Gallery • 4 Photos

by. Madelaine Vrotney

The perspective of the library from the main entrance.

It’s obvious that NAI has undergone major renovations since the end of last school year.  One major place that NAI renovated was the school library. In addition to these renovations, the school also hired a new Librarian. We decided to interview the new librarian, Ms. Ziemski about the renovations.

First, let’s get a little background on the new librarian. Before she was a librarian, Ziemski taught English. After that, she was a librarian at a High School in Virginia. She then worked in an Elementary School Library for two years. Out of pure curiosity, we asked the librarian what her favorite book was. In which she responded:

“My favorite book would have to be A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I think that it’s a book that everyone should read at least once. It’s the kind of book that you can more than once.”

Many renovations are just ideas at this point, but Ziemski hopes to get new carpet in the library soon. As for the overall design of the library, there are new tables and chairs in the space. Several bookshelves have been removed from the library in order to make room for more tables. Last year, there were more desktop computers in the library, but given that the student body has their own personal devices, and the ability to print from their laptops to printers in the hallways, they cut back on the amount of computers. With fewer desktop computers, it allowed much more open space in the library. One reason for the additional space it that, our new librarian is hoping to get more comfortable furniture in the library in hopes that students will want to go there.

“I feel like people don’t really come here because they want to, they come here because they have to. I want to make the space more inviting for the students.”

Mrs. Ziemski is also working on getting speakers for the library so that soft music can be played to make the space more inviting. Another renovation that Ms. Ziemski would hope to do is to remove where the current circulation desk is and place the librarian’s desk in the center of the library. That way, the current circulation desk area could be turned into a lounge. 

“I feel like the space just needs some love,” Ziemski added.

So why is the NAI library going through all of these changes now? As it turns out, the NAI library is one of the last libraries to be updated. The Middle school libraries have been renovated rather recently, along with the Elementary school libraries. Until recently, NAI had been the only school in the district that had been seriously fighting for renovations.

Another new addition to the library is the feature wall in the back. As you walk in, on the left wall is an entire shelf dedicated to the past years of NAI. This shelf holds yearbooks dating back to the late seventies and going up to the most recent years.

Ziemski is trying to do other things to get students interested in going to the library. For example, a book club may start in the library. However, for any of these things to happen, there must be student interest in these things happening.