How our new Library offers the freedom of reading

From Keystone Librarian Mrs. Vilagi:

How does reading give you freedom?

The new all-ages Keystone Library — the Everybody Library — is opening gradually. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new light fixtures and tables for downstairs. In the meantime, we are working with temporary tables and lighting so that we can welcome our 7-12 grade students and give them a quiet place to study and read in the coming week.

When work crews have not been in the library, K-6 classes have been held upstairs. During fourth grade classes, I shared a nonfiction picture book about Mary Walker, titled The Oldest Student. Disbelief filled the room when they learned about Mary learning to read so very late in her life. Born a slave, Mary had a very hard life, yet continued to show grit and persevere through it. We agreed that when you put your mind to something, you can accomplish your goals! As a post-reading reflection activity I posed 5 questions to the students. After writing their answers on post it notes, they hung them up around the library on chart paper. One of those questions was “Does reading give you freedom?” Here are some of their answers:

• I think reading gives you freedom because it puts you in another world.
• It gives you the freedom to examine and understand more in the world.
• Reading gives us freedom to explore stuff we could only dream of.
• Reading can let you be anywhere in the world but still be sitting on a chair.
• If you ever want to escape from reality, you can always jump into a good book.
• …by letting my imagination flow
• Reading gives you freedom by letting you choose what books and words to read.
• Reading gives you freedom because you enter your world of dreams.

As our students grow more comfortable in the Library, I hope they will see it as a place where their growing imaginations can feel and find freedom.