West Central Middle/High School Library | HIGHLIGHT
The past couple of years has been a whirlwind at the West Central Middle/High School Library. The once combination public/school library separated into two entities recently leaving the 6-12 grade library in the same space and relocating the public library to a downtown location. This allowed veteran teacher-librarian Danann Kistler to incorporate big changes such as genrefying the library collection and expanding the popular Makerspace. On top of that, all new seating areas were added after the library got a fresh coat of paint. Needless to say, this southeast South Dakota school library is thriving thanks to dedicated library staff and volunteers, administrative backing, and Kistler's leadership.
The library also received a large grant from Daughters of the American Revolution which provided funding for a large historical book collection, a display case for artifacts, scrapbooks, and an iPad. True to her teacher-librarian role, Kistler co-teaches to embed library media standards into other content areas. For example, Kistler collaborates with US History teachers on student-created documentary projects about local veterans - a neat way to honor service members, learn about primary and secondary sources, connect with others, and focus on the value of history.
The library also received a large grant from Daughters of the American Revolution which provided funding for a large historical book collection, a display case for artifacts, scrapbooks, and an iPad. True to her teacher-librarian role, Kistler co-teaches to embed library media standards into other content areas. For example, Kistler collaborates with US History teachers on student-created documentary projects about local veterans - a neat way to honor service members, learn about primary and secondary sources, connect with others, and focus on the value of history.
