want.”
Mueller is hoping to get five more Macbooks after another round of fundraising.
“When I went to school to become a teacher, even though I only went here for a couple months in Grade 6, I always dreamed of coming back to Promontory,” Mueller said. “I have such a love for this community, and I feel like I’ve been drafted by my favourite hockey team and I get to be a Panther for life. I’m super proud to be here and I’m always looking for ways to make the school better.”
Any donations are appreciated and he can be reached by email at matthew_mueller@sd33.bc.ca.
