Lawrence Township Education Foundation executive director Ivy Cohen, LHS Media Specialist Carina Gonzalez, Superintendent Crystal Edwards, Board of Education president Kevin Van Hise and LTEF president Paul Schindel hold a grant check for the school’s library makeover on March 12, 2014.
Lawrence Township Education Foundation awarded Lawrence High School a $50,000 grant for its library renovation.
The award is for Phase II of the renovation and is the second of the foundation’s three annual grant cycles.
Phase II library makeover plans include construction of a “quiet room” by converting an existing conference room within the library. The space will be dedicated to quiet and independent study as well as special instruction.
Plans also include modular tables and chairs for the quiet room, a custom fiction section bookcase unit, installation of a charging station for electronic devices, redesign of the circulation desk, library signage and purchase of 28 Chromebook computers.
The foundation awarded $46,000 for Phase I of the library renovation in February 2013. Major improvements for this phase included reducing bookshelves height to entice reluctant readers and increase space to display student work.
Phase I also included installation of a electronic devices charging station, redesigning the layout, replacing 23 desktop computer with about 60 laptops and reupholstering soft seating furniture and purchasing new furniture
LHS library media specialist Carina Gonzalez and assistant principal Alyson Fischer drafted the grant, which seeks to promote literacy and life-long learning, support 22nd century technological skills and student collaboration, and increase areas that afford group instruction and differentiated learning.
Gonzalez shared benefits observed since the completion of Phase I at a Board of Education meeting on March 12. The librarians saw a 73 percent increase in checkouts comparing October 2012 to October 2013, 55 percent increase in overall library space usage and 76 percent increase in database usage.
Gonzalez said students peruse non-fiction shelves more frequently and check non-fiction materials out for pleasure. Additionally, the library can now hold four full classes simultaneously.
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