The school library is undergoing drastic changes under first-year librarian Mr. Cadorette.
Most noticeable are the once packed bookshelves that are now clean and organized. Where old, disheveled books were once crammed, bare shelf space now peeks through. In an effort to make the library more appealing to the high school’s population, Mr. Cadorette is “weeding” out all the old books.
In one short minute, Mr. Cadorette pulled 13 books off the shelves, including From a Far Land by Robert Elegant, a two-inch thick book that does not look like it has been touched in a decade.
Mr. Cadorette realizes that most of the books on the library shelves are not interesting to students. He also recognizes that a school library has different goals than a public or college library.
“Having them packed with books is not necessarily the goal. Having them packed with good books that students want to read is the goal,” said Mr. Cadorette.
Mr. Cadorette is not trashing every book in the library. There are many hidden treasures in the library that Mr. Cadorette wants to display, including a collection of short Sherlock Holmes stories.
“Most of these are 10-15 pages and they’re fun. If they’re hidden in the middle of 30 other books that are old and in the way, then people won’t notice them,” said Mr. Cadorette.
Most of the books that are now off the shelves and cluttering the library’s office will be donated to charities. Public libraries often have a program called “Friends of the Library,” which raising money for the libraries.
“We belong to a service called the Junior Library Guild. The Junior Library Guild is a service that hand picks books. You tell them what your age level is and what you like and they’ll send you books,” said Mr. Cadorette.
A shipment of YA books has been shipped to the library, and more are expected to come in November. There will be something for everyone among these books, including supernatural romances, graphic novels, historical fiction, and even literature about the Chilean miners.
The library is also more student-friendly, relieving some of the stress of lugging heavy textbooks around all day.
“We also have a collection of almost every book used in the high school,” said Mr. Cadorette.
As Mr. Cadorette said, “If a student wants to come down, then all they have to do is get a pass from myself or Mrs. Jacaruso. It takes about 30 seconds. If you don’t have a pass, you’re not going to get down here.”