Read in the Rebuilt Room

Written by: Sara Collver 

Notice anything different about Sparta High School’s Media Resource Center? Educational Media Specialist Ms. Deluccia is focused on creating an engaging and truly resourceful environment, which is allowing the room to expand much further than your basic check-out-and-return-books library. The Oracle spoke to Ms.Deluccia recently about some of the things that have been going on in the MRC and found out some pretty amazing stuff.

Last month, there were a ridiculous amount of books that were being given away - free books! But why the huge haul? Here’s how it works: if a book isn’t being consistently taken out over a certain period of time, in this case, ten years, it is taken out of circulation. When these books are donated, the library has space for new books that the Sparta community really wants to read. Let's just say, prepare yourself, because there’s some pretty great reading material coming to a shelf near you! Ms.Deluccia says she’s trying to get the entire Harry Potter illustrated series, as well as many other books that were recommended by teachers and students. The most amount of books are checked out before a long break, but other than that, there is a steady circulation of students checking out leisurely reading material as students have independent reading in their English classes. But, what happens when these books don’t come back? Ms. Deluccia explains the process: there is a hold on Parent Portal, and eventually a notice will be sent via the students email and/or letter in homeroom. No one can just get away with it! If the book is lost, the student is responsible for replacing the book with a new one or paying for it.

Let’s discuss the big changes coming to the MRC in regards to its appearance. If you haven’t been in the MRC lately, you probably missed the new screens, new furniture, and the desks with plugs. Over the past year, the bookshelves have been reallocated to rim the perimeter instead of taking up space in horizontal rows across the back of the MRC - allowing for so much more room for educational greatness! Despite all the huge changes that have already taken place, there’s more to come that we should expect in the future. Ms.Deluccia has said that she is currently speaking with an interior designer to figure out the best way to place and purchase furniture -  that is comfortable and inviting in the midst of studying - modeling it like a college library.

The reallocation of bookshelves in the MRC.

Remember that the MRC is open from 6:30 am to 3:00 pm everyday. The MRC isn’t just to grab books you have to read. If you have a free period, it’s a really great place to study. If you have any questions about a book or finding the right source, just talk to Ms.Deluccia!