New Fayetteville High School Library Set To Open April 7

STAFF PHOTO DAVID GOTTSCHALK John Hart, long-term substitute teacher at the library, unboxes fiction books before shelving them in the new library.
STAFF PHOTO DAVID GOTTSCHALK John Hart, long-term substitute teacher at the library, unboxes fiction books before shelving them in the new library.

— Librarians are spending spring break unpacking boxes and setting up the new library at Fayetteville High School.

The 15,119-square-foot two-story space is the passageway between the new classroom and remodeled older buildings.

"It's a clean, well-lighted space," said Sarah Roberson, librarian. The north and south walls are glass, a big difference from the windowless basement where the library has been during the $95 million transformation of the campus. The north wall overlooks a green commons area and the south wall has a view of the neighborhood.

The main floor will feature mobile shelving that can form two class seating areas, several casual seating areas, study carrels and some high top tables with stools. A separate enclosed classroom will be part of the library complex.

"We serve all kinds of students and all are individuals," Roberson said. "Some need a quiet space seated in a study carrel."

The mobile shelving will allow for creation of one large space for events such as a luncheon honoring the Advanced Placement Scholars in late April.

The space is planned to open April 7 as the Matthew William Moore Library in honor of a student who died in a car wreck in 1991.

Upstairs, students can work in groups in two glass-enclosed rooms. The smaller will seat six to eight students around a conference table. The other has space for a group of 24 with tables and chairs that can be arranged in different configurations.

There is a large work area for librarians behind the main checkout desk and another room for technology materials.

Savannah Day, a sophomore, said, "It's really awesome, beautiful. I think it will be great for students to have."

Paxton Douglas, a senior, said, "It's gorgeous." She was a library aide as a sophomore when the library was dismantled and moved to the basement. She expressed concern all the light streaming through the glass walls could eventually damage the books.

Roberson said the library will have iPads for catalog searches of materials as well as desktops, laptops and e-readers.

Roberson said she hopes lunch hour activities, such as knitting and chess can return to the library. There wasn't room for extra activities in the temporary space.

"I think this will be an amazing place to work," Roberson said. "Students are so excited. With no locks yet on the doors, we can't shut them out. This will be a great place to work and to learn."

NW News on 03/27/2014

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