April 22, 2024 – April is School Library Month in North Carolina, and Ashley Academy Media Coordinator and CORE Awards Certified Instructional Support Person of the Year Nominee Alicia Clinton has some insights to offer into just what makes the library such a powerful place for students.
Clinton came to work at Ashley eight years ago after previously working for the Forsyth County Public Library. A big part of her inspiration to start working in schools was that she noticed a general lack of Black professionals in the library science field, and she wanted to serve as an example to Black children that they can do anything they set their minds to. That goal is reflected in her work – she’s made it a priority to add books to the school library that feature diverse protagonists so that everyone can read about somebody who looks like them.
“We’ve revamped our whole collection in the last few years,” Clinton said. “It’s important for students to be able to see themselves in the books.”
Clinton believes that the school library is an important place for students to start forming connections to the world outside of school. Books offer them a glimpse into different places, cultures, careers, wonders of nature, and points of view that help them develop a more thorough understanding of the world, and in a library setting, students have extra freedom to choose the books that interest them. Every visit to the library is like a mental field trip that has the potential to inspire a student to do something great with their life.
“Some of these kids have never seen the world outside their neighborhoods,” Clinton said. “One of my top priorities has been helping them form new connections.”
Media coordinators are defined by their flexibility, frequently being called on to assist teachers, share their space, and secure a massive amount of resources to help promote instruction for their entire schools. Clinton is used to going beyond the scope of her duties, serving on Ashley’s PTA, assisting with positive behavioral intervention and supports, and lending her help to summer school programming. Her most important extra duty, however, is as a trusted adult in the lives of students in need. The library is a relatively relaxing atmosphere within the school, and a few quiet minutes with a good book can make a world of difference in a student’s day. So can a conversation with a media coordinator who they know is looking out for them.
“What really keeps me here is knowing that a lot of our students have just been through so much,” Clinton said. “I always want them to be able to come to the library and talk to someone they can trust.”
Libraries are some of the worthiest investments in public education. On both a personal and an academic level, they can be pivotal resources for students discovering the value of books. Even if the most some students get out of a visit to the library is a story that brightens up their day, that’s important too – it’s a reason to get up in the morning and go to school that they otherwise wouldn’t have had.
“Books are a getaway,” Clinton said. “No matter what else is going on in the world, you can always find something positive in books.