The library at Jefferson-Morgan is more than what it seems.

Over the years the library has changed tremendously. Students check out books differently, and the library is open all the time, so everyone has a chance to take out books if they wish.

“A big change is that we have a lot more popular fiction.  Other libraries borrow from us because we have a great selection of bestselling titles.  We have a good collection of graphic novels.  The magazines have changed from research to more high interest titles, like Baseball Digest, Bowhunting, J-14, and things students want to read,” said Mrs. Rogers, the high school librarian. We started the Greene County Reading Competition and it’s grown to 26 teams in the county. “We have 2 JM high school teams and a middle school team this year.  Another change is that we have been weeding the Reference section, so that more books are available for students to check out and very few have to be used in the library.”

The library has generous donors, as well as helpful people that have made the library a more fun place to be.

“The library receives a budget for magazines, newspapers, and new books each year.  The boxes of new books are usually waiting for me when I come back from summer break.  We also receive free books for selling products at the Scholastic Book Fairs each year.  We receive books as Memorials when someone dies and a family or staff member donates a book in their name.  Teachers and Mr. Orr donate books.  Other donations are made by people cleaning out their personal collections, but only with the Principal’s approval.  And, if I find a book somewhere for a good price, I buy it and add it to the collection,” stated Mrs. Rogers. “Mr. Shingle does a great job with keeping the computers and printer functioning.  I love that students can come in every day after they eat lunch and play on the computers and look at books.  The library is now seen as a friendly and social place. I think the Library is in better shape than it has ever been. Mr. Orr and Mr. Rob really support the program. They have made changes to the room that have added to our comfort.”

Even though the library has gone through many changes for the better, Mrs. Rogers will not stop there. She has some ideas to expand the library program and get students more interested in reading.

“I would like to get more reading programs going throughout JM.  Studies show that students who read do better in every subject.  I’d love to have a program, like Accelerated Reader, that would add points to a student’s’ English grade if they read more for pleasure. I think the Library Research/Writing class has helped students with formatting, writing, grammar revision, and internet safety tips and it bothers me that this class is only offered to a few students now,” commented Mrs. Rogers. “Another thing I would like to see is a Reading Competition team at the elementary level, so that the students are familiar with the procedure when they reach middle school.”

While, Mrs. Rogers does buy books for the library based on her opinion, she also gets suggestions from students. That way, the selection is always fresh, and students are more interested in reading.

“If students ask me to borrow something from another library, I may order the book for us next year.  I look at the Bestseller lists and the award winners.  I read reviews and listen to what the students are reading.  Sometimes I get recommendations.  Two years ago, I received an email entitled “50 Nonfiction Titles that Every Library Should Have”.  I researched the books and ordered almost all of them. When I pull free books from the book fair, I get the books that students have shown an interest in while shopping.  When someone donates a Memorial book, we think about the person who is being honored and select something that goes with the interest of that person,” said Mrs. Rogers.

The library of Jefferson-Morgan has gone through many changes and has even more to come. With the help of students and faculty at JM, the library will continue to grow and Mrs. Rogers is excited for what is in store. The library has grown into a nice place to not only read, but help students excel in all subjects. Mrs. Rogers is ready for the new books, and hopefully will reach more into the student body.

Read more at Exploring the Library.