Making a school library into a cultural institution

Media coordinator Carol Bowen has created an art gallery of student work in her media center at Highlands School in Highlands, North Carolina.

"After considering different things to try to decorate the media center and make it more attractive," says Bowen, "I decided that with the availability and high quality of student art work in various media, that would be the way to go."

Bowen collaborates with art teacher Sallie Taylor to display student works of art.

As Taylor's students finish different pieces of art, Bowen cycles them in and out of the media center.

"I spoke with Sallie about her students creating a mural for the media center, which they did," Bowen says. "This was a cross-grade level collaborative project. We discussed what type of mural I wanted and voila! It was done!"

In Cedar Ridge High School's media center, media specialist Di Anna Kruse has developed a special collection of works by North Carolina writers. Distinguishing the North Carolina collection from the rest of the collection facilitates access and promotes browsing. Kruse was awarded a grant to help build this collection.

At the St. Dunstan Library in Christ School in Arden, North Carolina, school librarian Jane Hyde creates informal spaces where students can gather to socialize and play games of chess.