Looking back on my time in elementary school, I remember library days vividly and fondly. The smell of old books, the sound of feet shuffling on carpet, a glossy page of a graphic novel gliding between my fingers—it was thirty minutes of peace in an already pretty peaceful day.

In high school, life isn’t as peaceful. There’s no changing that. 

And unfortunately, library days are no more. 

But I think that might be something we can change.

With the onslaught of demands on students today, the use of the school library has become almost obsolete. From heavy course loads to sports and extracurriculars, reading for leisure takes a back burner in the lives of high schoolers. 

In a poll of about 20 students, over a third say that they never use the school library. Only 15 percent of students report that they use the library more than once a week, and around 80 percent of students use the library for DLTs.

42 percent of students feel as though they don’t have time to read for fun outside of school, and a little under 70 percent say that they enjoyed scheduled library days in elementary and middle school. Most students believe it would be beneficial to have designated library time in high school as well.

When asked about their additional thoughts, many students had opinions to share regarding the library—here are a few of them.

One student said, “I wish [the library] was open more often. I would love to use it for my DLT, but it’s always closed.”

From another: “I like the library. I just never have time to go because it closes as soon as the school day ends, and I don’t have any time in my day to go.”

Emilia Alves mentioned librarian shortages in many districts, and brought to light the fact that librarians are being shared between the middle and high schools.

Isabella Seara shared her feelings:

“It’s sad that the books in the library are not being utilized. In my two-ish years of being here, I have never, ever seen anyone checking books out of the library. I don’t want to be ignorant, but I honestly don’t know what the librarians do all day. Watch kids in there for DLT and Chromebook repairs? It’s sad. They should get to recommend books to students and help them find a book they want. We should have a designated time in English classes once a month to go! Even if you don’t check out anything that day, just browse around and find interest in a book!”

The consensus is clear—students notice the lack of library use here at LHS. Many students want to use the library, but they have so few opportunities to do so because the library isn’t being treated as important as it actually is.

An interview with Mrs. Hedin provides a look into things from a librarian’s perspective.

When asked what students come in for the most, she replied that most students come to use the library during a DLT.

She said, “Some want to be with friends, some want to work by themselves, and the library space is more flexible than most of the DLT classrooms.” She added that the second most common library visitors are ones dealing with Chromebook issues.

This is Mrs. Hedin’s 18th year at LHS, so she has been able to see the changes in LHS and how they’ve affected library usage. 

She has observed that, “As the curriculum has changed, there has been less demand for library books and more demand for online resources and technology support. Since Ludlow started the 1:1 Chromebook program in 2017, providing support for students and staff with Chromebooks and Google apps has become a big part of the library program.”

When I asked about the frequency with which students borrow books, she replied that typically only one or two students check out a book each day. She added that, “A few times each semester we will see whole classes come down for books, but that’s less common than it used to be at the high school level.”

I asked Mrs. Hedin if—like me—she observed that reading for leisure had become less of a priority at the high school level. She replied, “Yes, I think high school students have many more demands on their time than younger students – more intense academics, sports, clubs, jobs, family responsibilities – so reading for pleasure is competing with lots of other priorities.”

When asked about her thoughts on the benefits of scheduled library time, Mrs. Hedin replied,

“I think that depends on the purpose of the time. Completely free choice independent reading isn’t really a part of the high school curriculum or schoolwide culture at this point, so without a shift there, I’m not sure how valuable scheduled time would be. If that were to come back or be reintroduced in a new way, then I think students should definitely be given time during class to access library resources.”

Both the perspectives of students and librarians are very valuable to help us gain understanding as to why students seem to be using the library less and less, both as they progress in school, and as reading takes a smaller role in education compared with technology.

Because library visits aren’t a priority in our school at the moment, reading is less accessible to LHS students. There are many who like to read, but they just need to be reminded that reading is an option. Most students enjoy reading, but either aren’t able to or don’t find it important to get down to the library to borrow a book. I know from my own experience that during my one DLT per week, unfinished homework will always take priority over looking at books.

This is why it would be so beneficial to have some sort of designated time in the library. Students would be able to browse and find a book because there would be time specifically carved out to do so. Students who like to read but don’t have the time would get that time they so desperately need.

Because the library and independent reading are treated like an afterthought, a massive group of casual student readers are alienated. 

Like Mrs. Hedin mentioned, there needs to be a shift in the school’s curriculum and culture if we don’t want to see reading become a thing of the past. If a task is important, we set aside time to do it, and this same logic should apply to library time. If we say we prioritize students’ education, we should also be making time for students to strengthen and supplement that education by reading on their own.

Library visits don’t have to encroach on classes. They don’t have to be for the whole period, and they don’t have to be every week. But setting aside a little time for students to browse and choose a book is all we really need. If students are able to get down to the library, the rest will fall into place. 

Reading doesn’t have to fade into just a fond memory. It can still happen if we make it a priority.